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The final film of the Matrix trilogy (remember when those set the cultural standard of cool?) carried this tautologous tagline: "Everything that has a beginning has an end." This has interesting theological implications* yet could have carried more meaning by speaking in terms of expectation. If a story grabs our attention, we want it to end in a satisfactory manner. And the more we are invested in the storyline and world, the more deeply we desire that the ending suits the story. Witness 8.3 million copies of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows being sold in its first 24 hours of American release or diehard fans of the cancelled TV series "Firefly" demanding further material, released in movie form three years later as Serenity.
Tolkien's desire to create a believable world for the Elvish language he invented ultimately blossomed into The Lord of the Rings, the gold standard of fantasy writing (although if you are more devoted a Tolkien fan than me, you probably think that The Silmarillion is his pinnacle achievement). This is not the book to begin with--the characters get no introduction and most of the events, including the climactic War of the Ring, are long foreshadowed in the earlier two volumes--yet given that any proper reading of Return of the King must be in context of the other two, I cannot count these facts against the work.
I reread the entire trilogy last summer and fall, and it was quite rewarding on several levels. Since it was read to me by my father in childhood, I had forgotten the value the book places on true, unhurried conversation--clearly influenced, I think, by Tolkien's peer group the Inklings and their pub meetings. While not explicitly Christian in terminology, the author weaves Biblical material throughout the narrative. My personal favorite point of overlap was the "healing hands" of the prophesied King of Gondor, modeled on Jesus's earthly ministry and displaying this other King's humble, servant character.
In addition to intellectual and spiritual satisfaction with the story, I thought Tolkien continued his fabulous job of crafting a world consistent with its own rules and history. Indeed, he went beyond wrapping up the requisite plot threads and in doing so proved that his fictional universe is bigger than the mission of destroying the Ring of Power. Though at times I felt he was taking too long to get back to the action in Mordor pre-war, I had no such qualms about the extended denouement. Why? Life doesn't simply derive meaning from any particular task or even what we get to do in the time allotted to us, so I appreciated the philosophical statement about the value of 'regular life.' Though I don't fully agree with the political implications of the Shire's scouring, it makes sad sense in the story. And the final scene--how dare I spoil it?--is a very rare moment of authentic and satisfying closure in fiction, made all the sweeter by the momentous journey it took to reach.
SUMMARY
Appreciated the clear Biblical worldview, imaginative milieu and satisfying end to the saga
Disliked its sometimes too-languid pace in the first half
I would recommend this book to anyone seeking true adventure, though starting here is nowhere near as rewarding as beginning with the first two books. It's worth your time and not replaceable with the filmed version.
Disclaimer: There are extended scenes of fantastic battle violence (not that meaning, though they are well written)
*God is the only uncreated One; everything else is by definition finite, and apart from His gracious sustenance will end (the world as tainted by our sin is the most obvious example). The Biblical teaching of eternal life for those who trust Jesus does not contradict this because He defined eternal life as both Himself and the knowledge of Him (John 14.6, 17.3), thus imparting His own eternality to those who are joined to Him by faith. This is completely different from one-with-God paganism or mysticism, which reduces God-likeness to an earthly experience and attempts to bring Him down to our level.
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