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Summary: A memorable & monumental marathon journey.
Review: "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy is not for everyone. If you're used to a junk food diet of contemporary easy-to-read thrillers, you'll find "The Lord of the Rings" tough going. This is no bag of high-cholesterol potato chips to be consumed in five minutes - this is a sack of solid food to be enjoyed over several evenings! Unlike the brief attractions offered by a 100-meter sprint, "The Lord of the Rings" offers the scenic adventures of a 100-mile walk. Don't misunderstand this to mean that this journey is boring. Most 100-meter sprint type novels provide only momentary and fleeting pleasure, whereas the marathon journey of "The Lord of the Rings" provides an enduring and challenging journey, with a multitude of memorable pleasures. Whose journey is it? At the face of it, it is a journey undertaken by the hobbit Frodo and his companions. Frodo possesses a most powerful ring, and the only way to prevent this ring from ever falling into the hands of the powers of evil is to destroy it - in the very heart of the kingdom of evil. "The Lord of the Rings" describes the epic journey of the ring-bearer Frodo and his companions as they journey into the heart of enemy territory to do battle with the powers of evil. If they successfully accomplish their quest, they will assure the conquest of evil by good. But it is not just Frodo who makes this marathon journey. Tolkien has an uncanny ability to ensnare the reader, so that you will find yourself not just a spectator, but a participant in the marathon mission undertaken by Frodo and friends. As you travel the journey with the ring-bearer Frodo and his company, they will become more than mere travelling companions. They will become your friends. You will feel you know them, and you will grow to love them - their joys will excite you, their sorrows will hurt you, their conquests will delight you, their failures will grief you. And it will pain you to say goodbye to them all at the end. Like the journey itself, however, participating in the journey by reading the trilogy can be tough going. At times the travelling through the words is slow and tough going. But at other times the pages fly by fast and furious with high paced action. And precisely this makes the epic journey through the treasured pages of Tolkien so rewarding. As a reader, you find yourself sharing in a very fantastic and yet very real journey, one which encompasses all of real life's emotions and experiences: sorrow as well as joy, inactivity as well as action, pain as well as pleasure. While reading, you partake in the emotions and experiences of fantasy characters - hobbits, dwarves, elves, and the like - because these emotions and experiences are distinctly recognizable - morally these characters are so much like ourselves, and we recognize aspects of ourselves in them. What's more, in the course of this long journey, you will be presented with breath-taking scenery. Tolkien has a remarkable ability to describe scenery with colour, character and clarity, so that you will visualize every tree, rock and road. By the time you are done, the setting of Middle-Earth will be as real as any place you've visited. As such, "The Lord of the Rings" is not just about a story and a journey, it is about a place. This place, you will discover, is immense and grand, because Tolkien has created cultures, histories, and languages. The vast scope of the journey and place in "The Lord of the Rings" makes it a truly epic novel. In fact, "The Lord of the Rings" has all the qualities of an epic - an immense scope, combined with a heroic and grand style. Tolkien constantly displays a mastery of the English language - the word usage at times gloriously grand, at times passionately poetic, at times wonderfully descriptive, but always amazing. Together, the vast scope and elevated style combine to create a truly epic masterpiece, so that the three volumes of "The Lord of the Rings" read like three acts of tremendously immense play, with a global cast of characters, and a worldwide stage. And as you read, you are never quite sure whether this play is going to be a tragedy or triumph, as the powers of good seek to overcome the powers of evil. This struggle between good and evil that actually makes "The Lord of the Rings" a deeply religious book. Tolkien was a devout Catholic, and although he adamantly maintained that it was written for pure entertainment and had no deeper meaning, he could not avoid being influenced by his religious background, as is evidenced by his sharp view on morality, where good and evil are viewed as moral absolutes. The epic struggle between good and evil occurs on a wider scale than in "The Hobbit", and this gives the "The Lord of the Rings" a much more serious tone, arising out of deeply rooted religious convictions. Yet the struggle of good against evil never becomes a simplistic or shallow. As in real life, Tolkien's characters have weaknesses and flaws, and are affected by their experiences - some on the side of good even being corrupted by evil. And this makes the epic struggle for truth, freedom, justice and goodness all the more stimulating as your return to real life. One cannot be unaffected by the commitment and undying devotion towards the cause of good, the undying devotion, even when it requires unselfish sacrifices to be made in the process. In this sense, those who share Tolkien's underlying Christian values will especially enjoy the epic journey he has created. But there are more ways in which Tolkien's religious insights implicitly shine through. Biblical imagery is discernable throughout, especially the king's final victory and eternal reign of peace and joy, and banishment of evil is reminiscent of the victory of Christ over the dragon in Revelation. For readers of Scripture, the images of light and happiness, the tree of life, and an eternal kingdom, will be strikingly familiar and recognizable. But you do not have to be a Christian to enjoy "The Lord of the Rings." There is nothing overtly religious about this trilogy, since the universe Tolkien creates and describes is a universe without God, where chance and fate are acknowledged as crucial players of the game, and where the conquest of evil is accomplished by the power of one's own will. This is probably exactly what we should expect from a Catholic writer. If you have never read "The Lord of Rings", you should read it if only for the fact that it is widely acclaimed as the greatest fantasy classic, equaled by none. Few have read it and failed to be affected by. If you have not yet read "The Lord of the Rings", a most distinct pleasure and experience awaits you. If you have already read "The Lord of the Rings", you likely have already been touched by it, and yet the captivation of the reading experience is far from over. That's the beauty of "The Lord of the Rings" - the epic scale of this book is so grand, that it begs to be read again and again. When you've read it once, you have the feeling that you have only just scratched the surface of something truly great. Like an amusement park with too many attractions to see in one day, "The Lord of the Rings" leaves you in constant wonder, and when you are done, you pledge to return again soon. It is this enduring quality of "The Lord of the Rings" that makes it a truly great read, a memorable and monumental marathon journey often to be repeated.
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Summary: A book that will live forever!
Review: (Over 500 reviews written, can this one help?) I came across these wonderful books (Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and Return of the King) when I was just 12yo, back in the 50's. This was before America (and everyone) discovered Tolkien -- but by great good luck my best friend was a boy who had just arrived from England, and he brought Tolkien with him. Ever since those days, I have told anyone who wanted to listen that these were among the best books ever written. "Beauties that pierce like ice..." The hippies were the ones who finally "discovered" Tolkien for America -- but I'm not sure that they really got him. As some reviewers appear not to: at one point, Tolkien presents an extremely lucid argument against pacifism (through characters & situations, of course, not through sermons)...it's a familiar argument and a good one ("What do you do when the armed murderer is coming through your window?") I have read these books many times...right now I'm trying to forget as much as I can so I can read them once more. One memorable time a young friend and I went through the whole set in a spell of reading aloud alternating with silent reading, one chapter at a time...and as always, the end came too quickly. When I was an English major in college, I used to wonder about Tolkien as well. It seemed clear to me that he would outlive all the authors that the English Department approved of (Joyce, Pound, Yeats, Eliot) -- but Tolkien was totally invisible to the academy at that time, completely disapproved of. I think that this has changed, but I suspect he's not a Great Author yet. Good! Let's never force people to read Tolkien!! :-)
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Summary: A classic, but not perfect, Tolkien isn't the God of Fantasy
Review: I know its popular to praise Tolkien as something like the God of Fantasy, but I have to dsagree. Although he did have a major hand in starting the fantasy genre (he really isn't the creator), and his books are good, their not flawless. Its true he has written a compelling series. the world is beautifully drawn and the epic involves you. The language is well-constructed and lyrical. The major strength of the series is its theme. Although Tolkien claims otherwise, his quest can be interpreted to have allegorical meanings. In my own reading, the Ring symblolizes technology, which all want; (but in Tolkien's view, and this view is apparent in his other writings) however it also corrupts. There is a beauty in the theme. There are however, numerous problems. The series is highly Eurocentric (hm.. Proud, strong, light Northerners like Aragorn; weak, corrupt dark Southerners and Easterners like the Easterlings). Not only this but Tolkien's literature is highly nostalgic and yearning for a better past when 'giants' (as in heroes) walked the land. Tolkien apparently detested change which is inevitable. And change is certainly not all bad. His characters are always bursting into song and telling great tales of the PAST while the great deeds being done at present are largely ignored or downplayed. Most annoying though, was the change of style. The beginning starts out like the Hobbit, in the sort of style that children's tales have (Tolkien even addresses the reader directly sometimes, a device almost exclusively confined to children's books or confessionals). Midway through the first book, the tone abruptly changes and we are left with a darker (and more suitable) tone that continues to grow darker and drearier. By the time Frodo was getting near Mordor I felt like kicking him, I was so tired of the author's continuous description him as weary, weak, tired, half-dead. The ending too was highly nostalgic which may be beautiful for a while but quickly grows tedious. Not a single ray of optimism shone as the Elves departed to leave the world for Man. Although this book is a must-read for fantasy enthusiasts, don't fall into the cult and think of Tolkien as the incomparable God of Fantasy without thinking about the book.
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Summary: If you ever have any reluctance to read these books...
Review: Don't give into it. These books are the work of a genius. Then again, don't be overwhelmed. The reason they are so great is because it is entirely up to you, the reader, to get out of them what you will. I read the novels for 1 thing: escape. I love to escape to my total familiarity with it (I've read it more or less every year since second grade); I love to escape to the awe inspiring storyteller (chronicler or historian is perhaps better) that Tolkien is, and thus the reality of this unreal world; and I love to escape to the honorable and strong characteristics espoused. Frodo is exceptional, surpassed only by Sam in terms of moral fibre. All of the "good guys" have incredible strength of character (a term so often batted around nowadays as a by-word for adhering to societal mores). The characters in these books are us, as we should be. It is not a utopia except in the sense that good triumphs, and the characters are good. They are human (or hobbit, elf, dwarf, even pony) and they simply act as a good human should act. This, more than anything else (yes, even the breadth of vision), make this one of my all time favorite works of art. It is a perfect way of teaching by example, and the example to me is a wonderful way to escape the things we want to forget. Read it. It will not disappoint.
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Summary: A Must Read!
Review: Probably the most profound piece of fantasy literature written in the 20th century, J.R.R Tolkien's masterpiece is the foundation of modern fantasy writing. This book is a moving, living account of a world that never was, making Middle Earth so real that one cannot help having the feeling that all else is just a dream. The characters are varied and lively and the scenes portrayed are quite breathtaking, while the action is either fast-paced or profound. Anyone who has ever enjoyed curling up with a good fantasy novel, will not only curl up but eat sleep and breathe with this text.
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Summary: An unfortunate ode to war.
Review: Tolkien was a scholar not a "writer." But since lots of great writers (Dickens, Poe, Dostoevsky) couldn't write, I'll forgive his artlessness. And he did create a wonderful, if highly eurocentric, world. But this book fails because of its incessant praise of war. The Nazis were evil because of the Holocaust. What did the Allies do to stop that? Not much (didn't even bomb the tracks leading to the death camps). War is simply evil; the sad lesson of the 20th Century is that warriors only contribute to the problem (Hiroshima) and only peacemakers fight evil effectively. (MLK, Ghandi, Einstein) Tolkein should be criticised for glorifing war because he: (1) wrote for children, is very popular, and (3)is credited with greatness. But Tolkein set up a world where war is becomes the essentially bloodless killing of evil subhumans or spirits. As in Beowulf, there's no horror, just glory. The enemies, who live in a "black and evil land" can't be reasoned with, only killed. (Contrast this with the Iliad). Real evil never works that way; Hitler came from the same people that produced Beethoven and Goethe. Speaking of which, the the book's subhumans are so gleefully killed, that one wonders how Lord of the Rings would have been received if the author were german and not british. It's too bad really. Tolkein had a magnificent imagination, made evident by the wonderful interplay between the Dwarf Gimli and the Elf Legolas--they eventually learn to overlook and finally appreciate their differences. But, given the criticism above, I can't recommend this book to anyone.
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Summary: A Glorious Masterpeice
Review: J.R.R. Tolkien's, the Lord of the Rings, is by far the greatest book ever written. It's a great follow-up to The Hobbit, which is also absolutely marvelous. If you've ever liked adventures or fantasy of any kind, I do recommend this book. Many fantasy PC games take a lot from these books.
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Summary: Reviewing the the best book i have ever read.
Review: So,when I began reading this book I thought it`s just another fantasy book.But I was mistaken the book contains so many charachters speeches and amazing things.The book in short words kidnaps you for ever you just keep reading it on and on until you get crazy from it but its just a never ending story and you never get bored from it.So if you are looking for a really good deep and awesome book.I`ll recommend this one.
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Summary: A book that can change souls
Review: Well, what to say ... this is one of the very few books that has the ability to change the reader's soul. You can read it as a late evening's pastime and you can study it as seriously as an university subject, but it won't leave you uninterested. I really admire Tolkien's imagination as in this book he has created a whole world with its own people, languages and history, a world that is in the way ours should be and probably has been a long, long time ago. Within its first ten pages Tolkien's Lord of the Rings became one of my very favourites. A really, really special one.
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Summary: One of the greatest books I've ever read!
Review: Reading the Lord of the Rings, it's easy to see why it took something like 15 years to write. The sheer scale of it is awe-inspiring. Nothing else I've ever read even comes close to the vast, intricately created world of Tolkien, complete with its own geography, flora, fauna, history and of course a fabulous cast of characters (I'm gushing a bit here, amn't I?). I first read the Lord of the Rings when I was something like 8 or 9, and it's been a couple of years since I last opened it, but so many details are still vivid in my mind - Gandalf's stand on the Bridge of Moria, the vivid battle scenes (one with comic relief as an elf and a dwarf compete to see who can kill more orcs), the horrors of Mordor, the final confrontation with the Enemy and the wistful, bittersweet final chapter. Of course, this could be partly because I've reread the whole book once at least, and certain bits more times than Barad-Dur has dungeons. The Lord of the Rings also contains many intelligent personal stories set against its vast canvas. The hero, Frodo the hobbit, tortured by the terrible burden of the Ring that he carries, the good man corrupted by its terrible power, the wise and powerful people who fall under the spell of the Enemy without realising it, the schizophrenic Smeagol/Gollum, all these and more can be found in this book. Galvanised by the oncoming release of the first part in cinemas (December of next year), I am going to read this wonderful book again soon. I suggest you read it too if you haven't, and even if you have it's well worth returning to. One last thing - if you get the appendices with this edition, read the first and second ones when you've finished for an excellent overview of events, and in particular make sure you read The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen, which further explains one of the prime motivations of an important character.
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