The Return of the King
- Editions tracked
- 1
- First edition
- George Allen & Unwin, 1955
- First published
- George Allen & Unwin, United Kingdom, 1955
The first edition of The Return of the King by J. R. R. Tolkien was published in London by George Allen & Unwin in 1955. We track 1 edition, with the points that separate the first printing from later ones.
Spot the first edition: Copyright page: No impression statement; later impressions say Second impression and so on (first impression) Full identification guide
Which edition do you have?
First edition
Awards, adaptations and setting
Adaptations
- The Return of the King television film, 1980
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King film, 2003
Setting and characters
- Set in
- Middle-earth
- Characters
- Frodo Baggins
- Genre
- fantasy, high fantasy
Read next
- Comes after
- The Two Towers
In print
- Editions recorded
- 286 on Open Library, 142 in English
- Wikipedia
- Articles in 47 languages
From Wikidata and Open Library, both CC0. A prize or a new adaptation often lifts demand for the first printing.
More by J. R. R. Tolkien
- A Middle English Vocabulary1922 · 1 edition
- Sir Gawain & the Green Knight1925 · 1 edition
- Beowulf: A Translation and Commentary1936 · 1 edition
- The Hobbit1937 · 3 editions
- The Lay of Aotrou and Itroun1945 · 1 edition
- Tolkien On Fairy-stories1947 · 1 edition
- Farmer Giles of Ham1949 · 1 edition
- The Fellowship of the Ring1954 · 1 edition
Questions about The Return of the King
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Know what you are looking at
Tolkien First Editions: The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings
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Read the guide →Frequently asked questions
Who published the first edition of The Return of the King?
The first edition of The Return of the King by J. R. R. Tolkien was published in London by George Allen & Unwin in 1955.
How many editions of The Return of the King are there?
We track 1 edition of The Return of the King, including 1 first edition. Each has its own page with how to identify it.
Has The Return of the King been adapted?
Yes, including The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (film, 2003), The Return of the King (television film, 1980), according to Wikidata.
What should I read after The Return of the King?
In order, it follows The Two Towers, according to Wikidata.
Where these facts come from
- The Return of the King, Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)
- Wikidata Query Service, publication data for batch items, Wikidata (query.wikidata.org)
Every fact on this page was checked against the sources listed. Checked 17 October 2026. Reviewed by Harriet Ellis; read how we check facts.