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Summary: Buy The Red Leatherette!!!!!
Review: There are SO many different LOTR editions out there. It's difficult to know which one to choose. If you want one that is going to hold up over time & through many readings, I say the Red Collector's edition it the best, by far. Forget all the paper backs. They may be cheaper, but by no means as durable. I was torn between the Illustrated edition & the Red Collector's edition. After looking at both of them, it was a no-brainer....the Red Leatherette wins by a Landslide!!!! The book is a nice size....not too big, yet not too little. The beautiful gold, blue & green foil embossing that embellishes the front cover, back cover, & spine add to the book's elegance. It looks like something that fell directly out of Middle-Earth and right onto your lap! The entire Trilogy along with the appendices and a fold out map are contained within the single volume. A sturdy protective slipcover is also included. A wonderful fold-out map of Middle Earth is secured inside the back cover. I have read reviews that complained about the type-set. I think that it is fine. There might be a couple places where a letter, like the top of an "a" or "e" might be a little light. But this is few & far between & does not affect one's ability to read this treasured tome. The pages are a soft white...almost like an ecru...not quite yellow, but very easy on the eyes. There are no illustrations, but they are not at all necessary. The Illustrated Edition has illustrations, but just cannot measure up to the Red Book. It's pages are a bright glossy white...harder on the eyes to read.... and although Alan Lee did some wonderful artwork, it really doesn't add too much to the tale. I am happy I purchased the Red Leatherette Collector's Edition. In addition, I also purchased the Green Leatherette Collector's of the Hobbit.It is also simply beautiful! (Read the Hobbit first. The background in it will help make LOTR make a bit more sense to first time readers.) The two collector's editions make a great set that can be treasured & enjoyed for many years to come! You won't be sorry!!!!
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Summary: one volume to rule them all...
Review: I have to admit that I hadn't read the books before the films were released. Even after seeing the first film, I wasn't a fan. However, my former roommate's enthusiasm for the series (he bought the DVD the day of its released) and a second viewing of The Fellowship of the Ring made me a convert. The books themselves astounded me with their depth, moral quality and sheer imagination. A book that I had previously associated with geeks who rolled die with more than 6 sides made me think about questions like the nature of good and evil and whatnot, all within the confines of a thrilling narrative. If you are wary about the book, check it out for yourself. Its a great read and adds even more depth to your viewing of the excellent films.
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Summary: As Tolkein would have wanted it
Review: Most everyone familiar with the Lord of the Rings Trilogy knows that its author didn't envision it as three volumes; financial realities in the publishing industry gave us the familiar three books. Now here it is in one great volume, just its author would have wished! I wish I knew how to express my joy at being able to read the saga whole in one book. For those of us whose reading experience consists of jumping back many pages to refresh our memory, or jumping forward to the appendix to remind ourselves of the vast scope of this fantasy world, the ability to do this without keeping track of three separate books is a God-send. For the first time, the story flowed seamlessly from volume to volume, without the artificial boundaries presented by three sets of front and back covers. If you read and reread the LOTR (as many of us do,) I suggest you treat yourself to the single volume experience. It's an even greater read!
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Summary: One volume to tell the tale, one book to own....
Review: When I was a teenager, I bought the Lord of the Rings boxed set -- which included The Hobbit -- and attempted to read the whole Tolkien saga over the summer. My intentions were good, but both the scope of the quest and the tiny type on the standard sized paperback defeated me. I did not so much "read" The Lord of the Rings as "skimmed" through it. Even though I got the gist of Frodo's quest to destroy the One Ring and was astounded by the narrative of the War of the Ring, I could never say with a straight face that I had read The Lord of the Rings completely. That is, until I found this one-volume edition in a trade paperback format. Even though I still had to fight off the temptation to skip through the various poems, songs and other embellishments Tolkien added to the basic "Gandalf-enlists-the-reluctant-but-brave-Hobbit-to-go-on-a-great-Quest" plot, at least with a more eye-friendly page/typeface size I could read The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King in their entirety and in a single book (which, as I found out last year, was Tolkien's intent; it was his British publisher who, for business reasons, divided the gigantic novel in three). Considering the cost of books these days, this one-volume edition is quite a bargain!
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Summary: Must Have LotR book
Review: If you have only seen the movies, you are missing out on so much that goes on in the books. They did a phenominal job of cramming all that they did into the film, but you have got to read the book. This printing of Lord of the Rings is really cool. I usually don't like movie art on book covers but the hand of Sauron with the ring is beautiful. On the inside of the dustcover is a color map of Middle Earth, very cool. I like the hardcover because it will last longer. The single volume is great because a lot of times I find myself wanting to look back at somthing that happened or a name or whatever and with the 3 volume series you may not have either of the other 2 books and be in a pickle. Plus, if you are like me and 'misplace' stuff a lot, you have 2 less books to keep track of. This would be a great starter for a Tolkien collection, (trust me, after reading 1 of his books you will be hooked) or another great copy to add to an existing one.
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Summary: .
Review: Finally, the great work is published in one volume as it was meant to be.
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Summary: One of the Best Editions of the Greatest Book of All Time
Review: I absolutely love The Lord of the Rings, and having it in a Leather Collecter's Edition makes me love it even more. It is one of the best editions of this book available, and I suggest that anybody who likes The Lord of the Rings buy this.
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Summary: BRILLIANT, STUNNING, GENIUS!!!!!
Review: I read "The Lord of the Rings" because I was involved in a stage adaptation of "The Hobbit" a few years ago. I really thought the it would basically be another version of "The Hobbit" just far more drawn out. I cant even count how many in which I was wrong. "The Hobbit" was a great book but it does not even come close to how great LOTR is. The story is gripping and the characters are fantastic, even though inner monologues are not used to describe how they are feeling. Tolkien was a story teller of genius. LOTR is a very impressive tale that, in my opinion, might have been even longer in the author's mind. The mythology that Tolkien created will live on as long as the Pagan or Norse mythologies of ages ago. "The Lord of the Rings" is STUNNING. ( But one really should read the Hobbit and maybe the Silmarillion before reading it.
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Summary: Belongs in every Tolkien fan's collection
Review: I am sure everyone is well acquainted with the story of "Lord of the Rings" so I need not spend my time explaining its greatness, but I must say this is one of the finest currently available versions of the book. Well perhaps I am wierd or not but regardless I do enjoy a well bound book. It includes as well a map in the back of the book. The print is quite legible. And the binding is fine quality. I can't remember but I believe the is an introduction of some sorts. And for what it is I believe the cost justifies its self...I hope my review has been helpful to you.
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Summary: The BEST fantasy novel of all time
Review: I was never a Tolkien fan considering how much I read, in fact, I had never heard of the Lord of the Rings until I saw it on TV. I was actully inspired to read the Lord of the Rings trilogy after reading Harry Potter, considering many thought Rowling was inspired by Tolkien, and that Tolkien was the best fantasy writer of all time. (And he is) After reading the book, I was talking about nothing else for about a week, which was a shock to my parents who thought Harry Potter was bad enough. The Lord of the Rings trilogy is breath-taking, with it's songs and poems and it's battle scenes. But the most facinating thing is the fact that Tolkien created a whole new mythlogy, which isn't very common in fantasy writers. The languages he created (Elvish and Dwarvish) took alot of dedication, and the fact that he kept on making books about the history of Middle-Earth was shocking. I highly recommend this to anyone who likes reading, and ones that are fans of the movies, I urge you to pick up a copy of the book and be introduced to the amazing trilogy that made it's mark in history!
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