You've hit on a good point, Littlemanpoet.
Yes! The first half of FOTR is very different in style from the rest of it.
I have discussed this with people before, and we have come to the conclusion that Tolkien started out writing something much more light-hearted. When he got to Bree, things changed. He very nearly made it an all-hobbit tale, with the invention of "Trotter", but laid the book aside for a good while, trying to understand what kind of a corner he's written hinself into. He was frustrated until he changed Trotter into Strider, and continued therafter on a different vein.
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'Perilous indeed,' said Aragorn, 'fair and perilous; but only evil need fear it, or those who bring some evil with them. Follow me!'
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