11.2k reviews for:

The Return of the King

J.R.R. Tolkien

4.48 AVERAGE

pathoris's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

seathegoll's review against another edition

5.0

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Perfect 

mitchell_kazin's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

lavlavs's review against another edition

2.0

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I'm rather disappointed by The Return of the King. It just wasn't for me. The long boring detailed descriptions of unnecessary things was worse the the first book and had me scanning paragraphs just to get through them. And though I thought the war chapters were particularly hard to get through, the mess at the end with the Hobbits retaking the Shire was even more difficult. Perhaps I was just burned out by the time I got there but it felt like a drag to read. Also, there are a lot of things that are just mentioned and not explained in depth (ironic that I complain about this when I complained earlier that Tolkien was too detailed) and it feels cheap to have to read a wiki page to sort it out. I don't mind authors expanding their world building in other texts and for fandoms to curate these depths, but a reader shouldn't have to rely on outside resources in order to understand the text they are currently reading.

lulum10's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful slow-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: Complicated

sjett's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

jancka's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful relaxing medium-paced

mariacuya's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous challenging hopeful inspiring tense 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: Complicated

lefeer01's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous challenging dark emotional medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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As with the others, a bit of a slog sometimes, but some moments in this just really hit home and make it worth it. Plus I've got the nostalgia factor here. 

mimi_jolie8's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes