Rating: 
Summary: Beautiful Edition
Review: Among the myriad editions of the Lord of the Rings available from Houghton Miflin, the edition featuring Alan Lee's illustrations is the best. Other editions suffer by looking dated, being printed cheaply, and the text offers little surprise by being tiny and unpleasant to the eye. The text in the Blue edition with the illustrations by Lee, however, is much larger, is set better and features a more beautiful, readable typeface. The edition itself is beautfifully bound and wonderfully illustrated. Highly recommended as the one edition to own of this epic masterpiece.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Book-A Must Read for Everyone
Review: The Lord of the Rings should be required reading for every High School Graduate in the United States (and world?). This epic can be read on countless levels and can be read over and over again. I have read the series (along with the Hobbit) over a dozen times and will be starting it again later this spring. The story is a timeless one of a journey and a struggle against evil and the dark forces in our natures. Along the way the protagonists encounter an incredible array of challenges, diversions, and unexpected visits with creatures you will hardly believe. Read the series.
Rating:
Summary: One ring to bind them all...
Review: This is an awesome book. The main charachters must run from there friendly town to destroy a ring that could, combined with the others, give a power of immense evil enough strength to destroy the world. To destroy the ring they must go thrue the desolet land of Morgoth and throw the the ring in to the volcanoe before it destroys their souls and the dark lord destroys their friends.
Rating:
Summary: A pretty good read
Review: Studying abroad in France, I was kind of yearning for some English reading material to keep me connected to my native-language roots. So when I saw "Lord of the Rings" on the bookshelf in a local bookstore, I figured why not give it a try, a well-known book I'd not yet read. And I was completely surprised: Tolkein's epic exceeded my every expectation. The story of how Frodo Baggins, a young hobbit from the backwoods Shire, stumbles upon the One Ring, which harnesses the power of world domination, is truly gripping - and I know that word gets used a lot to describe books, but in this case it's quite appropriate. I spent an entire day reading it, and could not put it down; it lured me back every time I tried to go do something else, like eating. A whole slew of memorable characters intersect with Frodo as he ventures across Middle-Earth, some of whom were introduced in The Hobbit, some new: Gandalf, Smeagol, the Lady Galadriel, Sam Gamgee, et al. Each one has a distinct personality all his own, although I must confess I had trouble distinguishing between all the Kings and Lords and such. If the characters weren't sufficiently distinct, the plot line was quite complex and I found myself guessing time and again at what would happen next - wrongly. The book, in short, is a masterpiece. Tolkien disavowed the apparent symbolism relating to the social conditions of the Post-WWII world, so I leave it to the reader to decide what to make of the book. Whether you see it as an allegory or simply an epic tale, it's clear that this is a brilliant novel.
Rating:
Summary: Anybody's read
Review: These are some of the greatest books that I have ever read. Not only does Tolkien demonstrate one of the greatest fantasy, action-adventure stories ever told, but he has created a whole new world filled with interesting characters and creatures. He has opened the doors for tons of new ideas and stories to form. This book is awesome and just about anyone can enjoy it. Even if you look down on current day fantasies, thinking them lame and repetitive. It keeps you reading all the way through. Even though the beginning starts out slow, don't put the book down because it gets a whole lot better once the journey starts. Few books ever really get to me but this one's ending made me cry because I was so happy and sad at the same time. If you have read the hobbit you have to read this! I feel that it is a lot better than the hobbit so if you liked that you'll love this. I just regret that Tolkien wasn't able to write more about his fantastic world. I can't wait until the movies come out!!!!(also, if you have seen those cartoon adaptations, don't let them stop you from reading the book. Those are kind of corny.)
Rating:
Summary: Dream...
Review: I LOVE THIS BOOK.... and that's no understatement. I read this book over two days non-stop the first time I read it. The world that exists in this book is as beautiful/scary/adventurous as your mind will allow it to be. The book held me in its spell and I could put it down only after the journey was complete. If you like this genre, then you'll read it anyway... if you don't like this genre, then pick this up sometime and you'll be converted :) Happy reading...
Rating:
Summary: It will change your life
Review: The Lord of the Rings trilogy changed my life. Its as simple as that. Everyone should read this book, and you will be changed by the reading of it. It is the most amazing work of fiction ever attempted by mortal man. So, what makes me rave so much about this book? To start with it is incredibly well written, (and even that is an understatement) it is so moving - I have never experienced such a wide range of emotions simply by just reading a book! Yes, you'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll come away will a whole new outlook on life. Basically the main character,Frodo, who is one of those stupid, absurb and lovable creatures called hobbits, discovers that he posseses the most powerful object in the whole of Middle Earth, a seemingly innocent gold ring. Everyone from the Dark Lord down is searching for the ring while Middle Earth is ravaged by war and evil. Frodo undertakes his quest to destroy the ring and what follows is a story of battles,the struggle for freedom, fading ages - but mostly of how one person can make a difference and change the world. Someone once told me that 'you've never lived unless you've read the Lord of the Rings' and they were right. This trilogy is stunning in every sense of the word.
Rating:
Summary: fabulous
Review: Best to read "the hobbit"and "silmarillion" first as primers to this great piece of writing. "Rings" is a great saga of mythmaking on the grand scale of Celtic and Norse tales which every serious reader should read. It is as much a requirement as reading Proust, Joyce or Kafka. A joy from beginning to end.
Rating:
Summary: Living Without This Book IS IMPOSSIBLE!
Review: This is the best book I have ever read. Vivid description and great adventure makes this book one of the best. If you're on a deserted island this would be a great book until you wait for help. Giving this book a good chance (even though it sometimes gets tiring) will give you one of the best books ever to read.
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Summary: A true Epic in a convenient single volume
Review: The single volume edition is both a blessing and a pain in the neck. The epic, one of the best ever written, is such a gripping story that once I begin reading the story (over and over) even from the middle I just can't put it down until I've read it through to the end. This means, however, lugging the heavy and large volume around, whereever I go. Separate volumes make this process easier. However, the joy of having everything in one place, the entire story as one book (as it was meant to be) is great. I spent too much time reading the forwards and notes concerning the various editions and corrections made to the story from print to print. I would recommend putting that off until you finish the main story (perhaps a few times). The appendix and notes following the story adds much to the experience. Once you finish the story, do read the Silmarillion.
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