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Summary: The Lord of the Rings
Review: This book appeals to people of all ages, from children to adults. The book was much better than I expected it to be. The Lord of the Rings starts out slow but improves dramatically as you continue. I had seen the movies before reading the book and was left with some unanswered questions. However, when I read the Lord of the Rings, the answers became clear. I experienced many emotions while reading this book. At times, it was humorous, at times, it was sad. It was also exciting and very adventurous. When you are in the middle of reading this book, you will never want to put them down. In my opinion, it was one of the best novels ever written. I look forward to reading his other works soon.
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Summary: Classic
Review: One of the best books written in modern times.
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Summary: LOR Leatherette Edition
Review: Published by Houghton Mifflin Company, original publishers of the American edition, this beautiful collector's edition of "The Lord of the Rings" is bound in red leatherette with blue, gold and green, folio decorations on front and back---(whether purposely chosen because the book Frodo leaves Sam of his memoirs is also red, or mere coincidence, I do not know. A great detail, just the same.) The pages are good quality with black ink for text and red ink for page numbers and chapter title headers. Also, there is a fold out map of middle-earth glued to the inside back flap of the book. A beautiful addition to your home library.That said, I have to address some of the problems I found in my particular copy which is why this became a four star rating rather than a five. I noticed that the printing was faulty---errors like dark and light ink on the same page, some letters half printed and some not at all, as well as small ink globs. For the price I paid, I found this disappointing and do not know if others have had this problem. Another observation: Though all three books appear as one in this edition as Tolkien originally intended, the page numbers start at "1" with the beginning of each book. I found that a little baffling, but not in a negative way. Overall it is a beautiful book and reasonably priced for a collector's edition. I will not bother with a synopsis as most looking at this book may already be familiar with the plot and/or movies, but I will say that it is a must read for all who appreciate English literature.
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Summary: The Lord of the Rings
Review: The Lord of the Rings is a good book.It is a funny and an interesting novel to read. I was engrossed with the book all summer. The first chapter is not very enjoyable, but the second chapter is. The Lord of the Rings is a long book and a very interesting novel.I really enjoyed the book. I wish I could read it again.It contained very mysterious and majestic parts that kept me at the edge of my seat.
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Summary: Simply, one of the greatest books ever written.
Review: I first read Lord of the Rings just over 20 years ago. It took me close to a week of obsessive reading - I barely stopped to eat and slept only when I could stay awake no longer. As I turned the last page, I was overwhelmed with a feeling of envy that only a booklover would understand - envy of the people who had not yet read this work, and who could look forward to reading it for the first time. Since then, I have re-read it several times and if ever I am marooned on the stereotyped desert island, this is the book I would want most of all. I have long hesitated to review this opus - how could I possibly do it justice? The storyline is too well known by now to need any repetition. What impressed me were two major features. One, the sheer scale of the epic. Tolkien did not just write a story, he literally created a universe and populated it with peoples of various kinds, each with their own history, culture, language, customs and tradition. Yet the epic is internally and externally consistent, like a huge carpet or tapestry, covered with multiple themes and motifs, yet all fitting seamlessly into the overall pattern. I was, and continue to be in awe at his mastery of the complexity and detail of his universe. Second, the sheer beauty of his writing. Rarely today does one come across writing that is both prose and poetry combined (and I don't mean just the songs in the book). Whether it be dialog or description, history or geography, Tolkien's writing is filled with melody and harmony - not a single word is out of place. Now add in the storyline, a masterpiece of depth, width and color, a blend of commonplace daily life shaken by terror and fear, sparkling with emotion and building always with hope to the climax. We will probably never see the like of this again. Do also read the Silmarillion and the Hobbit; the former in particular will add to your appreciation of the Lord of the Rings. The Leatherette Edition, with high quality binding and an excellent fold-out map multiplies the pleasure of reading. A wonderful gift to give or receive, and to keep in a place of pride on your bookshelf.
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Summary: The best epic of all time.
Review: This book is one of the best works of literature of all time. The effort and development that went into the three books that comprise the Lord of the Rings trilogy creates a world for the reader that is unmatched by any other storyteller I have ever read. This edition happens to make the reading and enjoyment of the book an even more rewarding experience. The size and feel of this book makes you feel like you are reading from an old and important document. It is a feeling that every Tolkein reader would enjoy and one that beckons to those who haven't yet discovered the joy of his writing.
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Summary: A beautiful editon of a timeless tale
Review: Brilliant. What more can I say. Everyone knows the basic story I'm sure, with all the hype of the films and such. I'll describe the book itself. First of all, it's goregous, and looks great on a shelf. Beautiful red leather with foil typing on the cover, a nice slipcase, and a fold out map. The map is really neat I think, it's quite useful if you ever want to actually imagine where the different cities are located. The story is, of course, one of the greatest. It's very in depth, and pays special attention to details. I love the book much more than the films (although they were very good). There's just something about reading it, you're missing so much if you just watch the films. For instance, you can't really expeirence Lothlorien in the movie like you can in the book, which is my favorite chapter. If you're planning on buying the LotR, there's no better edition to my knowledge. I plan on getting the green leather edition of The Hobbit very soon. Buy this book, and enjoy!
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Summary: The Return of the King
Review: I gave this book five stars and gave the whole series five stars. The first two books were very good but the third book was the best. During this series you will be taken through a world that is new and very realistic. It is realistic because you can relate to the characters. When they feel sorrow, you feel it and when they feel happiness, you feel it. For example the character Gollum had two sides to him. As it is written in the book other characters say that Gollum hates and loves the ring. People want him to die and yet they pity him. The writing is done so well that you can tell when they are sad and when they are mad. I fell in love with this character because of his feelings and emotions. While reading this book I could not put it down because the story gets better and better as you turn the pages. Every time you turn the page there is a new character involved, or a new story board. For example, Gandalf the wizard dies in the first book and when you turn the page in the second book you find that he is back with a more powerful incarnation. Meaning instead of a Gray wizard he is a White wizard. This series will take you on a ride through your imagination. This book is also the kind of book that you can read over and over again and still be surprised at what it is saying. You never get bored. The reason why I enjoyed the books very much was it was very original and gave a fresh perspective to life. The depth and the amount of time put into this book was well done. What also fascinates me is that J.R.R. Tolkien studied language as a major. And in this series he wrote his own language. What also was very interesting was that books are supposed to reflect Tolkien's life journey. One of my favorite characters was Samwise Gamgee, the hobbit gardener from the Shire. I thought he was very brave and courageous. I also liked the character Gandalf who was a wizard and was very wise. I also loved the character Gollum. I enjoyed the setting of the books. The details in the maps made it look so real. It is unpredictable. There are many settings in this book. One for my favorites is Fangorn Forest, which is a huge forest that is old and creepy. There were also two major kingdoms and two major cities. One was the kingdom of Rohan that was a rural landscape with houses that looked like huts. Another city was Minas Tirith(also known as The White city), and that city was all made of marble and built against a mountain. I would recommend this book for people from ages ten and older. The books are both educational and mystical. If you enjoy fantasy then you will enjoy this book. It is written in old English as well, so it is difficult to understand. IT was a really good book.
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Summary: The Lord of the Rings- Return of the King
Review: I gave this book five starts and I would give the whole series five stars. The first two books were very good but the third book was the best.
During this series you will be taken through a world that is new and very realistic. It is realistic because you can relate to the world and the cahracters. When they feel pain and suffering, you feel it, and when they are feeling happy,you feel it. I fell in love with many of the characters. My favorite character in the series was Gollum(a.k.a. Smeagol). While reading this book I could not put it down because the story gets better and better as you progress. So when it was the end I was disappointed. Every time you turn the page there is a new character or story. For example when the wizard Gandalf died in the first book, you turn the page in the second book to find that he came back more powerful. This series will take you on a ride through your imagination. This book is also the kind if book that you can read over and over again and still be suprised at what you read. You never get bored. The reason why I enjoyed the books very muchwas it was very original and gave a fresh perspective to life. The depth and the amount of time put into this book was well done. What also fascinates me is that J.R.R. Tolkien studied language as a major. And in the series he wrote his own language. What also was very interesting was that the books are wupposed to reflect Tolkien's life journey. One of my favorite characters was Samwise Gamgee, one of the hobbits of the Shire. I thought he was very brave and courageous.I also liked the character Gandalf who was a wizard and he was very wise. I enjoyed the setting and the landscaping of the books. The details in the maps made it look so real. It is unpredictable. I would recommend this book for people from ages ten and older. The books are both educational and mystical. If you emjoy cantasy and realism you will find it all in this series.
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Summary: "Collector's Edition" Really Isn't
Review: While I love the LoTR, and have read it many times, this "leatherette collector's edition", while a good printing, is really misnamed. It has been in more or less continuous production for over 20 years. Therefore, while of very good quality, it is hardly "collectible." I would rather it were referred to as the "fan's edition" for that is what it (and The Hobbit companion volume) really is.
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