But Narsil/Anduril seems to be acting like a polearm (being really long, being sheathed on the horse instead of on the man), except when it isn't (being used just like a regular sword by a dismounted soldier).

In my Weapons and Warfare book it's noted that Narsil/Anduril was created for Elendil who was huge and strong enough to wield it one-handed, but that the grip was big enough for two hands and that's how Aragorn wielded it.

There's also a lot of talk about Aragorn's fighting style which is a cross between Elvish (where he was raised and trained) and Ranger (which is more Krav-efficient).

Does the book explain why Aragorn doesn't have a relationship with Faramir? They're both Rangers right? Or were they in different cub scout troops?

must. resist. the. urge. to. comment.

DH and I could not stop giggling when Elrond and Aragorn were admiring the sheer size of Anduril. We tried, but, well, not that mature.

In the books, capital-R Ranger usually means a tribe of northmen, who tend to keep to themselves, who are secretly replacing the brewed coffee with instant the Dunedain, i.e. the descendants of Numenor in the northern kingdom. (The northern kingdom itself having had a nervous breakdown 1500 years previously.)

Faramir's people are just like the northern rangers, in that they like becoming shades of green and sleeping in thickets, but they're not a secret tribe of anything and the word "ranger" describes their function rather than their being. Faramir happens to be a Numenorean throwback, but I'm sure plenty of Gondor's rangers were just regular folks who were short and had bad teeth and died long before their 210th birthdays.

Does the book explain why Aragorn doesn't have a relationship with Faramir?

Legolas.

OK, seriously, I don't remember from the books, but I think the age difference would play into it. Aragorn's ~80 at the time of the books, and Faramir's ~ 20. Therefore they wouldn't necessarily have trained together or served together. I got the impression from Boromir and Aragorn's interaction at the Council of Elrond that Aragorn hadn't interacted much with the Gondor nobles in his ranger capacity.

ETA:

Faramir's people are just like the northern rangers, in that they like becoming shades of green and sleeping in thickets, but they're not a secret tribe of anything and the word "ranger" describes their function rather than their being.

Oh, two different meanings of "Ranger". Good to know.

I'm Meriadoc Brandybuck and his insatiable bloodlust. I'm good with that.

Does the book explain why Aragorn doesn't have a relationship with Faramir? They're both Rangers right? Or were they in different cub scout troops?

As Nutty explained, they're different troops of scouts, and the word "ranger" when applied to each group has somewhat different meanings.

But more importantly, it's not like anybody has phones, radios or walkie-talkies in Middle Earth, so nobody without a Palantir is big with the long-range communication, and Palantiri have issues of their own, which means that even if they were the same kinds of rangers, Aragorn and Faramir would only have known each other when Aragorn was in town, and the last time Aragorn was in Gondor (under an assumed name, no less), Faramir was a wee lad, if he was born at all.

so nobody without a Palantir is big with the long-range communication

And Movie!Galadriel, with her mind-phone.

(And yes, I do say "Can you hear me now?" when that scene starts. See above, re, twelve.)

I'm Bloody Merry, as well. Hee.

I'm Meriadoc Brandybuck and his insatiable bloodlust.

Same here.

One thing in the weapons and warfare book I forgot: that Sting (Frodo - and once Bilbo's sword) says "Sting is my name - I am the Spider's bane" on it.

Oh! I also forgot that Glamdring (Gandalf's sword) and Sting were found at the same time in the Troll's horde in The Hobbit.

I need to read The Hobbit again.

This Weapons book kicks ass and I don't want to give it to my brother tonight.

it's not like anybody has phones, radios or walkie-talkies in Middle Earth

Right. And as I recall, neither Boromir nor Faramir was anywhere close to being born yet when last Strider visited Gondor. Denethor was still a young man, and Theoden was still a child.

That's the funny part of the books that would just never work on screen. In the books, Boromir wanders for like 3 months in the wilderness, looking for Rivendell, and until he finds it, he's not really sure it isn't just a myth. People had just stopped traveling to different lands so much (perhaps due to all of the orcs), and communication and the spread of knowledge were in total disarray.

(Also the part where, palantirites excepted, nobody in Gondor had any idea that the line of Arnor still existed. Someone had to explain to Boromir at the council why "Aragorn son of Arathorn" wasn't just "Dave son of Joe" but actually meaningful to Minas Tirith.)

I'm Samwise Gamgee and his insomnia.

Try anything on Mr. Frodo, and I'll have you, longshanks!!!!!!