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Summary: Suspenseful Ending to a Brilliant Trilogy
Review: This is the third time I have visited the magical world of J.R.R Tolkien's unique Middle-Earth, and I'm sure it won't be the last time! The Return of the King is the final, and in my opinion the best, book in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. With just as much action, adventure, suspense and romance as the first two, the final episode breaks all bounds with not a dull moment in its entirety.
The book resumes the story of the remnants of what was the Fellowship of the Ring, now the Grey Company. Each have gone their separate ways, and Frodo and Samwise have journeyed to Mordor to fulfill their dreadful task of destroying the Ring. Peregrin and Gandalf set out for the slowly dying city of Minas Tirith to inform its Steward, Denethor, of the death of his son Boromir, who died protecting Peregrin and Meriadoc. While Gandalf and Pippin ride East, Merry, with the rest of the Fellowship and the host of Rohan, rides to Edoras to consult the lady Eowyn, daughter of the king of Rohan. However, a new path is revealed to Aragorn and the Grey Company: The Paths of the Dead. All paths hold danger for each company, though Frodo's is the gravest. With Sauron's Eye upon him constantly, the Ring weighs heavier on his conscience than ever, slowly working its evil on his heart. Having lost all hope, Frodo succumbs to despair and even Sam's optimism cannot lift the heavy burden from his mind.
Following the end of the novel, there are the Appendices, which describe the history of each ancient race and its background. Including some excerpts from Bilbo's Red Book, they are a great help in understanding Middle-Earth as a whole.
I could not stop reading this book once I started, and I believe the reader will find it just as addictive. Tolkien combines all of the human weaknesses and strengths into this magnificent story of betrayal, temptation, courage, love, hate and valor. Journey with Frodo and Sam as all of the Races join in the fight that will seal the fate of Middle-Earth and end the Third Age. I guarantee it will be an adventure you will never forget.
Rating:
Summary: The Great Finale
Review: I started reading the Lord of the Rings after I saw the movie, and it changed the way I think about books. The plot was wonderful and the language was great. The Return of the King has the best climax ever. It is completely unexpected. The characters and places are described so well. If you haven't read this book or the other Lord of the Rings, READ THEM!
Rating:
Summary: The grand, bittersweet finale
Review: "Return of the King" is the worthy climax to J.R.R. Tolkien's epic saga, the fantasy that created the genre as we know it today. Now, as the blockbuster movie adaptation is one-third over, evidenced by Viggo Mortenson on the book's cover, waves of new readers are checking out what is yet to come.The story opens where "Two Towers" left off. Gandalf has ridden to the city of Gondor with Pippin (partly to keep him out of trouble), where the forces of Mordor are attacking. There is upheaval in the city itself, as the steward of Gondor is going nuts. Merry pledges his service to King Theoden of Rohan, not knowing what is ahead for the king and his relatives. And Aragorn is seeking out allies to fight Sauron on a military scale, even if they can't defeat him unless the Ring is destroyed. His search will take him to tribes of forest-dwellers, to Gondor -- and even to summon an army of the dead. In Mordor, the unconscious Frodo has been captured by Sauron's orcs, and taken to the fortress of Cirith Ungol. Sam is desperate to free his friend, but knows that he can't take on an army, and that Frodo would want him to finish the quest. Sam manages to free Frodo from captivity, but they must still brave more dangers before they can come to Mount Doom, the only place where the Ring can be destroyed. As they travel Sam sees Frodo slipping further and further into the Ring's grasp. Will Frodo be able to destroy the Ring? Usually, the climax of an epic adventure is a disappointment. "Return of the King" succeeds in almost every way, wrapping up each individual storyline. The ending has a feeling of finality; this is one story that could never have a sequel. With his own experiences in war, Tolkien shows that in a struggle against evil, there is no true "happy ending." Even if the good guys win, there will still be scarring, and death, and haunting memories of what once happened. And even if a person survives, he will never be the same. Frodo is almost unrecognizable in parts of this book. The bright, naive young hobbit of the first book has been worn down by the pressure of the Ring, to the point where he seems to be only a pale shadow of himself. As he grows increasingly attached to the Ring, we even see him doing what seems unimaginable: threatening Sam with a dagger. Yet these actions make chilling sense, even when Frodo recovers his self-control only a moment later. It's a devastating demonstration of the hold the Ring has on him; he tries to resist it while knowing that he's falling too far into its grasp. When he lapses into depression and nihilism, the reader will start wondering if he can actually give it up. Sam has come a long way from the shy young hobbit who couldn't say a word around the High Elves. This book has him chasing orcs with Sting, carrying Frodo physically through Mordor, fending off Gollum, and acting as the ultimate pillar of strength for his crumbling friend right to Mount Doom. Merry and Pippin have changed as well; Merry is exposed firsthand to the horrifying consequences of war, and has a hand in destroying one of the most evil entities in the world. Pippin's adventures are tame compared to those of his friends (possibly because he's still an adolescent), but we see him moving past his initial flakiness in an effort to be a serious warrior against Sauron. Gandalf's true nature is glimpsed yet again, but in a subtler manner. Aragorn breaks completely from the mold of rugged ranger and into the new status as a king, leading armies (both living and dead) without flinching. Legolas and Gimli assist as well; their friendship grows deeper, even as Legolas falls completely in love with the sea. Gollum's degenerate journey remains intertwined with Frodo's, even though he betrayed the hobbits in the previous book; and the icily passionate war-maiden Eowyn affects the War of the Ring in a stunning way that nobody could have predicted. This is the grimmest of the three books in this trilogy. Aside from Frodo's emotional deterioration, we also have Merry becoming almost catatonic after the battle with the Witch King, and Denethor's descent into suicidal madness. There is a lot less humor, though it is still there: Pippin and Merry both thinking about food, Gandalf's reaction when Pippin pledges his sword to Denethor, some choice witty comments of Frodo's in the last chapters, and Gimli's half-joking threats to axe Eomer if Eomer doesn't consider Galadriel the most beautiful woman in the world. Though a section of the book near the end descends into near-biblical prose, which changes post-Gondor, Tolkien does not waver in his ability to evoke emotion. One of the most touching scenes in the book is when Sam finds Frodo naked, unconscious and being beaten by an orc. Others include Aragorn calling the dead, Merry's farewell to Theoden, Eowyn's slaying of the Witch-King, the literally earth-shattering climax, and of course the Havens scene. The story doesn't really end on the last page; for more background, especially on Aragorn and Arwen, readers should also read the appendices at the end of the book. I also advise readers to check out "The End of the Third Age," in which the unpublished epilogue of LOTR can be found. Though this is probably not canonical, it nicely concludes the story and is a heartwarming look at what happens in the years following LOTR. It's difficult, once the story has finished, to accept that one has to say goodbye to Middle-Earth and its enchanting inhabitants. But as Gandalf says, "I will not say: do not weep; for not all tears are an evil."
Rating:
Summary: The showdown between good and evil
Review: The Return Of The King being the last part of The Lord Of The Rings sees the final battle between the forces of Mordor and those of the West.We observe the phenomenal growth in character of Merry and Pippin who come into their own as Knights of Rohan and Gondor respectively . In this capacity they perform great deeds of heroism .
We also learn more of the characters Faramir of Gondor and the shieldmaiden and young noblewoman of Rohan , Eowyn .
There are particularly strange and interesting scenes such as Aragorn's deal with the Dead Men of Dunaharrow to help him defeat the forces of Mordor and thus gain their freedom from the curse of being undead.
The epic Battle of Pelennor Fields sees the heroism and sacrifice of many of the key players in the saga...
This book sees the final resolution to the conflict between good and evil.
The lesson of The Lord Of The Rings is that the forces of justice and good can win provided we always realise our cause is just and make a clear distinction between good and evil.This holds a lesson in the world-wide fight against terrorism and all those who want to destroy our Western , Judeo-Christian civilisation.This at a time when young people seem no longer influenced by real heroes and when political correctness and narcissism obscures moral clarity.
LOTR is therefore more relevant today than ever.
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Summary: Part Three of one of the Greatest Trilogies In HISTORY
Review: Frodo is presumed dead. Pippin is in trouble with the Nazgul. And Sauron is gaining power. This is the amazing conclusion to J.R.R. Tolkien's legendary trilogy. Merry becomes a soldier of Rohan, and Pippin becomes one of Gondor, Boromir's home town. Both of these armies prepare for an upcoming battle with Sauron's army of orcs and Ringwraiths. Along with them are Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Gandalf. Meanwhile, in Mordor, Frodo and Sam have been betrayed by Gollum, and Frodo is in the hands of Orcs. But soon Sam frees him, and they are off again to Mount Doom to toss the Ring into the magma and destroy it. Gollum makes one more appearance, but what happens I'll let you find out. But is the ordeal in Mordor really the end? What has happened to Saruman? What's going on back in the Shire?
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Summary: Excellent book
Review: The Return of the King is the final book in The Lord of the Rings series. One part of the book follows Frodo, the bearer of a dark and mysterious ring, and his loyal companion Sam, through the final stage of their journey to Mount Doom. They have been sent to destroy the evil ring by throwing it back into the place of its origin, The Cracks of Doom. Along the way, the two wanderers encounter many difficulties and hazardous obstacles in their path, including the small and shrew Gollum who is intent on getting "his" ring back or die trying.
The other part of the book follows Aragorn, the noble warrior, and his companions as they battle the massive forces of the dark Lord Sauron. The battle between the two armies is the classic war of good versus evil, but with intriguing characters and extensive detail. You have the remaining group of the fellowship of the ring in this intense battle, including Gimli the Dwarf, Legolas the Elf, Aragorn the Ranger, and the small but bold hobbits Merry and Pippin.
Overall, this is an amazing book. The only thing I didn't like about the book is that I had trouble getting started with it, due to the slow beginning. J.R.R. Tolkien makes up for it however, with suspenseful battles and beautiful descriptions. The thing I liked most about the book was the ending. It is hard to describe, but it is extraordinary and keeps you thinking even once you've finished. I highly recommend this book and would've given it four and three-quarters stars out of five, only because of the ending.
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Summary: Good Characters
Review: The Return of the King has very detailed and interesting characters. Aragorn used to be a Ranger and roam around the wild land. But now he is leading the offensive against Sauron, but there is more to the offensive than meets the eye. It is a diversion to get Sauron's troops to move away from somewhere else where something much bigger, and important will happen.
This is a very good book. The characters are very unique, and interesting. Especially Aragorn he is my favorite character because he is mysterious and intriguing. Aragorn was raised by Elves and is Elvish himself, he is mostly solitary unless his own people are present. He is very powerful, and dangerous in battle. But in peace times he is gentle and a healer. The Return of the King is just as good if not better than the rest of the books in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I strongly suggest you read it.
Rating: 
Summary: Middle-Earth is in the middle with me
Review: After reading this book, I found it lacking in a couple areas.
I mean, i need contant action or suspence. The first part of this book failed. I was about ready to stop reading until i got to Mordor with Frodo and Sam. Thats where the action is focks. Other than that, it has a good plot and good detail. I give it 3 out of 4 stars.
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Summary: The classic story concludes
Review: It is not really appropriate to rate this book as a standalone volume, as it is really just a third of a greater story. Nonetheless, this rates a full five stars as the loose ends from the first two parts are tied up. The way things are resolved are both brilliant and follow from what is hinted at before. From the final fate of the Ring to the problems in the Shire, it all fits. In addition, the appendices add a richness to the world of Middle-Earth, giving it a depth in history and language that is incredible. Books have been written about this trilogy, and hundreds of books have tried to imitate it, so it is obviously not a small task to praise it appropriately in this small area. It is sufficient to give it five stars and let it speak for itself.
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Summary: Thus Concludes Tolkien's Trilogy.
Review: This is the final chapter in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. We find our beloved characters on the last leg of their journey to destroy the nefarious One Ring, and bring down Sauron's evil empire while they're at it. Are they seduced by the ring and it's promises of power? Do they fall on the battlefield to the warring armies of Sauron? Is this really the end? Who dies? Who lives? What's happening back at the Shire? That I'm not going to tell you. You must read the book for yourself.
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