Rating: 
Summary: Quntissential Review
Review: There is no question in my mind that this series of books has defined multiple generations. It was written in the 1940s and has world war connotations and re-discovered in the 1960s and was seen as a form of escapist nirvana. But it is even more than that. Tolkien was an Oxford professor and made new languages and races from mythology come alive. He also has used the idea of a religious quest real as the King Arthyr books. The current on-line role-playing games and the dungeons and dragon game owe all to Tolkien. The current great fantasy writers like R.Jordan and Tad Williams and G.R.R. Martin all are steeped in Tolkien-esque lore. Thankfully so. My first reading of it I will remember to my dying day. Re-readings have only proved to me he was our Hemingway, our literary grandfather. If you follow current SF/and F you have seen J.R.R. Tolkien's prestige rise. More and future generations will the oppotunity to see for themselves the glory in these books.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book Wrapped in Poor Package!
Review: What more could possibly be said about Tolkien's, "Lord of the Rings"? It is the best fantasy I have ever read!! Alan Lee's illustrations also enhance this book tremendously. Sadly, the book has an extremely poor binding and one missing page. I specifically refer to the hardcover November 1991 version. The book is published by Houghton Mifflin Company in New York, and is printed and bound by Rotolito Lombarda in Italy. Instead of binding the book as three separate books, it is bound as one large & bulky book (It weighs in like a dictionary at approximately 4 lbs). Additionally, its size makes it very inconvenient to read or take outside your home. In my hands, after one reading & some very gentle handling, the book is already falling apart. It's too bad because the book is definitely one you would want to read over and over again.
Rating:
Summary: Tolkien, Tolkien...who's Tolkien?
Review: Hallo dilligent readers,I am a girl from a Eastern Europe, Latvia, and not quite aware of what Tolkien is. I mean, I have read Hobbit, that's the only of his books that has been translated in my language, but English books are unfortunately hardly available here. I could, of course, have them through Internet but there's a problem that my student's scholarship does not quite coincide with the normal Western prices. ( If somebody's interested, the scholarship for excellent marks is around 15 dollars a month - is it not ridiculous?). That's why I am writing this review hoping to find a friendly readerly heart. Is there anybody out there who has has got a spare copy of Tolkien' s works that he/she could share? It can be old and suffered, of course. I only want to read The Lord of the Rings desperately. If there's a kind soul that thinks of a possibility to help me, my email address is brr81@hotmail.com I would really be most thankful, indeed, for any kind of interest in my plea. Excuse for my poor English. Getting ready to become a fan, yours Barbala
Rating: 
Summary: Classic, but be aware of its limitations
Review: Hub of JRRT's "Middle Earth" books. A more serious sequel to "The Hobbit", while still a single coherent narrative, unlike "The Silmarillion" and subsequent barrel-scrapings. The LOTR is not explicitly a kids' book like the Hobbit, but neither is it a fully adult piece of Modern Fantasy.If you try to read it too young, you will be scared off by the high-toned heroic writing style that develops after the first few chapters. If you leave it too late, the Gate to this Particular Otherworld will be locked for you. 'Too Late" may be as young as 12 or somewhere in early adulthood. The story is a simple quest. The good guys (not many gals here!) are whiter-than-white, and the bad guys are horrid. Given the depressing result of JRRT's experiments with moral ambiguity in 'The Silmarillion', this may be as well. The major achievement of LOTR is the creation of a self-consistent world with a long and detailed history, linguistically plausible languages, and a believable mix of low-key magic with everyday physics. This was a major innovation in the first half of the 20th century when JRRT was evolving the framework for the Middle Earth books. However, it should be noted that other writers have achieved this since, with appreciably more realistic characters and storylines, and less explicit lifting from Norse and Anglo-Saxon mythology. Vastly overrated, but undeniably influential, this trilogy is a flawed masterpiece. I am amazed that I have weaned off it enough to become critical. N.B - the most pernicious example of LOTR influence: the belief among certain publishers and writers that all good fantasy stories MUST be quests and MUST be "trilogies" (in however many parts..).
Rating:
Summary: The Lord of the Rings is the definitive work of fantasy
Review: When I say "definitve," I am referring to the authoritative nature of this work. It brought the genre of fantasy into the mainstream and because of its depth, clarity, and Tolkien's keen sense of language and detail it remains the standard bearer for fantasy today. The plot of the Lord of the Rings is too large to allow much comment here. In short, the Lord of the Rings is the story of a hobbit named Frodo who undertakes a seemingly impossible mission to destroy a ring of unspeakable power and evil. If you are not a fan of the fantasy genre, this may seem too "fairy-tale-ish" to be taken seriously. However, while the setting and characters are in many ways fantastical (it is fantasy after all!), the themes found in the book are universal and timeless. Good versus evil. Fear versus courage. This story is trully "epic." I would suggest this book to any newcomer not only as a introduction to the fantasy genre but as work of literature as well. Tolkien's style is lucid. The characters are intriguing, not neccessarily because of their strengths but often because of their flaws. One of the only criticisms of Tolkien is that the characters and story are often aloof. While this is true, it was most likely the intention of the author to infuse an epic quality to the work. Now, for some notes on editions. For those who want to keep expenses to a minimum, the 1999 paperback edition ... is a good choice. For those Tolkien enthusiasts looking for a more durable edition, the millineum edition leaves a lot to be desired because of the binding and type face. I have come to treasure my red leather bound collector's edition. The binding has held up superbly though the fold out map is a bit cumbersome.
Rating:
Summary: The Lord of the Rings rulez!!!
Review: I have read this book in English and Dutch and I think this is the best book ever written!! The story, the characters, it's all PERFECT!
Rating: 
Summary: spellbinding fiction in a badly bound package -
Review: As a work of literature it is hard to argue that this must be one of the greatest books of the 20th century. A classic "good will always triumph over evil" tale that is exceedingly well thought through. The plot might be a little tricky to follow for youngeer readers, ( tip: keep a note pad to remember who everyone is) but the story is spellbinding. I gave it four stars because although the literature is worth five plus, the quality of this boxed set is woefully inadequate. The bindings will not last the first read and the print is way to small for such a large work. Frankly it's a piece of junk and not worth the money I had hoped that this would be a special addition to my library but instead i will give it to my 14 year old daughter in the hope that she will read it before it disintegrates. I will keep looking for something of higher quality for my bookshelves.
Rating:
Summary: "An unfortunate ode to war"? Not hardly
Review: Mr. Basu, a reviewer below, criticizes Tolkien for "glorifying war in essentially a children's book". First of all, LOTR is not a children's book. The Hobbit is a children's book. He then continues by decrying the idea that the minions of Sauron are not "reasoned with", they are simply killed. Well, of course they are. They're *evil*. Inexplicably, he proceeds to chastise the Allies for "not doing anything about Hitler". Eisenhower and Patton must be rolling in their graves. Mr. Basu then commends King, Gandhi, and Einstein. Great men, certainly. Unfortunately for him, NONE OF THEM DID A THING ABOUT HITLER! Every buck private Allied soldier who spent a day in the European Theater exceeded the accomplishments of these three combined in defeating Hitler a thousand fold. In another feat of logic, he says that "real evil can be reasoned with". Of course! Just ask 6 million reasoning, reasonable Jews! As he is evidently intentionally unaware, that would require SPEAKING WITH THE DEAD! Who were the Jewish heroes of World War II? The ones who allowed themselves to be herded off to Auschwitz and Dachau, or those of the Warsaw Ghetto, who fought bravely, against all odds, in defense of their own lives and those of their children? His sort of moronic pacifism is unfortunately prevalent. If, as Mr. Basu asserts and is certainly true, Tolkien rightly opposed it, that is only all the more reason to recommend these books. I wholeheartedly recommend reading Tolkien's works, starting of course with The Hobbit. They are one of the great achievements of 20th century literature, and will outlast any and all pretentious, "multicultural" fluff of the sort probably favored by Mr. Basu.
Rating:
Summary: The Millenium Edition
Review: This story is by far one of my favorites. I read it several times a year, so you might be suprised that I am rating it with only 2 stars! The reason it received such a low rating from me is the binding of the book, and the poor quality of the printing would not last through one of my readings. I had to send it back. I have the paperback edition and have for years, and it has held up through a lot. I was looking for something to last even longer - this was not the right choice. I was expecting much more from the Millenium edition, but I guess I should have learned not to place so much on the millenium hype. I DO recommend reading LOTR, it WILL change the way you daydream for years... but find a version that will last with those years, because you wil want to return to this story...
Rating:
Summary: Poor Printing
Review: This book was purchased as Christmas gift for our children to be read by us to them. Having previously read this book myself I wanted to share Tolkiens world with them. The story is wonderful, the illustration excellent. However,and this is the reason for the rating, the print quality is very poor and some pages are blank. I am a bit taken back by it all considering the price of the book. If you are going to spend money on this wonderful trilogy I wouldn't spend it on this book.
| 
