The Companions of the Ring have become involved in separate adventures as the quest continues. Aragorn, revealed as the hidden heir of the ancient Kings of the West, joined with the Riders of Rohan against the forces of Isengard, and took part in the desperate victory of the Hornburg. Merry and Pippin, captured by orcs, escaped into Fangorn Forest and there encountered the Ents.

This classic hardback features Tolkien’s original unused dust-jacket design, and its text has been fully restored with almost 400 corrections – with the full co-operation of Christopher Tolkien – making it the definitive version, and as close as possible to the version that J.R.R. Tolkien intended. Also included are the original red and black maps as fold-out sheets, and – for the first time – a fully revised and enlarged index.