The third part of The History of The Lord of the Rings , J.R.R. Tolkien's The War Of The Ring is an enthralling account of the writing of the Book of the Century, which contains many additional scenes and includes the unpublished Epilogue in its entirety. The War of the Ring  takes up the story of  The Lord of the Rings  with the Battle of Helm’s Deep and the drowning of Isengard by the Ents, continues with the journey of Frodo, Sam and Gollum to the Pass of Cirith Ungol, describes the war in Gondor, and ends with the parley between Gandalf and the ambassador of the Dark Lord before the Black Gate of Mordor. The book is illustrated with plans and drawings of the changing conceptions of Orthanc, Dunharrow, Minas Tirith and the tunnels of Shelob’s Lair. Collectively, these volumes are marketed as "The History of The Lord of the Rings" and tell alternate stories of the siege of Middle-earth and Sauron's defeat. Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. "An opportunity to view the origins of one of the twentieth century's most popular and substantive works of fiction." --Hartford Courant J.R.R. Tolkien  (1892–1973) was a distinguished academic, though he is best known for writing  The Hobbit ,  The Lord of the Rings,  and  The Silmarillion , plus other stories and essays. His books have been translated into over sixty languages and have sold many millions of copies worldwide.