Today in Middle-earth: March 5

The Ride of Gandalf and Pippin by John Howe

 On this day in the year 3019 of the Third Age:

• Théoden reaches Isengard at noon
• Parley with Saruman in Orthanc
• Winged Nazgûl passes over the camp at Dol Baran; Gandalf sets out with Peregrin for Minas Tirith
• Frodo hides in sight of the Morannon, and leaves at dusk  

'The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies' Available on Digital HD Today!

While 'The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies' won't be available on Blu-ray and DVD until the 24th, you can download the digital HD version of the film today! Visit WarnerBros.com for more information on where/how to download.

Side note: If you're still waiting for my review of 'The Battle of the Five Armies', you won't have to wait much longer – I will be reviewing the Blu-ray set very soon and decided it would be better to do one big review, rather than two separate ones. So stay tuned (and thanks for your patience)!

Today in Middle-earth: March 4

Morannon by the Brothers Hildebrandt

On this year in the year 3019 of the Third Age:

• Théoden and Gandalf set out from Helm's Deep for Isengard
• Frodo reaches the slag-mounds on the edge of the Desolation of the Morannon 

Today in Middle-earth: March 3

The Battle of the Hornburg by Darrell Sweet

 On this day in the year 3019 of the Third Age:

• Théoden retreats to Helm's Deep
• Battle of the Hornburg begins
• Ents complete the destruction of Isengard  

Saturday's Tolkien Haul

I ventured up to Maine over the weekend, and along the way spotted a used bookstore. There I found several new items to add to my Tolkien collection, including a second edition The Lord of the Rings boxed set (1965), a movie tie-in boxed set, a different version of J.E.A. Tyler's Tolkien Companion, a hardcover copy of The Silmarillion, and the soundtrack from the 197 Hobbit movie by Rankin/Bass (an item I have desperately longed for)!