"Journey to the Cross-roads" - Ben's Thoughts

Jacob's certainly right -- not a lot happens in this chapter. Thankfully, it's quite short. I also agree that some of the descriptions of walking and creeping through brush and wood could have been trimmed, with the exit of the army from Minas Morgul, coming in the next chapter, being combined into this stuff. Thematically, it would make sense, with the gathering darkness, the anticipation of Sauron's next move, and ultimately the release of his armies. As it is, there's just a lot of walking and some mystery about what Gollum is up to, when he leaves the hobbits and scouts around. Even with that, though, he can't be up to too much naughtiness -- he's certainly not hobnobbing with orcs and he'd have to go all the way up the stairs we'll encounter in the next chapter to chat with the "She" that we will encounter soon. So he must just be gathering intel about the waiting army behind the gates of the city. Nothing too groundbreaking or character-building.

I have to disagree with Jacob's assessment of Faramir as a pointless interlude, because if I recall, it pays off big time in the Denethor vs. Gandalf struggle in the next book. I think Tolkien did well by the character in these three chapters: he introduced him well, drawing parallels to Aragorn, Boromir, and Gandalf, all three, in his characterization; he presented a conflict and resolved the conflict within the arc of the three chapters (although I did note my concerns with that conflict in the last post); sets up further conflict between our central trio that stands until the end of this book; and finally, sends the character on his way, to resurface with characterization intact in the next book. Mission accomplished, I'd say. Of course, I do have a certain fondness for Faramir, but I think overall it was handled well and moved the plot forward.

A quick note on the timeline: Frodo and Sam have now advanced further that Aragorn and Pals had at the end of Book III. Gandalf and Saruman's confrontation is contiguous with Frodo and Sam at the Morannon; the Black Rider that flies above them, heading west, in that chapter is the same Nazgul that passes overhead in "The Palantir" and spurs Gandalf to take Pippin to Minas Tirith. The darkening skies and the "Dawnless Day" seen in this chapter will be revisited from the point of view of the other characters in Book V.

Jacob is ready for some action, and I am as well. Fortunately the next three chapters are full of more interesting stuff for us to dig into. Looking forward to it. "Stairs" is the final climb to the top of the roller-coaster, and the final two chapters are the last plunge to the end of the book.