The Return of the King

Hardcover

English language

Published Nov. 11, 2001 by Folio Society.

OCLC Number:: 788432100

(2 reviews)

Successive generations have been spellbound by the exploits of Frodo, Gandalf and their comrades as they journey towards Mordor to do battle with the Dark Lord Sauron. There is something about the alluring world of elves, dwarves and old magic which has proved exceptionally popular, working on the imagination both as an enthralling adventure story and, at a deeper level, as 'a comprehensive counter-myth to the story of the 20th century' (Independent). Tolkien’s treatment of the eternal struggle between good and evil, from stirring battles (‘as good as anything in Homer,’ according to C. S Lewis) to the conflict within every individual, is subtle, lyrical and profound.

Since the dawn of time, storytelling and the fantastic have gone hand in hand. All cultures have their myths – tales of gods and giants, monsters and marvels. An increasing interest in the roots of culture, together with a recognition of the importance …

Successive generations have been spellbound by the exploits of Frodo, Gandalf and their comrades as they journey towards Mordor to do battle with the Dark Lord Sauron. There is something about the alluring world of elves, dwarves and old magic which has proved exceptionally popular, working on the imagination both as an enthralling adventure story and, at a deeper level, as 'a comprehensive counter-myth to the story of the 20th century' (Independent). Tolkien’s treatment of the eternal struggle between good and evil, from stirring battles (‘as good as anything in Homer,’ according to C. S Lewis) to the conflict within every individual, is subtle, lyrical and profound.

Since the dawn of time, storytelling and the fantastic have gone hand in hand. All cultures have their myths – tales of gods and giants, monsters and marvels. An increasing interest in the roots of culture, together with a recognition of the importance of myth and archetype in understanding the human condition, led to a reflorescence of myth-based literature in the 20th century.

J.R.R. Tolkien, the reclusive, pipe-smoking Oxford don, was in the vanguard, and so great was his achievement that his name became virtually synonymous with the literature of fantasy.

The strength of Tolkien's work is in its fidelity to its roots, which lie in the legends of the Nordic world. Tolkien believed that the roots of myth and the roots of language are one and indivisible, and he demonstrated this belief by creating an entirely new language (Elvish) with its own grammar, its own beautiful script and its own mythology. it was a rarefied and highly personal world, yet it proved a fertile soil from which his great fantasy novels were to grow.

Eric Fraser was one of the foremost British illustrators of the 20th century. His images – a total of 7 full-page images and 57 head-pieces – are based on original designs by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. Tolkien had seen her sketches and was so impressed that his executors gave special permission for Fraser to interpret them for these Folio editions. Covers blocked in gold and maps of Middle Earth as endpapers complete this superb edition of one the world’s favourite stories.

Source: www.foliosociety.com/book/LTR/lord-of-the-rings

103 editions

Bert Schal reviewed The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien

Still captivating

5 stars

Yes, I liked it. It was really great to revisit the Lord of the Rings books after reading them 20+ years ago.

So, which book is the best. Hmm, I see it as a whole so every book, every volume has its ups and downs - definitely more ups than downs.

I think I liked volume 1 - the beginning - the best. With Volume 3 I thought it would've been perfectly ok to end it with Chapter 4 of Book 6. But it went on and even though I didn't like chapter 8 I think chapter 9 was beautifully written and a very superb ending to an amazing series.

The appendix is absoluetely fascinating, even though I only skimmed it. I had to return the book to the library. The next reader was already waiting.

And where should I go from here? To quote Theoden "This journey is over, …

Yes, I liked it. It was really great to revisit the Lord of the Rings books after reading them 20+ years ago.

So, which book is the best. Hmm, I see it as a whole so every book, every volume has its ups and downs - definitely more ups than downs.

I think I liked volume 1 - the beginning - the best. With Volume 3 I thought it would've been perfectly ok to end it with Chapter 4 of Book 6. But it went on and even though I didn't like chapter 8 I think chapter 9 was beautifully written and a very superb ending to an amazing series.

The appendix is absoluetely fascinating, even though I only skimmed it. I had to return the book to the library. The next reader was already waiting.

And where should I go from here? To quote Theoden "This journey is over, maybe, but I have far yet to go."

There are still The Hobbit, The Silmarillion and other stories. But right now I'm gonna watch the extended movie versions by Peter Jackson.

If you're into fantasy, you probably know The Lord of the Rings already, and if not. Read the books, they are highly recommended.

Sean Bala reviewed The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien (The Lord of the Rings, #3)

Review of 'The Return of the King' on Goodreads

3 stars

"The Return of the King" by J.R.R. Tolkien brings the "The Lord of the Rings" to a ringing conclusion. At the end of the journey, one cannot help but be impressed by the level of detail and imagination that went into this beloved work of literature. While for the most part "The Return of the King" is a satisfying conclusion the story, the experience is lessened by a disjointed and often confusingly crafted narrative structure of the whole novel.

"The Return of the King" follows the battle between the forces of the West led by Gandalf and those of the Dark Lord Sauron. What is so wonderful about this volume is that each of the Hobbits is able to come fully into his own - Frodo completes his quest, Sam shows courage and bravery in Mordor, Merry becomes a squire to the King of Rohan, and Pippin enters into the …

"The Return of the King" by J.R.R. Tolkien brings the "The Lord of the Rings" to a ringing conclusion. At the end of the journey, one cannot help but be impressed by the level of detail and imagination that went into this beloved work of literature. While for the most part "The Return of the King" is a satisfying conclusion the story, the experience is lessened by a disjointed and often confusingly crafted narrative structure of the whole novel.

"The Return of the King" follows the battle between the forces of the West led by Gandalf and those of the Dark Lord Sauron. What is so wonderful about this volume is that each of the Hobbits is able to come fully into his own - Frodo completes his quest, Sam shows courage and bravery in Mordor, Merry becomes a squire to the King of Rohan, and Pippin enters into the service of the Steward of Gondor. Following each of these characters we are allowed to see them play integral parts in the story, which I think is one of Tolkien's main points - the Hobbits are the essential players for the fate of the world.

It is in this volume where much of the complex mythos that Tolkien has constructed comes into play. Here we see the passing of the Third Age and the departure of the Elves from Middle-earth and the transition to the Fourth Age and the Age of Men. This gives the author the opportunity to pose interesting thoughts about the passage of time and history.

While I have done my best to focus this review on the third volume of the novel, it is impossible to consider the last part without looking at the whole work that came before it. The novel as whole is truly brilliant in its creativity and imagination. And after reading nearly 800+ pages one becomes heavily invested in the story and wants to see it through to its conclusion.

But in my opinion "The Return of the King" is the weakest volume of the novel because of what is my biggest criticism of "The Lord of the Rings" - a disjointed narrative structure. There are some wonderful passages and images in "Return" (I found myself noting quotations in this volume more than the other two). But, whether an intentional creative choice or not, the novel for all of its brilliance is hindered by Tolkien's style of story telling. I give the whole novel four stars but this volume three stars for its narrative flaws. Even with those flaws, however, volume three was captivating and immensely enjoyable!