Rating: 
Summary: Simply phenomenal!! A must have for LOTR fans.
Review: WOW!! This is - bar none - the best "The Return of the King" movie tie-in book in the market right now. The others being "The Return of the King Photo Guide" and "The Return of the King Visual Companion.," that is. Along with Brian Sibley's "The Making of the Movie Trilogy" (released in 2002) and the "Art of" series, this is one of those books that you will want to keep and refer to again and again. It is one of the most amazingly detailed, visually rich and impressively researched books on the LOTR movie trilogy that you will likely come across.I am a huge fan of "The Lord of the Rings." "Huge" in the sense that I have read the books multiple times in the last several years, own the theatrical and extended versions of the films, and have read Tolkien's other books - including "The Silmarillion" and "The Unfinished Tales." You may say I am more than your standard fan and that it takes a lot to impress me. This book, however, impressed me. What is commendable about this book is the amount of information it contains and the painstaking research that author Chris Smith has done to bring this book about. He clearly has done his homework and not only researched "The Lord of the Rings" books but also collaborated closely with WETA (the special/visual effects wizards behind the movie trilogy), director Peter Jackson and crew. There are references to "The Hobbit", "The Unfinished Tales," and "The Lord of the Rings" (including the appendices) sprinkled throughout this book. That, to me, is remarkable. This fantastic book covers all of the notable warriors (good and bad), battles and skirmishes that took place throughout the trilogy as well as the respective armor, weapons, cultures, fighting styles and (where applicable) battle plans/strategies that we see in the films. For the warriors, everyone from Aragorn, Boromir, Isildur, Theoden, Eomer, Denethor, Gandalf, Legolas, the hobbits and Gimli to the Easterlings, the Corsairs of Umbar, the Haradrim, Sauron, the Army of the Dead (yes!) and the various types of Orcs and Uruk-hai are featured in this book. Their weapons and armor (weapon descriptions, names, pictures/drawings, and inscriptions, etc) are described in detail. For instance, differences between the various orcs (berserker uruk-hai, Mordor orc, Moria orc, etc) and their specific roles and functions are shown. The Rohirric and Gondorian cultures are explored - their emblems, flags, origins, weaponry, etc. There is a battle plan for the Battle of the Second Age, Helms Deep and The Battle of Pelennor Fields also in this book. Even the skirmish in the Mines of Moria is included. In summary, even the most discerning Lord of the Rings fan will enjoy this book. If you think you know everything about the books or films, there are bound to be a few facts or images in this book that will surprise you. At 224 pages, this is a hefty book and each page is loaded with information. It is not all text, however. There are hundreds of beautiful illustrations and full-color pictures that really are a feast for those who are big on visuals. I highly recommend it!
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