Hall of Fire Chats For November
Demosthenes @ 3:25 am EST

Been wondering what's on the cards for Hall of Fire for the rest of November? Here's the schedule for you ...

November 16&17
Everything about the Palantiri

What are these "stones of seeing"? How do they work? What's the difference between a minor and a major stone. How vital were they during the War of the Ring and could they have saved Arthedain/Arnor from destruction?

And how is it that Denethor uses one and (eventually) goes nuts while Saruman goes to "the dark side"? What is the influence of the attitude of the user in the success in one's will or integrity? (And much much more ... remember there's a whole chapter of reading in Unfinished Tales on these things!)

November 23&24
The Two Towers - Book 4, Ch 9: Shelob's Lair

"Presently they were under the shadow, and there in the midst of it they saw the opening of a cave. `This is the way in,' said Gollum softly. `This is the entrance to the tunnel.' He did not speak its name: Torech Ungol, Shelob's Lair ...."

Nov 30 & Dec 1
Gender imbalance in LoTR

Is there a gender imbalance in LoTR? A simple head count supports this, but what of the relative strengths of the characters in this?

What is the effect of gender imbalance on LoTR? Does it reduce the tale to a giant "boys own adventure"? If so, is this a bad thing? And how does this affect/diminish one's reading of the book. (Could be some interesting personal experiences here)

Look forward to seeing you at one of our upcoming chats.