Rating: 
Summary: decent...
Review: Although easy to read, and good for those who have seen the movies and not read the book, I would not really recommend this to anyone who has read the books and is looking to expand on their knowledge of Tolkien's world. There are a few mistakes and often times (to my horror) characters are compared to Harry Potter characters. If you want a good bed time read this book is probably for you. But if you are serious about getting to know Tolkien, try something else first.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting
Review: As a Tolkien fan I adore everything about him and the worlds he created. I might not be considered one of those really hard-core fans, who know every single detail about him, but I have read the Sillmarilion, The Lost Tales and of course LOTR and Hobbit five or six times.
I like this book, because it sort of summarizes many interesting information about the book and tells a lot about background - how did Tolkien come up with different ideas, how he developed them, where did he get inspiration from, etc. I really like it.
Rating:
Summary: A guide to Middle Earth for both novice and fan
Review: As of the writing of this review, the third movie installment of the Lord of the Rings has just been released into the theaters. With all the hype over each release of The Lord of the Rings, it seems incredible to me that there is anyone who is not familiar with at least the story line of this epic. Yet, it seems that almost daily I meet people who have not the faintest idea of what the trilogy is about. They have not seen the movies; they have not read the books, they do not know what Hobbits are, they never heard of an Ent, and they have no idea of what a Orc is. If  this describes you, you need this book. Well written and easy to read, it can serve as a primer to the uninitiated or as a resource to the most avid fan of LOTRs. What makes this book so interesting is that Colbert delves into the thinking of Tolkien as he wrote the Ring trilogy as well as the medieval literature that inspired him. Now before you prejudge this book and dismiss it as an uninteresting tome, I beg you to reconsider. It is really a fascinating read. The huge success of the Lord of the Rings revival can be attributed to a large part to the September 11 attack. There is a war between good and evil, light and darkness going on and people need to know that good will prevail. But the Lord of the Rings is more complicated than merely good verses evil; it is a story of the complex motives and emotions that govern us. The Magical Worlds of the Lord of the Rings will help deepen you understanding of these great themes.
Rating:
Summary: A guide to Middle Earth for both novice and fan
Review: As of the writing of this review, the third movie installment of the Lord of the Rings has just been released into the theaters. With all the hype over each release of The Lord of the Rings, it seems incredible to me that there is anyone who is not familiar with at least the story line of this epic. Yet, it seems that almost daily I meet people who have not the faintest idea of what the trilogy is about. They have not seen the movies; they have not read the books, they do not know what Hobbits are, they never heard of an Ent, and they have no idea of what a Orc is. If this describes you, you need this book. Well written and easy to read, it can serve as a primer to the uninitiated or as a resource to the most avid fan of LOTRs. What makes this book so interesting is that Colbert delves into the thinking of Tolkien as he wrote the Ring trilogy as well as the medieval literature that inspired him. Now before you prejudge this book and dismiss it as an uninteresting tome, I beg you to reconsider. It is really a fascinating read. The huge success of the Lord of the Rings revival can be attributed to a large part to the September 11 attack. There is a war between good and evil, light and darkness going on and people need to know that good will prevail. But the Lord of the Rings is more complicated than merely good verses evil; it is a story of the complex motives and emotions that govern us. The Magical Worlds of the Lord of the Rings will help deepen you understanding of these great themes.
Rating:
Summary: A mythological study of Tolkien for juvenile readers
Review: Better than Leslie Ellen Jones's "Myth & Middle-earth": by not pretending to give anything more than simple, basic explanations of the most obvious mythic parallels, and delivering them in language not overly cutesy, Colbert succeeds at his modest task surprisingly well.
Rating:
Summary: Entry-level "Worlds"
Review: David Colbert is best-known for his "Magical Worlds of Harry Potter," a relatively matter-of-fact background guide. Now Colbert produces "The Magical Worlds of Lord of the Rings," with its insights into the literature, legend, and religion behind "Lord of the Rings. Colbert does a fairly good job of giving us insights into the myths (Norse legends), literature ("Beowulf," the book "Babbitt," Shakespeare's influence on faeries and elves), religion (the source of Galadriel: Mary, mother of Jesus), and Tolkien's own opinions at the time (industrialization destroying the beautiful countryside where he grew up). Colbert makes some rather obvious errors (usually linked with the "Silmarillion" rather than "Lord of the Rings"), but nothing too awful. Overall he does a pretty good job of addressing common questions like "How Many Languages Did Tolkien Invent?", "Who Was Tolkien's First Dark Lord?" or "How Did Orcs Get So Ugly?". He writes breezily and conversationally, as if addressing a bunch of listeners. Does "Magical Worlds" stand above other Tolkien guides? Nah. It's a pretty good guide for entry-level fans, but long-time fans will already know much of this material. However, fans who are new to Middle-Earth and who don't know a lot of the background will probably find this invaluable. If you have only seen the movies, or are only just tackling the books, this is a good place to start answering your questions. "Magical Worlds of Lord of the Rings" is a pretty solid beginner's guide to "Lord of the Rings" and its background material. New to Middle-Earth? Then you may just find your answers here.
Rating:
Summary: Entry-level "Worlds"
Review: David Colbert is best-known for his "Magical Worlds of Harry Potter," a relatively matter-of-fact background guide. Now Colbert produces "The Magical Worlds of Lord of the Rings," with its insights into the literature, legend, and religion behind "Lord of the Rings. Colbert does a fairly good job of giving us insights into the myths (Norse legends), literature ("Beowulf," the book "Babbitt," Shakespeare's influence on faeries and elves), religion (the source of Galadriel: Mary, mother of Jesus), and Tolkien's own opinions at the time (industrialization destroying the beautiful countryside where he grew up). Colbert makes some rather obvious errors (usually linked with the "Silmarillion" rather than "Lord of the Rings"), but nothing too awful. Overall he does a pretty good job of addressing common questions like "How Many Languages Did Tolkien Invent?", "Who Was Tolkien's First Dark Lord?" or "How Did Orcs Get So Ugly?". He writes breezily and conversationally, as if addressing a bunch of listeners. Does "Magical Worlds" stand above other Tolkien guides? Nah. It's a pretty good guide for entry-level fans, but long-time fans will already know much of this material. However, fans who are new to Middle-Earth and who don't know a lot of the background will probably find this invaluable. If you have only seen the movies, or are only just tackling the books, this is a good place to start answering your questions. "Magical Worlds of Lord of the Rings" is a pretty solid beginner's guide to "Lord of the Rings" and its background material. New to Middle-Earth? Then you may just find your answers here.
Rating: 
Summary: execellent!
Review: Did you know that, our word excellentis derived from "excalibur"?meaning, beyond human standards, or pleasing to the gods. That what this book does, it gives the root of legends. Its a must readalong with. The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter, and,The Sorcerer's Companion. This is why, i like children's booksto get the same, info. I would had to pour through, dozens of books. in many libraries, [been there, done that.] And never Really, get the answers to my questions.These simple books answer most, questions in a fun easy to read style.
Rating: 
Summary: Colbert and Tolkien
Review: I found David cobert's peice very informative, clear, and at times very profound. However, as a Tolkien fan, having studied The Silmarillion, and having read Tolkien's works numerous times, I found several errors in this book. Certainly there can be different interpretations of works, but Colbert seems to have had misconceptions about both the Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion. I found that most of the time he knows what he's talking about and is learned in the books, but I also find that he doesn't understand some of the things Tokien wrote. For example, Colbert says that humans were given Numenor as a reward for helping the Elves. It is quite clear in The Silmarillion that waht Colbert states isn't exactly what occurs. It was, yes, a land given to Men by the Valar, to not just any humans, but the Edain. These are not just Men, they have Elven blood in them. This is the place of the Edain, distinct from ordinary men of Middle-Earth. Colbert fails to make this distinction. Also, in Colbert's chapter on religion in The Lord of the Rings, he calls the Valar "angelic spirits." Indeed that they may be, but to the Elves these are like gods with Iluvatar being the supreme god and creator of the universe. Colbert states that Hobbits do not belive in gods, but when Frodo is stabbed by the morgul blade of the witch-king at Amon-Sul (Weather-Top), he screams out "O Elbereth! Githoniel!" which are in reference to the Valar. I found other discrepancies, but I will spare them for the sake of time. Again, Colbert wrote this book for any one to read within a matter of hours ( I read it in 2) and wrote its very clearly. He does, however, fail to remain true to some of the facts in the history of Middle-Earth. Some elemtents are also not developed for the reader, whether having read Tolkien or not, to understand.
Rating:
Summary: delightful
Review: If you read The Hobbit as a child and never got around to LOTR and the Simarillion, or if you are a new fan because of the movies this is a perfect book for you. Although the tone of the book is lighthearted and fun, the author obviously did his homework. He explains LOTR and The Hobbit by answering questions that new fans have. Why are Tolkein's elves so tall? Where did the idea for hobbits come from? How old is Gollum anyway? He tells how Shelob the spider came to be (Tolkien was attacked by a tarantula as a small child) and what Gandalf really is, and so much more.
The reader will learn that LOTR is heavily inspired by Beowulf and Norse mythology. After reading this well written and amusing book I have decided to re-read LOTR. I now have even more respect for J.R.R. Tolkein. This book is actually a respectful tribute to him and his genius.
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