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sheldon1979's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Following Merry, Pippin, Sam & Frodo as Sam & Frodo reach Modor and what perils they suffer and try to overcome to try and destroy the One Ring. And Merry & Pippin and there travels with the Ents and onwards to Rohan and Minas Tirith.
Unlike the film the book does better job at describing what happens and what events happen in The Shire that the film doesn't even touch upon.
Unlike the film the book does better job at describing what happens and what events happen in The Shire that the film doesn't even touch upon.
mafiabadgers's review against another edition
4.0
First read 03/2021, reread 09/2024
Book 5. Much like book 3, there's a good deal of running around and hacking up of enemies, but this time with less focus on the inherent evil of orcs (instead we are given a number of unpleasant asides about the Southrons), and a great deal more abstraction. With the great cloud of gloom sent forth from Mordor and the relatively small amount of page space given over to battles, as opposed to preparation and aftermath, it cleaves more closely to the metaphorical fight of good and evil than to a more grounded combat, which I think fits very well with the style of narration. It's as much about Éomer's grief as it is about anyone's heroic exploits, which is just as it should be.
Book 6. Not my favourite book, but perhaps the most interesting. It begins with Sam and Frodo doing a lot of walking and being sad, rather like book four, but this time without Gollum to enliven things. The resolution of the first third of the book, though, is excellent. The second third is a recuperative period, and about what you'd expect at this point. Is Faramir's relationship with Éowyn a touching aside about healing and growth, or patriarchal claptrap about her submission to a man's wisdom, and relinquishing her role as shieldmaiden? Perhaps a little of each. But the last third, when the Travellers return to the Shire? It's difficult. It's not the reward our heroes seem to have earned. But it's also resolved fairly tidily, and "it happily cost very few lives", by which Tolkien means that he's not interested in dwelling on the deaths involved. Removing all this would certainly bring the book to a cleaner conclusion, but I'm not sure it would be better. All the same, as it stands, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. The hobbits' xenophobic tendencies are validated by the results of this incursion of highly racialised outsiders, and they are then rebuffed by the return of some of their own, and the rounding up of the locals to run them off their land. As I see it, it was the hobbits' small-mindedness, the suspicion of any who do things differently and the desire to control them, that enabled Saruman's influence to gain traction in the Shire. What sort of ostracism might the Travellers have faced, had they not saved the day quite so visibly? The ending also roundedly condemns industrialisation, rather than critiquing its implementation and the possible uses for it if enacted in a fashion that cares for the workers and the land. Issues that have been glossed over before have at last come to the fore, and it's dissatisfying. I did tear up at all the gardening, though, so that's something.
Overall, books 4 and 5 were my favourites, then 3, then 2, then 1. No idea where I'd put 6.
As for the appendices, well. I actually didn't have the heart to read them in 2021, and I do slightly regret not getting the bonus material about Aragorn and Arwen, or Sam's seven terms as Mayor and thirteen children. On the other hand, I hate linguistics.
Book 5. Much like book 3, there's a good deal of running around and hacking up of enemies, but this time with less focus on the inherent evil of orcs (instead we are given a number of unpleasant asides about the Southrons), and a great deal more abstraction. With the great cloud of gloom sent forth from Mordor and the relatively small amount of page space given over to battles, as opposed to preparation and aftermath, it cleaves more closely to the metaphorical fight of good and evil than to a more grounded combat, which I think fits very well with the style of narration. It's as much about Éomer's grief as it is about anyone's heroic exploits, which is just as it should be.
Book 6. Not my favourite book, but perhaps the most interesting. It begins with Sam and Frodo doing a lot of walking and being sad, rather like book four, but this time without Gollum to enliven things. The resolution of the first third of the book, though, is excellent. The second third is a recuperative period, and about what you'd expect at this point. Is Faramir's relationship with Éowyn a touching aside about healing and growth, or patriarchal claptrap about her submission to a man's wisdom, and relinquishing her role as shieldmaiden? Perhaps a little of each. But the last third, when the Travellers return to the Shire? It's difficult. It's not the reward our heroes seem to have earned. But it's also resolved fairly tidily, and "it happily cost very few lives", by which Tolkien means that he's not interested in dwelling on the deaths involved. Removing all this would certainly bring the book to a cleaner conclusion, but I'm not sure it would be better. All the same, as it stands, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. The hobbits' xenophobic tendencies are validated by the results of this incursion of highly racialised outsiders, and they are then rebuffed by the return of some of their own, and the rounding up of the locals to run them off their land. As I see it, it was the hobbits' small-mindedness, the suspicion of any who do things differently and the desire to control them, that enabled Saruman's influence to gain traction in the Shire. What sort of ostracism might the Travellers have faced, had they not saved the day quite so visibly? The ending also roundedly condemns industrialisation, rather than critiquing its implementation and the possible uses for it if enacted in a fashion that cares for the workers and the land. Issues that have been glossed over before have at last come to the fore, and it's dissatisfying. I did tear up at all the gardening, though, so that's something.
Overall, books 4 and 5 were my favourites, then 3, then 2, then 1. No idea where I'd put 6.
As for the appendices, well. I actually didn't have the heart to read them in 2021, and I do slightly regret not getting the bonus material about Aragorn and Arwen, or Sam's seven terms as Mayor and thirteen children. On the other hand, I hate linguistics.
mollymoona's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.0
sagehj22's review against another edition
5.0
The ending of a book has never filled me with so much joy and hope yet so much sadness
swyant42's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
trnolan's review against another edition
5.0
Still as great as I remember. Flew through this one compared to the others in the series. So many bits I forgot about like the Scouring of the Shire that showed the enormous growth the hobbits underwent. The way Tolkien weaves the two main storylines together is masterfully done and creates as much suspense as possible. I found myself quite emotional by the end and wanted to hang onto these characters for longer. I wanted to see the reunions and travel with Legolas and Gimli into the depths of Fangorn. Or see Aragorn travel north and stop in with the hobbits. But alas, I'll have to be content with the best fantasy series of all time as it is.
wanderolah's review against another edition
5.0
2003: 5.0 (Paperback)
2009: 5.0 (Paperback)
2014: 5.0 (Nook)
2009: 5.0 (Paperback)
2014: 5.0 (Nook)
peppa_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
ihateprozac's review against another edition
4.0
I think most of the reason for me liking this book was that it brought an end to the goddamn journey. While there were some amusing characters that I encountered along the way, I was fucking bored most of the time D: My memory of the text is a little fuzzy, having read it some years ago, and I'm definitely going to give the saga another go to see if I like it any better now.
At any rate, I'm glad they made the movies. While the movies were ridiculously long, they weren't nearly as ludicrously long as the books. -_-
At any rate, I'm glad they made the movies. While the movies were ridiculously long, they weren't nearly as ludicrously long as the books. -_-