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  • The Return of the King

  • The Lord of the Rings, Book 3
  • By: J. R.R. Tolkien
  • Narrated by: Rob Inglis
  • Length: 17 hrs and 12 mins
  • 4.9 out of 5 stars (1,222 ratings)

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The Return of the King cover art

The Return of the King

By: J. R.R. Tolkien
Narrated by: Rob Inglis
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Publisher's Summary

The complete, unabridged audiobook of The Return of the King.

Concluding the story begun in The Hobbit, this is the final part of Tolkien’s epic masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings, available as a complete and unabridged audiobook.

The armies of the Dark Lord Sauron are massing as his evil shadow spreads ever wider. Men, Dwarves, Elves and Ents unite forces to do battle against the Dark. Meanwhile, Frodo and Sam struggle further into Mordor in their heroic quest to destroy the One Ring.

Includes Appendix A.

©1954, 1966 The Tolkien Estate Limited (P)1991 HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Critic Reviews

"An extraordinary book. It deals with a stupendous theme. It leads us through a succession of strange and astonishing episodes, some of them magnificent." (The Observer)

"Among the greatest works of imaginative fiction of the twentieth century." (Sunday Telegraph)

What listeners say about The Return of the King

Average Customer Ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
  • Jim
  • 05-09-2017

Lacks the appendices

Quite sadly, none of the appendices of The Lord of the Rings are included. Everything else is great.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

lotr

Would you listen to The Return of the King again? Why?

yes

Who was your favorite character and why?

sam, the most down to earth and realistic character

Who might you have cast as narrator instead of Rob Inglis?

dont know but someone who can deliver the important speeches and moments (eg when in mordor and sam says 'i cant carry the ring but i can carry you' - rob inglis made this scene very weak, as well as the whole chapter at mount doom) with the conviction they deserve and need unlike rob inglis

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

sam saving frodo in mordor

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Too padded out...

I know it's a classic but I thought it was too padded out. The impact and flow was diluted by the meandering story.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

great

great a a a a a a a a a a s s s wa avg j j g

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great book, Not so great performance

This is an amazing book and the author is almost a poet. I really wish that the songs weren't so slow. I much prefer the songs in the movies. An amazing book

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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The Lord of the Rings - The return of the King

Absolutely stunning reading by Rob Inglis.

I first read LotR over 50 years ago and my personal internal characterisations were entirely matched by Rob's interpretations of each of the characters so excellently drawn by Prof Tolkien.
Only regret is not buying this amazing rendition years ago

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    5 out of 5 stars
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read well

can't say much as this is my favourite book listen at least twice a year

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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Amazing Tale

This story fixes and aligns one’s imagination to the great mythical story structure of the hero’s journey.

In the LOTR Tolkien sets out a vision of good and evil, with good ultimately enduring over evil.

This is truly one of the greatest works of the 20th century.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Exceptional.

Absolutely brilliantly narrated. A truly magnificent rendition of this stunning author's work and words. I've listened to this many times, I never tire of the vast array of emotive variance that Rob Inglis puts into each character, staying true to each until the very end, and his singing voice is melodious and soothing. Simply the best person to portray this timeless masterpiece of Tolkiens.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Great. What'd you expect?

It's Lord of the rings. Its just fantastic and this does a great job of reading jt

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