Rating: 
Summary: Perhaps the best story ever told...
Review: J.R.R Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings tells the story of Frodo Baggins, a young halfing and nephew of Bilbo Baggins (The Hobbit), and his journey with many friends to dispose of the last ring of three to forever doom the hopes of the "Dark One" to rule the world. It is an amazing tale of wizards, trolls, goblins, orcs, ents, dwarves, elves, and many other creatures, most of which originated in the mind of Tolkien himself. Almost every adventure novel to date has some idea, usually in the storyline itself, that has derived from Tolkien's classic. The impact of this story on the fiction world of literature is incomprehensable. Critics and authors alike constantly find themselves comparing the best works of the past century to The Lord of the Rings. When I first sat down to read The Lord of the Rings, I couldn't imagine that it would become a book that I would never want to give up. I would usually read for hours upon end, as the thought of the next part of the adventure nagged at my imagination. One cannot help but feel a great sense of adventure when reading about Gandalf's wizardy, Frodo's magical ring, or a war involving ents (friendly tree-like monsters) and orcs. If you want to be able to judge books carefully, you MUST read this book first. It will give anyone great insight as to exactly what is a "good" novel. I also suggest you buy the "One Volume Edition" as opposed to the individual novels in the trilogy. Tolkien himself meant the story to be read in one novel!
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic!
Review: Best book ever!! If you can read, read it! If you cant, pay someone to read it to you!(they will do it for free just so they can read it again!!) I would give it 10 out of 5 if I could!! The movies when they come out are gonna be the greatest ever! So lets all hail the director Peter Jackson for having the courage to bring the greatest tale every told to the big screen! But more importantly, lets thank god for giving us J.R.R.Tolkien!! FRODO LIVES!!
Rating:
Summary: WOW - 5 RATINGS compared to 1 RATINGS
Review: I think that says it all really. Have a look through the six hundred plus reviews. Compare the number of high ratings to the number of low ratings. I can't help but think that those who gave this classic a low rating started reading it determined to dislike it, and/or decided to skim through the book rather than actually read it. I just can't understand the people who say it's boring with the characters just travelling place to place not doing anything. Or saying Tolkien is racist. Or that the text is juvenile. Nothing like that happens in the books. Are they just staring in the general direction of a copy and selectively reading in their own "special" way ??? Who knows. Follow the democratic process, and try it. Ok look, if you're really skeptical, save reading the Prologue until the end. You'll _want_ to read it by then. Trust me.
Rating:
Summary: One of the top 5 books... Ever.
Review: I originally read "The Lord of the Rings" eight years ago, when I was eleven years old. While I understood and enjoyed some of the story, I wasn't old enough to truly get into it. A couple of months ago, I was browsing a local bookstore and ran across the leather-bound Collector's Edition. While it held a hefty price tag, I've always been a big fan of high-quality, solid-feeling items. Especially books. So, I purchased it and read the story for the second time in my life... It was even better than I remember it as a child. The bottom line is that if you're looking for a long-lasting piece of literature (physically and mentally), the Collector's Edition is the book for you and is completely worth the price you'll pay.
Rating:
Summary: The Good Book
Review: I don't think it's possible to say enough about "The Lord of the Rings." I've lost track of the number of times I've read it, and yet during my latest reading I still learned new things. J. R. R. Tolkien created a world of such intricacy that there are layers of depth hinted at throughout the book. These can be read casually without detracting from the beauty of the story, but a closer understanding of the majesty behind Tolkien's First Age allusions makes for a far greater appreciation and enjoyment of the world created. Unfortunately for many, the understanding of these allusions must come from reading "The Silmarillion," a task that many seem to find too daunting to attempt. The one thing that Tolkien has understood better than any other writer I've encountered, and this shines through in LOTR, is that there are no happy stories as long as time continues to flow. Even though LOTR ends in a victory for good over evil, time continues to pass and people continue to get old and old wounds continue to ache painfully. This is especially apparent if you read the end of the saga of Aragorn and Arwen in Appendix A. The sadness in this tale rends one's heart, even more so than does the final scene with Frodo and Samwise. But as Gandalf says, "Not all tears are bitter," and the sorrow is a sorrow that even in passing great things were accomplished and great evils were averted. The rest of LOTR is however a story of the majesty of Aragorn and the wisdom and power of Gandalf and the sheer incorruptibility and stalwartness of Frodo and Samwise. Tolkien reveals himself as an extremely wise and merciful man with his handling of Frodo Baggins and Smeagol. It is here that Tolkien shows that although Gollum is a wretched creature, to execute him out of hand is an act of equal wretchedness. Proponents of Samwise Gamgee would do well to look at Sam's treatment of Gollum in book two in comparison to Frodo at the same time. Sam actually comes off very badly. It is only in the third book, especially after Sam eventually shows himself to be merciful towards Gollum, that Sam becomes the heroic figure that readers look back at with such fondness (although his battle with Shelob in book two is one for the ages). Anyway, this is a book that can be read over and over with new experiences every time. In fact, it was only on my latest reading that I realised just how active a role is played by the Lords of the West throughout the War of the Ring. Of course, without reading "The Silmarillion," that nuance would have continued to escape me. I highly recommend that readers read "the Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit," and then read "The Silmarillion," and then come back and read LOTR again. I also think that once you've read "The Silmarillion" you will be hooked, and you'll be ready for "Unfinished Tales" and "The Book of Lost Tales" (both parts) and "The Lays of Beleriand." As beautiful as is LOTR, it pales besides the epic tragedies of the First Age.
Rating:
Summary: One book to rule them all
Review: What is to be said about someone who creates, inspires, and is admired for writing a couple of books about this Middle-Earth. I don't think that there could ever be enough said about someone how does all that. And these aren't some books, this book, not only inspired every single fantasy writer to the day, but this and The Hobbit invented fantasy. I mean, what else do you want. This book is one of, if not the greatist pieces of literature out there. The story is amazing. There is no point in not reading it.
Rating: 
Summary: Well, you can always consider...
Review: ... buying the BBC version instead. To be fair with Mind's Eye Version of the LOTR Audiobook, it's not bad. It's closer to the original storyline that BBC's and it even features mr Tom Bombandil who was cut from BBC's version. The voices are good - but not all of them. On the downside however, as an audio engineer myself, I have to say that "Mind's Eye" should hire someone else to remaster their records. Sound quality is not as good as I thought it would be. On the opposition there is the BBCs all time classic version with excellent voices and wonderfull performances by the actors, based on an equaly wonderfull adaptation of Tolkiens story. If you only compare the two "Gandalfs" you will see what I mean. Mind's Eye version seems to be the kids version while BBC's the adult's one. And the latter sounds better too...
Rating:
Summary: An excellebt book
Review: This book is a wonderful art of literature and is commendable to anyone with an I.Q like mine, 150. It does get rather a bit dull and quirkey in the middle part of the end, that is rather boring. I like the hobbit a touch better because it stays on the medium of a condensed versitile gooper. I might conclude Tolkiens mirky book as an equivelent to the 1920's renessaince. My favourite charecter is the rather convinient Frodo who is rather hairy. Peace to the world!
Rating:
Summary: Once upon a time, when English ruled the earth...
Review: If you are a fan of Tolkein's timeless story of integrity, determination and humility, GET THIS BOOK. The Alan Lee illustrations are easily the best I've ever seen. That is to say, of all the Middle Earth illustrations I've seen, these most closely match both Tolkein's word pictures and my own imagination. Tolkein's writing will forever stand as one of the great benchmarks of economy, color, story line and craft. Alan Lee's illustrations are the perfect compliment.
Rating:
Summary: The 'Millenium Edition' is the definitive edition.
Review: I found this 'Millenium' version of the (now misnamed) 'Trilogy' before I had heard about the coming movie. Being a Tolkien fan, I immediatly snatched it up. This is, by far, the best edition ever published. From the plain black covers with the Eye of Sauron symbol, to the seperation into the original six volumes (plus index,) this edition is a must-have for Tolkien fans. This edition includes the SIX-volume series ("The Ring Sets Out" and "The Ring Goes South" making up what is normally called "Fellowship of the Ring", "The Treason at Isengard" and "The Ring Goes East" being "The Two Towers", and "The War of the Ring" and "The End of the Third Age" being "Return of the King") and a complete index. I own the HarperCollins published British edition, which includes an amazing CD of Tolkien himself reading passages from the books before they were published. (Including a haunting reading of the famous 'One Ring to rule them' passage, as well as some passages that were changed before the first printing.) All in all, a must have.
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