J.R.R. Tolkien published The Two Towers in 1954.
The second volume of The Lord of the Rings was released in the United Kingdom on 11 November 1954. It followed The Fellowship of the Ring, which had appeared earlier that year, and preceded The Return of the King in 1955.
The volume continues the story after the Fellowship breaks apart. Its narrative covers Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and their allies as they confront the dangers facing Rohan, while Frodo and Sam continue toward Mordor with Gollum as their guide.
The title has prompted discussion because “the two towers” can be associated with different pairs of strongholds in the story. Tolkien’s foreword and notes show that publishing titles were not always straightforward summaries of one single location. The book’s structure also differs from a conventional parallel narrative because its major story lines are grouped separately.