The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings

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Summary: Most Important and Fantastic Book Written EVER!
Review: I first read these books about 15 years ago. I have read them at least once a year ever since. I have read them from the perspective of every character in the books, and have always discovered things that "weren't there the last time I read them". My newest pleasure was reading them aloud to my partner every night until we finished them (took seven months). And so another Tolkien fan was born. I have six different sets and am always looking for the next set. These books will stay with me throughout my entire life. The enjoyment I derive from them is boundless!

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Summary: Best Books Ever! Not only for Adults.
Review: Hey, Im only 11 but I still Know a good book when i see one! Im new in the fantasy thing but i love it! ive read the Narnia Books and they were good, I read Harry Potter and they were good but this was great even though im only on The Two Towers its a great storie... Get this book if you like fantasy!

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Summary: Most perfect collection
Review: To give somebody The Hobbit without including The Lord of the Rings is just cruel. In Bilbo (The Hobbit) we find an ordinary man, to whom just about anyone can relate, who in extraordinary circumstances shows extraordinary perserverence. He actually wins the day simply by being himself. In Frodo ( The Lord of the Rings) we find a much more youthful individual and have the great joy of watching him mature into a world class leader. There are just too many good things to say about these books to list here. But I will say this: The Hobbit is a must read for all and if you even have the smallest liking for it then you must continue on to the Lord of the Rings.

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Summary: The greatest story ever told (besides the bible that is)
Review: A war between good and evil, armies of light and dark, a story of elves, dwarves, hobbits, man, and creatures of the dark. As great evil spreads accross the land it is up to a fellowship of nine to inspire hope. Songs are sung about heroes, fate, and destiny. Truly the most epic of all stories in the last 1000 years! A great read that will ignite your imagination.

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Summary: The Lord of the Rings
Review: The Lord of the Rings was absolutely incredible. I am but 13, and yet I got so hooked on it. I will not be the least bit suprised if I read this series ten times over. I love the way that Tolkien describes things in this book; his analagies(can't spell) are absolutely genius. I highly HIGHLY reccomend everyone read this series! You can get so easily involved with the hobbits and the valient(i can't spell, okay? I mean Val-yent)men of Gondor, and the Riders of the Mark, and such of all the halflings. Tolkien does an excellent job, and the plot could not have been better. I believe there is like 1008 pages or something, but I promise you in not one page was I bored. I give him 6 stars, if you will. Well, I've said enough, now read it!

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Summary: Fantastic myth or Mythic Fantasy?
Review: In the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings Trilogy Tolkien has done more than spin a great story. Few of the reviewers that I have read here would disagree with this statement. However, there are many statements about how it's "hard to believe it's pure fantasy." With this I must take exception: Tolkien was first and foremost a scholar. His mastery of the myths and legends of the historical peoples of the British Isles is second to none. He weaves his fantasy amidst the threads of the very real myths already in existence. His genius is not in inventing an entirely new fantastic mythology, but in weaving a beautiful tapestry of a mythologically- based fantasy. The elements of Middle Earth are very much set in the real myths of the Middle Ages. His genius lay in the linking of these various myths into a comprehensive whole on which to base his fanciful tale. It is a solid base that speaks to us on a fundamental level that transcends mere story-telling. Any educated person would do well to read this series on a yearly basis. Each time said person would find new aspects of reality reflected within the pages of this fanciful tale.

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Summary: Without equal.
Review: These books, are without a doubt the best books I have ever read. I am going to make it a point to read these books at least once every year for the rest of my life. The reviewers who seem to think Tolkien is racist, I just want to hurt you, because that is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. I think anybody who finds racism in this book, is the type of person that looks for racism in everything, and most always finds it. And who also thinks any time he is wronged by a person, it's because of his color. Any of you thinking of reading these books, please go get them now, you won't be disapointed.

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Summary: Take me to The Grey Havens!
Review: Being a hardcore Star Wars fan, I had become familiarized with some of the greatest Sci-Fi and Fantasy writers of our time: Timothy Zhan, Terry Brooks, R.A. Salvatore, etc. And I had also read Arthur C. Clarke. And just like Descartes analyzed the results to find the cause, I was taken to the amazing world of Mr. J.R.R. Tolkien, The forefather of fantasy. What can I really say about these books that hasn't already been said? How can I find a way to not use the common literary adjective for such masterpieces? So I simply won't. I will just say that I couldn't put the darn books down, and read them each in a couple of days. A week with Tolkien was my perfect vacation. I stand in awe of this man's creativity, invention of story, dominion of language, attention to detail, character development, etc. His strongest points (if any can really be pointed out in the sea of talent) are the way he decribes landscapes and paths, and how he develops the characters and, especially, their cultures through a masterful use of all forms of the written english language. Poems, new forms of writing, adventure and just clean, pure, fun entertainment to rule them all! Heck, he got me studying Runes and Elvenscript in a couple of chapters! Try it, you won't regret it. Farewell wherever you fare...

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Summary: A Classic series for more intelligent readers
Review: The Lord of the Rings Epic (it cannot properly be called a trilogy as the entire story is considerably more than three volumes) is an acknowledged literary masterpiece and a very good read for any fan of heroic fantasy. However, it does require a more dedicated and intelligent reader to properly keep chracters and sub-plots in order than most fantasy, especially the bubblegum "D&D" novels that have gained many readers in the past several years (myself included). To those who seek to find rascism or other social maladys in the pages of the series, I remind you that you need look no farther than in the mirror. Heroic fantasy is written for escapism and entertainment, not as a social commentary or work of design. I reserve judgement on those readers who have criticized it as "poorly made" and/or "too long" until they have published their own epic fantasy. In brief, this is an excellent series for serious fantasy readers. If you don't typically get involved with the characters and story, this series is probably not for you.

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Summary: the granddaddy of all modern fantasy epics
Review: I lost count of the number of times I've read the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy many, many years ago. "The Hobbit" is an enjoyable children's adventure book, and a serviceable lead-in to the series, but hardly prepares you for the richness and wonder that follows. Bilbo and Gandalf disappear pretty quickly, and things get much scarier, more exciting, and more interesting. Like most fanatical Tolkein devotees, I suspect, I've read the first volume in the trilogy more than the second, and both far more than "Return of the King," which I've only read a couple of times. It's not that the last volume is bad, but it can't compare to the excitement of the journey to Mordor, and then, too, there is so much sadness once you reach the end. This is one of those rare literary odysseys you never want to end. Once you've been chased through the Mines of Moria by a horde of Orcs, and then by something far, far worse, you will never forget Tolkein's Middle Earth, nor will you want to. I don't especially recommend reading the "Silmarilion" after the trilogy. It's interesting to see the backstory for Tolkein's little world, but it's such heavy going, and has none of the depth and fun of the "Lord of the Rings"--it's so much more flat. If you're a fanatic like me you'll read it anyway, but be forewarned. If you are getting ready to buy this and read it for the first time, how I envy you. Set aside some time, you'll need it.