In the War of the Ring we get read the time frame from the Battle of Hornburg up to Frodo’s capture in Cirith Ungol. This book is divided into three major parts:

• The Fall of Saruman
• The Ring Goes East
• Minas Tirith

Being the book after The Treason of Isengard, The War of the Ring continues from the fall of Saruman, and the connections between Rohan, Helms Deep, and drowning of Isengard by the Ents. Also, in this book we finally get to read the first manuscripts regarding the Palantír and it’s role in the story. Much of the world around Rohan, Hemls Deep, Isengard, and Dunharrow start taking shape. We finally get to see references (albeit brief) of the other races of Men like Dunlendings, Druedains, and the Corsairs of Umbar.

The second part of the book goes into the quest of Frodo, Sam, and Gollum into Mordor. To me, the most meaningful texts were those of the role of Faramir, which symbolically fits beautifully into the narrative of good and evil in The Lord of The Rings.

This book concludes with content regarding Minas Tirith and the kingdom of Gondor. Major themes mentioned in this part are those regarding the role of Denethor in the war, as well as the ride of Rohirrim, and finally arguably the biggest battle all of the War of the Ring, The Battle of Pelennor Fields.

I love reading different variations of final published story, in this case the most interesting one to me was Glorfindel’s Prophecy of the Witch King of Angmar. Finally, also worth mentioning, a significant amount of illustrations are described here in grater detail, same ones that are a part of The Art of the Lord of The Rings.

To conclude, as I continue to read The Complete History of Middle-Earth, the more I profoundly disdain the Peter Jackson Lord of the Rings movie adaptation. While they can be regarded a good piece of cinema display, it doesn’t come close portraying the entire story and all the themes in the Lord of the Rings.