Rating: 
Summary: Oh my goodness!
Review: I am 22 years old, and reading the LOTR trilogy for the first time. I tried reading it when I was younger, couldn't get past the bck story and the Council of Elrond. I finally did and am VERY happy! This book is one of the greatest fantasy books ever. I felt the emotions that the Fellowship went through. There are a few somewhat long-winded parts to this tale, but they merely provide a context for what follows. I can't wait to find out what happens next in the Two Towers.........
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Summary: You can never get tired of this wonder
Review: Now that our friend Potter is taking all the glory, I thought it was a good idea to go back to basic. And wow. Not to benchmark, but the rich, complex personalities of its characters and the thick, intriguing plot makes this book a forget me not. We must remember that this saga was written more than 80 years ago, when imagination was not hindered with today blast of easy science fiction and gruesome information. In my wish list, is a visit to middle earth, and, if I may, use the ring for a few moments.An adult, honest story, perfectly balanced, that, as Joyce almost said: I love to love it. Get lost in Middle earth, and, if you are lucky, you won't come back
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Summary: A must read for anyone interested in the fanstasy genre
Review: Anyone even remotely interested in fanstasy type things should read this book. If you are into Magic the Gathering or enjoy playing RPG games you will enjoy this book. It is a bit long, but that just allows for a better plot and more detail. Some people recommend that you read the Hobbit first, but I didn't and I understood the book just fine. One word of caution though: You cannot just read the Fellowship of the Ring by itself, you must also read the Two Towers and the Return of the King. The story doesn't end with the Fellowship, in fact it only begins.
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Summary: A masterpiece!
Review: The begining of one of the greatest sagas in history! Tolken uses incredible writing to tell a story of good nd evil!
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Summary: The gateway to Fantasy
Review: J.R.R.Tolkien was not an actual groundbreaker with these stories. The stories of Middle-Earth are based on a mixture of post-Roman English stories and Olde Norse myth. However, he combined age-old themes and fascinating peoples in an ingenious story-telling marvel that has never been matched. If you are have never read this book, but love fantasy novels, this could very well become your bible. If you don't, you may find this is a gateway to a whole new literal world. The Lord of the Rings series is simple in themes, with amazing characters and adventures that young and old will treasure.
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Summary: Tolkien--An extinct style
Review: I know that I will probably go to hell for saying this, but I do not understand why Tolkien remains so popular. Don't get me wrong, I can not deny the man's intelligence nor the work he put into his stories. However, the fact is, if Tolkien were to publish his "Lord of the Rings" series today, it would undoubtedly flop. His plot is cliche. Yes, I know that it is the protype for most fantasy books today, and in his day it may have been original-- but not now. His characters are flat. People rave about Gandalf, Bilbo, Frodo and Strider, but can they compare to the type of characters we demand from modern authors who show us every characteristic quirk, gesture, opinion, thought and history of their personalities-- and at the same time not telling or showing us too much? Tolkien also packs his stories with details that modern authors could not get away with today. You think Robert Jordan or Terry Goodkind could tell a story and describe every tree, fern, hill, rock, road and river and expect their books to still be popular? No. Not anymore. It took me forever to read this book. I found it slow and often boring, but I read it because this was Tolkien-- the master. I believe that many writers feel the way I do, but are afraid to express their feelings for fear of being shunned for blasphemy. I have respect for Tolkien's stories and it is true that he is the father of modern fantasy, but his style is now extinct.
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Summary: Tolkien--A dead style
Review: I know I'll probably go to hell for saying this, but I really do not see why Tolkien is so popular. I can not deny that he writes intelligently. His world is undeniably well thought out. However, it seems to me that his style of writing is out of date and if he wrote the Lord of the Rings Trilogy today-- it would flop. His story is bogged down with detail (most of it unnessasary), the plot is typical (yes I know his story is the protoype for modern fantasy writers)and his characters seem very flat as compared to the demand we put on writers today for well rounded characters. I have great respect for Tolkien, but I think some readers love him only because of his reputation and not for his work. His style of writing is now extinct.
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Summary: As much a place as a story
Review: I first completed the Lord of the Rings at 14, after moving to New York City. I was scared to live in a big city for the first time in my life, so I comforted myself by inhabiting Middle-Earth for a while. The sense of location in this book is palpable; from Rivendell to Lorien, from Bree to Weathertop to the Mines of Moria, one feels as if one has truly visited the locations described. The structure of LOTR is in the manner of a picaresque -- the callow hobbits journey across a wide world and have various adventures on their quest to deposit the Ring in Mt. Doom. Characterization is for the most part simplistic, but Frodo and Gollum achieve some depth, and the story throughout has the force of myth, full of rich archetypes. One ought to read this book the way one might read Homer or Chaucer: it is an old-fashioned epic, drawn in broad, bold strokes. It is a spectacularly successful exercise in literary nostalgia.
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Summary: The greatest epic fantasy ever written
Review: This book is fascinating from cover to cover. Tolkien is at his very best in this book, wielding adjectives about Middle Earth that make it seem so believable I felt I was actually there, and unlike so many fantasy books today, the plot and character development don't take a back seat. It's one huge tour-de-force that is just hurled at you. Some people will argue that it's just too boring, and I'll go with you on that, but that's no reason not to like the book. I guarantee that half of the people who say that didn't get past the first hundred pages. What we have here is a masterpiece of fantasy and fiction, and a fine line drawn between a fantasy world and the real world, and Tolkien gives us an epic fantasy that will stay in the mind's of it's readers for years to come.
Rating:
Summary: It's a classic of fantasy.
Review: It's good book to start your acquaintance with world of fantasy. It's a classic.
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