The Return of the King

Summary

The Return of the King is the towering climax to J.R.R. Tolkien’s trilogy that tells the saga of the hobbits of Middle-earth and the great War of the Rings. In this concluding volume, Frodo and Sam make a terrible journey to the heart of the Land of the Shadow in a final reckoning with the power of Sauron. In addition to narrating the prose passages, Rob Inglis sings the trilogy’s songs and poems a capella, using melodies composed by Inglis and Claudia Howard, the Recorded Books studio director. The 13th CD in this recording contains Tolkien’s preface to the trilogy, including a prior history of the ring, and shire habitat, history, and folkways. —Also includes The Annals of the Kings and Rulers, an appendix to the Lord of the Rings trilogy. “Performing this masterpiece to the satisfaction of Tolkien fans and scholars would be an accomplishment in itself, but Recorded Books and Inglis have done much more. They have made The Lord of the Rings accessible to children and families who might not otherwise pick up the books.”—Washington Post Book World