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Summary: Epitome of the Epic Fantasy
Review: Tolkien's trilogy will keep you spellbound page after page. The amount of detail concerning people, places, and events in Tolkien's Middle Earth is phenomenal. The overall plot is well thought out and includes characters and events with which everyday people can relate. There are so many things I can say about Tolkien's trilogy, but to limit it to one: The Lord of the Rings is the BEST fantasy that has EVER been written upon the face of terra firma.
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Summary: Why this is a great book
Review: I pity the handful of reviewers below who believe they have "outgrown" Middle Earth. No doubt they are like those readers who have outgrown Dickens or Wordsworth or any other great writer who retains a child-like (*not* childish -- a very different thing) sense of wonder.I have just finished reading The Lord of the Rings for perhaps the sixth or seventh time since first encountering it at the age of 12. At 40, it moves me as much as ever, but in different ways. I now appreciate the deep sadness behind the adventure far more than I did as a boy, when I didn't understand that all that is most precious to us does indeed pass away, and that we can only hope to find our own Grey Havens at the end of a long and perilous journey. I want to add just one thing to the many excellent comments below: I believe that what is in many ways the whole key to Tolkien's creation is the juxtiposition of the Shire with the epic world beyond its borders. The Shire represents everything that is solid and stable and rich about so-called "ordinary" domestic life. But part of its richness depends on the possibilties for grand adventure that lie beyond its borders. The fire in the well-tended hearth at Bag End burns all the more brightly because of the shadows of the Old Forest, and the deep night of Moria, and the looming darkness of Barad-dur. There is more hobbit than hero in almost all of us, but the essence of Tolkien's genius is displayed when he reminds us that there is a hero hiding somewhere deep within even the most timid hobbit. Ultimately, the only real test of literature is whether it lasts. And the works that last are those that speak to the deepest fears, desires, hopes, and imaginative needs of the reader. To the skeptic and cynic who dismisses Tolkien, no better reply can be given than the hundreds of reviews below, that illustrate how this book has meant more to countless readers than perhaps any other work of imagination written in the last 50 years. That is the true test of greatness -- and by that test The Lord of the Rings is a truly great book.
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Summary: By any measure, LORD OF THE RINGS is a classic
Review: There can be no finer gift you could give your loved ones for the holiday: a terrific, ripping-good read that also happens to be a classic. Here's why: This is a book that proves timeless in its themes, prose, and power. Indeed, the universally recognized construct of good vs. evil has been the crown jewel of all stories since Genesis. Humanity itself is reflected in this dynamic, and the drama unfolds in Tolkien's pages with a grace and fury uncommon to the genre. His tale of the diminutive, peaceful Hobbits placed against a frightening array of evil forces and corruption is one that reaches deep, clenching your heart. It is compelling because of its verisimilitude. We all wish for our heroes to be brave but to find valor in such an unexpected place is lyrically pure beyond means. Call it 'fairy tale' or what you will-- LOTR is a literary masterpiece, easily qualified by its keen portrayal of endurance against adversity. But it has many other strengths. Consider that the civilizations, cultures, and history as devised by Tolkien are the product of decades of careful research into Anglo-Saxon and Gaelic myth. They seem real because they are drawn from a felicitous past. Painstaking effort provided the invention of real languages and alphabets for his Elves and Dwarfs. His erudition inspires awe. By great leaps of his imagination, he gave Middle-Earth an authentic backdrop of mythical deities, battles, natural wonders, and poetry. "I've always preferred history to fiction," Tolkien is quoted as saying. Indeed, he has provided such a rich explication of this past that the narrative takes on a substance unmatched in modern fantasy. This masterful portrait of high romance and adventure stands apart. The Lord of the Rings has been voted "Book of the Century" by Britain's largest reader survey (not once but TWICE). In the 60's & early 70's here in the United States it defined a generation. As C.S. Lewis once said of his friend's work: "Here are beauties which pierce like swords or burn like cold iron." A more fulfulling, deeply-layered work you could not ask for.
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Summary: Too Much Singing
Review: This is one of the most acclaimed works in modern literature. Not a bestseller when it was first published, it slowly gathered a cult following which then grew into universal popularity. Millions of people have read this series and I wanted to be one of those millions. I was told by other readers how great this series is, a great story, etc. After reading "The Hobbit" I attempted to read "Lord of the Rings". Earlier this year I read the first two books but I didn't finish the third. To be honest, I found the first two books a bit of a trial as well. To me the story was slow and meandering. I thought there was too much singing, which lulled me. I found Sam pretty annoying too. I would hate to have him following me around all the time. Everything seemed a bit sugar sweet. I will concede the story was written well and had some good moments, like the flight from the Black Riders and the Balrog in the Mines of Moria. But a lot of the story was just people travelling here and there in a way that seemed repetitive: characters coming to yet another forest, another mountain, another dark cavern. I felt a bit guilty that I wasn't enjoying the story the way everyone else had. But I have heard of other people who have similar feelings. The well-known fantasy and science fiction writer Michael Moorcock described "Lord of the Rings" as "Winnie the Pooh" posing as an epic. People have described how the defeat of Sauron is accomplished too easily. After building up to the momentous climax through hundreds of pages, the Dark Lord is vanquished in a couple of paragraphs. I really like the artwork that illustrators have done over the years based on Tolkien's work .I even have a Tolkien 1999 diary. But I wouldn't call myself a die-hard Tolkien fan. I prefer science fiction to fantasy so I have generally stuck to that.
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Summary: Even if you think you hate fantasy - you will LOVE this book
Review: I have read this book at least 8 times. There are few books out there that are good enough to go back to time and time again. It is a true classic, designed to delight readers of all ages, sexes and backgrounds. Full of humor, terror, pathos, romance, bravery; the list goes on and on. I never read any other fantasy books, they pale in comparison. Tolkien has created a story with so much depth and intricate details that it seems more like a true tale out of our own ancient history. No one should miss reading this book!
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Summary: Epic.
Review: Maybe not one for the literary intelligensa but a masterpiece to the common man. Epic, poetic, heroic - its all of these 'ics' and more. The Lord of the Rings is the only modern fantasy tale that can compare to Homer's great works.
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Summary: Not as good as everyone seems to think
Review: I don't know why so many people like this book so much. I guess it's just because they haven't read any better fantasy books. Personally, I found The Lord of the Rings to be very boring. It started out ok, but it goes on and on with nothing interesting ever happening. There were some interesting moments, but nothing to make the book really worth reading. The overwrought description drags on for way too long, and the way the war is described makes the whole story seem like some kind of weird dream rather than a real war. You don't really get a sense that anything is at stake for the main characters. In my oppinion, Magician and A Game of Thrones are way better than this. Stay away unless you like you fantasy slow and boring.
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Summary: I've read this book 20-30 times; it just gets better and bet
Review: The greatest book of the millenium, without a doubt. Tolkien has written a tale that is so vast as to be mind-boggling. Read it today and be amazed!
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Summary: Tolkien's masterpiece ruined on CD
Review: I agree with Martin Steen, who reviewed this below. The Mind's Eye dramatised 9 CD version is truly awful. The people who produced this obviously didn't have a clue. The character's voices were ridiculous : Frodo with an American (!) accent, other hobbits with a ludicrous screeching/gurgling sound, elves with voices like Mickey Mouse....pathetic. If you want to listen to a good audio adaptation of Lord of the Rings, try the BBC version. It features REAL actors of the highest calibre, such as Ian Holm, the late Michael Horden and Robert Stephens, and many other revered thespians. More importantly, it captures the spirit of Tolkien's books with just the right mixture of heroic suspense, magic, humour, and awe. I've had the 13-tape box set for years and have listened to it many, many times. I wish they would release this version on CD. Anyway, in closing, I'd like to warn fellow Tolkien fans to steer clear of the 'Mind's Eye' American production...I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.
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Summary: Majestic in scope and detail..
Review: There are 300 some-odd other reviews detaling the plot of the story already, so I'll keep this short. If I had the choice of staying here on the Earth of today or venturing into Tolkien's Middle-earth, I'd take Tolkien's vision in a heartbeat. Call it escapism at it's finest. If you want to share a story and perhaps some pipeweed with the hobbits, sing and run through the forests with the elves, delve underneath mountains with the dwarves, and, of course, tag along with the greatest wizard of them all, Gandalf, this is the world waiting for you when you open the cover. Walk through the green grass of the Shire, stare up at a starry sky at Elrond's, climb over the Misty Mountains(don't forget to bring a coat), ride down the River Anduin and visit the lady Galadriel in Lothlorien. Marvel at the horse's ridden by the people of Rohan, visit the grand city of Minas Tirith..ah well, yes..getting a tad carried away here, but you get the idea I'm sure..so.. Come on in and live the adventure of a lifetime, you won't be sorry you did....
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