The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien
Fantasy. 570 Pages. 5 Stars
Synopsis:
The Return of the King is the third part of J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic adventure The Lord of the Rings.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.
The Dark Lord has risen, and as he unleashes hordes of Orcs to conquer all Middle-earth, Frodo and Sam struggle deep into his realm in Mordor.
To defeat Sauron, the One Ring must be destroyed in the fires of Mount Doom. But the way is impossibly hard, and Frodo is weakening. The Ring corrupts all who bear it and Frodo’s time is running out.
Will Sam and Frodo succeed, or will the Dark Lord rule Middle-earth once more?
My Review:
What does one say about the epic conclusion to the beloved classic? Except that I adore it.
This is where everything comes to a head and threads are woven together for the achingly bittersweet ending of the age. The groundwork has been laid and now it is time to fight. I love the themes of noble sacrifice, the characters who storm Mordor’s gates with no hope of victory, let alone survival. But they do it anyway. Because it is what is right. And it’s all they can do to give Frodo and Sam even the slightest hope and chance to succeed.
Part of why this story resonates so strongly is because of the heroic men who step into something greater than they are. Ordinary and extraordinary characters who courageously choose what is noble and good and right and true in the face of imminent doom. We live in such a dark, hurtful world. A world of evils and cruelty, where irreverence and disrespect are rewarded and perversion is a mark of pride. But Tolkien showcases heroes in a time much like our own who stand against that evil. It challenges readers to have a little more valor and goodness in their own walks.
Reading and rereading (and watching and rewatching) this classic tale inspires me every time. A story of bravery, unending loyalty, temptation, and good vs. evil – spoilers, evil has already lost. It’s up to us to respond to the call to fight.
Content: no swearing, mild, clean romance, and fantasy violence. It’s a war story with grief, loss, heartache, and evil – the fate of the world in the balance. But also a story of choosing what is right in the face of overwhelming odds, of clinging to nobility and goodness. A story of friendship and sacrifice that should touch our hearts and move us to be better in our own world.
More:
The Prequel to the Lord of the Rings trilogy is The Hobbit (5 Stars)
Book 1 is The Fellowship of the Ring (5 Stars)
Book 2 is The Two Towers (5 Stars)
Book 3 is The Return of the King (5 Stars)
The Hobbit is considered a companion novel and prequel to the LOTR, and though it can be read as a standalone, I definitely recommend reading it in tandem with the others. There are many books that take place in and about Tolkien’s Middle Earth Universe. The trilogy itself must be read in order.
Check out the links above for more info!
On GraceBought:
Check out my thoughts on the previous book below!