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Summary: Are there any fitting words...?
Review: I've read it over 20 times cover to cover. I call it my bible. It is the only one of all my books which I put in a protective jacket.All I can say is that I wish I could forget I've read this book, just so I'd have the pleasure of reading it again for the first time...
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Summary: I choose The Lord of the Rings as theme for english exam
Review: I took the English edition of "The Lord of the Rings" by J.R.R.Tolkien as theme of my English class exam. After presenting a synopsis of the marvelous story, I concluded:"I read this book because I read it before in Hebrew and I liked it. I thought it will be easier for me to read in English a book that I read before in Hebrew. I have already read all books by tis author that have been published in Hebrew. I am waiting for the diligent translator to translate the plenty of the books by Tolkien that have not been translated yet. I have already recommended my friends this book. Stav Ofer, Israel
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Summary: This Book Is Magnifecent!
Review: This is the best book I've ever read
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Summary: Superb, exciting, unforgettable
Review: I just finished reading The Lord of the Rings for the first time, and what can I say? It was amazing. I'm not a die-hard fantasy fan and I expected to be somewhat bored by the books, but I most definitely wasn't. For those who complain that the books are slow-moving and boring, then I suggest that you get yourself an attention span and learn what real literature is all about. Because one of the things that surprised me most about the books is how well they are written, from a literary standpoint. They are incredible! I will never forget the characters and the adventures they went through. I cannot recommend this trilogy enough, and I definitely plan to read it again...and again...and again. The movies are only going to make it that much sweeter, if they live up to expectations. I am extremely glad that I had the pleasure of reading this enthralling work of fiction in my lifetime, and I would suggest that everyone else should do so. If you don't, you are really missing out on a great experience.
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Summary: AWESOME!!!
Review: This is a great book for all ages! It is very long, which sometimes can be hard to take, but great none-the-less. Its worth the money!! Oh one word for all those people who thought the book was racist etc. Consider the date it was written, it was written in the 40's ad 50's! So cut the book some slack for crying out loud.
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Summary: The Big - Bang of Epic Fantasy
Review: Are we worthy of such a book ? If you read it, you will understand why all fantasy and fiction books of the 20th century simply repeat its scenes, heroes and language. Simply magnificent. Read it.
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Summary: World has depth, style no longer current, a timeless message
Review: It is a very good book, but only understandable if read after the less serious book, The Hobbit. For members of Generation X, I would like to recommend the book, even though it is not written in a contemporary style. The Lord of the Rings initially caught on for reasons I can only guess. My theory: The fears of a generation living in the nuclear age (One ring = Raw Power Used irresponsibly-- The Bomb etc) were defeated symbolically in a mythically based story, written by a man who would, were he alive today, most likely be a member of the Green Party. I read the Hobbit and LOTR while in high school in the mid-70's, a few years after the great Tolkein craze had settled down. I have reread them frequently since then. Here are the story's strengths: A world you can picture because it is so thoroughly and lovingly described. A clean story. No profanity. No sex. Some romantic love a la Sir Walter Scott. The battle and combat scenes are full of energy, but not graphic/gory detail of spilled entrails and vomiting blood. Good versus evil, corruption of the greedy, tragic loss of life. Heroes you can identify with somewhat, i.e. the Hobbits. Because they are the least powerful, through them the sense of danger is vividly portrayed. Magic that is not really explained, but that adds a sense of wonder to the tale. Here are weaknesses, when measuring LOTR against contemporary fantasy: Does not dig deeply into very many characters' minds. One of the advantages of the current fantasy offerings at the quality end are the depth of characterization. You only get to know a few of the primary characters very well. Too dependent on Appendices for detail that explains the "political" situation. You never get enough detail on the Ring Wraiths or Sauron, though they are certainly vivid in their personification of pure, unadulterated evil. Not PC as it was way pre-PC, like many other good books.(See Huckleberry Finn.) When all is said and done, many contemporary fantasy writers have improved upon Tolkein's introduction of heroic fantasy into fine novel form, or used the genre as a back drop for what would otherwise be simple dramas, similar to what SF writers have often done. The best thing about this series, all four books, is that you can share them with children. Far too many current fantasy books in the swords and sorcery genre are simply too graphic, albeit well written, for consumption by young audiences. For those who ascribe racist and anti-woman complaints to JRR Tolkein, please remember that in the 1920's through 1950's, when the work was going through various stages of development, the cultural context that we currently accept was hardly the normal outlook of a university educated Englishman. And remember, _for centuries_, Europeans had feared not Black/Negro invaders, but rather tan Turk/Arab/Moorish moslem invaders who were a real "threat" to Christendom--for centuries!! This shared cultural perception made portraying the Southrons and Orcs as swarthy/dark skinned made easy identification of bad guys for a 1950's British audience, far better than for our enlightened, and lately 'politically correct' _American_ cultural world view. And oh by the way, women had only had the vote for one generation at the time of initial publication, and the feminist activism of the 60's was yet to make deep changes to American, and lately European, cultural norms. Yet Prof Tolkein's Galadriel preceded Maggy Thatcher as a strong female leader under pressure, in position of power if not in style, and both Elrond and Aragorn descended from "interracial" marriages. So put the PC histrionics on the shelf for a few days, enjoy a well told story of high fantasy, and share its positive aspects with your friends and/ or children. You will enjoy it, even if it does not turn you into a foaming-at-the-mouth advocate like some of the reviewers below.
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Summary: Glorious!
Review: I first read this in 1981 and have read it over again about 13 times. I just love it. It takes the reader places never before imagined. The characters become lifelong friends, the places become real. It seemed like I could just step through the pages and visit Middle Earth. Nobody does it better than Tolkien.
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Summary: BREATHTAKING!
Review: When I try to put my opinion of this amazing novel in a matter of characters I falter. It is absolutely impossible for me to truley express what i feel about this ingenius story. The fact that Tolkien created a whole world, languages, and many a species and people is enough to be inspired to explore what the author started. My curiosity does not stop though. I was forced to imagine many aspects of this world and once you read this you will find yourself doing the same. IF YOU DO NOT LOVE THIS BOOK WHEN YOU READ IT THAN I PITY YOU!
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Summary: IS THERE REALLY ENOUGH PRAISE FOR THIS BOOK ?
Review: For me, there cannot be enough praise for Tolkien and for his masterpiece. Indeed, I believe his work is the foundation of all fantasy and most scince-fiction ever written after it, and do not tell me that even the Star Wars Trilogy did not borrow themes from Tolkien's work! Tolkien was a master. The depth of his imagination, the elegance of his language and the sensitivity of his style is unparalleled by any other author since. Some day, thousands of years from now, archaeologists of the future will discover a copy of this book and I am sure they will believe it is the cornerstone of a lost mythology, it is so rich in detail, so complete in every aspect... I wish Mr. Tolkien was still alive, so I could in some way express my gratitude to him for writing such a masterpiece.
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