Lord of the Rings
...res since they last saw each other in the Mines of Moria, Gandalf whistles once- long and sharp- and three horses arrive (Legolas and Gimli share one) to bear them to Edoras. There they rid King Theoden of his treacherous counselor and accompany his army to the battle at Helm’s Deep. The king puts his daughter in charge in his absence, and the girl doesn’t watch her father in his departure; her gaze is fixed on Aragorn. Meanwhile, Merry and Pippin- the only two hobbits who were in fact captured- escape from their captors when the band of orcs is assaulted by the men of Rohan. They seek refuge in Fangorn, where after several day of travel meet an Ent known as Treebeard. The halflings inform him of the activities of Saruman, a wizard which all the Ents abhor; Treebeard then decides to rouse his fellow Ents to do battle with him at Isengard. These normally passive creatures, motivated by their hate for the traitor, completely demolish the city. The next day, Gandalf, Theoden, Gimli, Legolas, and Aragorn find the hobbits sitting upon a pile of rubble, surrounded by bottles and bowls and blowing soft blue smokerings. After speaking with Treebeard, Gandalf decides to have a chat with Saruman at Orthanc. Gandalf takes Gimli, the hobbitts, Theoden and a few of his riders with him, warning them to “beware of his voice” (pg. 200)- for the voice of Saruman is enchanting, but his words are specious. There the deceitful wizard vainly attempts to first regain friendship with Theoden, then with Gandalf; both refused, disgusted, and Gandalf breaks Saruman’s staff. Pippin finds a reflective orb, which Gandalf tucks away in his robe. They all set out for Isengard once more, Treebeard included; when they set up camp, Pippin can’t sleep, thinking about that orb. He takes it from Gandalf as the wizard sleeps, and looks into it; Pippin sees frightening things and wants to put the sphere down, but finds it impossible. Soon the whole camp is awake and the wizard tears the ball away from Pippin’s grasp. The hobbit is quite shaken up, and when Gandalf inquires as to what Pippin saw, he says he was questioned by the dark Lord Sauron. This marks the end of the first book. The dynamics of these characters are quite interesting, so...