Rating: 
Summary: Hail to the Chief
Review: The Lord of the Rings is hailed by many as the greatest work of modern fantasy for a reason - it is. It set the template for all that came after, and despite many valiant efforts by todays writers, it still cannot be topped.Middle Earth is as deep and believable a world as you will find, rich in background, history, people, and place. It lives and breathes along with the characters who pass through it. The tale itself is epic in scope, carrying you across vast distances and telling a story that is far older than the characters involved. It is classic good vs. evil, and it is utterly brilliant.
Rating:
Summary: The quintessential fantasy novel
Review: Can enough be said about this work of unrivaled passion and magnificence? Even those not interested in the fantasy genre should read this work, if only for its eloquent prose. In the realm of fantastic fiction Tolkien is undisputed master. His setting, rich and colorful; his characters, poignant and lifelike; his story, masterful. In his great labour, which took Tolkien the greater part of twenty years, the reader enters Endor the Middle Earth during the twilight of its Third Age (of Men and Elves), a time when the fantastic races are dwindling (elves, ents, dwarves etc.), magic is sparse and an unbelievably powerful malevolent force seeks to conquer the land. This creature, a twisted and fallen Maia (an angel-like helper of the Valar) called Sauron seeks a Ring of Power lost by him ages ago at the final battle of Barad-Dur, where the great King Isildur of the high-mannish race of Numenor, cut it from his hand. Possession of the ring would grant unrivaled power to Sauron over Middle-Earth. The ring however is lost in the great river Anduin after Isildur is ambushed by orcs crossing the river. Ages pass and the ring is found by a hobbit fisherman, Smeagol, who kills his brother Deagol for possession of it. The evil power innate in the ring turns Smeagol to thievery and he is eventually warped into a pathetically malicious creature called Gollum, who driven from his people resides with in the depths of the great Misty Mountains. Some time later another hobbit, the indomitable Bilbo Baggins, lost in the tunnels under the mountains, pursued by goblins and separated from his party of dwarves (if you haven't read "the Hobbit", read it) happens upon the ring near Gollum's lair. Bilbo, growing old, eventually gives the ring to his nephew and ward Frodo Baggins, a young hobbit just coming of age. Soon after that Frodo is visited by Gandalf the Grey, a powerful wizard and an old friend of Bilbo's. Gandalf reveals to Frodo the horrible nature of the Ring and identity of its dread creator in the land of Mordor. This sets Frodo on a journey to reach the elvish haven of Rivendell, where he might seek counsel from the great half-elven sage Elrond on what must be done about the Ring. With his servant Samwise Gamgee and close friends Meriadoc Brandybuck and Pippin Took, Frodo embarks on a harrowing journey from his pleasant and stable Shire, all the while being harried by the wraith minions of Sauron, the Nazgul. During a brief respite in the village of Bree, the companions happen upon Strider (Aragorn), a surly-looking ranger, who not only turns out to be a friend of Gandalf's but also heir to the throne of the Dunedain (Isildur's forgotten line). Aragorn protects the hobbits on their journey to Rivendell, although Frodo is wounded by the Morgul-blade of the Nazgul king, Angmar. At Rivendell, Frodo is healed by Elrond and is reunited with both Gandalf and Bilbo. At a great counsel, a decision is reached that the ring must be destroyed in the fires of Mt. Doom (the Mordoran volcano where it was forged). If the ring is destroyed, Sauron, whose power is entirely linked to it, would also be vanquished. Frodo reluctantly accepts the unenviable position of Ring-Bearer in this seemingly hopeless quest. A fellowship is created to guide and protect Frodo from Sauron and his creatures with Gandalf the Grey as its leader. With him are: Aragorn, the great Dunedain prince, Boromir, a Gondorian prince and descendant of the Dunedain, whose land is already in danger of being conquered by Sauron, Legolas, a fair elven prince from Mirkwood the Great Forest, Gimli son of Gloin, a dwarf-lord from Erebor the Lonely Mountain and Frodo's three faithful companions from the Shire, Merry, Sam and Pippin. Together the Nine Walkers (as they are called) set out to destroy Sauron's in a great quest with the fate of Middle Earth on their heads.
Rating: 
Summary: Mindblowingly overrated
Review: Is this a very good book? Yes. Was it the blueprint for most, if not all fantasy novels to come? Yes. Is it "the best novel of all time"? No. Not even close. It's bloated and overlong; for a book with such a rich plot, there are EXTREMELY long passages where nothing happens at all. The first 200 pages or so could easily be trimmed to 75. The characters rely on constant deus ex machinas to help them along with their quest. An example of this is when the small hobbit Merry faces off against the evil undead lord of the Nazgul, truly a terrifying character. Merry was lucky enough to have found the only magical blade in the world that could pierce his armor, and managed to kill him with a succession of lucky blows. At times it reads like a bad parody of itself. It's worth one read, but not three hundred.
Rating:
Summary: The granddaddy of fantasy literature
Review: Besides reinventing the entire fantasy genre and influencing generations of writers, Tolkien's tale tells one helluva story. The hobbit Frodo Baggins inherits a magical ring from his uncle Bilbo who found it in "The Hobbit". The ring grants the wearer invisibility, but it's also the Dark Lord Sauron's ring, the One Ring which binds all other magic rings and holds the heart of Sauron's power. Corrupting the wearer, it must be destroyed in the fires of Mt. Doom lest it be rediscovered by it's creator and used to conquer all of Middle-earth. Frodo-along with his trusty hobbit friends, the wizard Gandalf and a company of elves, dwarves and men from across the land, sets out on a quest to destroy the ring. Can he alone bear the burden of an all powerfull, all corrupting ring? And what parts will the heir to the throne, Aragorn; the spirits of the dead; and the twisted former ring-bearer, Gollum play in the conflict with Sauron?
Rating:
Summary: masterpiece !
Review: Beautiful ! By far the best book of the century , if not the millenium ! My favorite character is Gandalf . If you do not know who he is , read the book !!!!
Rating:
Summary: The Lord of the Rings is a spectacular literary achievement
Review: The Lord of the Rings is a triumph. Tolkien has successfully meshed a wonderful story with brilliant wording and characterization. His depictions of Middle-earth and its inhabitants are so vivid that readers can easily associate with a world that appears at once fantastic yet all too similar to our own. Not only is The Lord of the Rings Tolkien's personal crowning achievement, it is a literary work worthy of a place among the classics. Praise Tolkien.
Rating:
Summary: unbelievable
Review: I would say that Tolkien is a genius,except for the fact that genius is an understatement. He created a whole, new, extremely complex world and incredible characters and wove them all together in this great story. Call me a freak, but I've read this about 10 times since 5th grade, and I'm in 9th now. I would reccomend this to any fantasy lover. one tip, though. Don't watch the movie. The book is one million times better.
Rating:
Summary: It was outstanding
Review: As you follow Frodo the Hobbit and his many friends, such as Gandalf the wizard and Gimli the dwarf, you start to develop a real feeling for the charectors. It was wonderful!
Rating:
Summary: The book that started it all...
Review: From the Earth you know to the Middle Earth you get to know so well, Tolkien does such a great job of making it all real that you forget which one you're in! Only after reading it do you realize how great it was; I know now why some parts seemed to drag on so much: you *really* travel the journey with the heroes -- and because the journey is long and ardorous, the reading sometimes seems as such. Every bit counts and every page speaks a thousand pictures! One of the best books ever written.
Rating:
Summary: IT IS NOT A TRILOGY!
Review: I have enjoyed reading the accolades posted here for Tolkien's great romance, but I feel that I must make it known that The Lord of the Rings is NOT a trilogy! It is a single story divided into six books. The three separate volumes were necessary due to the original publishing costs. My feelings about the book can be found below.
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