The land about them grew bleak and barren, though once, as Thorin told them, it had been green and fair. There was little grass, and before long there was neither bush nor tree, and only broken and blackened stumps to speak of ones long vanished. They were come to the Desolation of the Dragon, and they were come at the waning of the year.Well the troupe has made it to Laketown, and the dwarves are out of the barrels. They are given supplies by the Mayor, who is eager to see the backs of them, and they head into the Desolation of Smaug. Once they find the moon door, its time for Bilbo to earn his keep, and see if the treasure still remains with the dragons. Bilbo just didn't count on Smaug having a sense of smell like a turkey, being able to smell the hobbit and missing gold.
I really liked the chapter with the dragon. Its one I remembered from when I read it before. Between his moon door riddle solving, and his conversation with Smaug, it was a strong part of the story. I may or may not have been imagining how the conversation between Smaug and Bilbo scene may end up very Sherlock-y, especially since it is the same actors playing the characters. The image has gotten rather stuck in my head.
The hunt for the moon door was another of those scenes that are reminiscent of what Tolkien does later in LOTR.
Next week its Chapters 13-15, then one more week after that!
