Rating: 
Summary: Definitely in my Top 5 List!
Review: The Hobbit was a great little book, and that's what it is: a little book. If you've read the Hobbit, my god, read the Lord of the Rings series! I guarantee that these books are going to be some of the best you've ever read and/or your favorites! Even if you don't care about fantasy, like me (i'm more of the sci-fi type), read them anyway.The first book, the Fellowship of the Ring, was my favorite of the three. All the action is well timed, and the book provides plenty of cliff-hangers...not to mention the ones in-between the books! All the nine characters (after the fellowship is formed), are so very different and interesting, and I loved how they brought back one of the old dwarves. Basically the whole idea of the books is that Bilbo Baggins, a small kind of man called a hobbit, passes down Gollum's Ring to his nephew, Frodo Baggins, in hopes that he might take it to be destroyed. Bilbo is 111 years old now, and doesn't feel he is up to the task. Gandalf and three other hobbits will accompany him- Merry, Samwise, and Pippin. Merry and Pippin provide comic relief for a while, until they meet Strider, and become pursued by the Ring Wraiths. They are now on a journey to meet the wise Elven King and Queen, who will brief them on their mission, as well as provide others to help them in their quest. The first book takes them through about half of their journey in the lands, while the second will be the other half. The last book takes place in Mordor...their ultimate destination, where Mt Doom is and where salvation from the Dark Lord Sauron.
Rating:
Summary: I Loved It
Review: I'll be the first to admit that the pace of the novel meanders a bit, and the action is spread far between the chapters, but regardless I found myself completely at the mercy of Tolkien's magic. For those who like me are reading these as a primer for the upcoming movie this fall, I'd suggest starting with "The Hobbit". There you'll be introduced to Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit who finds the ring that is the catalyst for the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and also the great wizard Gandalf who figures prominently in "...Fellowship." It's seems so obvious now that modern masters of the fantasy genre such as Robert Jordan got so much of their inspiration from Tolkein. The edition I read also included a map so it was easy to chart the journey of Frodo Baggins, nephew of Bilbo as he headed towards his dark destination. The story is simple, at the heart being the struggle to destroy a ring forged by a powerful evil that in the hands of it's maker would spell doom for everyone.I know some people felt it slow moving, and I don't totally disagree, but I loved it all the same. Can't wait to read the next two, and see the movie this December.
Rating:
Summary: EXCELLENT!!!!!!!
Review: This is the GREATEST book of all times(besides the rest of the Lord of the Ring trilogy and the Hobbit.)!!! The reading is a little tough. It is the best book. I highly recommend it!
Rating:
Summary: Better than Harry Potter
Review: If you are like me and loved the Harry Potter books, there is little chance you won't go crazy over this book. I was very disappointed I had to wait for the fifth book so to fill my gap I purchased the collection of "The Lord of the Rings". It was one of the greatest decisions I ever made. Suddenly this series I bought to "fill in the gap" became something better than anything Rowling ever wrote in a book. Tolkien gives a far more vivid world, much more complex, with characters that are far more three dimensional. I can't understand why there is so much buzz around Harry Potter when the "Lord of the Rings" is so much a better fantasy story. Then again, it is written above a second grade level.
Rating:
Summary: Ere I think it was great!
Review: One of the things that was a little tough about finally reading the fellowship of the ring was the fact that I am used to reading thriller novels and historical fiction. Therefore the language of this book took some getting used to. I felt at times that I was wading my way through some slow parts. But slow compared to the stuff I usually read I guess. So I have to take that into consideration. This was worth reading and I am glad I did. I would certainly recomend it especially with the movie coming out and all.
Rating:
Summary: The grates book in the world!!!!!!
Review: The greatest book I ever have read!!! I couldn't stop reading!!! Tolkien was a storyteller of genius!!!
Rating:
Summary: 5 Stars............yawn...............
Review: Another review on Tolkien's work. Do we need it? Probably not. However, I would like to say that, if you are new to Tolkien's work and are thinking about reading The Lord of the Rings because of the impending movie then I can say that The Fellowship of the Ring is the easiest of the three books to read that make up the trilogy. The film that is to be released in December is this part of the story, with the other 2 films (The Two Towers and The Return of the King) to be made next year and the year after. The Fellowship of the Ring is such a good book to read. It is full of innocence, magic, terror and wonder. Tolkien conjurs this world of loveable Hobbits and ultimate, brooding evil. In this, the first book, you get a real insight into hobbit life and the beginnings of the adventures that Frodo makes to destroy the one ring. The other two books are great, of course, but the story gets more political and I feel they demand much more from the reader, especially The Return of the King. If you want to dabble in a bit of fantasy literature, then you can do no better than this book. I know people go on and on about The Lord of the Rings but there is a reason for that and I feel a newcomer with an open mind to this genre will be even more rewarded when reading these stories than a hardened fantasy buff. Enjoy.
Rating: 
Summary: Even adults can enjoy this one
Review: After reading this book, I was surprised to see that so many of the reviews here were written by young people. Naturally fantasy tends to be very popular with young adults (it was with me), but Tolkien's work seems to transcend demographics. This is not a book for escapists nor for those who prefer a reality that is in opposition to our own. This is a book for those who desire to understand reality and look for magic in the process of discovery. Tolkien uses human traits and physical realities to create a world of complicated and mysterious morality - a world where a wizard Gandalf the Grey is somehow more pure than his colleague, Saruman the White. People are rarely what they appear to be and neither are hobbits. Frodo Baggins, the protagonist hobbit, is the ring bearer. He like many human heros in other books carries an unasked and heavy burden. He does not carry it with a saint's gracious self-immolation, but rather with a determination to do what he thinks is right for himself and those who depend on him. Like anyone in a situation like this, he desires to cast his burden off, but gathers the courage to continue. The admirable thing about Tolkien is that Frodo does not make these decisions based on some blind fervor for an unattainable ideal, but rather through a series of inductive steps. In this way Frodo transforms the ideal of saintliness into syllogism. Frodo would prefer to kick back with a pint of ale beneath a tree, but he doesn't. Through logic and reason, he determines that unless he begins his perilous journey and defeats the great evil spreading across the land, neither he nor anyone else will ever be able to see simple joy again. It is a story about magic of course, but the magic serves as an ideal that the realists strive to protect, not worship. They are rooted in reality, as is this tale. All fantasy writers since Tolkien owe a great deal to the style and imagination of this writer, but the greatest gift he gave them was the gift of realist fantasy. Rest assured that Tolkien is not simply the progenitor of a generation of better writers. He is a master among masters.
Rating:
Summary: My best novel for years
Review: I must say that "The Lord of the Rings" is one of the best books I've ever read. As far as I can tell because I've just read the first book which is called "The Ring Hikes" or something like that. But I must also give a little word of advice, if you really want to read it then you should first read "The Hobbit" because there the story is told how Bilbo Beutlin, one of a big hobbit family, gets the ring in the first place. So the whole story is about wizards, hobbits, who are like humans only a little smaller and fatter. Then there are elves and black knights. And naturally the ring plays an important role, because there are also other rings around but only one is able to rule them all and he was created by the dark ruler of the land of Mordor, which tries to conquer the world. So if you're interested in an interesting and magical fairytale which you can only hardly put aside you should really read it.
Rating:
Summary: One book to rule them all
Review: Two years ago, at the age of eleven, I came across a book known as The Hobbit. A simple book as it was, it became the stepping stone to probably one of the greatest writings of all time. The Hobbit was my favorite book, and two years later, the memory of Middle-earth and all its splendor came to me, again. I decided to pick up The Lord of the Rings, a story much more in depth than The Hobbit, much more dark and mysterious than a simple journey to the East to retrieve a dragon's loot. It tells of an Evil coming over the magical land of Middle-earth, and a simple hobbit's quest to destory the One Ring that could save them all. It is but a simple, unadorned ring, just as this story is a short, simple story, and yet underneath the surface, it is much more than what it seems to be. When you read The Lord of the Rings, you are drawn into the mystical land that J.R.R. Tolkien, a genius way ahead of his time, drew from the imagination of all those who dare to imagine. You will find yourself reading on, flipping the page and wondering what you are about to stumble upon next. It was not at all a rare sight when I would be reading late into the night, with my mother begging me to go to bed, while I would be saying, "One more page, okay?" You will not be able to stop! Tolkien's work is sheer poetry; not "boring" at all. I find myself reading hundreds of pages in only a short amount of time, as anyone who has half of a brain will. So, don't be discouraged by those who say that he is monotonous or that the writing is slow-moving. I don't think so at all. There is much mystery and intrigue in the story; you will end up wondering whether Middle-earth exists or not, for he comes up with such a deep and rich history and so many tales of woe and tragedy, and of valor and hope. This is a must-read!
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