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Summary: A 7th Grade Review
Review: I liked this book very much. The story starts out in a cozy little place called the Shire. There lived Bilbo Baggins, an extremely wealthy hobbit who was quite well known for his adventures. He acquired his wealth from an adventure in which he fought trolls, goblins, giant spiders and even a mighty dragon.
He planned a huge party for his 111th birthday. During his speech, he makes an unexpected surprise in which he slips on a magic ring and disappears. While invisible, he headed back to Bag End, his house, to say farewell to Gandalf, an old wizard and friend. Bilbo left everything to Frodo, even his ring, however with an odd sense of reluctance. He then left on a permanent and secret vacation.
Gandalf soon discovered the cause of Bilbo's reluctance to leave the ring behind for Frodo. It was created by Sauron, an evil sorcerer with one goal, to conquer all of Middle Earth. He seeks the Ring and it wishes to be found by him. Should he get it, all of Middle Earth would lie within Sauron's grasp. As long as it remains hidden, there is a risk he shall find it. It also can only be destroyed in the heart of his empire where it was created, deep within the fires of Mount Doom.
Frodo and his gardener, Sam Gamgee, set out on a journey to Rivendale with the Ring to decide what should be done with it. It is a long and perilous journey. Sauron's spies are everywhere. To make matters worse, they are pursued by hideous Black Riders, armored zombies-like creatures on horses whose only mission is to get the Ring - at all costs! All hope for Middle Earth lies in two hobbits. Will Frodo and Sam successfully make their journey to Rivendale, or will Sauron prevail?
I liked this book quite a bit. It has such a realistic plot line you could believe that it really happened. The idea with the Ring of Power, Sauron, hobbits, dwarves, elves and goblins was incredibly creative. J.R.R. Tolkien must have had quite an imagination to make this story and I look forward to reading his other books as well.
I also loved how much detail he gave the characters. They seem so real and you can really see the book from Frodo's point of view even though it's not in first person. In most parts, such as the mines of Moria, the book was riveting. However, in other parts, such as the forest of Lothlorien or the House of Tom Bombadil, it loses its grip.
I would recommend this book to people 12 and up. The only factor to that is it's just so complicated. Even I found it hard to understand every now and then. It's a great story anyway and I loved it. I give J.R.R. Tolkien's: Lord of the Rings, Fellowship of the Ring: 4 Stars
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Summary: I could hardly wait to find out what happened next
Review: Can you imagine being a bearer for a ring that is pure gold? It sounds easy but it is not because the ring has dark powers from an evil ruler. The ring can turn you invisible if you put it on but it is not good because it has a mind of its own. It can turn you evil. There is a hobbit named Frodo who has to be the ring bearer for that dark and evil ring Frodo also has to destroy this evil ring by taking it to a place of great danger called Mount Doom. Frodo's quest will be long and adventurous. But right now he does have some companions and they are Sam, Merry, Pippin, and Gandalf. The Lord of the Rings The Fellowship of the Ring is a really great book. It is very suspenseful and as I was reading it I could hardly wait to find out what happened next. I really like the way that Tolkien describes the forest -- it made me feel like I was actually in that setting. The characters in the book are really cool like the Hobbits, Black Riders and the wizard. One thing I did not like was how long the book was but this particular long book made me use my imagination. Another scene I could really imagine in my head was when Frodo, Sam, Pippin, and Merry were in a barrow and it was really dark, misty and cold. The reason that they were all in the barrow was because they were attacked by barrow-wights.
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Summary: Puzzling, good at parts not at others.
Review: The book and current film have some similarities, however, when dealing with the book one faces oddities: Where does the epic begin and the children's tale end? One can see Tolkien's style changing as the book goes on. The 'songs' (chants?) are somewhat offputting. I was unsure of what to make of them. As far as the Tom Bombadil character: What is his purpose? Is he symbolizing something or an error in the plot? A long work, yes? The films are visually extraordinary, but I wonder if NOT reading the books puts one at a disadvantage when seeing them (the films). "The Shadow of the Past" chapter is probably the best in this first book of the trilogy inasmuch as it explains a great deal of background. Personally I prefer the third book "Return of the King".
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Summary: The Fellowship Of The Ring
Review: When Bilbo Baggins of the shire has a birthday party Gandalf,the wizard,notices something different. When he puts on the ring(which he hid in his pocket)and disappeared back to his home. Gandalf confronts him and forces Bilbo to leave the ring with Frodo. Bilbo agrees and then leaves for Rivendell, the city of the Elves.
When Frodo becomes the ring's new owner, Gandalf leaves on a journey to a city to find out more about the ring.Frodo kept it safe until Gandalf came back and sent him to the Prancin Pony ,where he meets Srider and company. Frodo trusts Strider and leaves with him. Black Riders delay them along the way to Rivendell. Once in Rivendell Frodo learns that the ring cannot stay there. So the company leaves for Mordor only to be separated out of the woods of Lorthien.
I give this book a good five stars. It's full of adventure and supense. Tolkien writes the best books ever. So I would recomend this to any one who loves adventure and suspence.
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Summary: If you like the movies read this book.
Review: This is an excellent book. It is very slow moving at times; while introducing the reader to many characters and cities, but also it is the introduction to one of the greatest stories ever told. I saw the movies and they just were not enough. I wanted to know more and that is what these books contian. If you are into LOTR and want to know ALL the facts about it read these books. I suggest reading this book, don't skip it and go directly to book two. You will lose valuable information that you didn't see in the movie. Wonderful fantacy novel for anyone looking for a good story to read, though it is rather long, it is worth the time.
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Summary: The Fellowship of the Ring
Review: I am writing this critique as an English project, but also as an active reader. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is J.R.R. Tolkien's gift to the world. Tolkien did not just write a book, he created his own world full of different people, places, cultures, creatures, legends, and languages. The land of Middle-Earth is a place that he describes so vividly that you can just envision yourself there. The way he builds each of his characters' personalities, you feel an amazing amount of empathy towards them... Its almost as though you are right there with Frodo and Sam eating mushrooms, or fighting the evil Uruk-hai with Legolas and Aragorn. In The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, we follow a young hobbit named Frodo Baggins on his path to save the world. You see, young Frodo inherits a ring of power that was created by a dark lord named Sauron. This ring has incredible amounts of power that Sauron wants to use to take over the world. Frodo, along with his hobbit buddies, a powerful wizard named Gandalf, an elf called Legolas, the dangerous human Aragorn, who is heir to the throne of Gondor, a dwarf who calls himself Gimli, and another human called Boromir, are on a path to destroy it. The ring that they are on this fateful quest to dispose of has a mind of its own. It wants to return to Sauron, and will manipulate the minds of its beholders until it gets there. Ridding the world of the ring is not an easy task. The ring can only be destroyed in the fires of Mount Doom, where it was created, and Mount Doom is in the center of Sauron's fiery kingdom. This book is part one in a trilogy. I gave this book five stars, because its one of those you just can't help but enjoy. I would recommend it to those who like to read, but be warned, its plot, with it's many characters, can be complicated.
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Summary: Amazing
Review: This is maybe one of the best books ever written. This book is a must read for anybody that enjoys fantasy novels. get it
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Summary: Charming series. Interesting racial undertones.
Review: Before making comments about the whole 3-volume series, let me first talk about volume 1 (Fellowship of the Ring). While it starts off slow, the narrative and characters are interesting enough that it's not too bad getting slowly introduced to the Tolkien universe, Elves and Dwarves and Hobbits and the history of the Rings of Power. I was a bit bored by the childish poetry and singing, especially in the parts involving Tom Bombadil. The last two-thirds of the book build up suspense and speed, a good reward for plodding through the boring parts. The action sequence in the mines, ending with the fall for Gandalf, and the dilemma, betrayal and regret of Boromir, are both done very well. Now, about the whole series. Tolkien's "Earth" is formed out of a mixture of various elements of European myths and superstitions, transformed to form elaborate histories and characteristics of the various groups involved. There is an undercurrent of racist ideology, but if you ignore that, the whole effect is rather charming. There is a sense of doom and foreboding and danger, which is well-done, if a bit too drawn-out. I have to confess: I don't understand the extraordinary popularity enjoyed by this book throughout the U.S. and the West. It's a charming series, and the universe described is grand and all that, but does it really deserve the biblical status it seems to have gained? The racial subtext seems to be unnoticed by Tolkien fans. The whole series is a story of the good West & North (elves, hobbits, western men) fighting the evil East and South (Sauron, orcs, eastern men). The Eastern men have "oliphants", evoking the image of elephant armies from India. Tolkien describing orcs is suspiciously reminiscent of Europeans describing black Africans. Maybe the correct context can be found by thinking of the psyche of a British man (Tolkien) in the early twentieth century, also involved with racist South Africa. The European history of subjugating and raping Asia and Africa, seems to such a person a gallant tale of victory. And so it is reflected in the tale of elves, men, dwarves together defeating "Sauron" in the past. Now, in the early twentieth century, the Asians struggle for freedom. In the mind of the racist Brit, this is an evil challenge to Western hegemony. In the "Lord of the Rings", this is reflected as the new danger from Sauron gathering power in the East. If you disregard the racial undertones, the series is a fine piece of literary work. Does it deserve all the hype it gets? Maybe not. Is it worth reading? Yes, if you can spare the time, certainly. You start to understand many cultural references after you've worked through Lord of the Rings. Next time someone says, "like Bilbo Baggins ...", or refers to some bearded guy as a Gandalf, you know what they mean.
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Summary: The Fellowship of the Ring Review
Review: The Lord of the Rings the Fellowship of the Ring, By J.R.R. Tolkien is a fantasy. It is about a hobbit, Frodo, who has been told by a wizard, Gandalf, to destroy an evil ring, the one ring of power before it falls in to the hands of Sauron who will use the ring to destroy middle-earth. But the only place to destroy the ring is in the fires of mount doom witch is in the middle of Sauron's kingdom.
The only thing with this book is the Cliffhangers in this book are slightly annoying but it does keep you attached to the book.
In my mind I think this book is very entertaining and interesting in the description the author use in the many situations Frodo gets into.
This book had many good features about it and manly the plot makes you need to read the other books in the series The Two Towers, and The Retune of the King.
I would recommend this book to first anyone who has seen the movie because the movie was great and the book is even better, anyone who likes fantasy, anyone who likes adventure, or just anyone looking for a good read.
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Summary: Don't expect a transcription of the movie...
Review: What is there left to say about The Lord of the Rings? I believe that, on this very website, the trilogy was named the best novel of the twentieth century. Now that the movies have come out, everyone is familiar with the story. It is unfair to come to the books for the first time now, with so many expectations built up. As good as the book is, it is still only a book. Frodo will not leap off the page, put his arm around you, and make you feel good about yourself. I fear people will be disappointed. Also, there is a very large contingent of people who HATE Tolkien. So where does that leave us? I have just finished reading The Fellowship of the Ring for the second time. For me, it was more enjoyable reading the book AFTER I'd seen the movie. Middle-earth is such a complex universe that it is easy to get lost. Do not read these novels if you are fixed on getting to the ending. Here especially, the journey is the thing. LOTR is about going places, meeting people, and having new adventures. The movies told this story from a modern vantage point - emphasizing action. In the book, the action is not as prevalent. I had the opportunity of traveling to Oxfordshire recently (Tolkien's old neighborhood) and I had the feeling that I was traveling to Middle-earth myself. That is the feeling Tolkien wishes to convey. He loved nature, loved traveling, and he wanted to write a book that expressed his love. I think the book succeeds admirably. To be sure, there is enough magic and monsters to hold your attention as well. Come to this book on its own terms. Get ready for a nice leisurely read. Don't expect a transcription of the movies and you won't be disappointed.
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