Rating: 
Summary: disappointing
Review: At first I was really excited about this book. For one thing, the art and production values are excellent, even if they lean too heavily on snapshots from the movie. Also, compared to ICE's Middle-earth Roleplaying, these rules capture some of the flavor of gaming in Tolkien's world. Wizards do not blast away with fireballs, and characters are supposed to be heroic and aligned against the powers of the shadow. These are the strengths of the game.The weaknesses, which appear to reflect poor game balance and insufficient playtesting, became obvious after a couple of gaming sessions. For one thing, beginning characters are way too powerful. A party of hobbits was able to chase down and destroy a hill troll on their first night out of the Shire! Another problem was that many of the combat manoeuvers are underpowered and not worth expending actions on. Why give up a parry and very likely receive say 2d6+5 in order to perform a "power attack" and gain a pawltry +3 damage modifier? As I developed my chronicle, I found that it was somewhat difficult to creatively roleplay in Tolkien's world. I believe that this is because the plot of the books is relatively structured and oriented toward a single supreme goal. Obviously, this is not a fault of the game, but simply an observation or opinion of my own. It is probably possible to make these rules work, if you really want to try gaming in this setting. There are also a variety of alternative and optional rules online to compensate for the problems I mentioned earlier. Personally, I would recommend waiting for the second edition, or simply sticking with d20. J. Corey Butler
Rating: 
Summary: The Lord of the Rings rocks!
Review: I do not have this book but a friend of mine does and it rocks! We play this for hours non-stop. It provides hours of entertainment and fun. So if you are planning on buying this book but don't know its worth it, well take it from me it is way worth it. So dont exagerate pick up your copy today!
Rating:
Summary: A Triumph for Role Playing
Review: I preordered this book after having anticipated it greatly for the preceeding months. I was not let down. When I opened the cover and was confronted with the antique looking map of Middle-Earth I was instantly taken with the "Tolkien" feel, something well maintained throughout.
This game is for you if you are tired of constant "roll-playing" and are looking the original "role-playing". Properly, this book is primarily about role playing. Often in D&D, a character is reduced to a pile of numbers on a sheet of paper with a name scratched in the top such as "Joe the Thrasher" simply because of all the combat/spell option which power playing characters break down to mathematical equations. Not in this book. Playing a heroic character in Tolkien style is this focas.
Elves are portayed in good Tolkien fashion. The reaction of one of my friends was the elves should be banned from being PCs, as elves in Tolkien's world have many special abilities but nothing could be farther from the truth. Did Legolas unfairly unbalance the Fellowship? No way, and neither would an elven PC or two unbalance a game. Again, the emphasis on this game is role-playing. Role playing proper Tolkien elves is alluring, but is not a Rider of Rohan galloping across grassy plains, or a Tower guard standing firm on stone walls as a crisp wind blows, or a much fabled Ranger of the North wandering the wilds equally as alluring?
The book is fantastically illustrated with photos from the movie and quotes form the books help players wee how nearly every rule and heading is carefully integrated into the world of Middle-Earth.
I was concerned on about the was the magic and magic users would be handled by the rules, but have no fear, magic stays very true to limited direct uses of magic, while not stepping on the feet of characters who would like to play a more magically attuned character. Carefull attention is paid to the magic of the worls itself, prophesy, curses, oaths, foreknowledge, and the magic of "the way things are supposed to be" as it plays in to the story of the Lord of the Rings. Much is made about things happening when "dramatically appropriete", and in some cases limiting effects of curses or the results of a broken oath until the game master agrees it fits properly in the flow of the story.
The Hobbit is not forgotten. Quotes and references form it shaped the game as well.
In short this game is about the epic fantasy adventures of true heroes in the greatest fantasy setting there has ever been, or will be, and not about adventuring "heroes" robbing graves and hacking apart every NPC in their path. Tolkien fans and role playing fans, do not hesitate to purchase.
Rating:
Summary: One Game To Rule Them All
Review: I would never say any one system is the best, bu this is definitely ONE of the best. It takes elements from many different games, like D&D, Feng Shui, and BESM, and adds its own flavour to them. The class-type character system is more flexible and natural than that of D20, and the way the rules work, making your characters quite tough to start off, and downplaying the role of magic and magical items, encourage a more character-based game that doesn't rely on hunting XP points and magic weapons. The battle rules likewise focus on drama and the PCs, and the combat rules strongly lean towards epic confrontations. The layout is very nice, with plenty of pictures from the movie trilogy, although the book is primarily based on the novel. There is, however a fair amount of errata to be downloaded from the company site, but mostly it's small things, the only really major change is the damage ratings for weapons. My only real gripe with the book is that, as I read further, I noticed a certain amount of "sucking up" to the Tolkien name. Every writer deserves due credit, but when you start being told that Tolkien's style doesn't move too fast or too SLOW, you really start to wonder. However, all that aside, it is a great book, brimming with campaign ideas and even advice on how to work your game within the established plot, or change it completely.
Rating:
Summary: One Game To Rule Them All
Review: I would never say any one system is the best, bu this is definitely ONE of the best. It takes elements from many different games, like D&D, Feng Shui, and BESM, and adds its own flavour to them. The class-type character system is more flexible and natural than that of D20, and the way the rules work, making your characters quite tough to start off, and downplaying the role of magic and magical items, encourage a more character-based game that doesn't rely on hunting XP points and magic weapons. The battle rules likewise focus on drama and the PCs, and the combat rules strongly lean towards epic confrontations. The layout is very nice, with plenty of pictures from the movie trilogy, although the book is primarily based on the novel. There is, however a fair amount of errata to be downloaded from the company site, but mostly it's small things, the only really major change is the damage ratings for weapons. My only real gripe with the book is that, as I read further, I noticed a certain amount of "sucking up" to the Tolkien name. Every writer deserves due credit, but when you start being told that Tolkien's style doesn't move too fast or too SLOW, you really start to wonder. However, all that aside, it is a great book, brimming with campaign ideas and even advice on how to work your game within the established plot, or change it completely.
Rating:
Summary: One Game To Rule Them All
Review: I would never say any one system is the best, bu this is definitely ONE of the best. It takes elements from many different games, like D&D, Feng Shui, and BESM, and adds its own flavour to them. The class-type character system is more flexible and natural than that of D20, and the way the rules work, making your characters quite tough to start off, and downplaying the role of magic and magical items, encourage a more character-based game that doesn't rely on hunting XP points and magic weapons. The battle rules likewise focus on drama and the PCs, and the combat rules strongly lean towards epic confrontations. The layout is very nice, with plenty of pictures from the movie trilogy, although the book is primarily based on the novel. There is, however a fair amount of errata to be downloaded from the company site, but mostly it's small things, the only really major change is the damage ratings for weapons. My only real gripe with the book is that, as I read further, I noticed a certain amount of "sucking up" to the Tolkien name. Every writer deserves due credit, but when you start being told that Tolkien's style doesn't move too fast or too SLOW, you really start to wonder. However, all that aside, it is a great book, brimming with campaign ideas and even advice on how to work your game within the established plot, or change it completely.
Rating:
Summary: Provides great fun for hours on end.
Review: My brother and I went in on this book, and it was a great buy. The book tells you how to create your own characters in the game and it also tells you how to play. This book is the main book you will need if you want to roleplaying. However, it is very helpful if you buy the Middle Earth Atlas book too, because it has a lot of maps and history details of Middle Earth. This book is great because of all the excitement and fun you can have. This is a must for any Lord of the Rings fan.
Rating:
Summary: At last, a TRUE Roleplaying System for the LOTR...
Review: Ok, let make this simple: this book is amazing!!. I was very concerned at first with the system: it use only d6 dices?, how the elves will be managed? and the magic?. All these questions worried me, but let me tell you: the system is great, flexible (like or more the d20 system) and simple. The races and character classes (order) are very well made and presented. Of course, the elves are superior, but thats does not mean that the other characters will not be relevant. The ROLE playing is what is relevant. And this book present wonderful opportunities for make many good roleplaying sesions. The magic system (another big issue) is great also: is not to powerful, but powerful enough. It let you combine your magic, you do not need to "memorize" the spells, etc. But one thing is important to remember: forget about big balls of fire or dozens of magic rays creating havoc between your enemies... Think more of how Gandalf use the magic and you will have a more precise idea of how the system works... And you want to be a member of the Wizard Order? This book tell you how to achieve this. One last word: the biggest challenge will be for the Narrator (or storyteller, DM, or whatever you call it). To create a wonderful story in the Middle Earth that capture the Tolkien mood without copy the books will not be easy, but this book help you a lot in the process... The rest is for your imagination.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent source material, minimal mechanics
Review: The design of roleplaying games has improved drastically over the last twenty years, and "The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game" is a good example of this shift in trends. While the early roleplaying systems were not much more than wargames with a few modifications for character development, current systems are being designed with greater care and interest in the storytelling element of the game. Even if you're not interested in roleplaying games, you might still find this book interesting if you enjoy Tolkein. In fact, with stills from the film(s), Decipher's book would make an excellent coffee table book. Glossy pages with full color photographs adorn nearly every page, and the binding on this book is one of the best I've seen in the last ten years (this [book]will stand up to use). Decipher's CODA rule system is simple, flexible, and easy-to-use. It relies on a skill based system where each skill modifies a roll designed to test a PCs success accomplishing a particular task. While there's nothing revolutionary about the CODA system, it does provide a simple method for resolving tasks without slowing down the game with a ton of "chart digging." This was a wise choice on Decipher's part. It keeps the mechanics simple enough to allow for the storytelling atmosphere that's needed for a game in Middle Earth. That being said, one has to wonder exactly what GMs (Narrators) will do with this sleek looking book. Even though Decipher does an excellent job of presenting the "world" of Middle Earth, as well as, meshing their CODA rules to provide a simple, structured backbone for the game's mechanics, there's almost nothing in the way of aid for narrating a new chronicle. The list of monsters/evil humanoids is barely a dozen pages at best, with few opponents suitable for newly created characters and some notable exclusions (goblin and dragon being the two biggest). Granted, there's always the orc but -- show of hands for anyone interested in fighting another orc in a fantasy RPG? Even if you're like my group and prefer a storytelling (plot driven) adventure over a combat oriented adventure, one has to wonder exactly what kind of adventures fit well in a Middle Earth game. Unfortunately, unlike most RPGs, Decipher doesn't offer an example adventure either. Aside from a chapter on creating Middle Earth style chronicles, there's little in the way of primary source material geared for aiding a new LOTR Narrator. This, and Decipher's extremely slow (often late) production schedule, seem to be the two biggest sources of contention on their official message board. The only other problem with this product is the same that plagues all publishing these days - inconsistent editing. The number of errors isn't overwhelming but there is an errata sheet as long as your leg for the first printing. This will no doubt be cleared up for future printings, but as I mentioned in the previous paragraph, they're not moving at a dangerous pace with releases. Having said all that, I've given this book a "four star" rating. The source material, history, layout, design, mechanics, binding, and character system are all top notch (five star). Unfortunately, material for the Narrator (particularly the first time Narrators out there) is rather sparse, which to me brings the rating down, warranting only three stars.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent source material, minimal mechanics
Review: The design of roleplaying games has improved drastically over the last twenty years, and "The Lord of the Rings Roleplaying Game" is a good example of this shift in trends. While the early roleplaying systems were not much more than wargames with a few modifications for character development, current systems are being designed with greater care and interest in the storytelling element of the game. Even if you're not interested in roleplaying games, you might still find this book interesting if you enjoy Tolkein. In fact, with stills from the film(s), Decipher's book would make an excellent coffee table book. Glossy pages with full color photographs adorn nearly every page, and the binding on this book is one of the best I've seen in the last ten years (this [book]will stand up to use). Decipher's CODA rule system is simple, flexible, and easy-to-use. It relies on a skill based system where each skill modifies a roll designed to test a PCs success accomplishing a particular task. While there's nothing revolutionary about the CODA system, it does provide a simple method for resolving tasks without slowing down the game with a ton of "chart digging." This was a wise choice on Decipher's part. It keeps the mechanics simple enough to allow for the storytelling atmosphere that's needed for a game in Middle Earth. That being said, one has to wonder exactly what GMs (Narrators) will do with this sleek looking book. Even though Decipher does an excellent job of presenting the "world" of Middle Earth, as well as, meshing their CODA rules to provide a simple, structured backbone for the game's mechanics, there's almost nothing in the way of aid for narrating a new chronicle. The list of monsters/evil humanoids is barely a dozen pages at best, with few opponents suitable for newly created characters and some notable exclusions (goblin and dragon being the two biggest). Granted, there's always the orc but -- show of hands for anyone interested in fighting another orc in a fantasy RPG? Even if you're like my group and prefer a storytelling (plot driven) adventure over a combat oriented adventure, one has to wonder exactly what kind of adventures fit well in a Middle Earth game. Unfortunately, unlike most RPGs, Decipher doesn't offer an example adventure either. Aside from a chapter on creating Middle Earth style chronicles, there's little in the way of primary source material geared for aiding a new LOTR Narrator. This, and Decipher's extremely slow (often late) production schedule, seem to be the two biggest sources of contention on their official message board. The only other problem with this product is the same that plagues all publishing these days - inconsistent editing. The number of errors isn't overwhelming but there is an errata sheet as long as your leg for the first printing. This will no doubt be cleared up for future printings, but as I mentioned in the previous paragraph, they're not moving at a dangerous pace with releases. Having said all that, I've given this book a "four star" rating. The source material, history, layout, design, mechanics, binding, and character system are all top notch (five star). Unfortunately, material for the Narrator (particularly the first time Narrators out there) is rather sparse, which to me brings the rating down, warranting only three stars.
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