The first ever illustrated paperback of the final part of Tolkiens epic masterpiece The Lord of the Rings featuring 15 colour paintings by Alan Lee Conceptual Designer on Peter Jacksons THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY. 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 & took part in the desperate victory of the Hornburg. Merry & Pippin captured by orcs escaped into Fangorn Forest & there encountered the Ents. Gandalf returned miraculously & defeated the evil wizard Saruman. Meanwhile Sam & Frodo progressed towards Mordor to destroy the Ring accompanied by Smeagol--Gollum still obsessed by his preciouss. After a battle with the giant spider Shelob Sam left his master for dead; but Frodo is still alive -- in the hands of the orcs. & all the time the armies of the Dark Lord are massing. JRR Tolkiens great work of imaginative fiction has been labelled both a heroic romance & a classic fantasy fiction. By turns comic & homely epic & diabolic the narrative moves through countless changes of scene & character in an imaginary world which is totally convincing in its detail.