Tolkien, J.R.R.
THE RETURN OF THE KING Part Three of The Lord of the Rings
J.R.R. Tolkien
Ballantine Books 1965
Pb 507 (347 pages of story & 160 pages of appendices)
ISBN # 0-345-33973-8
J.R.R. Tolkien
Ballantine Books 1965
Pb 507 (347 pages of story & 160 pages of appendices)
ISBN # 0-345-33973-8
If you read the
first two parts then no one has to advertise this third part to you because
there are too many questions demanding answers. Does Frodo survive his
desperate journey? Does he save Middle Earth from impending doom?
What happens in the war of Gondor? What happened to the other valiant
heroes of the Fellowship? (I'll bet you could add to this list.)
Well, this reviewer is not going to spoil it for you! But I will reveal this much -- as you saunter through Tolkien's timeless journey you will find an end to the Third Age of Middle Earth. And, if you read close enough, you will also discover who had that third Elven Ring (didn't you always wonder?).
The Return of the King covers the powerful climax and lengthy (but entertainingly informative) denouement, as well as an incredible appendices (and if you skip that part you will be cheating yourself of all kinds of luscious tidbits). This classic fantasy, hailed by those in-the-know as one of the best ever written, was reviewed by a reader who is quite hard to please. Sometimes I put down three novels before I find one that strikes my fancy. But I finished all three of these!
Well, this reviewer is not going to spoil it for you! But I will reveal this much -- as you saunter through Tolkien's timeless journey you will find an end to the Third Age of Middle Earth. And, if you read close enough, you will also discover who had that third Elven Ring (didn't you always wonder?).
The Return of the King covers the powerful climax and lengthy (but entertainingly informative) denouement, as well as an incredible appendices (and if you skip that part you will be cheating yourself of all kinds of luscious tidbits). This classic fantasy, hailed by those in-the-know as one of the best ever written, was reviewed by a reader who is quite hard to please. Sometimes I put down three novels before I find one that strikes my fancy. But I finished all three of these!
Movie buffs: okay, you ask, how
does the book compare with the movie? Well, the movie certainly is
spectacular, and the siege of Minas Tirith is awesome. But, unless battles
and special effects are all that concern you, then you did miss a heaping lot
of story that the film just didn't have time to tell. So, if you are into
characters and story, then you must absolutely treat yourself to the book--and
don't leave out the appendices. The movie might be spectacular and awesome,
but the book is richer in detail and full of delicious side-stories.
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