Rating: 
Summary: Whaddaya Say About the book which judges..
Review: the consisitencey of the sci fi/fantasy reader and not the other way. This book was a delightful read which is masterfully woven and told. So Many great events and emotions, LOVE, HATE, DESIRE, ENVY, DESPAIR. this tale brings the reader in and makes him a companion of the companions. The lord of the rings allows you, the reader, to experience the emotions and dreams of the charachters and forbids any one person from putting it down. I read this book without interuption (other books) and am so moved, that i would like to read again from the beginning. this is a classic of its genre and definitely a MUST READ!
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Summary: An excellent novel...but be wary of reviews here
Review: It is imperative that I mention that some of the reviews here tend to give away elements of the plot. Please take my word that The Lord of the Rings is worth your time: whether you are a fantasy fan or not. Don't read all of the reviews because it's best to know as little as you can coming in. Another problem I see here is the rating. On Amazon this book should be an easy 5 overall; I can't believe it is at 4.5. For anyone that sees poor reviews and fears that the book will be a burden, I can clear things up: I believe that many readers are young when they first read this book, since they are drawn in by the magic and battle, and because of their age, they miss the great depth and craft of Tolkien. Or perhaps some others are drawn away by various complexities in the novel that make it so realistic. Give Tolkien thirty pages in this masterpiece and you will be convinced that you can not only tackle the novel, but also enjoy it. My advice is to read this special work of art. Do not pass it up. Trust me, you won't want that last page to come.
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Summary: Not all it is cracked up to be
Review: While I agree that if Tolkien had not written this series, fantasy would not be what it is today, overall I was bored with the story. I would advise for those that want to study the history of literature, to read these books. But for those that would like action and excitement... move along. It was a difficult journey to make reading "The Lord of Rings", many fine people and creatures were met and their images and personalities will be remembered. I will even go so far as to say that some friends were made. However...even sometimes we get bored hanging out with our friends.
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Summary: The Grand-daddy of them all
Review: The Tolkien series is destined to remain an all-time classic. It has touched so many people, it is obvious that very few works have left such an emotional bond with readers. Folks say they have read it many, many times. I can think of few other trilogies which have had such impact.
Rating: 
Summary: Lord Of The Rings
Review: I started reading Lord Of The Rings in primary 6 and I finished at the beginning of primary 7. It tells the story of Frodo Baggins, a hobbit. It starts by telling you that it is his birthday when some of his dwarf friends tell him their going on an adventure and they want him to come with him. They will meet many strange and wonderful cretures and people on their way. This book has to be one of the most famous ones in the world as is the author, J.R.R Tolkien actually died in the middle of writing it so his son, and he did his father proud as the ending is one of the worlds bast. I'm a harsh man so getting 4 out of 5 is pretty good, I would never give anything 5 out of 5.
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Summary: My absolute favorite book
Review: This is not a review of Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings". Its having been voted "The Greatest Book of the Millenium" here on Amazon.com says more than enough about the worth of Tolkien's work. Rather, it is a review of the several hardcover editions of this fantastic story. There are for major hardcover editions of LOTR, all published by Houghton Mifflin Co. They are essentially the same price, so I will not take that into consideration. The best of the editions (5 stars) is the blue Alan Lee illustrated version printed in Nov 1991. I have owned this book for several years, and read it three times. It is durable, beautiful, and has no flaws that I have found. The illustrations are wonderful, though most Tolkien fans will have seen these pictures before. The red edition printed in Nov 1974 is also a solid edition of the book (4 stars). It is every bit as good as the blue version, but does not have the illustrations. If you are the type of reader that prefers to leave everything to your imagination, this is the version for you. Both the blue and red versions have matching editions of "The Hobbit" (Houghton Mifflin, Sep 1997 or Oct 1973, respectively). I found both of these editions to be satisfactory. The other two major editions of LOTR - the white three-volume edition from Oct 1988 and the black seven-volume edition from Jan 2000 - are not recommended (2 stars). The print quality in both is poor, and the durability is less than that of the red and blue versions. The only advantage of these editions is portability, as the red and blue versions are single-volume and quite hefty. Ramble on....
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Summary: Impeccable Mythology
Review: Well, where did you think I got my nick? As a lover of the great fantasy novels (the Alice books, Lewis' Narnia chronicles, et al), I come always, inevitably, back to The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion -- the triptych of fantasy, without which none of what followed would be possible. (Simply look at Terry Brooks' Sword of Shannara to see what I mean. It parallels Tolkien in so many ways, it would be plagiarism if it wasn't so obviously a homage.) In thinking about the Rings saga while working on this review, I find so many things that delight and enlighten -- Tolkien's wonderful, memorable characters, his inventive Elven and Dwarvish languages, not to mention his even more inventive use of the English lamguage, his impeccably mythic story...I could go on, and I think I will! Continuing in the mythic vein for a moment, think about such creatures as the deadly, horrific barrow-wights, unseen in the story save for one clutching arm; Tom Bombadil, full of jollity and song, yet somehow wistful and a little sad at the same time; the hrm-ing, hooming, completely delightful Ents, pining for their lost wives -- that is what I mean by impeccably mythic. They all sound like stories you heard a hundred times when you were a child, as familiar as King Arthur, as spooky as Jack running from the Giant, as full of life and light, and sadness and darkness, as every adventure Dorothy ever had in Oz. Somehow, Tolkien tapped directly into what critic Burt Hatlen called the "myth-pool" with the Rings saga; his words and wonders are as intimate to us, in the archetypal sense, as our own blood and nerves. As an example, look at two key moments in The Fellowship of the Ring, where Frodo is rendered unconscious, first at the lair of the barrow-wights, then again at the high hill where his company is accosted by the ring-wraiths. In both instances, Frodo is nearly slain, and falls forward, his sword broken beneath him, calling to mind Arthur, fallen in his final battle, Achilles at Troy, or even a Biblical martyr, though that may be stretching a point. When we learn later that the Elven-king who cut the Ring-hand from Sauron's arm also fell slain with his sword broken beneath him, we know that not only is Tolkien paying close attention to detail, he understands full well that certain myths have a habit of running in cycles, and what happened to one Ring-Bearer will almost certainly happen to the next one. This is but one example of Tolkien's amazing work, which has such breadth and scope that I cannot fully convey its perfection in this short space, much as I would like to try. I will only say that if you have not read Lord of the Rings, you must; if you have read it but did not enjoy it, then there is no sense of wonder in your heart -- and may Shelob and Gollum cast you into the Cracks of Doom. (Yeah, I know it sounds silly, but it was better than the Marsh of the Dead!) And, as a simple matter of curiosity, is there anyone out there anticipating the new movie version as much as I? (At least we know it can't be worse than Ralph Bakshi's!) Remain in Light -- Phrodoe.
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Summary: Transported!! Chills on the Spine!!
Review: I can go on and on pertaining to the literary marvels which have been extensively covered by the thousands of converts of LOTR. However I have one particular observation that I previously suspected manifest in the act of reading this book. LOTR was one of the first serious books I read as a twelve year old. I was overwhelmed by the power of the story in the way that it eerily transported you into the action. Over three decades later and having read thousands of books, (fantasy fiction and other genres) I have returned again recently (my fifth time) to middle earth with one of the collectors editions;(The Red faux leather bound one).I have found that my original experience upon reading it was indeed unique and remains so. This last time, I scrutinized the construct of the yarn bit by bit and realized that Tolkien indeed used a hypnotic trick in his construct of sentences. One can begin to read and shortly fall into a vivid, clear world which unfolds from the imagination into the waking world! I don't read too many books where I will suddenly jump from the couch and exclaim "Man!!! I can almost see that!!" or something of that nature. I have visited middle earth enough times that I feel as if the members of the "Fellowship" are my comrades and I am actually having a smoke with them at Saurumans stronghold. Anyway, I have no pity to those who find this book to be boring....
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Summary: A LIFE-ENHANCING BOOK
Review: You either love it or hate it, one star or five stars, which I think says it all. Only the greatest works of fiction produce a reaction like that. I first read it as a teenager, which is the best time to read it, read Harry Potter and The Hobbit when you are a kid. Up until that point I was an an omnivorous reader and still am up to a point but most of my reading now is fantasy. Tolkien is the reason for my shift in reading habits. I gobble up the Feists, Goodkinds etc in a quest of my own. The quest is to find another Lord of the Rings but it is a quest that is destined to fail. The original and the source of all fantasy. LOTR has as much impact on its readers as the Iliad had on the ancient Greeks. I feel sadness for those who read it and find it boring. I can understand their feelings, the first time I attempted it I gave up, too many long words, too many pages, one even needed a map to guide you through the landscape. Nevertheless don't condemn a book on the grounds of boredom, Pilgrim's Progress is the most boring book you could read but it is rightly regarded as a classic and has been very influential on subsequent authors.LOTR heretics remind me of poor homeless urchins at Christmas peering through a window at a happy family opening their presents. They can't get in so they make disparaging comments about the presents. Read it again and if that does not work read it again. Suspend your critical facilities and immerse yourself in a magical world, your cares will lift and childhood will come again.
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Summary: Be careful!
Review: Unfortunately, you must be careful with these reviews. I gave this only four stars because I have never actually listened to it. I'm writing now to make sure that no one mistakes all of these reviews as pertaining to the featured product. I have heard that the Mind's Eye version is worth hearing, yet the first review I saw on this page was from Scott Truesdell villifying a totally different edition. Note the blue notices at the bottom of each review to keep you on the right track. Please do not assume that the Mind's Eye version is bad because Truesdell's review heading declares the disgracefulness of a different item.
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