The Return of the Shadow

About “The Return of the Shadow”

The Return of the Shadow is the first volume of The History of The Lord of the Rings and the sixth volume of The History of Middle-earth. It details the development of The Lord of the Rings from its beginning as a short sequel to The Hobbit into the epic it became. The book includes early notes, outlines, and drafts that show how the story evolved, including the transformation of Bilbo's magic ring into the powerful Ruling Ring. It also traces the emergence of key elements, such as the Black Riders and the character of Strider. The book shows how the hobbits and other characters changed over time, and it ends at the point where Tolkien paused the story, with the Company of the Ring approaching the Mines of Moria. The book contains illustrations of early maps and manuscript pages.