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Rohan rides to Gondor's aid — and Gondor's own Steward has already given up. In this episode, Dan and Alex walk through Book V of The Lord of the Rings (the first half of The Return of the King), tracing Pippin's oath to Denethor and Merry's to Théoden, Aragorn's challenge to Sauron in the palantír and his ride down the Paths of the Dead, the siege of Minas Tirith, the pyre, the charge of the Rohirrim onto the Pelennor, and the feint at the Black Gate. Along the way: amdir and estel, Tolkien's two words for hope, and why Aragorn was raised under the second one as a name; Denethor and Faramir as the same mind turned to opposite uses, and what logic becomes when it isn't aimed at virtue; the Paths of the Dead as a study in decisiveness, with Gimli bargaining himself all the way to the rear of the company; Théoden's deliberately unglorious death and the shame he says he has escaped; the palantír as a machine for telling the truth in exactly the place it will do the most harm; and Éowyn, who wins everything she rode to the Pelennor for and finds it doesn't satisfy her. They also touch on Lewis on the sorrows of all the world arriving every morning, the Oyarsa's diagnosis of Weston in Out of the Silent Planet, Puddleglum against the Green Witch, Ghân-buri-Ghân and the trust that plain speech buys in a single conversation, a recording of Tolkien himself reading the charge of the Rohirrim, and what it means that the hands of the king are the hands of a healer. The last stretch is the one Alex spends the whole episode talking himself into: whether Éowyn's arc is a story about a woman escaping her role, or a story about a soul refusing its allotment, and what that reading asks of men and women now. Next episode: Book VI of The Lord of the Rings, the second half of The Return of the King. Got comments, criticism, or corrections? Email or send a voice memo to ⁠[email protected]⁠. Timestamps00:00 — Intro00:04 — Housekeeping: listener mail on Lewis, Tolkien, pleasure and suffering00:07 — Obliquity: why happiness has to be a byproduct00:09 — Arwen, Éowyn, and how a good story commandeers your sympathies00:14 — Book V summary00:17 — Themes: what is greatness, and the traditions of our fathers00:21 — Lewis on vulnerability and on the sorrows of all the world00:24 — Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, and going to bed with death00:26 — Break / The Theo Show00:29 — Pippin as our way in, and Tolkien's digressions00:32 — Merry among the Rohirrim: conspicuously not useful00:35 — Denethor and Faramir: logic without virtue00:38 — Pippin and Bergil: talking to children as peers00:41 — Aragorn and the palantír: identity and what it's for00:43 — The Paths of the Dead: decisiveness, and Gimli at the rear00:49 — Ghân-buri-Ghân and the trust of plain speech00:52 — Everyone you meet has their own epic00:54 — "It's all just...": labels, and Saruman of Many Colours00:58 — Morning counsels are best01:02 — Break / Losing Like a Winner01:04 — Tolkien reads the charge of the Rohirrim 01:08 — The joy of battle and the right use of truth01:12 — Amdir and estel: the Athrabeth01:17 — The Ring of Barahir01:19 — Stewardship that looks backward01:21 — The hands of the king are the hands of a healer01:24 — Théoden's unglorious death01:30 — The palantír, half-truths, and the modern news01:33 — Which way, Western woman?01:39 — Allotment, family, and speaking in ideals01:46 — Outro

Frodo and Sam press on toward Mordor — and pick up an unlikely guide. In this episode, Dan and Alex walk through Book IV of The Lord of the Rings (the second half of The Two Towers), tracing Frodo and Sam's journey through the Dead Marshes, their capture of Gollum, the encounter with Faramir in Ithilien, and the road toward Shelob's lair. Along the way: why Tolkien's refusal to write allegory makes these characters feel more real than any parable; the "fall without hope of spring" and Nietzsche's slave morality; Frodo's true motives for sparing Gollum; Faramir as the moral center of the story (and why the films undersell him); the ethics of lying to an enemy; and Sam's reflection on what it means to be "landed" in a story rather than choosing one. They also touch on the weight of names (Sam, the Gaffer, and Treebeard), C.S. Lewis's Perelandra and The Great Divorce, and what it looks like to be the loyal second character rather than the hero. Next episode: Book V of The Lord of the Rings, the first half of The Return of the King. Got comments, criticism, or corrections? Email or send a voice memo to [email protected]. Timestamps00:00 — Intro00:03 — Housekeeping: Pippin and the palantír00:04 — Book IV summary00:06 — Themes: why these stories aren't sensational00:14 — Slave morality & "a fall without hope of spring"00:22 — Break / The Theo Show00:23 — The Gaffer's insults & the power of names00:34 — Faramir vs. Boromir00:45 — Break / Telling the Truth00:47 — Faramir continued: honesty and lying to evil00:55 — The fall of Gondor01:00 — Sam on adventure and heroism01:07 — Outro

Boromir is Slain! The orcs capture Merry and Pippin and march in haste to Isengard. Aragorn, Logolas and Gimli attempt a hopeless pursuit on foot, only to find the remains of the orc host slaughtered by the Riders of Rohan, but clues of the hobbits’ escape lead the trio into Fangorn Forest where they reunite with Gandalf, resurrected after his fall in Moria. The four companions go to Edoras where Gandalf releases King Theodin of the bewitchment of Saruman. They ride to Helm’s Deep to aid the Rohirim in the defense against the onslaught of Saruman’s armies, while the Ents march on Isengard. Rohan is successfully defended, and Isengard is overthrown. Episode Sponsor: Active Listening

*SPOILER ALERT!* If you haven’t seen the movie The Fellowship of the Ring, or read the first chapter of The Two Towers, there is a spoiler in this episode of something in the movie that in the books happens later. Not likely any of you are as fresh to this story as Dan, but still, fyi… Book 2 Summary: Frodo awakes in Rivendell. A council led by the Elf Lord Elrond decides that the One Ring must be destroyed, and having shown his resilience to the Ring’s evil power, Frodo volunteers to take the Ring to the Mt. Doom where it was forged and the only place where it can be unmade. A fellowship of 9 companions is formed and accompanies Frodo on this quest. Shortly into their journey, the fellowship reluctantly passes through the ancient and deserted Dwarven Mines of Moria where they are besieged by orcs and a Balrog, an ancient demon of Shadow and Flame. In the ensuing battle, Gandalf confronts the Balrog, allowing the rest of the fellowship to escape Moria, but in so doing, falls into the abyss. The remaining fellowship seeks refuge in the Elven realm of Lothlórien. They are welcomed by Lady Galadriel, who bestows gifts and blessings upon them. The journey continues by boat down the River Anduin to the Falls of Rauros, where compelled by treachery, Frodo breaks from the fellowship accompanied only by Sam.  Episode Sponsor: Asking Meaningful Questions

Dan and Alex begin a new adventure in The Lord of the Rings! Summary of Book 1: Gandalf the Wizard has discovered that the magic ring the hobbit Frodo Baggins has inherited from his older cousin Bilbo is no ordinary trinket; it's The One Ring of the Dark Lord Sauron. Frodo accepts the task of delivering the ring to Rivendell where wiser and more powerful allies might work out its destruction before it can be reclaimed and Sauron rise again to his former power. Pursued by the Dark Lord’s sinister agents, Frodo and his small band of loyal friends make the dangerous journey, but not without incident or a fair amount of strange help. But Dan and Alex mostly talk about Tom and Goldberry...as they should. Next episode will cover The Fellowship, book 2. Episode Sponsor: Being a Self-regulator Send emails and voice-memos to [email protected]

Dan and Alex have been on a walking tour through Middle-earth. They followed The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, from the doorstep of his hobbit hole, over hill and under tree, to the dungeons of The Lonely Mountain and back again, but a new adventure is calling–and their road continues ever on and on… into The Lord of the Rings! Our next episode will cover The Lord of the Rings, Book 1, the Fellowship of the Rings (Chapters 1-12). Music for this episode was used with permission from Clamavi De Profundis. Check them out here: Patreon Youtube Spotify Episode Sponsor: "Eating The Frog" The Theo Show Alex's Middle-earth playlist

Dan and Alex continue their Walking Tour through Middle-earth as they talk about their experience in the second half of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit. Send questions, comments, criticisms, and corrections, by written email or Voice Memo to [email protected] Episode Sponsor: Consequences Video at: https://youtu.be/u6Y_pV-AsCQ

We begin our walking tour through Middle-earth on the trail to the Lonely Mountain with Bilbo Baggins in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit. In this episode, we discuss our experiences in the first 9 chapters, from Bag End to Mirkwood. Episode Sponsor: Doing Something New https://open.spotify.com/show/3eT6KpkOcJOO3Ss4Zz1lHe?si=e94a0ffcc5be4e8b

Like Elwin Ransom, we're going on a walking tour, or like Bilbo Baggins, we're going on an adventure! Maybe not literally, but imaginatively as we briefly leave the works of C.S. Lewis and wander into Middle-earth. Our first stop will be The Hobbit. Read ahead if you don't want spoilers. Next Episode: The Hobbit, chapters 1-9

Dan and Alex review and wrap-up season 3.

Dan and Alex meet up with book club members Tyler and Angie Panian to wrap up their coverage of Till We Have Faces.

Dan and Alex discuss book 2 of Till We Have Faces. Next week we wrap up our coverage and talk to some of our book club members.

Dan and Alex discuss chapters 11-21 of book 1 in Till We Have Faces. Next week we will cover book 2. Send us a voice memo! Follow us on Instagram @c.s.lewisbookclub Email us: [email protected]

Dan and Alex begin their coverage of Till We Have Faces, starting with chapters 1-10 Next week we will cover chapters 11-21. Send us a voice memo! Follow us on Instagram @c.s.lewisbookclub Email us: [email protected]

Dan and Alex meet up with book club members Mandi and Nick to wrap up and review their coverage of The Great Divorce.