The Siege of Gondor is undoubtedly written by someone who has experienced war first hand. It is inherent in the way it is told so grimly (but grippingly). It's dark, heavy, full of foreboding, and strikes a rather different tone to that of Peter Jackson's film. The latter is more panoramic, less claustrophobic, and in all it's whizz-bang spectacular thrills clearly not the work of someone who has been to war. That isn't a criticism of the film. It's certainly an astonishing spectacle, cinematically, and no one unreasonably expects Jackson to inform his film with sensibilities from experiences he hasn't had. However, the difference in tone is notable.

Great piece, by the way.