Marrimian, a kind, fair-minded leader, claims her right to the throne when her father dies, but the people fear starvation and begin a revolution lead by Marrimian's bitter younger sister, Pinvey.

Fellowship of the Ring Book I: The Ring Sets Out. The first chapter in the book begins in a light vein, following the tone of The Hobbit. Bilbo Baggins celebrates his 111th (or eleventy-first, as it is called in Hobbiton) birthday on the same day, September 22, that his relative and adopted heir Frodo Baggins celebrates his coming of age at 33. At the birthday party, Bilbo departs from the Shire, the land of the Hobbits, for what he calls a permanent holiday. He leaves Frodo his remaining...

Sigurd grew up with his grandmother, bothered only by the trolls that seemed bent on destroying their settlement. Then she died, leaving him a mysterious box he couldn't open and a confused warning against some dread warlord or wizard — he couldn't be sure of which from her final ravings. Then the grim warlord Halfdane came to abduct him by force into the Realm of the Alfar. Now he was a virtual prisoner in the hill fort of Halfdane, caught in a bitter war between light and dark...