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The Return of the King (Lord of the Rings (Pb))

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The Return of the King is the final part of The Lord of the Rings. In this last part the feeling of good versus evil reaches its pinnacle in LOTR. Tolkien gave incredible detail describing the War of the Ring, as it spanned several chapters. All of the characters are developed further, and for most of the TROTK, the story remains a two way split. TROTK has an amazing conclusion, and that is partly bad. Upon finishing the novel, I was sad that it was over, and I didn't want it to be over, because Middle-Earth is a great place to get lost in. You go on the journey that the Fellowship undertook, and feel everything that each member of the party felt. This is possible because throughout LOTR, Tolkien wrote vivid passages describing the regions of Middle-Earth, the characters, and what they were thinking. I read TROTK more slowly, because I wanted to stay longer than what the novel would allow. The four hobbits of the Fellowship become harden warriors, a trait that was virtually absent from their kind. Even though the novel finally came to a complete finish, it felt like it left room for more. It's to bad that there is no direct sequel, and while it answers most of the questions left from the end of The Hobbit, the reader can come up with plenty more questions upon finishing LOTR. Professor Tolkien did a work that was unexpected in its depth. He invented several REAL languages and writing systems, a complete history to back the novel, and created a wonderful world filled with diverse races and environments. Some fantasy authors may have tried to reach Tolkien's level in fantasy literature, but I am certain the The Lord of the Rings will never be duplicated. The Return of the King stands as the incredible conclusion of the greatest epic ever written. My only regret was that it ended.

"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.

"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."

"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 over, many readers are checking out the dramatic story that ends Tolkien's masterpiece and life's work.

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, one by one. The ending has a feeling of finality; this is one story that could never have a sequel; 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.

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 Merry's farewell to Theoden, Eowyn's slaying of the Witch-King, and of course the bittersweet final scene.

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, readers will wonder 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 is exposed firsthand to the horrifying consequences of war, and Pippin moves past his initial flakiness in an effort to be a serious warrior. 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.

As far as the supporting cast goes, 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.

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. Another good addition is "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."

Someone who has read and been enthralled by the first two volumes of "The Lord of the Rings" might fear that J.R.R. Tolkien could not possibly have written an ending for his great fantasy epic that measures up to what has preceded it. Such a fear would be groundless. "The Return of the King" is a nearly perfect, fully satisfying conclusion to one of the best-loved stories of the twentieth century.

Tolkien has been accused by some of not being good at character development, and yet by the time the reader reaches the opening chapters of "The Return of the King" he or she loves all the main characters of Tolkien's story and knows them as well as old friends. In my opinion, the explanation of this paradox is that Tolkien, in his presentation of his characters, is the antithesis of a writer like Charles Dickens (whose works I also love). The hobbits, Legolas, Gimli, Aragorn, and the rest of Tolkien's cast of characters do not burst with exaggerated personality the instant we meet them, as do Pecksniff, Scrooge and Micawber. Their personalities are revealed to us slowly and steadily as they experience their adventures, so that we come to know them gradually, as we would come to know real people. A reader glancing at almost any individual page in "The Lord of the Rings" might think Tolkien's characters are not very distinctive or strongly characterized, yet the cumulative effect of the whole long story is to fix an indelible impression of each character in our minds. This process is completed in "The Return of the King," in which the characters -- especially the hobbits -- reveal new levels of heroism and wisdom previously unguessed-at.

All the themes that Tolkien has raised in the first two installments of "The Lord of the Rings" -- the horror of war balanced against the necessity of just war, the dilemma of capital punishment, the senselessness of environmental destruction, the reality of both evil and good, cruelty and heroism -- are resolved and clarified in "The Return of the King" in a profound, often heartbreaking, and entirely satisfying way. The marvelous, complicated plot of this epic story is resolved in a powerful, surprising and yet logical climax. This climax is followed by several concluding chapters containing some more surprises -- both pleasant and unpleasant -- and some of the most beautiful writing you'll ever read. Indeed, the final chapter of all, which brings the story to an unforgettably bittersweet conclusion, is so perfectly written that one would not wish to change a single sentence or word.

"The Lord of the Rings" is undoubtedly one of the best novels in any genre ever written by anyone, and Peter Jackson's adaptation of it into a movie trilogy is to be commended for attracting many new readers to Tolkien's book.

One Ring to find them
One Ring to bring them all
And in the darkness bind them

Each generation of storytellers creates a new myth that grabs hold of the imagination of future generations for decades to come. In 1937, J.R.R Tolkien started such a myth with the publication of "The Hobbit". Despite the flaws of their creator and the displays of racial, class, and gender prejudices that is obvious to a modern audience, the books of the trilogy brilliantly recount the tale of Hobbits, Elves, Dwarves and Men and their battle with evil. It is in the portrayal of his heroes struggle against the baser forces that the author transcends his own shortcomings to pen what has become one of the best sagas of courage, nobility of spirit, and raw adventure.

Although often referred to as a trilogy Tolkien first wrote "The Lord of the Rings" as a single novel consisting of six books plus appendices. Tolkien's publisher divided this massive book into three novels. The first novel, "The Fellowship of the Ring", was first published 1954. This book continues the story begun in "The Hobbit" when Bilbo Baggins, a Hobbit, found a shiny ring lost by a creature called Gollum.

"The Fellowship of the Ring" reintroduces the audience to Middle Earth and her occupants. Each of the nine characters that compose the fellowship of the ring represents a different race that lives in Middle Earth. There is Gandalf the gray, a mighty wizard; Legolas the noble elf; the men Aragon a ranger and future king of men and Boromir eldest son of the Stewart of Gondor; Gimli, a dwarf lord; and finally the Hobbits Frodo, the ring bearer; his gardener and friend Sam and his two younger cousins Meriadoc or Merry and Peregrin or Pip.

This first book also tells the story of the creation of the Rings of Power by the Elven-smiths and how Sauron the Dark lord of Mordor forged the One Ring filling it with his own power so that he could bind all the other ring wearers to his will. Although defeated centuries ago and his ring lost, Sauron now awakes and seeks it. Bilbo's ring is soon discovered by Gandalf to be the One Ring. Soon it is decided that Frodo and his companions must enter Mordor and cast the ring into the very fires from which it was forged. This is the only way to destroy it.

The fellowship ends with the fall of Gandalf to the fiery creature the Balrog, the death of Boromir at the hands of the evil Orcs who kidnap Merry and Pip and the decision of Frodo to continue on with only Sam to Mordor. Aragon, Legolas, and Gimli set of to rescue Merry and Pip from the Orcs.

Book two, "The Two Towers," chronicles the separate adventures of Aragon traveling with Legolas and Gimli, Pip and Merry fleeing from the Orcs meeting up with the Ents and reuniting with Gandalf and of Frodo and Sam moving toward Mordor. This book also introduces us to new characters: Faramir, younger brother of Boromir; the Ents, the treelike guardians of the woods; King Theoden of the Rohan, his nephew Eomer and his niece Eowyn. We are also reintroduced to the evil wizard Saruman and his city of Isengard and to the creature Gollum.

Book three, "The Return of the King," is the final novel in the trilogy and by far the best. This is an example of the author surpassing his own limitations as the characters thrive and grow. This novel opens as the shadow of Mordor grows. The companions of the Ring continue to follow separate paths all leading toward the same goal, the overthrow of Sauron. Aragon is now revealed as the heir of the ancient kings of the West. Along with Legolas, Gimli, and Merry, he has joined forces with king Theoden and the riders of Rohan to go to the aid of the mighty city of Gondor. If Gondor falls so will the rest of Middle Earth.

Pip is now in the service of Denethor the steward of Gondor and father of Boromir and Faramir. He serves this harsh lord while awaiting the coming conflict. Gandalf gathers news and makes his own preparations for battle. Frodo and Sam after escaping the clutches of the giant spider Shelob continue their journey toward the Cracks of Doom and the destruction of the One Ring. All the while, Sauron's forces gather for the great battle for Middle Earth.

When I first read these books as a child, they captured my imagination and have not completely let it go yet. Rereading them in my late teens and early twenties I became disappointed by the author's prejudices that marred some of the passages for me. However, as I grew older and reread them again I realized that those things that offended my sensibilities were mere reflections of the age and climate in which the author was raised. They were not essential parts of this tale of the continuing battle between good and evil.

Tolkien set out to tell a story about the struggle between the world of nature represented by the Elves and the Hobbits and the age of the machine represented by Sauron and especially Saruman who destroyed entire forests to build his city and war machines. However, these stories transcend mere allegories about the struggle between man and machine or good and evil and become cosmic in their application when speaking of basic concepts such as good, evil, courage, friendship, loyalty and hope.

I had first set out only to review the third book "The Return of the King", because the movie will be out in December. However, I realized that for those of you who have not read the other books that it was essential to give back-story and this resulted in a review of all the books. I hope you find this review helpful and derive as much pleasure from reading these books as I did. The only thing I found confusing in the entire trilogy was the fact that the name of the evil overlord Sauron was so similar to that of Saruman the evil wizard. Fantasy and adventure lovers who have not yet read the books should do so.

The Return of the King gives a spectacular ending to the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The final book begins as the city of Minas Tirith, capital city of Gondor prepares for war against the Dark Lord Sauron. The realm of Rohan musters all its remaining strength in the hope of saving Minas Tirith. Aragorn son of Arathorn, heir to the throne of Gondor, also gathers an army to try to save the city of Minas Tirith. Meanwhile, Frodo's royal servant, Sam, rescues him from the Tower of Cirith Ungol where a company of orcs holds him captive. Once Frodo has been rescued he and Sam set out to destroy Sauron's evil ring of power at Mount Doom in the heart of Mordor. Will Frodo and Sam make it all the way to Mount Doom through the orc infested barren wastelands of Mordor? Will Minas Tirith fall to Sauron or will they triumph to face him in the final battle?
I recommend the Return of the King to anyone who enjoys fantasy, action or drama. Though before you read Return of the King, you should read the first two books in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers.

This is my all time favorite book in the world! This book made me laugh, cry, and really make me think about how amazing the author J.R.R. tolkein is. The stor is a fantasic conclusion to the Lord of the Rings series. The emotion that it has in it is incredible. The plot is amazing with the characters from the past books and some new ones introduced. Tha battles and action are the best and most complete that I have ever read. This book is a must have and the thing is just to hard for me to explain right now. but I can say this. The Lord of the Rings rule!

I became interested in the trilogy when my brother Chris made me read "The Hobbit." Though many people skip the prequel to the trilogy, it certainly helped me to connect things to all 3 books of "The Lord of the Rings." It took me a total of 5 months to read "The Hobbit", "The Fellowship of the Ring", "The Two Towers", and "The Return of the King." I loved all of the books, but my all time favorite was "The Return of the King." I love Aragorn, and this was his book -- well, a part of it was. The first half of the book was a little emotional, but it was worth it. When I finished the book, I was almost torn apart. The ending totally surprised me, not only because it wasn't something that could have been predicted, but because these wonderful characters: Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, Aragorn, Legolas, Gandalf, and Gimli, were ripped away from me. They were my family for 5 months, and now they were gone with not another word. Though saying goodbye to the Trilogy was hard, I would never ever go back on those 5 wonderful months and not read the books. Especially since it's summertime, this is a great time to read these books. A little part of me still believes these wonderful characters are with me, and will never go away.

What is there not to like of J.R.R. Tokien books? It is lots of fun, plenty of adventure, action, battles, humor, hobbits, men, elves, dwarves, et., etc., etc.

Book two of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, "The Two Towers", ends with Gandalf the Wizard and Pippin the hobbit traveling to Minas Tirith. Also Frodo the Ring-bearing hobbit and his faithful friend, Sam, are separated in the land of Mordor, Frodo in the hands of the dreadful orcs.

Now we go into book three, "The Return of the King". It's up to Sam now to save his master Frodo. It's a good thing he has the Ring of Doom with him. When Sam finally is able to free Frodo, they must continue their quest to destroy the Ring, before the evil Sauron uses it to his own purposes, to cover all the lands with his Darkness. But Frodo is starting to weaken with the weight and power of the Ring. Will he be able to complete his quest? Meanwhile, King Theoden and his Rohan forces, along with Merry the hobbit, travel to Minas Tirith to help King Denethor fight off Sauron's forces of Men and Orcs. And Aragorn the Ranger (or is he...?), Legolas the Elf, Gimli the Dwarf, and the Rangers decide to go to Minas Tirith... by the Paths of Dead!

A truly great conclustion to such a terrific series. J.R.R. Tolkien certainly made these books so interesting and realistic. You must read the Appendixes at the end of the book, it tells about all of the histories of Men, Dwarves, Elves, Hobbits, and more. Also gives timelines of the 2nd Age, 3rd Age, and more.

One of my most favorite characters is Legolas the Elf, one important reason is because he is an Elf. Somehow Elves have always fascinated and interested me, with their mysterious, quiet but strong ways. I love how he and Gimli the Dwarf are the best of friends and how they're always together and inseparable. I also love Pippin the Hobbit, he's so cheerful, kind, but always seems to always get into trouble! Also I think that Faramir the Prince is also a good character. Son of the King Denethor, in the eyes of his father is unworthy because he is compared with his brother, Boromir, who had been killed.

I can't honestly say which of the three books in the trilogy is the best. I strongly recommend you read all of the books, including the prelude, "The Hobbit". I think that the J.R.R. Tolkiens are mostly for teenager and adults, since younger kids probably would find it a little too complicated and boring for them. Have fun reading "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy! You'll find it loads of fun and keep you in page-turning excitement!