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It is seen in the movie that the witch-king has a sword that turns into flame. I was wondering if this appears in the book.

This scene is an Extended Scene in RotK and most of the Extended scenes don't happen in the books. Where in the books is he said to wield such a sword and how many times did he wield it?

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    But, but, the films are nonsense ...
    – Rand al'Thor ♦
    Apr 28, 2017 at 14:25
  • Most of the extended scenes do happen in the books. That is the main reason why they were filmed.
    – sergut
    Apr 29, 2017 at 8:22

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It is mentioned in the chapter 'Siege of Gondor' in The Return of the King.

From the book;

The Black Rider flung back his hood, and behold! he had a kingly crown; and yet upon no head visible was it set. The red fires shone between it and the mantled shoulders vast and dark. From a mouth unseen there came a deadly laughter. "Old fool!" he said. "Old fool! This is my hour. Do you not know Death when you see it? Die now and curse in vain!" And with that he lifted high his sword and flames ran down the blade.

He only wields it once as shown in the books. He swapped it for a giant mace during his battle with Eowyn.

He bent over her like a cloud, and his eyes glittered; he raised his mace to kill.

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    "Hmmm, awesome flame sword.... or complicated unwieldy metal blob on a stick? Unwieldy metal blob." - Witch-King of Angmar, shortly after kicking Istari and Gondorian butt with awesome flame sword and shortly before dying to an inexperienced princess and a hobbit.
    – DisturbedNeo
    Apr 28, 2017 at 15:07
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    Actually, nothing makes a statement "Screw every bone in your body and your armor too" as big, heavy, spiked blob of metal.
    – Paweł Mach
    Apr 28, 2017 at 16:36
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    Remember that a sword is an unwieldy metal stick.
    – MissMonicaE
    Apr 28, 2017 at 16:47
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    This also happened in the Rankin–Bass version, believe it or not.
    – can-ned_food
    Apr 29, 2017 at 2:37
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    The Rankin-Bass cartoons, although the have a lot of cuts, were clearly made by people who admired the source material, and they preserve many minor but evocative details like this.
    – Buzz
    Apr 29, 2017 at 5:02

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