The Return of the King
(#3 Lord of the Rings series)
By J.R.R. Tolkien
Rating : 3.75/5
Genres : Fantasy, fiction, classics, 2021-read, magical realism, fairy tales, paranormal, supernatural, good vs evil
This book marks the end to the saga started with the formation of the fellowship of ring 💍 in part-1 of the series. Its a culmination to all things - dark and light. In a tale of fight between an overpowering and encroaching darkness against forces of good/light - a ring forged by the dark lord himself becomes key to victory. Since the story must end, it is naturally anticipated that the ring gets where it should - thrown into the pits of fire smoldering in Mount Doom of Mordor - the province where the dark lord and his servants/soldiers reside. And that's what happens. Frodo and Sam through many perils and tribulations take the ring to the precipice of Mount Doom but Frodo becomes unwilling and possessive of the ring at the last moment just like Gollum and Bilbo before him. But with a little external help, the ring gets tossed off and just like that, the reign of Sauron and his evil mongers comes to an end. I guess I was expecting a grand scale battle - where there will be much involvement from all kinds of creatures and beings that make up the rich universe of the lord of the rings - but I clearly felt the end too simplistic and disappointing.
The book starts with an attack on Gondor from Mordor. Gandalf and Pippin have set sail on Shadowfax to come to the rescue of the Lord of Gondor, father of Boromir and Faramir, Denethor. They send a word for help from their neighbor to the king of Rohan,king of Mark, father to Eomer and Eowyn, Theodan. Sauron has become aware of great, formidable forces on the side of enemy and becomes the first oppressor. Battling against the great army of Orcs, flying eagle like Nazguls, Easterlings and other half humans, the army of Gondor loses all hope when Faramir falls and is fatally wounded. Denethor in despair and foreseeing defeat, decides to set himself and his son Faramir - delirious and caught up with high fever - on a pyre for an easier death. Unforeseen, the forces of Rohan and those lead by Aragorn join the battle and soon its the defeat of Sauron and his armies. The armies of Gandalf and Aragorn March into Mordor to trick the dark lord into thinking that they possess the ring and also to distract his attention from the actual ring bearing group - Sam and Frodo. In the last book, we see that Frodo is taken captive by a group of Orcs and is parted from Sam. The book continues with Sam rescuing Frodo from the Orcs and other dangers and leading him to the mount doom through much bravery and self sacrifice. So the ring gets destroyed, Aragorn becomes the king of all, everyone journies back home. The Hobbits return to their Shire but find unexpected and unwanted trouble with some evil forces still left in the world. They tackle them and restore life and beauty to their home. Gollum, Sauron and Wormtongue also meet their ends in rather curious ways. Frodo and Bilbo make away with elves and Gandalf to Havens leaving everything and everyone behind..to cope with the burden of having once carried the ring.
I thought this book is a letdown after the book-2 which I so thoroughly enjoyed. It felt like a work that was executed in haste or without much thought from the author - but thats just my opinion.
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