Preview
  • The Return of the King

  • Lord of the Rings, Book 3
  • By: J. R. R. Tolkien
  • Narrated by: Andy Serkis
  • Length: 21 hrs and 52 mins
  • 4.9 out of 5 stars (6,153 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Return of the King

By: J. R. R. Tolkien
Narrated by: Andy Serkis
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $25.79

Buy for $25.79

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

This brand-new unabridged audiobook of The Return of the King, the third and final part of J. R. R. Tolkien’s epic adventure The Lord of the Rings, is read by the BAFTA Award-winning actor, director, and author Andy Serkis.

The armies of the Dark Lord are massing as his evil shadow spreads even wider. Men, Dwarves, Elves, and Ents unite forces to battle against the Dark. Meanwhile, Frodo and Sam struggle further into Mordor in their heroic quest to destroy the One Ring. The devastating conclusion of J. R. R. Tolkien’s classic tale of adventure, begun in The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers.

©1983 Christopher R. Tolkien, Michael H.R.Tolkien, John F.R. Tolkien, and Priscilla M.A.R.Tolkien (P)2021 Recorded Books
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Featured Article: Galadriel—A Lord of the Rings Character Guide


Galadriel is one of the most significant characters both in J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy and the wide history of Middle-earth more generally. If you've listened to The Lord of the Rings or seen any of the film adaptations, then you're likely well aware of who Galadriel is. But what, exactly, makes her so important? What is her history? This character guide is here to answer all of your questions about the powerful Elf Galadriel, the Lady of Lórien.

Continue Your Journey Through Middle earth

Continue Your Journey
Through Middle-earth

What listeners say about The Return of the King

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    5,830
  • 4 Stars
    243
  • 3 Stars
    65
  • 2 Stars
    8
  • 1 Stars
    7
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    5,064
  • 4 Stars
    114
  • 3 Stars
    12
  • 2 Stars
    5
  • 1 Stars
    7
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    4,905
  • 4 Stars
    205
  • 3 Stars
    52
  • 2 Stars
    14
  • 1 Stars
    9

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing

I loved the story and narration. I was engrossed from beginning to end. Will listen again.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

LOTR and Tolkien fans......U MUST!!

simply put.....INCREDIBLE!!!! Andy Serkis is pure brilliance ( as usual ) He puts you right smack in the middle of the story.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Immersive

Well done on all points! Tolkien and Serkis go together like bread and jam, as my gaffer used to say.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

trilogy

fantastic story telling by Andy Serkis with all three books. the best I've listened to yet

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful

I wasn’t sure about Andy Serkis reading this, but I am most pleasantly surprised! No…he doesn’t do a great job with female voices, but then again, there are not a ton of female characters anyway. He doesn’t have a lot of character changes in voice either, but the man can build an atmosphere like few others I’ve ever heard. He can make the hair stand up on your neck, or bring the bitter tears to your eyes. I’ve read this series probably hundreds of times, but this was my first time hearing someone read it to me and I loved it! Well done indeed!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Return of the Master

This is my second reading of this trilogy (not counting the movies) and I wondered how the books would seem to me decades after my first experience of it. By this third volume, I had tired some of the violence and patriarchy of the whole thing. HOWEVER, what never stopped fascinating me was Andy Serkis and this amazing performance.
He played Shmiegel (sp?) in the film (through computerized animation) so I knew that character was already developed. But there must be 50 characters that have significant dialog throughout the trilogy and Serkis becomes all of them. By the third volume we know the voices of the characters who have been with us throughout the saga and as if by magic Andy Serkis gives us our favorites and our enemies in their complete quirky personalities and habits.
Tolkien is a known literary master and his stories are not for everyone, but I would recommend listening to this volume or any other one, or all the books from The Hobbit, just to experience the brilliant performance of Andy Serkis.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

THE CHAPTER DIVISIONS DONT MATCH THE BOOK CHAPTERS

Perfect writing. Perfect narration. I can listen to this over and over.

My only complaint is that the Audible chapter divisions do not match the book's actual chapter divisions

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

everything you would expect

Andy Srrkis is brilliant the story is of course we know what it is This is worth your time

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent Narration

I loved it as I did all the previous books in this series. Andy Serkis does an excellent job as narrator. He gives each character a voice.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Another Excellent Narration

An excellent narration in this third book of the Ring Trilogy by Andey Serkis. The appendices add much and fill in more of the story.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!