Review of 'The Return of the King' on 'Storygraph'
4 stars
All the various appendixes at the end make me think I should reread the series now that I'm more acquainted with the lore and whatnot. And that Tolkien was more interested in world-building than in storytelling
The part at the end where <spoiler>the hobbits drive the capitalists out of the Shire</spoiler> hit a lot differently than I imagine it would have in the past.
All the various appendixes at the end make me think I should reread the series now that I'm more acquainted with the lore and whatnot. And that Tolkien was more interested in world-building than in storytelling
The part at the end where <spoiler>the hobbits drive the capitalists out of the Shire</spoiler> hit a lot differently than I imagine it would have in the past.
"The Return of the King" by J.R.R. Tolkien brings the "The Lord of the Rings" to a ringing conclusion. At the end of the journey, one cannot help but be impressed by the level of detail and imagination that went into this beloved work of literature. While for the most part "The Return of the King" is a satisfying conclusion the story, the experience is lessened by a disjointed and often confusingly crafted narrative structure of the whole novel.
"The Return of the King" follows the battle between the forces of the West led by Gandalf and those of the Dark Lord Sauron. What is so wonderful about this volume is that each of the Hobbits is able to come fully into his own - Frodo completes his quest, Sam shows courage and bravery in Mordor, Merry becomes a squire to the King of Rohan, and Pippin enters into the …
"The Return of the King" by J.R.R. Tolkien brings the "The Lord of the Rings" to a ringing conclusion. At the end of the journey, one cannot help but be impressed by the level of detail and imagination that went into this beloved work of literature. While for the most part "The Return of the King" is a satisfying conclusion the story, the experience is lessened by a disjointed and often confusingly crafted narrative structure of the whole novel.
"The Return of the King" follows the battle between the forces of the West led by Gandalf and those of the Dark Lord Sauron. What is so wonderful about this volume is that each of the Hobbits is able to come fully into his own - Frodo completes his quest, Sam shows courage and bravery in Mordor, Merry becomes a squire to the King of Rohan, and Pippin enters into the service of the Steward of Gondor. Following each of these characters we are allowed to see them play integral parts in the story, which I think is one of Tolkien's main points - the Hobbits are the essential players for the fate of the world.
It is in this volume where much of the complex mythos that Tolkien has constructed comes into play. Here we see the passing of the Third Age and the departure of the Elves from Middle-earth and the transition to the Fourth Age and the Age of Men. This gives the author the opportunity to pose interesting thoughts about the passage of time and history.
While I have done my best to focus this review on the third volume of the novel, it is impossible to consider the last part without looking at the whole work that came before it. The novel as whole is truly brilliant in its creativity and imagination. And after reading nearly 800+ pages one becomes heavily invested in the story and wants to see it through to its conclusion.
But in my opinion "The Return of the King" is the weakest volume of the novel because of what is my biggest criticism of "The Lord of the Rings" - a disjointed narrative structure. There are some wonderful passages and images in "Return" (I found myself noting quotations in this volume more than the other two). But, whether an intentional creative choice or not, the novel for all of its brilliance is hindered by Tolkien's style of story telling. I give the whole novel four stars but this volume three stars for its narrative flaws. Even with those flaws, however, volume three was captivating and immensely enjoyable!
Review of 'Die Rückkehr des Königs' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
I actually feel quite a bit accomplished that I managed to read through Lord of the Rings this year.
Even though the last book in itself is a 5 star read for me, I wouldn't say atm that LOTR is one of my favorite fantasy stories yet. This is partly because it really drags and partly because I always let some time pass between books. In my opinion, you have to take this story in one piece. Some of the book endings just feel like the end of a chapter.
There will be a time when I read the 3 books back to back and possibly my opinion will change then.
Such a fitting end to this classic trilogy. It is now a joke to say that it never seems to stop wrapping up, but that long conclusion provides a sorely-needed sense of closure after leaving such a beloved (and lovingly crafted) world. Farewell, hobbits!
After a year and nine months of reading to the girls the saga finally ends. I must admit the last few chapters of this book was disappointing me no end as it comes across as the resistance of a conservative rear guard against any sort of change - depicted of course as evil. Despite that the last couple of pages rose above the previous tweeness to affect me - saying goodbye to old friends for the last time is never a good thing and Tolkien nails it. However in general, aside from the classic Minas Tirith chapter, Aragon's fraught relationship with Éowyn and the choices of Master Samwise, much of the rest of the book was disappointing compared to the magnificent Two Towers. Publisher deadlines perhaps spoiling Tolkien's use thoughtful and deliberate prose.
