Exploring Tolkien's Fourth Age Many people are curious about how the Fourth Age would have unfolded had Tolkien written much about its history. Unfortunately for curious fans Tolkien felt the wonder of Middle-earth sort of died with Aragorn. After his time "the dynasts descended from Aragorn would become just kings and governors -- like Denethor or worse" (Tolkien, "Letters", p. 344).Tolkien did begin a story set in the Fourth Age, the working title of which was The New Shadow. This would have been a sequel to The Lord of the Rings, but he abandoned the work after only a few...
