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Summary: The Greatest Work of Fiction Ever Published
Review: Short of religious holy books I can think of no book ever published that has had such a profound effect on so many people. Spanning language, culture, and time, the Lord of the Rings embodies what is both evil and good, what it is to experience the journey of life, and to recognize the worth in living as a good person. That's all it is. Simple and direct. Far from preachy, Tolkien's masterpiece blooms with vivid imagery and complex characters all alive in a world so detailed that you'd swear he was recounting history.There are hundreds of reviews here and I'm sure many people will say things more nobly than i shall but the true magic of these books is in the way it transforms people who read it. Though I cannot begin to understand how it happens, The Lord of the Rings seems to make its readers more aware of the value of virtue. It can sleep inside of you for years or change your life by the end of the first book. What it will do for you individually I cannot guess though I know it is always for the better.
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Summary: Great writing, not so binding.
Review: This jewel will open the box of your imagination. Sometimes we are so entertained with the mundane that our imagination darkens in disuse. Tolken awakes the child like quality of our imagination with a dreamlike world with heroes, wizards, battles, and quests of epic consequence. The great Aragorn, the feeble hobbits and the rest of fellowship interwoven in a quest that defines the ultimate fate of the world. Hermoso! As for the book binding quality, it is not as it should be for this book. I had to glue it together twice.
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Summary: A rule by which all other fantasy novels are measured
Review: The Lord of the Rings consists of three parts, that is The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King. It tells the story of the halfling Frodo Baggins, who receives a magic Ring of Invisibility from his uncle Bilbo (see The Hobbit). Frodo discovers that the ring has the power to control the entire world and, he discovers, to corrupt its owner. Joined by fellow hobbits, dwarfs, elves, and men he goes on a mission to destroy the Ring by casting it into the fires of the Crack of Doom where it was forged. Their mission is opposed by Sauron and his evil Black Riders. In summary the book recounts the Great War of the Ring and the closing of Middle-Earth's Third Age. It is a time men rise to dominance and the magic of old begins to fade. The book is exciting, detailed, filled with diversity of scenes and characters. Tolkien's masterpiece is exhaustive and it is difficult to imagine another fantasy novel being it's equal. I recommend this work for anyone who appreciates skillful writing.
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Summary: A wonderful series of books. Tolkien is the best!
Review: The tale continues with the heir of Bilbo from "The Hobbit." Though this series of books ("The Fellowship of the Ring," "The Two Towers," and "The Return of the King") is a continuation of "The Hobbit", it is definitely designed for a more adult audience. That is not to say that the reader (or listener) will not thoroughly enjoy the tale as J.R.R. Tolkien has an uncommon ability to weave a story. I read this series of books about 25 years ago over a two week period. As these are lengthy books (really not lengthy enough) and I am no speed reader, it should tell you how engrossing they were. Every year since then I have read these books again. When I discovered a box under the tree from my sister, I was delighted to find the BBC dramatization of these books on CD. The BBC did a wonderful job with this story. It almost feels as if you are there with Frodo and the rest of the Fellowship of the Ring. So go and join with Frodo and the fellowship and have yourself a merry adventure. Check it out before the first part of three movies based on this book is released December 2001.
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Summary: One Quibble: The Book is Too Short
Review: I must agree with the reader/reviewer who cautioned others about relying too heavily on Amazon reviews about this book. I believe that Tolkien's TLOTR is certainly the best fantasy novel ever written and probably one of the best in the English language. I have read the book some 27 times, at least once a year since I first read it in 1973, and I find it even more fascinating as time goes on. On each reading, I find something that I did not see before, not only lessons in literature but life as well. It is a wonderful book. Not perfect, by any means, but nearly as perfect as one can get in a novel. I have to agree with Mr. Tolkien, though: the book is too short.
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Summary: Quite simply the greatest fantasy book I've ever read!
Review: I first read Tolkien's masterpiece when I was 11 years old in secondary school from the library; I was instantly hooked and have re-read it a few more times, the latest being about 5 years ago (I'm 26) and each time I read it, it appears fresh and there is always something new to be savoured and discovered. The language Tolkien uses is superb and very noble and elegant, biblical almost, and it is language unfortunately not seen very often in more modern books. The central plot of the book is a wonderful battle of Good versus Evil but the real delight is in the myriad characters and landscapes inhabited by all sorts of mythical creatures that Tolkien so evocatively describes in his amazing world. Parts of the book are deeply comic, moving, tragic, exciting, joyous... The cast of main characters is also epic: Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, Gandalf, Boromir, Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas....etc. etc.! Each of these is different... Anyway, I have read quite a few other fantasy works since then as I am an avid reader and I can honestly say that, at least in my experience, no fantasy book comes near Tolkien's magnus opus in terms of scope, greatness, characterisation, grandeur; in fact, most are plane rip-offs of Tolkien! The only other fictional work I have read which is comparable is Dune by Frank Herbert but even that is not quite as good!
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Summary: The only way "The Lord of the Rings" should be published
Review: Everything positive about this novel has long since been said; suffice it to say it is brilliant. This review, however, refers specifically to the version illustrated by Alan Lee. His paintings are masterful and capture the true essence of Tolkien's imagination. Furthermore, the book itself is printed on outstanding glossy paper, and the binding has proved remarkably durable. Whether you are reading this novel for the first time, or the fiftieth, this is the version you want. While it is a bit pricey, it truly captures the romance of the novel in a way no other edition could possibly equal.
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Summary: Simply Fantastic
Review: These books have to be some of the best books I have ever read. They are both sad and funny, light-hearted and deep. I laughed out loud in some parts and I cried at others. I could go on and write forever about these books, but I think it can be summed up with these words: The best books I have ever read.
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Summary: If you only the POWER of the RING!
Review: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do yourself a favor and read 'the hobbit' first as lord of the rings is NOT a trilogy but a FOUR BOOK series and it begins with The Hobbit. If you don't and plunge right into Fellowship Of the Rings you will be lost to the allure of the ring of confusion. Be forewarn! READ THE HOBBIT FIRST!
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Summary: The Lord of the Rings (Millennium Edition)
Review: How can you go wrong? This is the Lord of the Epics. A classic tale of Good versus Evil. The Lord of the Rings is THE essential Fantasy lovers read. A Classic! Likewise the Millennium Edition has been returned to it's ORIGINAL six volume set and they've added a seventh Reference volume! This is a must for any serious Tolkien afficianado! A Timeless Classic encased in it's original splendid glory!
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