The Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings, Book 3)

Ok... who is this Tolkien guy and where did he get the brians, time, and insight to write the perfect set novels.

As most readers know, charactor development is a time consuming effort that sometimes leaves us readers in bad shape but here it's just a pleaseure to see them grow and adhere themselves to you. Then you feel their anger, pleasure, fear and triumph.

A must read.. all Tolkien that is

the great quest to vanquish evil forever ends in this book, that i would consider dissapointing. Tolkein picked back up with putting too much detail into everything and ended it in an odd way. I was expecting for the dwarves to come out of the ground and the elves out of the woods and everyone would live together, but instead he made it more realistic, so it actually coule have happened because only men are left, but i guess that might be a good thing, a good change of pace that makes you think, and i enjoy those kinds of books. They have a massive war in this book, and Tolkein wrote it wonderfly,he showed just the right amount of detail in that part that you knew what was going on, but not too much so you were falling asleep in a war. I would call this a 8.5 out of ten, good, but not as good as it could have been.

The final volume of "Lord of the Rings," this novel is by far the most exciting and adventure-packed of the three. The epic battles are displayed vividly, as Tolkien delivers a masterpiece of suspense and action. From the epic battles against Sauron's minions to the Mountain of Fire and the Cracks of Doom, the action escalates toward the ultimate climax. However, the destruction of the ring isn't the end of the tale, as Tolkien delivers a rather lengthy coda to bring the quest to a conclusion, complete with unexpected twists and turns, particularly in the Shire.

The most ironic chapter of this epic quest involves the corruption of the Shire. After the Hobbits have defeated evil incarnate and rid the world of the nefarious Sauron, they expect a hero's welcome in the Shire. However, the Shire has not been immune to the evil influence of Sauron and Saruman. However, this time they do not need the help of Gandalf or any other race and can handily defeat the corruptors of the Shire. Indeed, the four Hobbits have come full circle and have matured immensely. Their experiences abroad have imbued in them a noble, valiant character and act selflessly to return the Shire to its former glory.

Without a doubt, Sam emerges as the hero and heir apparent to Frodo and the legacy of the Ring. In the "Two Towers" Sam performs heroically, but Frodo is still the main focus. Yet, in this volume, Sam is the true hero, as he nearly single-handedly carries Frodo to the Cracks of Doom to destroy the ring. However, Frodo certainly behaves heroically, although not in actions. The mere ability of him to resist the all-powerful allure and temptation of the ring is a victory in itself - a victory that comes perilously close to defeat, save for Gollum's treachery that backfires.

Self-sacrifice and devotion to a larger cause pervades throughout this novel. For Frodo, his reward is the ability to maintain the status quo of peace and prosperity. There is no hero's welcome nor any grand reward for him. Indeed, Frodo is the most underappreciated of the four hobbits upon their return, despite his Herculean deeds. Sam's self-sacrifice and devotion to Frodo's friendship proves to be a valuable asset, as he musters every last bit of strength to carry Frodo to his goal, both literally and figuratively. However, self-sacrifice isn't just limited to the hobbits, as Gimli the dwarf, Legolas the Elf, and Aragorn and the kings of men prove time and again that their lofty goals and not about themselves, but the betterment of all races of Middle Earth.

Undoubtedly, the enduring message of this novel as well as "Lords of the Rings" as a whole, is the potential for heroic deeds in all of us, no matter how small or insignificant we may be. In the Southern lands the hobbits are completely unknown, or simply thought of to be an insignificant, child-like race. However, the four hobbits in the quest perform the most heroic deeds against insurmountable odds. Indeed, if it weren't for the heroics of the hobbits in the most unlikeliest of circumstances, Sauron's shadow of evil would have permeated all of Middle Earth. The ability to be a hero lies in one's heart, not in one's brawn or muscles.

Tolkien delivers a knockout punch in the "Return of the King." Overall, the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy is a masterpiece, for sure. It is easy to see why Tolkien is revered as one of the greatest literary figures of all time.

report by Joe Antonucci

The book I read was Lord Of The Rings The Return Of The King. The author was J.R.R Tolkien. What this book was about is that as Frodo and Sam are getting closer to Mordor, there are a lot of troubles with the rest of the world. The world seems to be getting ever more overwhelm by orcs and goblins. Sauron's forces seem to have almost taken over the world. One of the major surviving cities, Gondor, is under attack and Gandolf tries to save it. When it seems like the city would be lost, Aragon brought the help of undead warriors to help them in battle. As all this was going on, Frodo and Sam were getting very close to the mountain. When they got at the top, they meet and very unpredictable guest. I cannot tell you who, because it would ruin the book. What will happen to Frodo and Sam? What is going to become of the rest of the world? What happened to Rohan's king? These are some questions that by only reading the book, you will find the answers too.
I think that this book was pretty exiting to read. I also think that this book could get really boring at parts too. I think when there is a lot of action going on, it makes the book seem a lot more interesting. I was able to feel like I was in the book because the author described the characters and there emotions very easily. I think that the main conflict interested me a lot because it was about major battles and a lot of fighting. I liked this because it makes the book a lot more interesting to read. I think the characters were very realistic because of how the author showed their emotions and their personality's. I thought they were very realistic, except that there were elves and dwarfs.
The author's voice during the book was more of a serious one. During the really important parts it was but in some of the other parts, he did have a funnier voice. Also at some parts he had a real mellow voice. I thought the author used a very large verity of vocabulary. He used words that I have not ever heard before, but the words still made sense to me. Also the author even made up his own language, which he used in the book. I think J.R.R. Tolkien had a very unique writing style. He wrote in like a olden times style of writing. The writing, at some parts, was very similar to how Shakespeare would write. This writing style is not my favorite because it makes it very confusing to understand. I think the author did a pretty good job with the amount of dialogue though out the book. I think he could have added more to it, because at some of the parts he would ramble on and on about the setting, and it made it very hard to understand what was going on. I thought the author's tone could have been funnier, but I thought his over all tone was good. I think J.R.R. Tolkien could have added more dialogue and a lot more humorous stuff to his book, but over all I would say this is a good book, not the best book I have ever read but it was okay.
I believe that Lord Of The Rings Return Of The King was an okay book. I believe that J.R.R. Tolkien could have added more stuff to his book. I beleive he could have made the big battle scenes a little bit more exiting and that I believe he could have added more stuff with what happened to saromon. I think kids of the ages 12 and up should only read this book because it is a hard book to understand. I think this book deserves a 8 out of 10 because it seemed to have lacked parts from the book. It felt like some of the pages were missing but there was not any missing. The author left of at some parts, witch made everything really confusing. I think both boys and girl would enjoy this, if they have the IQ to understand it. I believe this was not the greatest book I have every read but it was not horrible.
I believe this book was an okay book. It had an amazing detail in its settings. It made you really feel like you were in the book, but the down sides were that the book was to long and boring. Also it seemed like parts were missing right out of the book. I believe that this book deserves an 8 out of 10. I think this book could have added more to the ending because it sort of left you off. I think this was the worst book out of the 3 Lord Of The Rings books.

"The Lord of the Rings" is so secure at the pinnacle of all fantasy that any review of it risks presumption. The measure of this work's greatness can be found in the thousands of lesser works it has inspired, some in imitation, most in homage--all pale reflections of the world, the wisdom, the wonder of Middle Earth.

Over the years, I have re-read this masterwork at least two dozen times. Yet it never ceases to delight me with new revelations. Over time, these revelations have evolved from discoveries about the book to reflections about myself. This is art in its highest form: it inspires, indeed, demands self-understanding.

In my younger days, I was drawn to the clash of armies, the glory of battle, the valour of Aragorn and Eowyn, the sacrifice of Theoden and Faramir. But as I have aged, it is the suffering of Frodo and Sam that most moves me. The deepest courage is not found in battle, but in the act of bearing the heaviest burdens alone, beyond help, beyond hope, beyond endurance, beyond even despair--"that which we are, we are; /One equal-temper of heroic hearts, /Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will /To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."

This work is perfect in its completeness. It lacks nothing and is endowed with themes both timeless and universal.

Consider the role of pity. We contemplate this theme for the first time when Gandalf reflects that Bilbo spared Gollum's life for pity. Then consider Frodo's first meeting with Gollum: "now that I see him, I do pity him." Or Gandalf's rebuke of Denethor, "...for me, I pity even [Sauron's] slaves." Faramir's pity for Eowyn--"do not scorn pity that is the gift of a gentle heart"--lifts despair from her soul and permits her to live and to love again. And the pity between Frodo and Sam is the bond that endures at the last when even flesh and spirit crumble. Not least, Tolkien commands our pity: and we, in the act of offering it--to Frodo, to Sam, most especially to Smeagol--take the world of Middle Earth as our own.

Consider also that the little people do the bravest deeds and tread where the great dare not: the quest of the ring is undertaken not by Aragorn, nor even by Boromir, but by a timid hobbit from the Shire, whose quality is not in his pedigree or his strength of arms, but in his will and his strength of character. "If you do not find the way, no one will", Elrond tells Frodo, and, "This is the hour of the Shire-folk". Sad that since Tolkien wrote his majestic work, his erstwhile followers and imitators have fallen back on such tired cliches as swashbuckling heroes and impossibly clever heroines. The magnificence in Tolkien's creation is not to be found in the strong, but in the humble. It is about a gentle hobbit like Sam, who likes his beer and tends his garden and thinks simple thoughts, but who would stare down death while fighting orcs and trolls and giant spiders, not because he thinks himself noble or brave, but because he is far beyond the noble or the brave. Frodo and Sam are names for you and I.

Consider finally, the sacrifice: Gandalf's sacrifice in Moria, Boromir's sacrifice at Amon Hen, Theoden's sacrifice on the Pelennor fields, Aragorn's readiness to sacrifice himself times beyond count. But the theme of sacrifice is most profoundly embodied in Frodo. He willingly assumes a burden that endangers not only his life, but his soul. His ordeal through Mordor and his piteous struggle up the slopes of Orodruin successively leave him with no possibility of relief, of return or, towards the end, even of release. He has long left behind any hope for himself. He goes on because he alone is charged with undoing a great evil and must destroy it or die in the trying. Beyond the terrible burden of the ring, he bears the more terrible burden of his duty to all the peoples of Middle Earth. And at the last, when he saves Middle Earth, he does so for others, but not for himself.

In the end, "The Lord of the Rings" is not about highbrow thematic concepts, mythic saga or epic heroism. While it is all of these things, it is also something better and simpler: a story for you and for me, centred not on impossible superheroes, but on little people--"The Odyssey" reshaped for the common folk. The enduring power of this work is ultimately founded in its simplicity. In "The Lord of the Rings", Tolkien successfully reaches the heights that all great art attains: he captures the essence and purity of transcendent truths; yet brings them home to the simplest and most innocent of sensibilities--a timeless creation not just for us but ultimately of us.