The Lord of the Rings is still considered the greatest fantasy epic put to paper, and for good reason. J.R.R. Tolkien was a master at work when he spent decades crafting the mythology and lore behind Middle-earth. After The Hobbit first revealed this high-fantasy world, he expanded upon it in The Lord of the Rings, which was split by publishers into three volumes: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King. But did you know that each of these books was split in half?
Avid Tolkien fans are already well aware of this fact, that Tolkien’s three-part epic is, in some sense, actually a six-part epic. Some editions, such as the 1999 “Millennium Edition” by Houghton Mifflin, actively split the story into these six installments with their own unique titles. To shake things up, we’ve chosen to follow this same methodology when ranking the books in The Lord of the Rings, and while there is no “worst” volume, there are certainly some parts of the story we love more than others.
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‘The Two Towers’ — Book IV: The Ring Goes East (or ‘The Journey of the Ring-Bearers’)
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The fourth book in the six-part set is the second half of The Two Towers. This portion of Tolkien’s masterpiece follows Frodo, Sam, and Gollum as the latter leads them toward Mount Doom. Along their way, they pass the Dead Marshes, decide to take the One Ring to the southernmost end of Mordor, and are eventually captured by Faramir. Despite everything that Frodo does here to save Gollum’s life, the creature would still come to reject the ring-bearer (and all goodness) when Sam inadvertently “defeats his repentance,” as Tolkien once put it.
The Two Towers is considered by some to be the pinnacle of The Lord of the Rings, but perhaps the story’s most memorable moments occur in the previous book. “The Ring Goes East” is a Frodo-centric collection of chapters that, while pivotal to the larger story, is sometimes a challenge to work through. This book ends after the trio have made their way to Shelob’s Lair, separating Sam from Frodo for the first after the latter is taken — having been poisoned by the spider — by orcs.
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‘The Return of the King’ — Book V: The War of the Ring
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The next portion of The Lord of the Rings comes from the beginning of The Return of the King. The “War of the Ring” finally comes to a head as many of the other segmented plotlines from the last book come together. After Pippin used the palantír and uncovered Sauron’s plot for Minas Tirith, the White Wizard Gandalf journeys with the Hobbit to Gondor to prepare for war. As Théoden mobilizes Rohan, Aragorn takes Legolas and Gimli with him to venture through the paths of the dead to find an army to aid them in battle. Meanwhile, Éowyn and Merry disguise themselves among Rohan’s army, hoping to do their part in saving Middle-earth.
“The War of the Ring” climaxes with the famed Battle of the Pelennor Fields, as the forces of Mordor clash with the free peoples of Middle-earth. After the battle and some healing has taken place, Aragorn leads the armies of Men against Mordor itself, buying Sam and Frodo (who are not separated by Gollum, by the way) time. In many respects, the bulk of The Return of the King (as viewed by most) takes place here. Aragorn proves himself the only true king of the Reunited Kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor, and the tide truly turns in our hero’s favor.
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‘The Two Towers’ — Book III: The Treason of Isengard
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After the Fellowship is fractured, The Two Towers begins with tragedy. This book picks up with Boromir’s tragic death. Although he saved the Hobbits, Merry and Pippin, they have been taken by orcs. This leads Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli to chase after their comrades — at least until a resurrected Gandalf, now clothed in white, redirects their path. As Merry and Pippin rally the Ents against the forces of Saruman and Isengard, Aragorn and his companions do the same in Rohan. It’s easily one of the best portions of the journey.
Not only does “The Treason of Isengard” cover the Battle of Helm’s Deep (without any Elves but Legolas, by the way), but it carries on to the defeat of Isengard as well. Everything with the palantír occurs here, setting the stage perfectly for what is to come in the previous book we listed. Of course, it’s in the beginning of The Two Towers that Tolkien offers some of his best worldbuilding, establishing not only the other kingdoms of men but also expanding on the other beings that exist within Middle-earth.
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‘The Fellowship of the Rings’ — Book II: The Ring Goes South (or ‘The Journey of the Nine Companions’)
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It’s hard to believe that only one book in The Lord of the Rings features a united Fellowship of the Ring. Unsurprisingly, that chapter of the saga comes from the larger book of the same name. After Frodo awakes in Rivendell, Elrond’s council is formed to determine what to do with the One Ring entrusted to him. Thus, the adventure begins as the nine companions — Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Boromir, and Gandalf — make their way through Moria. After Gandalf’s apparent demise, they meet Galadriel, and the book concludes with a broken Fellowship.
“The Ring Goes South” is arguably among the most pivotal installments of Tolkien’s masterwork. From the decision that the ring must be destroyed, this is the foundation from which the rest of the saga is built. It’s here that the nine are forever bonded together, forged in the fire of singular purpose. Although Gandalf’s demise is one of the most harrowing moments in fantasy literature, Tolkien uses his death and resurrection to paint a deeper picture, one that would continue upon his rebirth.
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‘The Return of the King’ — Book VI: The End of the Third Age
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If you thought that The Return of the King movie had too many endings, then you will be floored by “The End of the Third Age.” The final chapters in Tolkien’s saga chronicle the final destruction of the ring, Sauron’s defeat, Aragorn’s coronation, the disbanding of the Fellowship, and the Hobbits’ eventual return home. Of course, unlike the movie, the return home is not exactly what the four halflings had hoped for. “The Scouring of the Shire” reveals that Saruman, upon his previous defeat, has overtaken the Hobbits’ home, forcing the four to rally the troops against his efforts. In the end, Frodo leaves for the Undying Lands.
“The End of the Third Age” may not rank this high for all Tolkien lovers, but after adoring the entire story from the beginning, it brings a satisfying conclusion to the journey that one can only appreciate after everything the Fellowship has been through. It may not be the homecoming that Frodo and his companions expected, but it is a fantastic finale that hits home the main themes of Tolkien’s epic. Perhaps one day we’ll see this portion of the novel adapted in earnest…
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‘The Fellowship of the Rings’ — Book I: The Ring Sets Out (or ‘The First Journey’)
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Who doesn’t love the Shire? The Fellowship of the Rings begins with “The Ring Sets Out,” nearly two decades after Bilbo bequeaths Frodo the One Ring. Upon discovering for sure which magic ring this is, Gandalf sends Frodo and Sam out to Bree. Along the way, they meet up with Merry and Pippin, spend some quality time with Tom Bombadil, and eventually encounter Strider, a ranger from the north revealed to be Aragorn in disguise. Pursued by the Ring-Wraiths, Frodo is eventually injured and taken by Glorfindel (the most underrated character in the books) to Rivendell.
Good beginnings are just like good endings in that they inspire the reader to revisit even the most familiar material. One cannot be captivated by Tolkien’s world without reading about the simple life of Hobbits and Frodo’s earliest adventures. There’s a reason that so many were disappointed that Bombadil was removed from the finished product of the live-action films — and why so many prefer The Fellowship of the Ring to begin with. “The Ring Sets Out” is exactly as it seems, the first journey across the Middle-earth map that leads to all the others, and it’s a journey worth undertaking again and again.
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