***spoiler Warning***

[Bêthberry]

Some authors, rightly or wrongly, write with the presumption, to say nothing of gall, impudence and temerity, that their books will be reread. Tolkien appears to belong to this crowd and fortune seems to have favoured him.

[alatar]

When we go to the theater/cinema, before the main attraction, we are bombarded seemingly for hours with movie trailers that show bits of coming attractions. Maybe these chapter titles are just the textual form of the same? Whet the appetite a bit?

"Things sound bad for this group of Nine, as the chapter title is, 'The Breaking of the Fellowship,' but exactly how does it happen, me wonders?"

At least we are spared the LotR Chapter title, in place of "The Shadow of the Past," "The Shadow of the Past and How Frodo will Accomplish his Mission and Defeat Sauron, and the Nazgul Never Really do Much."

[MatthewM]

I like the titles Tolkien gave his chapters. They are defined and each significant, and each for me at least evoke certain emotions and pictures that I latch on to that chapter or point in the story. Like most said, there are the questions that leave suspense as to why things happened producing the title Tolkien gave.

[Orominuialwen]

I recall reading somewhere that Tolkien originally wanted to call RotK The War of the Ring, because he thought The Return of the King gave away too much of the plot. His publishers thought that Return of the King worked better, though. So perhaps Tolkien shared some of your concers about giving too much of his plots away?

[Sir Kohran]

Originally Posted by Orominuialwen

I recall reading somewhere that Tolkien originally wanted to call RotK The War of the Ring, because he thought The Return of the King gave away too much of the plot. His publishers thought that Return of the King worked better, though. So perhaps Tolkien shared some of your concers about giving too much of his plots away?

I'm not sure I like The War Of The Ring. Look at the ends of the current titles - 'Ring' and 'Towers' and 'King'. Each focuses on a different subject. Adding in another 'Ring' in place of 'King' would offset the balance.

[Kitanna]

It always gets my friend that in the Fellowship Gandalf remarks that Gollum still has a part to play. She feels it gives something away about the end of the Ring. However, I feel giving away a little bit at the beginning of a chapter or in the chapter name (ex: The Breaking of the Fellowship) pushes me to read faster so I know how it happens. Most people can guess that the good defeats evil when it comes to the trilogy, but so many continue to read so they know how.

I feel too many authors today are stuck on twists and turns to keep the relatively short attention span of the readers and they focus less on solid story telling. The "spoilers" that Tolkien puts in actually enhances the story to me.

[Volo]

Originally Posted by Kitanna

It always gets my friend that in the Fellowship Gandalf remarks that Gollum still has a part to play.

That's going a bit too far. It's like 1000 pages in between, when you first read the book, you most certainly forget such minor details from the beginning.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Kitanna

However, I feel giving away a little bit at the beginning of a chapter or in the chapter name (ex: The Breaking of the Fellowship) pushes me to read faster so I know how it happens.

You speak from my soul. This is exactly how I felt about Tolkien when I first read it, and I didn't even remember that, now you awoke the memory in me: yes, that's exactly how it was. It does not matter you know how it ends, you want to know how it happens - this is the point of epic, not a detective novel. This is, I think, something I actually lack at the other authors of today (*ahem* I originally wrote toDay...).

Originally Posted by Kitanna

I feel too many authors today are stuck on twists and turns to keep the relatively short attention span of the readers and they focus less on solid story telling. The "spoilers" that Tolkien puts in actually enhances the story to me.

As I said, I'd subscribe this one.