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Summary: This is the way to buy "Lord of the Rings" all at one time.
Review: Paperback is ok if you are on a budget however you will be storing this on your shelf for rereading later. I also listened to the tapes on the commute to and from work. You may want to look up the reviews for the individual books (The Return of the King/the Two Towers/the Fellowship of the Ring.) I read several notes on the works and find that it is smarter to read the work first them if you want to you can compare your view with the notes. You don't want to stop and say "Oh a shadow. What can that mean?" Also even thought J. R. R. Tolkien is quite explicit in the beginning that this is not an allegory or even a reference to events in the real world, some people try to equate the RING with the BOMB. With 500+ reviews I will not attempt to rehash the whole story. There are several things that I found pleasing. One is that no one goes off and has any unrecorded adventures. This is each group especially in "The Two Towers" is completely tracked even though the events are parallel. And he does not have to use flash backs to do it. I am also impressed with the fact that even though you see several references to good and evil, that every being in the story had a purpose and a destiny that was not strictly black and white. Gandalf reminds Frodo to spare Gollum as Bilbo did. At other times as in Bible stories evil intentions can bring about good situations. Well, enough philosophizing just read it and enjoy it on the story level. You may find that only drawback is that it ends too soon. The movie is due out in 2001, 2002, 2003.
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Summary: Crazy Reviewers!
Review: Ok, I'm not here to say I like this book, I already have. But, as I was reading another page of reviews, I found a particularly comical twosome. The first reviewer practically claims that C.S.Lewis wrote the darn thing, and ends the message by thanking him for the book! My real criticism is for the other reviewer, who says we should not mistake LOTR for a "genuine" epic. Who is even thinking of saying LOTR is real, or ancient? No one, as far as I can see. Also, he/she says that there is no or weak allegory in the book. After reading this, I questioned our reviewer's sanity. Tolkien created this world to represent his view of Christianity/faith. I'm an atheist, but even I know that this means basically everything in the book is allegorical. He also says Frodo was not looking for anything, but one of his own examples of a true epic is the Odyssey, in which Odysseus is just trying to get home, but gains true hero status in the process. Much the same happened to Frodo, but anyway, he WAS looking for something - peace.(duh)
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Summary: LoTR will forever be the greatest
Review: I want to say that I am new to the Tolkien genre but will forever be a true fan. His wonderful creation of Middle Earth was masterfully done and carefully planned. The Millennium Edition of his classic trilogy brings the books back to there true form as a six book set that tells the final chapter of Middle Earth. Tolkien's use of a Ring that has the power to either save or destroy the world is excellent. The book is very well written and if you haven't ever read the Hobbit or any other book in the seris LoTR is still readable. I love the way that he uses such wonderful detail in the description of his Middle Earth and draws the books conclusion to a fufilling close. This is the closest a book has ever come to perfection. Trust me any true fantsy fan cannot be complete without reading the wonderful history of Middle Earth and meeting Bilbo, Frodo and the One Ring.
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Summary: Purely magical
Review: Having just re-read this after 23 years since the first read, I must admit it's much better when it's NOT required reading in high school! This series has everything you need to take you on a magical fantasy ride. I can't possibly say anything that has not already been said about this trilogy. You'll find suspense, surprises, magic, hobbitts, elves, dwarves, magical forests, good and evil...it covers the full scale of a satisfying read. In fact, I was sad to see it end and made a pact to myself to read it again next year.
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Summary: BEWARE THIS EDITION!
Review: Lord of the Rings deserves a beautiful edition, and this is NOT it! The "Millennium Edition," which looks so nice in photographs, is in fact small (each volume is about the size of a trade paperback), badly printed on poor paper, and exceedingly shoddily made (the first time I opened a volume in a bookstore, the binding split right through). The volumes are not even real hardcovers, just paperbacks stuck in thin, skimpy covers of shiny board. I REPEAT: this is a lousy edition, grossly overpriced! Beware of it! You'd be much better off with a set of paperbacks you could replace for $15.
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Summary: A masterpiece with no equal in any style of writing
Review: This book is a must read for any that consider themselves even a passing fan of Fantasy literature. It covers the whole gambit of styles and emotions, by a master of the English language and storytelling. You will truly be made to see what is on the page as if you are there. It is a quest of the grandest sort... to save the world from a growing evil. Along the way, there are new friends and loss, but still the unerring principle that good must triumph over evil. Now I don't like to give the story away, but if you want to know there are plenty of places and reviews that can detail it better than I ever could. All I will say is you will not want to put this down until you are finished so have some free time allotted just for this book if you get it. The only down side to this story, is that the second book, The Two Towers, to me and some people I know got a little boring and strayed from the path that the rest of the book follows. It was important for the amount of information carried in it, but lacked the fire of the first and third book. Now this did not hurt the story, just made me read faster to get back to the parts I was overly waiting to read about.
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Summary: The Ultimate Novel
Review: For lovers of Fantasy (i.e. magic, and sorcerers e.t.c) this book is a MUST READ. It deals with the genre in a mature, practical way. It is the greatest fantasy book ever written. For general readers, this book is a MUST READ too! As it says on the back cover: "The English-speaking world is divided into halves. Those who have read the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, and those who are going to." For Star Wars fans, this book is a must read too, because this is where George Lucas got his inspiration. Do not be daunted by the size of this story. It is one long story, but it keeps you hooked all the way. A person's life isn't complete without reading Lord of The Rings! Some people have made a few outrageous claims and said the book is racist/or male-chauvinistic. All I can say to these people is that they are looking to find the slightest pre-text to get offended. This book is a fantasy book, and as the writer himself mentions he just wanted to write a story, and there are no allegorical references of ANY KIND. Take this story for what it is. Just a story, and a FICTIONAL one at that. Happy Reading!
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Summary: The Lord Of The Rings
Review: Absolutly brilliant. I've read it before and I'll read itagain. If you want to enrapture your self in a stunning epic tale thisis sertenly one not to miss. END
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Summary: A work of art!
Review: Last year I began to read fantasy works. I began by reading Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time" series. But at the beginning of this year one of my professors began telling me that I needed to read Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings". So, for my B-day my girlfriend purchased me the Millinium Edition of the LotR. All I can say is if you haven't read this book, you need to order it right now. Never have I been drawn into a world such as Tolkien's. I had my apprehension's after seeing the Hobbit so many years ago. I thought that the LotR may be a childs book. I was so wrong. You name it, this book has it. It is wonderfully written and easy to follow. The Millinium Edition is broken into 7 small books in a beautiful holder. They are all black hardcovers with the famous verse written of the front in Elvish with a ring and the eye.The LotR is broken into 6 books. Each book (Fellowship, Two Towers, and Return) is seperated into 2 smaller books, the way Tolkien originally intended to publish them. There is not much else to say, get these now!
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Summary: Lord of the Rings
Review: In an age where a 2 hour movie has replaced the art of the story, its always nice to sit back and read a book. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, as much today as when they first came out, presents itself as top notch story telling. The Lord of the Rings isn't just about plot, and unfortunately that may lose some people who don't have the patience to sit down and actually read a book from front to back (let alone three books). People today would much rather go for the Star Wars style trilogy that takes only 6 hours to enjoy and understand. Whereas the Lord of the Rings might take 6 weeks (or 6 days if you really have the time). But the people who can't keep their attention long enought to read a mere 1500 pages, should go and watch Wrestling. The Lord of the Rings deftly combines several very linked but very seperate plots together. That is why the books are divided into seperate parts dealing with the various characters. To skip any of it, is to miss part of the whole story. But the story is only one part of the books that matter. Tolkien is also an exceptional writer. Sit back and open up the Lord of the Rings, step out of the "Kingdom of Blah" and engulf yourself in the tale of the master story teller! This book is a must read if you ever want to get anywhere in life. It is the War and Peace of Fantasy!
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