The End of the Third Age: The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part Four (The History of Middle-earth, #9a)

<p><i>the End Of The Third Age</i> Completes The Account Of The Creation Of The Lord Of The Rings Begun In The Earlier Volumes, <i>the Return Of The Shadow, The Treason Of Isengard</i>, And <i>the War Of The Ring</i>. <i>the End Of The Third Age</i> Begins With Sam's Rescue Of Frodo From The Tower Of Cirith Ungol, And Gives A Very Different Account Of Teh Scouring Of The Shire From That Ultimately Published In <i>the Return Of The King</i>. The Book Ends With Differing Versions Of The Previously Unpublished <i>epilogue</i>, An Alternate Ending To The Masterpiece In Which Sam Attempts To Answer His Children's Questions Years After The Departure Of Bilbo And Frodo From The Grey Havens. Edited With Meticulous Care And Many Helpful Commentaries By Christopher Tolkien, This Volume Completes His Fascinating Study Of The Evolution Of The Lord Of The Rings. It Contains The First Section Of The Hardcover Volume <i>sauron Defeated</i>, The Ninth Volume Of <i>the History Of Middle-earth</i>.</p><h3></h3><p>one Marvels Anew At The Depth, Breadth, And Persistence Of J.r.r. Tolkien's Labor. No One Sympathetic To His Aims, The Invention Of A Secondary Universe, Will Want To Miss This Chance To Be Present At The Creation. -- Publishers Weekly</p>