I really don’t have words for how much I loved this book. Definitely the most fast-paced of the three, I was hooked from beginning to end, unable to stop reading (even when I should probably have been doing other more important things, like working or sleeping). Many times when I was reading, I was so engrossed that I felt like I was travelling along with the hobbits, feeling every bit of peril and hopelessness that they too must have been feeling on the final stages of their trek to Mount Doom.

As with the first two books, I find it extremely difficult to write a review that actually does justice to the magnificent detail of the plot, the characters and the world of Middle Earth in general. I’m guessing if you’re here you probably already know the plot of the books, so there’s no point talking about that, but I can’t find the words to describe how much enjoyment I felt from reading these books.

Having watched the films, I obviously had a good idea of where the plot was heading, but I’d either forgotten substantial parts, or the films were a bit hazy in places, as I still managed to read a few things that surprised me. Once again, Sam was the hero of the hour, carrying Frodo up Mount Doom in a final act of strength and bravery when it looked like all might be lost. It was one of my favourite parts of the three books (my favourite being Eowyn’s “I am no woman”).

I was tricked by the Kindle app on my tablet into thinking there was much more left of the book than there actually was. It said I still had 23% of the book left when in reality I only had 6% and the rest was the appendices. So it was with disappointment that I headed into the final chapter, and with tears in my eyes as Frodo bid farewell to his faithful friends.

I will definitely be starting to read some further Tolkien books now that I’ve finished Lord of the Rings. I don’t know which I will choose first, but I’m sure I’ll have ample assistance from my best friend Abi, as she’s a huge Tolkien fan.