Tolkien Out Loud.

[curiouswombat]

This post is part of the project at read_lotr_aloud - to do just that - read Lord of the Rings aloud, on LJ. This current round of readings covers the end of Book 2, Chapter 4, A Journey in the Dark, and Book 2, Chapter 5, The Bridge of Khazad-dûm.

This is the first time I have joined in, and my passage is part of Chapter Five, I will put the passage under the cut, so that you can read it along with me if you want to.

Doom, doom, went the drums in the deep. The great voice rolled out again.

'Now! ' shouted Gandalf. 'Now is the last chance. Run for it! '



Aragorn picked up Frodo where he lay by the wall and made for the stair, pushing Merry and Pippin in front of him. The others followed; but Gimli had to be dragged away by Legolas: in spite of the peril he lingered by Balin's tomb with his head bowed. Boromir hauled the eastern door to, grinding upon its hinges: it had great iron rings on either side, but could not be fastened.

'I am all right,' gasped Frodo. `I can walk. Put me down! '

Aragorn nearly dropped him in his amazement. 'I thought you were dead! ' he cried.

'Not yet! ' said Gandalf. 'But there is time for wonder. Off you go, all of you, down the stairs! Wait a few minutes for me at the bottom, but if I do not come soon, go on! Go quickly and choose paths leading right and downwards.'

'We cannot leave you to hold the door alone! ' said Aragorn.

`Do as I say! ' said Gandalf fiercely. `Swords are no more use here. Go!'

The passage was lit by no shaft and was utterly dark. They groped their way down a long flight of steps, and then looked back; but they could see nothing, except high above them the faint glimmer of the wizard's staff. He seemed to be still standing on guard by the closed door. Frodo breathed heavily and leaned against Sam, who put his arms about him. They stood peering up the stairs into the darkness. Frodo thought he could hear the voice of Gandalf above, muttering words that ran down the sloping roof with a sighing echo. He could not catch what was said. The walls seemed to be trembling. Every now and again the drum-beats throbbed and rolled: doom, doom.

Suddenly at the top of the stair there was a stab of white light. Then there was a dull rumble and a heavy thud. The drum-beats broke out wildly: doom-boom, doom-boom, and then stopped. Gandalf came flying down the steps and fell to the ground in the midst of the Company.

`Well, well! That's over! ' said the wizard struggling to his feet. `I have done all that I could. But I have met my match, and have nearly been destroyed. But don't stand here! Go on! You will have to do without light for a while: I am rather shaken. Go on! Go on! Where are you, Gimli? Come ahead with me! Keep close behind, all of you!'

..................


You would laugh if you could see the incredibly disreputable paper-back version I am reading from - it is over 30 years old, was S2C's before we met, and has pages falling out. I have a much newer copy, but it is upstairs and somehow this is the one I always end up using.

Actually - you can see it - it is in the middle of this pile of books in a picture from my original 365 project



That was taken over a year ago - if anything it is even more disreputable now! But we loves it, precious, we do!

Comments

[bogwitch.livejournal.com]

I'd like to hear you read some of the elf stuff. Your voice has a lovely, almost mournful tone that I think would suit those chapters that are all about fading glories and passing into the west.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Hmm - there is the actual read-a-long-with-Tolkien Day coming up, where the theme for the year is trees - I had been thinking of joining in with a Lothlorien passage. I will!

[bogwitch.livejournal.com]

There you go then!

[petzipellepingo.livejournal.com]

Very nice. And I agree with bogwitch about reading Elvish passages.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Thank you - I might do an Elvish bit for Read Tolkien Aloud day - which is 25th March, I think.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I think it is all the reading aloud I did to D-d when she was younger - at least 20 minutes a night from about 6 months old until she got to her 10th birthday. (It occurred to me when she was 6 months old, and began to be fretful to settle, that if I was going to have to sit with her, and the sound of my voice helped her settle, that I might as well read something I liked out loud!)

[shirebound]

I wish I could replace all my Tolkien books... so many of mine are falling apart, too.

You have a great voice. That was such a suspenseful and exciting sequence.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much.

I think we got a new copy of The Hobbit along the way - and we have a hard-back Silmarillion in good condition due to not being read much(!). The Tolkien Reader and a couple of other bits are elderly, too - but are in slightly better shape. But I have really beautiful paperbacks of LotR - yet somehow they stay on the shelf upstairs.

[lbilover.livejournal.com]

Oooh, that was terrific! I was very curious as to what your accent would be like, since I assumed you were from overseas but I wasn't sure where, and it's totally delightful. What struck me listening to this is Gandalf's self-deprecating humor even at a time like that.

I have some equally disreputable copies of LOTR, my cherished copies from when I first read the books in 1970. They are so battered I can't use them to read from, but they have a hallowed place on the shelf. And lol, my one-volume paperback that I use for Reading LOTR Aloud is so marked up from assigning sections that it's very funny to look at!

Thank you so much for participating!! I'm always very happy when someone new joins us!! :D

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Thank you - it has been a real pleasure to join in. I am not so much from overseas as from in-the-middle-of-a-sea; the icon is a map of the island I live on!

[spikereader.livejournal.com]

That's the way a book should be, well read and well loved.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

I think it has probably reached 'tatty' to be honest...

[manoah.livejournal.com]

I have a much loved copy of Dune that is in worse shape. But I refuse to buy a new one! Books = love.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Sometimes we just have to buy new ones - we realise there are lots of pages missing...

[mews1945.livejournal.com]

Lovely hearing you read this passage. Your voice is so pleasant.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Thank you - it was interesting to do, too.

[estelcontar1.livejournal.com]

You're a great reader. Somehow, don1t ask me why I expected you'd have a deeper voice.

Your LOTR copy looks as disreputable as my first 1969 paperback one. *g*

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much. My husband says my recorded voice never sounds quite like 'me' - but I don't think it's far off.

[estelcontar1.livejournal.com]

I think your husband knows what he's talking about. *g*

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

The tatty old copies are the best! And you read that beautifully.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Thank you - I think it is a legacy of almost 10 years of reading aloud to D-d, including the Hobbit at least three times!

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

That looks like a very beloved book! I like them better really than the pristine 1st editions that sit on a shelf never opened--those always look lonely to me.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

My newer ones are a bit pristine - but sadly not first editions!

[bojojoti.livejournal.com]

You have a very nice voice and enunciate well.

My original copies of Tolkien's work are paperbacks over 30 years old, too. I have a newer fat paperback with the entire trilogy included. Some day, I may allow myself to purchase a nice leather-bound set. I've looked at them on ebay, but they NEVER sell for a reasonable price. I've been able to purchase other beautiful books very inexpensively on ebay, but a finely bound Tolkien never goes cheaply!

[bojojoti.livejournal.com]

And, oddly enough, the LOLcat of the day is reading one of my originals, printed in the mid '70s:

http://icanhascheezburger.com/2011/03/19/funny-pictures-and-then-whut/

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

What nice covers - I don't know if that version ever sold in Britain or not.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Thank you - I like reading out loud.

I think there are too many Tolkien fans for the leather-bound versions to ever go cheaply.

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

You read beautifully and really brought the passage to life.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much - I enjoyed doing it, I'm really glad that I joined in - now I look forward to tomorrow when the links to the whole section are put together so you can here the whole thing following on in so many different voices.

[addie71.livejournal.com]

This is one of my a favorite parts and you read it delightfully.

I have three copies of LotR, and my oldest set is yellowed and falling apart, but I can't get rid of it. It is precious to me!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Thank you - I am so glad you enjoyed it. We all have books well past their prime that we just can't throw away, it would feel like betrayal or infanticide!

[ningloreth.livejournal.com]

You sound rather younger and posher than I remember, LOL, and very professional. And it's all clear and easy to follow.

That last speech from Gandalf is typical Tolkien big-people talk -- mannered, and all over the place :-)

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

My voice on my voice mail and so on always sounds a wee bit younger than me, too, I find. Accent-wise it is exactly my 'reading books to children' voice from back when D-d was younger...

That is a very Gandalf passage, you're right.

[hildigard-brown.livejournal.com]

I love this passage, where Frodo surprises them all, and you read it beautifully! I'm glad you decided to join the readings.

My original paperbacks date from the late-1960's (the U.S. Ballantine editions with the psychedelic artwork on the covers), and they are probably in even more disreputable condition than yours, being held together with tape and love. But they are still precious to me.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Thank you - I am so glad that you enjoyed it. Much loved books are just that, aren't they... much loved.

[belleferret.livejournal.com]

I love your reading and your accent!

My original paperbacks are nigh onto 40 years old by now, but I did buy myself the Lee illustrated hard-bound editions a few years ago. :-)

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much. So many of us have those well read books - although those old ones of ours are approaching tatty - or have even reached it!

[vaysh]

What a wonderful reading, with an accent that perfectly suits the books. I loved the way you played with the rhythm of the drums. And of course, Frodo breathed heavily and leaned against Sam, who put his arms about him. ... *melts*

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Thank you - I am so glad that you enjoyed it - and that you took the time to let me know.