The trees were grey and menacing, and a shadow or a mist was about them. The ends of their long sweeping boughs hung down like searching fingers, their roots stood up from the ground like the limbs of strange monsters, and dark caverns opened beneath them. But Gandalf went forward, leading the company, and where the road from the Hornburg met the trees they saw now an opening like an arched gate under mighty boughs; and through it Gandalf passed, and they followed him. Then to their amazement they found that the road ran on, and the Deeping-stream beside it; and the sky was open above and full of golden light. But on either side the great aisles of the wood were already wrapped in dusk, stretching away into impenetrable shadows; and there they heard the creaking and groaning of boughs, and far cries, and a rumour of wordless voices, murmuring angrily. No Orc or other living creature could be seen.

This description coming right after the desolation that Frodo and Sam find themselves in in the newsletter format REALLY helps emphasize how good Tolkien was at creating atmosphere.

There is a strange power here, and it’s not exactly wholesome, but it’s also not evil. It is dangerous, it is something that our resident badass (Gimli) is afraid of, and it is reminiscent of an atmosphere you might find in a horror movie.

And yet… it doesn’t drag at you. There isn’t a complete hopelessness here. There is fear, there is uncertainty, but there is also golden light and a clear path.