Rating: 
Summary: A classic.
Review: A classic that is still a masterpiece today. A must read for any fantasy reader.
Rating:
Summary: Fantasy for adults? Odd, but true.
Review: I just finished reading this book yesterday, and it is hands down the best fantasy novel I have ever read. I know the idea of reading an almost 1,000 pg. book seems a little daunting at first, but all I could think of once I finished was that it was TOO short!! A few words of advice. First of all, this <unlike the Hobbit> is definatly NOT a children's book. It gets down to the nitty-gritty of Middle Earth, and parts of it are just plain morbid. It take's a lot of maturity to understand this book in it's entirity. I'm fourteen, and I sure that parts of it even went over my head. Here's the second part of my advice. LOTR is not one of those books that you skim through just to find out what happens on the next page. Tolkien shows his genius on every page, so slow down and enjoy it! Also, reading this book slowly will help you to get completly immersed in it. You know you're reading it slowly enough when you start to absent-mindly write "Ash nazg" on everything possibe, or the name "Luthien" pops into your head at random times.
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Summary: If I were stuck on a desert island...
Review: ...and could only have one book, it would be THE LORD OF THE RINGS. (Tolkien always considered it one book, split into 3 parts by the publisher.) THE HOBBIT, aimed at a little younger audience, is nonetheless an enchanting prelude to the more "grown-up" LOTR. Definite "must-read" books!
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Summary: The quintessential book set of the beloved Tolkien trilogy
Review: First, a note on the quality of the set itself. This is just a simple boxed set, paperback cover, no illustrations or anything, just the quintessential set for someone who wants to read the books. This set also includes The Hobbit, the prequel that actually started the whole thing. Return of the King, volume III, DOES contain the appendixes, by the way. As for the book material itself, it's very difficult to describe the wonder and awe of the fantasy series by J.R.R. Tolkien. Tolkien weaves a fantastic tale of fantasy, adventure, and suspense that strikes a chord in anyone. The "Tookish" side that makes anyone want to travel, to journey, to have adventures and see or commit brave acts of valor. The basic plot is Frodo Baggins, simple hobbit (if you don't know what hobbits are, you either need to forget reading these books or start reading immediately! :) ) from the peaceful land of The Shire inherits a simple Ring from his uncle, Bilbo Baggins. Through the counsel of Gandalf the Grey, traveling wizard and friend of the hobbit-kind, Frodo comes to know that this is more than just a Ring. It is The One Ring. The Ruling Ring forged by the Dark Lord Sauron ages ago. Taken in battle, the Ring passed through different owners, almost all of whom have given in to its evil influence. Hobbits, however, though small in stature have extraordinary resilience to such evils. Frodo takes the Ring, and bears it away from The Shire, along with his four hobbit friends Sam, Merry and Pippin. He joins parties with Strider the Ranger, who assists in a conflict with the Nazgûl, the dark phantom servants of the Dark Lord, whose sole purpose is to recover the Ring for Sauron, that He may again rule all lands in darkness. The company reaches the protected stronghold of Elves, Rivendell. There is take counsel, where The Fellowship of the Ring is formed. Great conflict lies ahead in the land of Middle-Earth, and you'll just have to buy this set to find out what happens! Now a major motion picture trilogy from New Line Cinema, these books and the movie give wings for the imagination to soar into worlds far away, to dreams of heroes, conflict, beauty, grandeur, fantasy.
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Summary: Words of Beauty Beyond Belief
Review: A couple of years ago, in a large chain bookstore, I saw a sign listing the best-selling books for Christmas that year. The first eight were contemporary works that will be forgotten in a few years, if they are not forgotten already. The ninth was The Hobbit -- a book over 60 years old! What I was witnessing was the judgment of History: Missing from the list were books by those 20th-century authors that people are forced to study as "great literature": Steinbeck, Faulkner, Hemingway, and so forth. If it were not for literature classes in school, very few would read them any more. But Tolkien still sells after 60 and more years. History is judging Tolkien the greatest of 20th-century English-language authors. And if The Hobbit qualifies as literature, The Lord of the Rings possesses surpassing greatness, as much above The Hobbit as a glorious sunrise surpasses a pretty candle. The question is, "Why?" What makes this work such great literature? Some like the characters, but many find the characters rather shallow. Others like the plot, but the plot itself is rather simple -- a variation on the standard fantasy storyline, "Kill the evil wizard." Still others point to the immense fantasy world that Tolkien created, but this same world is the setting for Tolkien's Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales, and few rave about them as great books. Finally, some give Tolkien credit for inventing what might be called the adult fantasy genre -- but Tolkien himself depended heavily on Germanic mythology and folk tales, and other authors published 20th-century adult fantasy before he did. What sets The Lord of the Rings above other fantasy is the beauty of the words. In a world where authors [write] books on word processors by bringing in generic paragraphs and changing a few details to fit the work at hand, this trilogy stands as a work where each word was carefully selected and crafted over a period of many years. The result was Art, in the truest sense of the word. The breathtaking beauty of Lothlorien, the awesome frightfulness of the Pillars of the Kings, the violent, clamorous action of the attack on the gate of Minas Tirith -- these are images painted in words by a true genius. Other fantasy writers may create characters or plots the equal of Tolkien's, but they do not describe them with the beauty that he writes. So overwhelming is the beauty of the words that people miss some points that would be painfully obvious in the writing of lesser authors. Some claim that there is no character development in the story; they must miss the change that happens to Gimli the Dwarf in Lothlorien when he falls in love with Galadriel. That is not to be wondered at, however, as the very beauty of Lothlorien so overwhelms the reader that one just might miss what is happening to Gimli at the time. Others claim that The Lord of the Rings is simply a story and has no deeper or fuller meaning than that, and Tolkien himself said repeatedly that the work was not an allegory. Allegory it is not, but "deeper meaning" fills The Lord of the Rings. For example, Tolkien wrote in the Song of the Eagle (in chapter 5 of the second part of The Return of the King): the people should "sing and rejoice" because "the Black Gate is broken, and your King has passed through, and he is victorious," and "your King shall come again...." Upon seeing this, the reader thinks that the King being referred to in that song is Tolkien's character Aragorn; but that only shows how the incredible beauty of the words transports the reader so completely into Tolkien's universe that references to our own are simply missed. The Song of the Eagle is Christian imagery -- an Easter proclamation -- and The Lord of the Rings is laced throughout with such Christian typology and symbolism. But such is the quality of the writing that the reader usually misses it completely, and if it is noticed, it is never insulting or preachy. Tolkien's work is thus able to have an intense "deeper meaning" without boring the reader with it. It is the beauty of the writing that elevates The Lord of the Rings above other fantasy works, and nearly all other writing, of the last century. Hundreds of years from now people will judge this trilogy as the greatest English-language fiction work of the 20th century. If you can endure reading fantasy at all, do not miss this one. You will never see another that is close to its equal.
Rating: 
Summary: The lord af the box set
Review: If you like the lord of the rings then this box set is a must buy. It is like buying 4 books for the price of 3.5. Now thats one sweet bargin. I realy like the lord of the rings books. but I like them even more when they come in a box. If you like books that come in a box and if you like The lord of the rings then you better buy this box set. It is a once in a lifetime opertunity. Do not pass it up, or you will regret it for the rest of your entire life.
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Summary: A thrilling and adictive Book, Better than Harry Potter!!!
Review: This Book is about a laid back hobbit named Bilbo Baggins. He never wanted to have any adventures of any sort. Until one day a wizard named Gandalf, Came over to ask Bilbo to go with him on a quest. Bilbo refused of course how could a small little hobbit do on a large quest. Though the next day Gandalf showed up with 13 dwarves and persuaded him to come along on a long journey. Bilbo was my favori te character at the end of the story but towards the begining he was always scared and mostly just watch things happen. I also liked Gandalf he always came through for his compainions. My favorite dwarf would have to be Balin he always liked Bibo and tried to always look on the bright side.The best parts of the books would have to be the battles they where so detailed you could picture in a blink of a eye.I suggest that everyone that liked the movies of the "Fellowship of the Ring" and "Two Towers" should read this book after you do the movies make much more sense.Its a great and magical book and everyone sould read it.
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Summary: Tolkien 's finest works of literature
Review: Wow, I think that Mr.Tolkien had a wonderful imagination. I am a 12 year old fan of his books. Right now I am finishing up the third book, The Return of the King. In The Hobbit ,I enjoyed the part in which Bilbo finds the Ring of Power and plays the riddle game with Gollum.
In the Lord of the Rings trilogy, I was really excited when I got to the chapters: Helm's Deep, and The Black Gate Opens.
These are all wonderful books, so I suggest that everyone read these tales.
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Summary: The best books in the history of mankind
Review: I LOVE FORD OF THE RINGS! Anyone who says that the books are boring didn't give them enough time. When I read the fellowship of the ring the first time, I put it down. Then a few years later I picked it up again and I was hooked. I loved the entire series. I also loved the Hobbit. If you read the books and get bored, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE keep going. They get better. Much better! Once you've finished the Fellowship, you won't be able to stop. These are my favorite books and often when I get bored I pick one of them up and start reading for the hundreth time.
Rating:
Summary: the best book ever
Review: i dont read very many books however these books were great. these books were much better than the harry potter series. i just coudnt stop reading them. im in ninth grade and i would stay up until i coudnt keep my eyes open. and then woudnt want to go to school in the morning. not becuase i was to tiredbut so i could read more of these books. you gotta read em if you havent yet. they really are the best.
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