The Return of the King

The sound effects were too much. Very distracting. Horses that make that much noise in the background are in need of attention! Feed them, brush them or put them out of their misery! Enough already with all the “special “ sound effects! I suffered through the first two books and wanted to just get through them all and be done with them. Just couldn’t do it! Had to quit. And I am usually pretty tolerant because I listen at work when I’m needing distraction, just couldn’t do it! Much rather listen to a monotone reading.

One of the all-time classics. Definitely on the must-read list.

This is the most amazing book series ever written. I am sad to be at end of this journey, and I wish I could go back to the start. Alas i cannot, but i am glad that all is well in Middle-Earth. I love you so much and goodbye.

I'd read "The Lord of the Rings" back when I was in high school, so a lot of the particulars of the tale had faded away over time. Not the overall story and the basic characters, but certainly some of the minutiae, minor characters and plot meanderings. Between the first reading and this second, Peter Jackson's movie trilogy hit the theaters (and the video market), and had - by reason of the movie's beauty, detail and wonderful casting - almost supplanted the original story in my mind. In fact, I can no longer remember what my original book set looked like - this second set has Elijah Wood, Orlando Bloom and Viggo Mortensen on each of its covers.Reading the book again after all this time had some surprising awakenings - I'd forgotten that Frodo was supposed to be in his 40's when the adventure unfolded, and I'd forgotten that both Sam and Frodo faced down Shelob in the tunnel together, not Frodo by himself. I’d forgotten that Saruman died not in Isengard but in the Shire. And I'd almost forgotten Tom Bombadil entirely.But having now once again enjoyed both the book and the movie in fairly close proximity as an adult, they almost feel like two separate but parallel entities. Yes, the movie streamlined some of the action into a more cohesive, forward-moving whole. And yes, Tom Bombadil disappeared. But I can now see why Peter Jackson made the choices he made. Tom, an enigmatic, mysterious being, isn't even fully understood by the book's main characters during the time they spent with him - and discussions of his nature and identity take place among Tolkien scholars to this day. Is he the Green Man? Is he a Dionysian deity? Pan? Is he a minor or major god? Trying to translate that level of mystery into a film had to be nearly impossible, particularly as he accomplishes for the storyline what the fellowship's time with Galadrial did, on many levels - even in the book you can see the redundancy of the two encounters. If even Tolkien had difficulty explaining him, I can see why Peter Jackson didn't want to make the attempt. The movie would have gone on forever if he'd tried to add the Bombadil encounter. Some of the characters and relationships aren’t quite as black and white as they were in the film (Denethor and Eowyn are examples), and Merry & Pippen were nowhere as entertaining in the book as they were in the film. Some of the film’s best moments aren’t given the same weight in the book (the flaming beacons passing from mountain top to mountain top in the film sent chills up the spine; in the book they aren’t given quite the same emotional impact).Basically, I’m of the opinion now that you can enjoy both the book(s) and the film, each in its own right – both are pretty awesome.

This book on tape version includes songs sung a cappella with melodies by the narrator, Rob Inglis, and Recorded Books studio director, Claudia Howard. The final cassette has Tolkien's preface to the trilogy with some prior history of Middle Earth.

There: I've finally finished my reread of The Lord of the Rings. I'm trying to remember when I last reread it. Probably three years ago, maybe four, because I went through a long period where I was sure it would have lost its magic, and I mostly just remembered the accusations of how slow it was, how boring, how long it took to get anything done. That was true, as far as it matters: Tolkien is wordy, but I like the way he writes. I wasn't wrong in remembering that it tasted nice to me, with the help of my synaesthesia. This wasn't a book I wanted to gallop through at amazing speed. It doesn't have to move fast -- part of it is the awful menace, the seemingly interminable waiting. I feel some of the despair of the characters -- but at least I know that in five pages, or fifty, or five hundred, good news is on the way.

I seemed to have swallowed whole all the other accusations too: racism, moral absolutism, sexism, etc, etc. I think most of that comes from a reading that isn't terribly deep, though. It's true that there are the evil men of the East -- I think it's the East -- and so on. I don't think we see a single redeemable character among those, or among the Orcs, for example. But it isn't quite wholesale 'men are good, elves are good, dwarves are good; only orcs and such are evil'. There are evil men, too, like Bill Ferny and Wormtongue, and arguably Saruman, since he's a man-shaped thing at least. And there are men who bring in some -- gasp -- moral ambiguity. Boromir, for a most obvious example. He ends as a noble man, but for a while it's in the balance. Denethor? He gives in to despair and by inaction threatens the cause.

Gollum's another. For all the evil he does, he serves Frodo faithfully for a time, and there's a spark of light in him. And he does at the end what Frodo cannot -- however unwittingly and unwillingly. There's darkness in Frodo, and light in Gollum.

Aragorn himself leads an army whose weapons are mostly fear and darkness -- the ghost army.

As for sexism, it's true that women don't have a great part in the story. No woman rides in the Fellowship, and there's no sign of a woman for great swathes of the book, especially when it comes to Frodo and Sam. Women do have a place in the story, but it's to be come home to. Eowyn is given tasks that keep her safe and home, preparing for the return of the men; Arwen stays well out of the action; Galadriel remains hidden in Lothlorien; at the very end, Sam rides off with Frodo and leaves Rosie there alone, and comes back to her at the last...

But at the same time, the role of women is explored a little through Eowyn. She leaves the safe haven of her home and goes out to war -- strikes one of the most important blows. We're told that the Lord of the Nazgul cannot be killed by a man, but Eowyn can kill him. She is eventually calmed, by being settled down with Faramir, but the way she's written, I doubt Faramir could or would rule her, and it's still acknowledged that she has won great reknown for what she did. Galadriel, although she stays hidden, seems to be important among the Wise like Elrond and Gandalf, and wields an elven-ring.

Lord of the Rings would probably be quite different if written now, with what we have of reform and feminism and equality, but that's obvious. There's still some place for women in the narrative, and more than might be expected.

This last book was shorter than I remembered. It was hard to stop reading it, and in the end I gave in and just sat down to finish it. In a way, I think the end lingers a little too long -- it could end in Minas Tirith, it could end as they enter the Shire, etc, etc. It's a little strange the way the action starts up again a little at the very end, for the Scouring of the Shire. But it is still good to read, and it ties up a lot of loose ends.

And the real end, with Frodo and Bilbo and Gandalf and the elves all sailing away to peace and healing, it's beautiful. It's a little too good to be true, because people don't just sail off into the sunset and live apart from any strife; if there's anyone else around, there's usually something to disagree about. But that's what beautiful fictions are for.

I finally read the entire thing - well, I listened to it via audiobook. This was my third attempt, although the other two were over a decade ago. I never could finish the trilogy. Inevitably, I'd get lost somewhere in the third book (having skimmed most of the second) and quit. Well, due to it being audio, I managed to finished the entire thing. My favorite part was the Ride of the Rohirrim, followed closely the arrival of Aragorn at the Fields of Pelennor, with his banner unfurled! Other than that, the story was good - with the right amount of introspection and adventure. I found the lack of female characters disappointing, but the female characters that are in the story are strong - particularly Eowyn - who is my favorite. There seemed an excessive amount of singing, but in a society and culture were most stories are told via song, that makes sense. While I recognize and honor the historical and literary value of Tolkien's work, and understand that Tolkien work is monumental in the realm of fantasy literature, I don't think Tolkien will ever be a favorite. It's just not for me.

The final book is extremely psychological. It really gets into Frodo’s mindset as he is traveling. The action ramps up with the coming of the war and its dramatic conclusion.

One amazing end to a great fantansy

This review is for the Recorded Books audiobook version of The Return of the King, read by Rob Inglis. In this last installment in the story of the War of the Ring, Tolkien brings together all his storylines for a thrilling finish. All the members of the Fellowship are strategically placed like pieces on a chessboard, awaiting the final outcome of their plans. Gandalf assumes command of Minas Tirith in its siege. Merry offers his service to the king of Rohan. Pippin becomes an esquire of Gondor. Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas take the Paths of the Dead. And somewhere in the wasteland, Sam and Frodo struggle on toward Mount Doom, almost losing themselves on the journey. What can I say about Tolkien's genius that other reviewers have not? The scope of his imagination, from its vastness to its tiny details, astounds me every time. This was an especially enjoyable reread, as I listened to it on audiobook. I should like to meet Rob Inglis. You can tell he has a deep love for the story he is telling. He gets it, and it's lovely to walk through Middle-earth in company with a narrator who really understands its atmosphere. Sometimes he phrases things differently than I would have, but I almost always like his pronunciations and emphases better than my own. The music he wrote for the many songs in the book is passable; some are certainly better than others. I think he was quite brave to even make the attempt.Some readers object to the Scouring of the Shire at the end, saying that it is anticlimactic. Peter Jackson cut that entire sequence out of his film version, and there are admittedly some valid reasons for doing that. But as a purist, I love all the story, and find that the invasion of the Shire is both humorous and terribly sad. And Tolkien is making an important point: the hobbits must put into practice at home all the lessons they learned on their journeys. Gandalf tells them they are more than capable of setting things right in the Shire, for "this is what you have been trained for." Merry especially shines in the resulting action, mobilizing the Shire's forces and setting up a successful battle plan.There is a tension between pacifism and war that Tolkien brings sharply into focus through the differing convictions of Frodo and Merry. Frodo does not wish for any fighting in the Shire and refuses to fight in the battle, but Merry is more realistic, arguing that the Shire won't be saved by them standing around looking "shocked and sad." Nor will the marauders be reasoned with. Sometimes negotiation is not possible. Everything that is precious can be destroyed, even the beautiful Shire, unless it is decisively defended, sometimes by force. Tolkien, who fought in World War I and lived through World War II, certainly had some justification for this view... and yet Frodo's position is a nod of respect toward those who conscientiously object to war even when it is necessary.There are plenty of battles in this volume, from the vast siege of Minas Tirith to the primitive struggle between Frodo and Gollum at the edge of the chasm, but it is not all action. Tolkien does a brilliant job with the characters' relationships, most notably the Sam/Frodo/Gollum and Aragorn/Éowyn/Faramir triangles. Sam and Éowyn stand out to me especially. Sam's dogged determination and humble loyalty make him heroic right alongside his master and the other more traditional heroes. And Éowyn's development is so beautifully handled; Tolkien, speaking through Gandalf, notes her courageous spirit and how it was hemmed in by her gender. Éowyn — with the help of another marginalized character, Merry — does one of the greatest deeds of the war, something that "no living man" could do. Sam and Éowyn exemplify Tolkien's fascination with the unlikely hero. This is the longest it's ever taken me to read The Lord of the Rings, because it was all on audiobook. I started near the end of September and have just now finished. I've enjoyed the leisurely pace of this reread/listen. It is no wonder that this book, often scorned by those Tom Shippey calls "the literati," has had such an incredible impact on its genre. It has set the standard by which all other fantasy works are judged. Thank you, J. R. R. Tolkien.

It’s the same as the previous two books. I like the movies a lot more than the books. Perhaps, if I had read these books before ever watching the movies, that might have been different but I was too young to attempt them before the movies came out so what is, is. I like the dialogue and writing style. I like the story. I like the characters. But I’m not really into the battle scenes. They were underplayed in my opinion but I am from the twenty-first century :) so my lack of interest in certain aspects may be biased. There’s not much to say that hasn’t bee said as one point somewhere. These are must reads for any fantasy fan at some point in their life. I’m glad I got to the trilogy.

The fantastic conclusion to one of the greatest and most important fantasies stories ever written. I consider Peter Jackson's movie renditions of LotR to be outstanding in nearly every regard. The casting, acting, characterizations, and of course all the visual aspects (sets, costumes, props, and special effects) are incredibly high quality and accurate in so many ways. The majority of the plot is well preserved as well. Yet after finally reading the whole set of books, I found that huge portions of the Return of the King had been left out of the movie script (at least the theatrical release). The book's original telling of the many struggles of Sam and Frodo once they part from the Fellowship are far more grim and trying, in particular Samwise is far more heroic than he comes across in the movie. The final chapters of the book also, once the hobbits get back home as far as Bree and on to the Shire are drastically more climactic and important than the movie shows. There level of character development is much greater and the conflicts more important than in the film. So even if you've seen the movies many times, give the whole LotR book a new read. You'll be richly rewarded.

The last book of the trilogy was anti-climactic for me. It also drags on way too long, both in the buildups to critical moments, and in their aftermath. I suppose my main beef with Tolkien, with apologies to his legions of devoted fans, is that he spent a lot of effort creating this world, its geography, its history, its language, and described all of it, often tediously, to the nth degree – and not enough effort creating more dimensionality to his characters. The fight between good and evil is too black and white (literally as well, which was unfortunate), the emotions are too simple, and there was not nearly enough behind the life (and death) of Sauron. That and there was way too much walking. :pOn the other hand, the book is quite an adventure story. Tolkien did a clever thing in figuring out how to put the Ring, which was of such singular importance (indeed, destroy-or-fail), in the hands of Frodo, a simple young Hobbit, by giving it the insidious power of seduction. Isn’t that what power does, after all, seduce us? There are mighty wizards and mighty warriors, but in this case innocence is what’s wanted, and the humble must also summon their courage and rise to the occasion. Of course, in the ultimate moments even Frodo succumbs to the ring, but thank goodness for Gollum, who was the novel’s best character. For me, in one sense this is a parable about growing up, about being brave enough to confront Evil and even more importantly, not being tempted by it. It’s about sticking together, and brotherhood amongst those of differing backgrounds, for there is strength in diversity. It’s about having hope and faith despite what appear to be insurmountable odds. It’s telling to me that the hobbits are stronger and a couple of them are literally taller when they return to the Shire, and at that point they are more than capable of fighting their own battles. What parent could want more for their kids at the end of childhood’s journey?I do love it for inspiring reading in so many people, including friends, and I’m glad for having finally read it myself, decades after my misspent and obviously deprived youth. Now perhaps the movies will make some sense. :)Quotes:Tolkien again creates some creepy adversaries; this one stood out for me:“The great shadow descended like a falling cloud. And behold! it was a winged creature; if bird, then greater than all other birds, and it was naked, and neither quill nor feather did it bear, and its vast pinions were as webs of hide between horned fingers; and it stank. A creature of an older world maybe it was, whose kind, lingering in forgotten mountains cold beneath the Moon, outstayed their day, and in hideous eeyrie bred this last untimely brood, apt to evil. And the Dark Lord took it, and nursed it with fell meats, until it grew beyond the measure of all other things that fly; and he gave it to his servant to be his steed. Down, down it came, and then, folding its fingered webs, it gave a croaking cry, and settled upon the body of Snowmane, digging in its claws, stooping its long naked neck.”On love unrequited:“Then Eomer was silent, and looked on his sister, as if pondering anew all the days of their past life together. But Aragorn said: ‘I saw also what you saw, Eomer. Few other griefs amid the ill chances of this world have more bitterness and shame for a man’s heart than to behold the love of a lady so fair and brave that cannot be returned. Sorrow and pity have followed me ever since I left her desperate in Dunharrow and rode to the Paths of the Dead; and no fear upon that way was so present as the fear for what might befall her.”Lastly, on hope, with one of my favorite lines and images ‘there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach’…“Then at last, to keep himself awake, he crawled from the hiding-place and looked out. The land seemed full of creaking and cracking and sly noises, but there was no sound of voice or of foot. Far above the Ephel Duath in the West the night-sky was still dim and pale. There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach. His song in the Tower had been defiance rather than hope; for then he was thinking of himself. Now, for a moment, his own fate, and even his master’s, ceased to trouble him. He crawled back into the brambles and laid himself by Frodo’s side, and putting away all fear he cast himself into a deep and untroubled sleep.”

There is much to love in Tolkein, and also a lot that is seriously annoying. But the thing I always hated most about this story, and which is even worse in the book than in the movie versions, is how Frodo makes it all the way to the Crack of Doom only to fail in his resolve to destroy the ring, which is only accomplished by Gollum biting off his finger and then accidentally falling in with it. In the crucial moment, the story is ultimately about original sin and redemption by some ineffable "higher" power. This seriously undercuts the story's drama and heroism.

This is an excellent ending to a great adventure, and well written by the author. I loved all the familiar characters lovingly depicted in the movie of the same name.

It's a good book, somewhat disappointing compared to the previous one, but on its own, it's not that bad, although it isn't very remarkable either. It has good lessons, but it doesn't stand out. Basically, it's good, but it's not the best. (Translated from Spanish)

Great finish. I put off reading these books for a long time because I had seen the movies. I'm glad I did. I now see why people call the movies fan fiction.

Just as good the 21st time

It is yet another self-help book, with a very nice fable that continues the growth from the previous book. To be honest, it was a bit disappointing compared to the quality of the previous title, and at the same time it makes sense. It deals with the consistency one has after creating some stability in their life, the relationship with a partner, and the understanding of oneself as well as that of others, and not succumbing to past pleasures or habits that one does not realize they still have if they lower their guard. It is a nice book for anyone going through personal issues or needing some answers in their life if they have already read "The Knight in Rusty Armor." (Translated from Spanish)

Very good ending for the trilogy. (Translated from Spanish)

An emotional end to an amazing journey.

My second read of Lord Of The Rings and hopefully not my last.

What can a simple and mortal human say about this book, this book and all of Tolkien's universe is made of pure magic. The Return of the King concludes with a much-anticipated ending, an ending where good triumphs over evil. In reality, I am short on words, I give it 5 stars only because there isn't enough space to give more. (Translated from Spanish)

A fitting end to a great series... by far the best book in the trilogy with action, and a great story-line to end it off and finish off the tail of Frodo and the One ring to rule them all... Definitely enjoyed reading the series, and looking forward to reading about the story of Bilbo and the movie coming out soon. Also, the movies stayed close to the story-line but not an exact replica, shortening things here and mixing things there but they did a good job.... as usual, books win out for sure!

Lifetime read #2 (also listened this time). Too long, but I still love them - even if I can't completely say why. The book equivalent of comfort food :)

Bittersweet and lovely, as always. I'm always conflicted about whether or not I like the third book as much as the others, but this time, the story hit just right.

16/November/2022
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Author: J.R.R. Tolkien

Epic conclusion to the trilogy. This story, like the previous ones, is told in a sublime manner. In this installment, we see the defense of Gondor, the journey to Mordor that comes to an end for Frodo and Sam.
In this book, the limits of the protagonists are tested. Epic battles, wise and brave characters, some corrupted, and a mission that seemed impossible.
It's difficult to choose just one of the three books; they have all been spectacular. (Translated from Spanish)

The battle that defines the future of Middle-earth is coming, before the gates of Cirith Ungol, Gondor and Rohan march for the final battle, before Frodo and Sam complete their mission, a fascinating, epic, and heartbreaking read across various landscapes, undoubtedly one of the best battles in this style of fantasy. (Translated from Spanish)

If I could give it a 10, I would give it a 10. (Translated from Spanish)

Aragorn returns to his kingdom, and Frodo to his. there are appendices of various quality and usefulness. The whole series was great fun. As a student, I paid hardcover prices for all three volumes.

This book simply and romantically describes different challenges that a couple may face and some sparks of light to confront them. The less difficult path to traverse in interpersonal relationships includes, among other components, self-knowledge, acceptance, tolerance, communication, and mutual respect. What I take away from this text is the simple way of reminding us of those aspects that we sometimes overlook. It is also worth highlighting the invitation to take on the responsibility of inner work as a fundamental part of the journey that one decides to undertake alongside a partner. (Translated from Spanish)