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A review by angrywombat
The End of the Third Age by J.R.R. Tolkien
3.0
I think that my reading tastes have changed over time.
When I first read the Lord of the Rings, I always found that the last section to be too drawn out, but this time around I found it better than all the "battle scenes" in the [b:The War of the Ring|3007740|The War of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings, #5)|J.R.R. Tolkien|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1308664281s/3007740.jpg|44187285].
The final push of Sam and Frodo across Mordor to Mount Doom was still a drawn out, but it did serve as a nice end to the story of the Ring - and yes Gollum does steal the show. The final battle and crowning of the new King of Gondor was done much better in the movie, as the whole thing felt way to stretched out... But it was the arrival home of the Hobbits - the "Scourging of the Shire" that really made the story for me. This was the homecoming of the hobbits, changed by their experiences, and bringing home their lessons for the betterment of the Shirefolk under the cruel oppression of "Sharkey".
Honestly, I loved final battle of the Shirefolk against what sounded like half-orcs :) I suppose the image of "everyday folk" rising up to fight against stupid bureaucracy and oppression just rings as something very hopeful, and needed, for today's world. But this really did wrap up the story of the Lord of the Rings for me.
Like Orson Wells said "If you want a happy ending, that depends, of course, on where you stop your story". Tolkien decided to keep going after the "happy ending" of the Sauron's downfall, and followed the repercussions of all the other threads - even to the point of Frodo being unable to settle down into normal life again - it lends the whole tale a melancholy feeling.
I think i'll read this whole series again in a few more years to see if my thoughts have changed again... but it is still worthy of the title as a classic fantasy :)
When I first read the Lord of the Rings, I always found that the last section to be too drawn out, but this time around I found it better than all the "battle scenes" in the [b:The War of the Ring|3007740|The War of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings, #5)|J.R.R. Tolkien|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1308664281s/3007740.jpg|44187285].
The final push of Sam and Frodo across Mordor to Mount Doom was still a drawn out, but it did serve as a nice end to the story of the Ring - and yes Gollum does steal the show. The final battle and crowning of the new King of Gondor was done much better in the movie, as the whole thing felt way to stretched out... But it was the arrival home of the Hobbits - the "Scourging of the Shire" that really made the story for me. This was the homecoming of the hobbits, changed by their experiences, and bringing home their lessons for the betterment of the Shirefolk under the cruel oppression of "Sharkey".
Honestly, I loved final battle of the Shirefolk against what sounded like half-orcs :) I suppose the image of "everyday folk" rising up to fight against stupid bureaucracy and oppression just rings as something very hopeful, and needed, for today's world. But this really did wrap up the story of the Lord of the Rings for me.
Like Orson Wells said "If you want a happy ending, that depends, of course, on where you stop your story". Tolkien decided to keep going after the "happy ending" of the Sauron's downfall, and followed the repercussions of all the other threads - even to the point of Frodo being unable to settle down into normal life again - it lends the whole tale a melancholy feeling.
I think i'll read this whole series again in a few more years to see if my thoughts have changed again... but it is still worthy of the title as a classic fantasy :)