Rating: 
Summary: Unparalleled! A Literary Masterpiece worthy of the Bard
Review: I first read his books when I was in 4th grade and every two years or so I return. I cannot think of another book in print (other than the Bible) that people return to again and again throughout their lives. Tolkien made you feel his tale. His mastery of language allowed us to experience vividly the grandeur of Middle Earth. The languages, cultures and histories of its peoples are rich and real as any from ours. The elvish and dwarven tongues are not just nonsensical sounds slapped together but actual languages that he laboured to produce. The poetry and the songs added a weave to the tapestry of cultures that demanded to be believed. The characters that he breathed life into were real in every sense. Their thoughts acts and motivations were not simply one dimensional: Good men were bad, the brilliant made errors, some people were lucky, others not so, the herioc last stand didn't always save the day, war is very ugly and glory is fleeting, travelling on foot is very hard especially over mountains and through wastelands, eating a good meal, drinking good beer and smoking a pipe is a nice way to spend an evening. Anyone who has ever been in the military would appreciate the proper place given to the joy of a simple bath, rest and food after leagues of cross country travelling. I do not despise those who cannot wade through the reality in this fantasy. It is on a level that some may find daunting. I agree with the fellow described it as art, high art. Not everyone will get it, not everyone can "get" it. I must in closing, take a parting shot at those who would place Robert Jordan near him let alone over him (I blame America's education system). If it wasn't for Tolkien, Jordan would have had to rip off someone with talent closer to his own, assuring you of a tale even more dreadful than the one he spun. You won't see reviews about people not being able to comprehend his work, because it is already dumbed down for the masses. There is a reason whyTolkien's work is so beloved, because it is simply that good and that unique. The man himself is an interesting study and worthy of some time. If you love the written word...read this it will change you.
Rating: 
Summary: Talk about overrated...
Review: I think I'll be one of the few dissenting opinions here. The only real reason I read this was because, like so many other people, I had it drilled into my head what a "classic" it was. I managed to slog through the first book, after several aborted attempts, and there I stopped. I can kind of see where these people are coming from, who trumpet it as the all-time greatest thing ever. In one aspect, Tolkien was something of a genius--Middle Earth is an incredibly rich and detailed world. However, that doesn't make the books that take place there particularly good. The dialogue is less than sparkling, and the meticulous detail in which everything is described becomes really, really, tedious. The characters are incredibly two-dimensional--Tolkien's obviously more interested in showing us his world than in creating sympathetic protagonists. That's his choice, I suppose, but it really doesn't make for interesting reading. As far as characterization goes, there are two main types of characters: the pathetic little hobbit guys (Frodo, Merry, Sam, et al), and the powerful, cool, mysterious guys (Gandalf, Aragorn, Elrond, et al)--nothing too deep here. On a another note, I've noticed that there are really virtually no female characters--just Frodo's irritating relative, Goldberry, and a few elves, if memory serves. Gads, this is overrated, and the worst part is that it spawned so many even worse imitators--Terry Brooks, Tad Williams, and so on. If you want REAL classic fantasy, you should check out Fritz Leiber's Lankhmar series--it's superior in nearly every way.
Rating:
Summary: The best story ever written!
Review: LotR is the best story ever written. If by some odd coincidince, you have been in bed for the last fifty years and have not read these wonderful books, read them.P.S. LotR live action movies with computer effects are coming out in 2000 and 2001!
Rating:
Summary: WOWOWOWOWOWWOW!!!!!
Review: How could a man creat such a beautiful and extensive world like this? Tolkien was an undisputed genius.
Rating:
Summary: Tolkien is the premiere fantasy author
Review: As far as I am concerned J.R.R. Tolkien is the best fantasy author ever to put a story down on paper. People who read fantasy and then call his work boring are obviously after a "quick fix." In other words, they want light fantasy to kill a little time, they don't want an epic story to read. This is not light hearted fantasy. The Hobbit was, but this isn't. Tolkien basically defined the fantasy genre with these books. E.R. Eddison and one or two others are the only writers who had fantasy works before Tolkien (he was influenced to some degree by Eddison). I think the biggest problem for many of the people who don't like these books is that they are unable to identify with the main characters because they have no concept of self-sacrifice. The main characters in the book (Frodo, Sam, Aragorn, Gandalf) are willing to sacrifice life, pleasure, power and their own personal goals so that others might live free and persue their desires. I think its possible that a me-first attitude is widespread in the world today which makes it difficult for people to understand the point of view of the characters in this story.
Rating:
Summary: "A Quest for Truth, Beauty & Goodness For All Mankind."
Review: "The Lord of the Rings" stands alone in fantasy fiction as the supreme work produced in world literature. The story involves a quest, adventures, battles, intrigues, plots and counter-plots, deaths and an epic climax that startles the senses. Frodo Baggins - a peaceful citizen of the Shire, becomes involved in the events of "Middle-Earth" that consume every inhabitant of this mystical world. Frodo and his fellow inhabitants become part of a majestic drama being played out. A magical "Ring" comes into his possession and only he can resolve the terrible consequences facing "Middle-Earth" by destroying the "Ring" in the "Cracks of Doom" at Mt. Doom. The adventure begins when Gandolf the Wizard determines that the one ring to rule them all - is the "Ring" that Frodo possess. The adventures that follow are exhilerating. The novels begins slowly and the suspense builds and builds. The author - J.R.R. Tolkien fully develops over 200 major characters in this epic work. The work involves the Quest for Truth, Beauty and Goodness. Against overwhelming odds and the might of terrible armies - the hobbit Frodo Baggins overcomes battle injuries, starvation, greed, deceptions, treason and evil to triumph over vastly superior forces. I have read this story 9 times - and rank it as the best story ever written in World Literature. Prepare yourself for the read of a lifetime - be sure to obtain a decent map of "Middle-Earth." The adventure awaiting you in "The Lord of the Rings" is beyond imagination. I look forward to reading this epic again.
Rating:
Summary: The best book I've ever read
Review: It's really the best book I've ever read. I consider J.R.R.Tolkien a genius. He has created an entirely new world, so real and vivid. His language is also wonderful.It's a real pleasure to read the book.
Rating:
Summary: One of the greatest novels of the Twentieth Century
Review: And THE greatest book in the fantasy/science fiction genre. LOTR's brilliance created the modern world's view of fantasy literature. Unparalelled in its depth and emotion, it remains a great triumph of the imagination.
Rating:
Summary: INDISPUTEABLY THE VERY BEST!!!!!!!!!!1
Review: WHAT CAN I SAY OTHER THAN THE FIVE STAR MARK PUTS THE HOLY GRAIL OF FANTASY LITERATURE TO SHAME- THE LEGEND (NOT MERELY A NOVEL) DESERVES MORE THAN FIVE STARS, IT DESERVES THE MYRIAD OF THEM IN THE SKY AND MORE THEN. I FIRST READ THE HOBBIT WHEN I WAS IN FOURTH GRADE AND NEEDLESS TO SAY I LOVED IT, BUT UNFORTUNATELY I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE EXISTANCE OF THE LORD OF THE RINGS AND WAS DEPRIVED OF ITS RADIANCE FOR A FEW MORE YEARS. SINCE THEN I HAVE READ THE TRILLOGY THROUGH THREE TIMES (UNFORTUNATELY ONLY ONE OF THOSE READINGS WAS UNINTERUPTED). TOLKIEN IS DEFINITELY ONE OF MY LARGEST INFLUENCES TO DATE AND I OWN THE TRILLOGY (THE BOXED SET, THE ORIGINAL SET- BOTH INCLUDING THE HOBBIT, AND THE CENTENARY EDITION IN ONE VOLUME AND THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOK I OWN), THE SILMARILLION, UNFINISHED TALES, THE ATLAS OF MIDDLE EARTH, THE TOLKIEN COMPANION, AND VOLUMES 1,2,3,4,5,8,10, AND 11 OF THE HISTORY OF MIDDLE EARTH BY CHRISTOPHER TOLKIEN. MY MATERIAL ON MIDDLE EARTH TAKES UP NEARLY A FULL SHELF IN MY BOOK CASE AND I TREASURE IT. A PREVIOUS COMMENT IS CORRECT ABOUT TERRY BROOKS, HE CAN'T BEAT LotR, HE CAN'T AND NEVER WILL, FOR THAT MATTER NEITHER WILL ANYONE ELSE. TOLKIEN IS SIMPLY THE GOLD STANDARD OF FANTASY LITERATURE. NOT THAT THERE ISN'T ANY OTHER GOOD LITERATURE OUT THERE (I.E. ROBERT JORDANS WHEEL OF TIME SERIES, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY TOLKIEN INFLUENCED BUT IS RE-MOLDED ENOUGH TO BE UNIQUE). I NOTICE THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE CONFUSED COMPLEX AND HIGH WRITING WITH POOR AND RAMBLING WRITING- TOLKIEN DOES NOT RAMBLE, HE HAS A SLOW AND ELEGANT STYLE OF STORY TELLING AND ONE MUST PATIENT, FOR EVEN IF THEY FINISH THE BOOKS, THEY CANNOT POSSIBLY APPRECIATE THE BEAUTY OF THE WRITING IF THEY RUSH IT. TOLKIENS GREATEST ACHIEVMENT IS NOT HIS NEAR-LIVING CHARACTERS OR HIS GRAND DEPICTION OF WORLD ALTERING BATTLES, NOR EVEN THE TORN ROMANCE BETWEEN ARAGORN AND ARWEN AND EOWYN, BUT IN THE FACT THAT HE HAS CREATED A GROUP OF GODS AND MYTHS AND LEGENDS (THE SILMARILLION IS MIDDLE EARTHS OWN GENESIS STORY). HE HAS CREATED NATIONS AND BLOODLINES WITH THE HISTORIES TO JUSTIFY THE FAMILIES'S NOBILITY. THE ELVES, THE DWARVES THE NUMENOREANS, THE MEN, AND THE SERVANTS OF SAURON ALL HAVE DEVISED AND DIFFERENT LANGUAGES WHICH ARE FREQUENTLY PUT INTO PRACTICE. HE HAS CREATED A WORLD WITH A BACKGROUND AS BELIEVABLE AS OUR OWN. THE WORLD WITHIN HIS PAGES SEEMS TO EXIST AS YOU READ THEM AND ONE SINCERELY WISHES THAT IT DID WHEN ONE REALIZES THAT IT DOES NOT. IF YOU READ IT FOLLOW SAMWISE GAMGEE, FOR I THINK HE IS THE TRUE HERO OF THE STORY AND I SOME TIMES CONTEMPLATE NAMING MY SON AFTER HIM, IF I EVER HAVE A SON. I WISH SOME DAY TOO THAT AN FAITHFUL MOVIE VERSION IS RELEASED, FOR FILMS ARE A GREAT WAY OF EXPOSING PEOPLE TO NEW THINGS. PEOPLE WHO SEEK TO CRITICISE TOLKIEN MASTERWORK SHOULD DO SO IN PRIVATE FOR THERE ARE SO MANY LEGIONS OF "RABID FANATICS" THAT THE FLAME MAIL WOOULD CRASH HIS COMPUTER FOR PUBLIC NEGATIVE FEEDBACK. IN MY OPINION, ANYBODY WHO CAN'T REALIZE THE GRANDUER THAT IS TOLKIEN SHOULD BE TOSSED TO SMAUG AS PUNISHMENT. LOYAL "RABIDS", FEEL FREE TO RESPOND (AS WELL AS OTHERS)
Rating: 
Summary: One man's bread...
Review: ...is another man's poison. Before I get flamed by rabid Tolkien fanatics, let me state that I've attempted to enjoy this book several times over the last 7 years or so. Each time, I've managed to get perhaps 1/3 of the way through before I finally give up. I mean, I enjoyed "The Hobbit", and, as devoted fantasy readers, it's our duty to worship L.O.T.R., right? Sorry, but this is one book of flowery prose that zaps me (and many readers, I'm betting) right into slumberland. The characters and situations are well-crafted, but his style of writing about them generates a 0 on the interest meter.
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