The Return of the King

**If you haven’t read the book, just skip this review. I tried to avoid spoilers, but there is just too much to talk about.**

The Return of the King

by J.R.R. Tolkien

★★★★★

The final book in the trilogy holds many battles. Some are with hordes of orcs and others are battles of the will. One thing I’ve always loved about this series is that you can have the most incredible showdown on the battlefield, but those scenes are no more powerful than Sam picking up Frodo and doing all he can to carry him to Mount Doom.

In The Return of the King we get to see the brilliant triumph at Minas Tirith and then the loss of hope at the Black Gate when the Mouth of Sauron shows Gandalf Frodo's belongings. We see Sam and Frodo lose their strength and we finally understand the role that Gollum and had to play in the whole saga.

I love that this final installment reaches what you think is the climax of the story less than halfway through the book. Then the rest of the novel is about the reuniting of characters and a glorious return to all of their lands. I think that's indicative of the true focus of the story being more on the characters and less on the war. Once their goal is achieved and the war is over, their stories still continue.

Rereading the trilogy reminded me why I fell in love with it in the first place. Although I love the movies, the books have so much more depth and heart. I think the Battle of Bywater is a perfect example. Because of the sheer length of the final movie, it was completely left out, but it's in that scene that we see just how much our little hobbits have matured. Merry and Pippin are now brilliant warriors and Sam's become a leader willing to stand up against any foe. Frodo has found that above all he values peace and knows that mercy is much more valuable than revenge. His journey changed him in a different way than the other hobbits.

The scenes in the Shire made me think about World War II. The few that stood up to Hitler were immediately punished. Ruling that way instilled a fear in everyone else which made them easier to govern. The same happened in the Shire and so the hobbits stopped resisting their cruel leaders. I was glad that Gandalf didn't fight the battle with the hobbits. He left them to return to the Shire on their own because he knew they were ready to defend it themselves.

"He is a moss-gather, and I have been a stone doomed to rolling. But my rolling days are ending, and now we shall have much to say to one another." – Gandalf on leaving the hobbits to visit Bombadil.

There are a few interactions between Sam and Rosie at the end of the book that I just love. When they meet back up in the Shire they were adorable with each other. After everything that Sam had been through I couldn’t help smile when he gets the girl in the end.

BOTTOM LINE: I have a feeling I'll never tire of returning to Middle Earth and I'll certainly never let 13 years go by between rereadings again! I'll always have more to learn from these rich characters. Tolkien tells so many beautiful stories within this trilogy and I got even more out of it the second time around. 

"'I do not fear either pain or death. What do you fear, lady?' he asked.

'A cage,' she said. 'To stay behind bars, until use an old age accept them, and all chance of doing great deeds is gone beyond recall or desire.'"

“In that hour of trial it was the love of his master that helped most to hold him firm.”

“Though here at journey's end I lie in darkness buried deep, beyond all towers strong and high, beyond all mountains steep, above all shadows rides the Sun and Stars for ever dwell: I will not save the Day is done, nor bid the Stars farewell.”

“And the journey's finished. But after coming all that way I don't want to give up yet. It's not like me, somehow, if you understand.” – Sam

"I will not say: do not weep; for not all tears are an evil." - Gandalf

A few tidbits where the book differs from the film:

- The beacons of Gondor were already lit before Gandalf and Pippin got to Minas Tirith. 

- Only 13 days pass between Boromir's death and the beginning of the fifth book when we meet Denethor.

- Beregond is part of the city guard and he shows Pippin around the city. In the end he’s the one who saves Faramir by blocking the door from the guards when they're trying to burn the pyre. 

- Aragorn is the one who heals Faramir, Eowyn, and Merry. He has the gift of healing and he’s the one who saves their lives. 

- Eowyn takes a different name when she pretends to be a man in the Rohirrim.

- Sam is tempted by the ring and wants to go off on his own for a moment when he sees himself in a place of power. Even Sam couldn't resist the temptation for a second.

Appendix Notes:

I've always loved the appendices as well for the light they shine on the history of the characters, especially Arwen and Aragorn. Here’s a few other bits of info that they include…

- Galadriel is Arwen's grandmother. Whoa!

- Elrond's father was a man and Elrond's chose to be of Elven-kind.

- Gollum had the Ring for more than 450 years when Bilbo found it.

- Sam's daughter, Goldilocks, married Pippin's son Faramir!

- Arwen was more than 2,700 years old when she and Aragorn first met. Talk about a cougar!

- Sam went to the Grey Havens at the end of his life and passed over the sea after his wife Rose died.

- Leogalas built a ship and sailed over the sea with Gimli after Aragorn died. 

Names Aragorn went by:

Strider, Estel, Elessar, Elfstone, Isildur's Heir, Quenya, The Renewer, Longshanks, Wingfoot, King of Gondor, Chieftain of the Dunedain, and Thorongil

The Fellowship of the Ring

 

**If you haven’t read the book, just skip this review. I tried to avoid spoilers, but there is just too much to talk about.**

 

The Fellowship of the Ring

by J.R.R. Tolkien

★★★★★

It’s been 13 years since I first read the Lord of the Rings series and it was high time for a reread. This epic trilogy starts out quietly enough. There’s the Shire, a peaceful place full of hobbits and rolling green hills. Anyone familiar with The Hobbit will recognize Bilbo Baggins, but this is not his story. His nephew Frodo inherits a ring from him and nothing in his life will ever be the same.

There’s no need to rehash the plot as most people are familiar with it because of the movies. Suffice to say Tolkien is a master story teller. He pays attention to every detail and you can feel the terror of the hobbits as the Black Riders hunt them. You share in their awe as the meet the elves and hear their songs. Middle Earth is both completely unique and infinitely familiar. It’s almost as if you’ve stepped back in time and you’re witnessing the history of a simpler people, but none of them ever existed.

The trilogy has such depth and deals with issues that are relevant in every time period. The heart of the story is about friendship, loyalty and sacrifice. It's about trusting those who are wise and setting aside your own goals for the good of all. It deals with grief, temptation, greed, trust, overcoming your fears and prejudices, and stepping outside of your comfort zone. It’s about knowing what’s really important in life. The only people who can truly resist the ring are the ones who don't value power and wealth above all else. More than anything, Frodo wants to go home and he has no desire for glory. That’s the only reason he’s able to resist the ring for so long.

"Yet such is oft the course of deeds that move the wheels of the world: small hands do them because they must, while the eyes of the great or elsewhere."

The book teaches so many beautiful lessons but even more than that it's an incredibly readable story. Tolkien’s descriptions carry you away into a world with elves, dwarves and hobbits. You can feel the encroaching darkness and taste the stagnant air in the Monies of Moria. You can see the leaves grow golden in Galadriel's forest.  

There were so many things that I had forgotten about the books. In the years since I first read them I’d begun to believe they were dense or hard to follow because of all the unusual names and locations, but that wasn’t the case. I felt instantly transported and thrilled to be traveling with Strider and the hobbits as they made their way to Rivendell.

I absolutely adore the movies and think they are some of the best adaptations of book to film that I’ve seen. But there are a few parts that differ from the books and I couldn’t help notice those sections. Some of them are just wonderful, but I know you can’t fit everything into a movie.

There’s one scene where Frodo and Sam cross paths with elves early in the book. Same is enthralled with them, because he’s been dreaming of meeting elves his whole life. Then there’s Tom Bombadil and his lady Goldberry, the daughter of the River. They are such lovely characters. Tom is wise and stands outside of the normal rules and faults of others in Middle Earth. I love the scene with the Barrow-wights and Old Man Willow when Tom rescues the hobbits.

I’d forgotten the original reasons so many were gathered at Rivendell for the Council of Elrond. Leogalos was there to let Elrond know that Gollum had escaped from the Mirkwood elves. Boromir had been traveling for 110 days to get from Gondor to Rivendell. He came because his brother, Faramir, was having a dream over and over again to "Seek the sword that was broken... for Isildur's Bane shall waken." Boromir only had the dream once. I couldn’t help but wonder how differently things might have turned out if Faramir had been part of the fellowship instead of his older, brasher brother.

There’s also a scene where Gandalf is rescued from Saruman by the eagle Gwaihir because Radagast told birds and beasts where Gandalf was going to be. That section reminded me of Harry Potter and how Voldemort always underestimated people he thought were less powerful than him. Sauruman used Radagast to unknowingly trick Gandalf into going to Isengard. Saruman underestimated Radagast and never thought that he would be the reason Gandalf was able to escape.

BOTTOM LINE: Completely irresistible. This might be my favorite book of the trilogy. It’s our introduction to the wonderful world of Middle Earth. It holds the first glimpse of Rivendell; it cements the lifelong friendships between the members of the fellowship, and takes us on a trip through the hallowed woods of Lothlórien. We meet Tom Bombadil, attend a party in the Shire, and above all else we see the strength it takes to for someone to sacrifice themself for the good of others. 

"It's a dangerous business, Frodo going out of your door," he (Bilbo) used to say. "You step into the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to." 

"Elves seldom give unguarded advice, for advice is a dangerous gift, even from the wise to the wise, and all courses may run ill."

"A hunted man sometimes wearies of distrust and longs for friendship."

"He breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom."

"Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens."

"The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, he grows perhaps the greater."

 

 A few tidbits where the book differs from the film: 

- Frodo was orphaned when both his parents drowned.

- He and Bilbo have the same birthday, September 22, and when Bilbo turned 111 Frodo turned 33, which is the age when hobbits officially become an adult.

- Almost 20 years go by between Bilbo leaving the Shire and Frodo leaving. He was 50 when he started out on the journey.

- He sold Bag End before he left.

- Merry and Pippin were always planning on going, it wasn't a last minute thing.

- They stop at Farmer Maggot's house and then he drives them to the ferry.

- The Elf Glorfindel met the hobbits and Strider, not Arwen and Gandalf is the one who made the water turn into horses during the flood that scares the Ringwraiths off.

- Aragorn and Bilbo were great friends. They had been at Rivendell together for a long time and Bilbo called him the Dunadan.

- Aragorn was the one who found Gollum and took him to the elves.

- Gandalf was in Gondor when he found info about the ring in scrolls Isildur wrote.

- After Gwaihir Eagle saves Gandalf he takes him to Rohan where Gandalf gets Shadowfax.

- The Hobbits spend two months in Rivendell after Elrond's Council before embarking on their journey.

SIDENOTE: The decision to make the Hobbit into a trilogy seemed silly to me, but re-reading this trilogy helped explain that decision. There’s so much in Hobbit movies that is discussed during Lord of the Rings. They talk about what Gandalf was doing during that time period and so it made sense to add it into those movies.

April Classic Club Meme Question

“Who is hands-down the best literary hero, in your opinion? Likewise, who is the best heroine?”

My two choices for literary hero are Atticus Finch and Gandalf. The first is the lawyer from the beloved novel To Kill a Mockingbird. He is a man of quiet strength. Not only is Atticus willing to stand up for those without a voice, he is also a wonderful father and the best shot in town! He defends Tom Robbins when no one else will take his case. He accepts bartered farm goods when his neighbors can’t pay for his services. He teaches his children that being kind to others is a way of life. You maintain that kindness even in the face of adversity. From a poor school boy to an elderly opium addict, he supports the people around him with unconditional respect and generosity. He is the ultimate hero.

Gandalf, the wizard from The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, is hero in a more traditional sense. He is mysterious and powerful. He always appears when he is most needed. He is wise and kind, but he is also incredibly brave and willing to sacrifice himself for others.

The first of the two that tie for the spot of literary heroine is Hermione Granger. That girl is so strong and clever; Ron and Harry never would have made it to the seventh book without her! She helped them through the obstacles protecting the Sorcerer’s Stone in the first book, discovered the secret of the basilisk in the second book. In the third book she gets a time turner and what does she use it for through out the book… LEARNING! The fourth book, she continuously works to help Harry figure out his clues for the Tri-Wizard tournament, the fifth has her fighting Death Eaters along-side of her friends and encouraging Harry to start Dumbledore’s Army. In the seventh book she packs all of their belongings into a tiny clutch that she carries with them to the wedding. She’s always prepared! She is willing to leave her parents and give up her safety to travel with Harry and Ron in the wilderness and try to find horcruxes. She is brave and brilliant. She never dumbs herself down to fit in and her constant encouragement keeps Ron and Harry on track.

Now for a more traditional Classics choice, Marmee March is a minor character in Little Women, but her influence is seen throughout the book in the decisions her daughters make. She raises the four girls by herself for years while her husband is fighting in the Civil War. His bad financial decisions left them poor, but Marmee makes due and teaches her girls that wealth is not nearly as important as kindness. Even when they have barely anything Marmee still gives her time to those who are less fortunate than themselves. Marmee also encourages her daughters to follow their own dreams. When Meg wants to marry, Marmee only tells her to wait a few years so that they have time to mature first. She lets Jo travel to New York by herself to live in a boarding house and pursue her writing career. Marmee knows that Jo struggles with her temper and to help her cope with that she explains her own fiery temperament to Jo so she could understand she wasn’t alone.

Join in the fun here. 

The Hobbit

The Hobbit
by J.R.R. Tolkien
★★★★★

The first time I read The Hobbit I was in fourth grade and my family was taking a road trip to the east coast. I remember a few things about that trip, but mainly I was lost in the dark paths of Mirkwood forest and the rocky ledges of the Misty Mountains. I re-read the book when I was in high school and loved it just as much. So I felt a bit of trepidation about re-reading it as an adult. I was worried it would seem childish and the magic would be gone from its pages, but I quickly discovered I had nothing to worry about.

The book was just as wonderful this time around. It’s such a great adventure. Tolkein created an entire world, filled with hobbits, dwarves, elves and trolls, which was completely foreign to anything I knew. When Gandalf and 13 dwarves (Thorin, Dori, Nori, Dwalin, Balin, Ori, Oin, Gloin, Kili, Fili, Bifur, Bofur and Bombur) show up in the Shire, everything changes for Bilbo and for the readers.

One of my favorite aspects of the book is that our hero is a complete anti-hero. Bilbo doesn’t want to go on an adventure. He has no desire to leave his home, but somehow he is swept up along on the journey and he discovers that a tiny corner of him has always longed for a quest.

“‘We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner! I can’t think what anybody sees in them,’ said our Mr. Baggins.”

(The 2012 Hobbit movie and 1977 cartoon version)

Gandalf flits in and out of the story, but he always appears when he’s needed the most. He’s always been one of my favorite characters in literature. He can be cryptic and mysterious, but he’s also a true friend, a wise leader and a warrior. He never gives up and his hope gives hope to others.

The dwarves are so different from the hobbits. Their driving force is a love of money. They aren’t bad, but they have an interesting moral code. Thorin, the group’s leader, puts them all in danger because of his obsession with the precious stone Arkenstone. They aren’t too dissimilar from Smaug, the dragon who stole their wealth, except that the dwarves only want what they see as rightfully theirs.

“There it is: dwarves are not heroes, but calculating folk with a great idea of the value of money; some are tricky and treacherous and pretty bad lots; some are not, but are decent enough people like Thorin and Company, if you don’t expect too much.”

Gollum is, in my opinion, the most interesting character in the book. We know almost nothing about him, but we are at once enthralled and horrified by him. Bilbo has a similar reaction. It’s important to note that he feels pity for Gollum, which foreshadows the events in Lord of the Rings.

“A sudden understanding, a pity mixed with horror welled up in Bilbo’s heart: a glimpse of endless unmarked days without light or hope of betterment, hard stone, cold fish, sneaking and whispering.”

(A drawing of The Hobbit on a postcard my uncle sent my Mom from Sweden in the 1970s)

A few things I'd forgotten about the book:

1) Beorn, the bear man., somehow I completely forgot this character!

2) Bilbo was more than 50 years old when the adventure began.

3) His mom’s name was Belladonna and his Dad’s was Bungo, how fantastic is that!

4) The dwarves love and value music and each one had an instrument that they played.

5) The thrush is really the unsung hero of the novel. Without the help of that bird, the dwarves could have been stranded in the mountain with no hope of defeating Smaug.

While some people find the Lord of the Rings hard to get through and overwhelmed with descriptions and details, The Hobbit is a quick read. It was targeted at a younger audience and so it’s much more accessible. If you’ve ever been curious about Tolkein’s world, this is the place to start.

One side note, I can’t wait for the movie to come out this December! Have any of you seen the cartoon version (image above)? I grew up watching it and as I was reading the book I kept remember songs from it.

p.s. Someone built a Shire in Montana… no seriously!

Photo of postcard by moi.
Images from here and here