The "Return of the King" Weapons and Warfare by Chris R. Smith
A tour through all of the major and minor conflicts that occur during the three parts of "The Lord of the Rings" movie trilogy. Battles, armour, weaponry, cultures and creatures: all are covered and explained, together with photos and illustrations and specially commissioned battle plans. The trilogy features some of the most exciting action adventure series ever filmed. The only problem is that the furious pace of the films means that the viewer barely has time to enjoy the visual spectacle of one particular action scene before they are hurtled headlong into another conflict. This title provides all the background that is absent from the films, taking the reader on a detailed tour through all of the major and minor conflicts that occur during the three parts of story. It explains the history behind each battle and examines the strategy used by both forces. Each of the major conflicts - "The Last Alliance of Elves and Men", the "Mines of Moria", "Helm's Deep" and the climactic battle of the "Pelennor Fields at Minas Tirith" - is illustrated by a specially commissioned battle plan that reveals exactly how the battle was fought. The book also describes in detail each of the many different races and armies that appear in the trilogy: Men, Elves, Dwarves, all the different races of Orcs, and the various allies of both the Fellowship and Mordor. Each will be discussed at length - how they fight, why they are fighting, what armour they wear and what weapons they use. These will enable the reader to get as close to a marauding Orc as they could ever wish, without suffering the consequences.