Rating: 
Summary: Bellissimo!
Review: I've just received the book and I am so happy of this purchase!
LOTR is absolute my favourite book. I read it more than once in Italian when I was in my teens and every time I grew fond of new and different characters and places of the Middle Earth. It was always sad to reach the very last page of the book and to say goodbye to Frodo, Gandalf and the rest of the Fellowhip. After having seeing Peter Jackson's movie I decided to read the book in English, I really wanted to know the very words used by Tolkien. I'm starting the second chapter of the first book but I can already say that I'm really enjoying Tolkien's way of writing.
Alan Lee is as well my favourite painter. I fell in love with his art when I was a child when I received a book full of his watercolours and drawings. Lee has perfectly represented the atmosphere, the characters and places described by Tolkien. I was so pleasantly surprised to know that Alan Lee's concepts were behind the marvellous scenarios of the movie.
For all these reasons I couldn't miss this edition of the LOTR. This is the book I would bring with me in the famous lonely island.
Rating: 
Summary: Great book but not leather
Review: It is a great book for the price and some reviewers may be right about the print quality being poor but my copy is very good. The only thing being is that it's not leather but rather pleather bound (plastic leather), which explains the affordable price.
Rating:
Summary: Art cover up turns my heart
Review: The lord of the rings art cover almost made me fall flatout of my seat and "into shadow". :) When i saw the movie i almost cried when same almost died and now i think im going to buy the cover.
Rating:
Summary: A Treasure
Review: The best work since Homer bar none.
Rating:
Summary: A great addition to your library !
Review: These are beautiful books. Very attractive ! Easy to handle. The bindings are fine, not like written in previous reviews(don't believe them), & they stand up to use. I would and have bought this set to use and treasure !
Rating:
Summary: A worthwhile investment for Tolkien lovers
Review: For someone in the third world $... is a huge investment. But I'm glad I ordered a book a couple of years ago. I'm a proud owner of this edition that a lot friends want to keep for their own. The centennial edition is the most elegant among all the LOTR sets I've seen. An added case would have made it more valuable. Considering the book's weight, the binding is surprisingly sturdy compared to most hardcover books. Alan Lee's illustration are simply marvelous. (The movie draws much of inspiration from Lee's images; Lee afterall provided the initial designs for the film I understand.) It's a good thing that the publishers decided to print the color plates on coated paper and the text on book paper. Text on coated paper is a bit difficult to read and stick to one another in time, especially under tropical conditions where I live. Well, I don't there is anything more to add to what people have said about the novel itself. Either you love it or you hate it. If you're one of those who love Tolkien, this one edition to keep, re-read and re-read, and display. I've lost so many copies of LOTR in the past 30 years. Certainly, this is one set to own. It's one convenienet volume everyone wants to borrow, but I'm not sure if any onw would want to lend.
Rating:
Summary: Another one for LOTR fans!
Review: This edition is one of my favorites!
HIGH RECOMMENDED if you interest and love fantasy!
Rating:
Summary: My favorite adaptation
Review: I really don't understand all the vitriol that gets splashed around regarding this radio drama. Now my judgement may be clouded as I've been listening to this version since I was a boy, but of all the radio and screen adaptations I've been exposed to, I believe this is my favorite. I have seen the new Jackson and the Bakshi film. I've seen the Rankin Bass films and heard the BBC dramatizations. Perhaps I tend to go against the flow (e.g. I enjoyed the Bakshi film more than the Jackson one). I personally find the BBC version lacking in many ways that this presentation does not. The actors in the BBC version are very accomplished, but somehow they ring less true to me in most cases. Bilbo, Gimli and Legolas are perfect here, and Gandalf cannot be beat. I will admit that Frodo and Sam are a bit weak in this presentation. However, the crown jewel in the entire performance is Gail Chugg as the Narrator (as well as Gimli and Gollum). He is aboslutely astounding and brings the work to life in ways that Tolkien's own verbalizations do not. The passion in his performance is uncanny and thrills you while you listen. Certainly the production may be lacking in places and the music may be mediocre (is it public domain material? I've heard the same "songs" in B-movies.) at times. But the feeling certainly there, and scenes are generally better painted in this version than in the BBC version. Take for example the Balrog scene. In the BBC version you really have no clue what's going on, especially if you are not familiar with the story. In this version you're passionately aware of every move. Much of this is largely due to the judicious use of the narrator. Some may argue that using a narrator is impure to the art form, but I would disagree, and note that abandoning this results in very unrealistic dialogue from the characters, something that radio dramas almost necessarily suffer from. Yes, there are some interpretations (like that of the elves in the Shire) that leave much to be desired, but overall I think this is a wonderful adaptation, and it comes highly recommended. That said, I also urge everyone to listen to the BBC version and watch all the films as well. Each is but an interpretation of Tolkien's master works, and each will embrace the tale from a different angle. Then decide which is your own favorite and enjoy it! P.S. Since writing this review I have re-listened to the series on CD and I can now understand some of the problems which people have with the production. The remastering job that TME did for release on CD is almost criminal, IMO. This version is, to me, quite beautiful, and why TME didn't spend the time (and money) to do the job right is beyond me. My tape versions (though lacking some material) from the mid 80's do not suffer from the same problems. Most of these are off speed sections where the source tape is either running too fast or too slow (witness the section where Gandalf confronts Saruman at Orthanc). While I still love the version, I wish The Mind's Eye did as much. -DNV
Rating: 
Summary: Great Story, Poor Quality Product
Review: This book is a fantastic read, but if you're looking for a high-quality collector's edition to adorn your library this isn't it. The quality of the printing is very poor, sometimes very light and other times too dark. In my copy the map that is glued inside the back cover is slightly askew and sticks out beyond the edge cover. Not worth the money.
Rating:
Summary: A True Masterpiece!
Review: One of my favorite books of all time. the Lord of The Rings is an epic tale of good vs. evil. A truly fantastic read. This edition is a true collector's edition also. Very handsome binding. Want to read something wonderful?
Get this book!
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