The Two Towers (Dramatized)

By: J. R. R. Tolkien

Narrated by: An Ensemble Cast

Length: 3 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

Here is the original American full dramatization, as broadcast on National Public Radio.

The Fellowship is broken; the quest to destroy the Ring seems already shrouded in disaster. But as the evil lord Sauron readies his armies for war, Frodo and Sam continue their lonely journey toward Mordor, guided only by Gollum, a deceitful and tortured creature, helplessly in thrall to the Ring's dark power.

They're precious! Listen to all of our classic NPR dramatizations of J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings series:

The Hobbit (Dramatized)

The Fellowship of the Ring (Dramatized)

The Return of the King (Dramatized)

©Christopher R. Tolkien, Michael H.R. Tolkien, John F.R. Tolkien, and Priscilla M.A.R. Tolkien (P)1979, 1994 HighBridge Company

Critic reviews

"The best available." ( Booklist)
"This collection...is a masterpiece." ( The Courier)
"Spirited productions...stirring music." ( Washington Post)

LOVE IT. LISTENED TO IT IN ONE SITTING!

Great job! The dramatization was well done.
Listened to it in one night. Can't wait to watch the movie now!

Not the reading of the book....

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Was on a long road trip with my son; it was a nice diversion - but it was NOT the book as written. It is a radio show version of the book and there is some diversion from the original. If what you are looking it the actual reading of same (which we were) this is not the right download.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Aragorn - the King...

Have you listened to any of An Ensemble Cast’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

no

Do you think The Two Towers (Dramatized) needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

no; but needs a straight forward version reading of the unabridged book

Wonderful

I absolutely love this series. I grew up listening to the cassette tapes. The cast is great and the story is among the best ever written! They do a great job of translating the story to an audiobook.

An excellent rendition!

"The Hobbit (Dramatized)" and "the Lord of the Rings (Dramatized)" were the first books I bought through Audible. I'd heard this recounting on the radio and owned cassettes of them back in the 70's and was eager to rehear them in this format - which I have done several times.
I've been a fan of the good Professor's books since the mid 60's and account this rendition to be a VERY close "second" to the books, themselves, and the unabridged rendition now available!
They are an excellent telling and well worth purchasing!

Poor Recording

Is there anything you would change about this book?

It's a classic story and a great book. The recording is from an old radio broadcast with many of the author's insights and emotional descriptions removed and replaced with sound effects. Some may find it a welcome change, but I felt let down and unattached to the story.

Would you be willing to try another one of An Ensemble Cast’s performances?

No

Hard to hear what some of the narrators are saying

I love that there is a dramatized version of this book! It makes it so much more entertaining. The 70's sound effects are especially fun. My main issue is that you have to keep turning the volume up and down so often because someone will be screaming one scene and then be whispering the next so you can barely hear them a lot of the time. It's also not completely clear who is speaking a lot of the time since they are acting it out instead of saying "then Legolas said...". I was also disappointed with how short it is but it is understandable.

Wuv it

Amazing cast brings story to life! A classic tale embelished foreasy listening. Enjoy this sequel and hurry to the finale!

Character voices are difficult to hear

Narrator was good, character voices were not always easy to hear, sound effects were horrid.

The worst performance ever.

the worst performance ever. It would be comical if I had not paid for it.

Mind boggling casting of Frodo and Sam

The Lord of the Rings is my favorite book (series)--I have read and reread them numerous times. I really enjoyed the dramatized The Fellowship of the Ring, and was excited to continue with the series, but was surprised to discover that all the voices had been recast. The first half of the book, which follows the Walkers towards Gondor wasn't too bad--not as good as the first book, but after a little adjustment I was able to settle in and enjoy it. The second half, however, was JARRING in its casting. Frodo speaks with a 1950s America broadcaster's Atlantic accent, and sounds 6 ft tall. Sam, meanwhile, has a high, piping voice that I found supremely irritating. After only a couple of chapters I quit listening.