Audiobook length / The Lord of the Rings
The Return of the King audiobook length
The unabridged The Return of the King audiobook by J.R.R. Tolkien is 21 hours 52 minutes long, read by Andy Serkis. It is book 3 of 3 in The Lord of the Rings.
Length at 1x
21h 52m
21:52:12, unabridged
At 1.5x
14h 34m
saves 7h 17m
At 2x
10h 56m
half the time
| Speed | Listening time | Time saved | Days at 1 hour a day |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1x | 21h 52m | - | 22 |
| 1.25x | 17h 29m | 4h 22m | 18 |
| 1.5x | 14h 34m | 7h 17m | 15 |
| 1.75x | 12h 29m | 9h 22m | 13 |
| 2x | 10h 56m | 10h 56m | 11 |
| 2.5x | 8h 44m | 13h 07m | 9 |
| 3x | 7h 17m | 14h 34m | 8 |
When will I finish?
At 1.5x and 45 minutes a day you finish in 20 days.
Length from the Apple Books listing for this edition, checked 3 October 2026. Other stores sell the same recording at the same length.
How many days to listen to The Return of the King
Days needed to finish the 21 hours 52 minutes recording, by how long you listen each day.
| Each day | 1x | 1.25x | 1.5x | 2x |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 minutes | 88 days | 70 days | 59 days | 44 days |
| 30 minutes | 44 days | 35 days | 30 days | 22 days |
| 1 hour | 22 days | 18 days | 15 days | 11 days |
| 1.5 hours | 15 days | 12 days | 10 days | 8 days |
| 2 hours | 11 days | 9 days | 8 days | 6 days |
How long does it take to read The Return of the King?
Reading the book yourself takes about 13 hours 33 minutes at an average adult reading speed of 250 words a minute. The Return of the King is roughly 203,000 words, estimated from the audiobook at a narration pace of 155 words a minute, and print editions run about 499 pages (the middle value across 287 editions listed on Open Library).
| Reading speed | Time to read | At 1 hour a day |
|---|---|---|
| Relaxed (200 words a minute) | 16h 56m | 17 days |
| Average adult (250 words a minute) | 13h 33m | 14 days |
| Fast (300 words a minute) | 11h 17m | 12 days |
| Very fast (400 words a minute) | 8h 28m | 9 days |
Your speed: words a minute = 13h 33m. Reading is 38% faster than listening at 1x, and about the same as listening at 1.6x.
For any other book, page count or text, use the reading time calculator.
The Lord of the Rings audiobook lengths
| # | Book | Length | At 1.5x |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Fellowship of the Ring | 22h 38m | 15h 05m |
| 2 | The Two Towers | 20h 46m | 13h 51m |
| 3 | The Return of the King | 21h 52m | 14h 34m |
The whole series takes 65 hours 16 minutes. See The Lord of the Rings audiobook length page for totals at every speed.
Listening faster
Most listeners are comfortable between 1.25x and 1.5x, which turns 21h 52m into 17h 29m to 14h 34m. If Andy Serkis’s pace feels slow, raise the speed by 0.1x every few days. For any other book, type its length into the audiobook speed calculator.
Questions
How long is The Return of the King audiobook?
The unabridged The Return of the King audiobook read by Andy Serkis is 21 hours 52 minutes long (21:52:12).
How long is The Return of the King at 1.5x speed?
14 hours 34 minutes at 1.5x, 17 hours 29 minutes at 1.25x and 10 hours 56 minutes at 2x.
Who narrates The Return of the King audiobook?
Andy Serkis, for Recorded Books / HarperCollins.
How long does it take to read The Return of the King?
About 13 hours 33 minutes at an average reading speed of 250 words a minute, for roughly 203,000 words (print editions run about 499 pages). A fast reader at 300 words a minute needs about 11 hours 17 minutes.
How many days does it take to listen to The Return of the King?
At an hour a day it takes 22 days at normal speed, or 15 days at 1.5x. At 30 minutes a day it takes 44 days, or 30 days at 1.5x.
How long is the whole Lord of the Rings series on audiobook?
All 3 books add up to 65 hours 16 minutes. See the full list on The Lord of the Rings audiobook length page.
More audiobook lengths
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- Project Hail Mary 16h 10m
- The Martian 10h 59m
- It 44h 55m
- The Stand 47h 47m
- 11/22/63 30h 40m
- Dune 21h 02m
- East of Eden 25h 19m