book review on lord of the rings

Lord of the Rings book review

The Lord of the Rings  is a singular book. It stands alone among 20th century fiction as the single greatest story produced in the English language. The magnum opus of its author, J.R.R. Tolkien, it has been widely panned or ignored by critics, but amongst those who have read it and enjoyed it, it is often considered their favorite book. I count myself in that number.

And yet, it is a polarizing book which remains opaque and inaccessible to many. With its assortment of elves, hobbits, goblins, wizards, and ringwraiths, it is considered simply too odd or bizarre for many readers to even consider. Tolkien realized this himself and composed this short verse to describe the way readers approach his work:

The Lord of the Rings is one of those things: if you like it you do: if you don’t, then you boo!

So, for those who already enjoy this book, this review will potentially be superfluous and to those who are put off by fantasy in general, perhaps unconvincing. And yet, it is, after all, my  favorite  book, and really, after having recently re-read it, it is high time, I think, to put my thoughts down about what makes it a book of such special magnificence.

For some interesting trivia check out my 10 Amazing Facts about Lord of the Rings

Concerning Hobbits

Of its many qualities, the most obvious at first blush is Tolkien’s portrayal of hobbits, a small people with harry feet and big appetites. Though personally I actually enjoy reading about the elven race and the elven characters most, the existence of Hobbits, their oddities, qualities, and ways is key to understanding the story. It is primarily through hobbit characters that the tale is told and Tolkien rightly bookends the novel with sizable sections set in the hobbits’ ancestral home of The Shire, a quiet, sheltered, and green country in the Northwestern part of Middle-earth.

The Shire is a pastoral, idealized version of England, though in some ways its charm stretches beyond England to all lands where food, flowers, trees, and “good tilled earth” are valued above wealth and industrialization. Though I myself live happily amidst dozens of modern conveniences, there is a pull when one reads of the hobbit lifestyle that awakens a desire for gentler, simpler times.

Of the hobbit characters featured in the novel ( side note:  though released as a trilogy, The Lord of the Rings was originally composed as a single novel and I will be treating it as such for the purposes of this review)  Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin, are the central characters, though Bilbo, whose exploits feature prominently in  The Hobbit  does have an important role in the beginning of the book.

As noble and important as Frodo is, Sam is the character I connect with the most. Simple though he is, there is an uncomplicated sincerity about everything he does. His devotion to Frodo and to what is good and right is unshakable. Of all the characters in the novel, it is Sam who grows the most, from a humble, obscure gardner, to one of the most celebrated heroes of Middle-earth.

The Road goes ever on and on

Another of the wonders of  The Lord of the Rings  is that it reads very much like a history. There are lands and places, peoples, nations, and events, that have this living, organic quality, such that you feel as if Tolkien were pulling back the veil and ushering you into a place which actually existed. What C.S. Lewis wrote in his review of The Hobbit  in 1937 is doubly true of  The Lord of the Rings. It is a book that “admits us to a world of its own—a world that seems to have been going on before we stumbled into it but which, once found by the right reader, becomes indispensable to him.”

Tolkien is able to invest these lands of elves, men, dwarves, and hobbits, with such verisimilitude in part due to his background as a philologist. For Tolkien, the language behind these peoples comes even before his interest in their histories or the individual characters themselves. In this, he is unique amongst almost all other authors I am aware of.

Most authors simply do not share Tolkien’s interest in language as the driving force for building a world. That is perhaps why most fantasy novels coming after  The Lord of the Rings  often feel derivative of Middle-earth, rather than wholly original (though Tolkien’s story was itself inspired by northern mythology and other authors, in particular E.R. Edison, whom Tolkien called “[T]he greatest and most convincing writer of ‘invented worlds’ that I have ever read.”). Tolkien has, in a sense, done all the hard work for us. The rest of us are only able to tinker with the recipe a bit, omitting this or that aspect, putting more emphasis on one thing or another.

And I must follow, if I can

Not so, in  The Lord of the Rings.  Here we meet characters like Aragorn, who is willing to spend years in the wilderness, defending people who do not even know he exists, rather than take the throne which is his by right. We meet Gandalf the wizard, an ageless person who is something more than human, but who refuses to accept the One Ring when it is offered to him for fear of the terrible power he would wield with it.

Even characters who succumb to temptation such as Saruman and Boromir, serve as cautionary examples that even the mightiest among us are not above a fall.

Until it joins some larger way

But there is more to Tolkien’s moral fabric than simple honor and a sense of duty. The moral compass of its central heroes is grounded in a transcendent, eternal framework. The echo of the Undying Lands lays heavy upon Middle-earth. This immortal realm beyond the sea shines in the eyes of the elves, in the Phial of Galadriel, and the tree of Gondor and is ultimately the fountain from which flow the goodness, truth, and beauty, which so guide the heroes of this tale. Though it may not be obvious upon a casual reading, the distant call of these lands touches every page of the story. It is easy to forget that upon every step of Frodo’s epic journey he is strengthened and guided by unseen hands.

Gandalf is there, surely, but Gandalf was sent by someone, wasn’t he? Tom Bombadil arrives just in the nick of time, but what brought him there at that precise moment when he was needed most? “Just chance brought me then, if chance you call it. It was no plan of mine,” he tells the hobbits when he rescues them from Old Man Willow. And what brought the Fellowship to Rivendell in the first place? Elrond, after revealing the need to deal with Sauron’s Ring tells them, “That is the purpose for which you are called hither. Called, I say, though I have not called you to me, strangers from distant lands.”

The very fact that Frodo even has the Ring at all is shown to be part of some larger plan. Gandalf tells him:

Behind that there was something else at work, beyond any design of the Ring-maker. I can put it no plainer than by saying that Bilbo was meant to find the Ring, and not by its maker. In which case you also were meant to have it.  And that may be an encouraging thought.

Where many paths and errands meet

And so we see that, though small hands and mighty swords fight and labor to protect Tolkien’s beloved world, there is a larger purpose at work behind it all. Tolkien’s characters exist in a fundamentally moral world, where good and evil are real things based on divine decree, not cultural conventions or shifting ideas. Sauron, the Ring-maker, is irredeemably evil, and his plans wholly wicked, but he is not the only force at work, and in the end we see that the power which opposes him is greater still.

What Tolkien has given us in the guise of a story, is hope in a fallen world. When the world offers us nothing but sadness and meaninglessness, Tolkien, though  The Lord of the Rings,  reminds us that, no, this is not the end. Evil and death and suffering do not have the final say. There is One who holds the keys to life and death who is good and right and just and his plans never go astray. In this book we hear echoes of John 1:5, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” As Aragorn tells Awen on his death bed:

In sorrow we must go, but not in despair. Behold! We are not bound forever to the circles of the world, and beyond them is more than memory.

And if it takes a few hobbits, elves, dwarves, and forgotten kings to remind us of such things, well that’s a story worth reading, don’t you think?

10 thoughts on “Lord of the Rings book review”

Lovely review. My two favorite things about Lord of the Rings are two things you mentioned here. I love that Lord of the Rings feels like history, and I love that Lord of the Rings has a never-ending hope in dark times.

Yes, I could have listed another ten virtues and they all would have been important, but I was pushing it with the word count as it was so I tried to distill it to its essence.

This book that just has so much to give.

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This is a beautiful review of a most excellent work of art. The Lord of the Rings is more than just a story, and you captured the why behind that sentiment so very well.

That poem, though… I never really thought about how Tolkien himself must have had quite a witty and somewhat snarky sense of humor… to be able to write all the parts of the book that always make me laugh.

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THE Review iz just awesome…

This is great! Thanks for the work on this.

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Tolkien: Tedious or Tremendous?

By Jon Michaud

In this week’s issue, Adam Gopnik considers how J. R. R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” set the template for the fantasy genre, creating what Gopnik calls “one of the most successful commercial formulas that publishing possesses.” Gopnik goes on to define that blueprint:

A vaguely medieval world populated by dwarfs, elves, trolls; an evil lord out to enslave the good creatures; and, almost always, a weird magic thing that will let him do it, if the hero doesn’t find or destroy it first—that is the Tolkien formula…. Of all the unexpected things in contemporary literature, this is among the oddest: that kids have an inordinate appetite for very long, very tricky, very strange books about places that don’t exist.

Though “The Lord of the Rings” has spawned Harry Potter, the Eragon books, and any number of other imitations aimed at young adults, Tolkien’s trilogy was written with an older audience in mind. When the first volume, “The Fellowship of the Ring,” was reviewed in our Briefly Noted section in 1954, our unnamed critic called it, “a whimsical and sententious fairy story, which is intended for grownups.” While praising the novel’s “majestic and gleeful” language, the reviewer observed that “The Fellowship of the Ring”

has the air of having been written as a hobby by a man with a ferreting imagination and a capacity for industry that will not allow him to stop inventing long after all the acts are down and the picture is clear…. Perhaps this is a book that should be read as it was presumably written—a little at a time.

When the second volume of the trilogy, “The Two Towers,” was released six months later, it also received a brief, unsigned review in the magazine. This time our reviewer showed less forbearance:

Mr. Tolkien writes with love and precision, but his intoxication with the world he has created and with the message he is conveying, and his apparent conviction that what is imaginative is necessarily beguiling, blind him to the danger of becoming tedious, and so he is tedious a good deal of the time.

Fear of further tedium may have influenced the decision not to review the third volume of “The Lord of the Rings,” when it was released in 1955. In fact, it was not until Peter Jackson’s film adaptation of the trilogy, that Tolkien’s epic received a critical reassessment in the pages of The New Yorker . In 2001, Anthony Lane began his celebration of the book by looking back to his own adolescence:

I first took on the “The Lord of the Rings” at the age of eleven or twelve; to be precise, I began at the age of eleven and finished at the age of twelve. It was, and remains, not a book that you happen to read, but a book that happens to you: a chunk bitten out of your life.

While acknowledging the book’s flaws, Lane made an argument for its special appeal to younger readers:

What the explorer of “The Lord of the Rings” soon comes to understand as he launches himself into the text, and what puffs him with pride as, weeks or months later, he reviews his completed task, is the fact that this book about a quest is itself a quest. You battle through it, against the odds; you fend off the blizzards of bewildering mythology; you stand firm as the reams of dodgy dialogue try to suck you into the mire; and you come through. If you encounter it as a child, it will be the longest book that you have ever mastered, and, for many adults, it will retain that talismanic status…. The reader grows in the reading; such is the source of Tolkien’s power, and it is weirder and more far-reaching than even he could have foretold.

Tolkien’s publisher, Allen & Unwin, initially printed fewer than four thousand copies of each of the volumes of “The Lord of the Rings.” Sales were modest until the release in the mid-sixties of a one-volume paperback. By the end of 1968, as Lane notes, “total readership of the trilogy was thought to stand at around fifty million.”

And counting…

_The article—and the complete archives of The New Yorker , back to 1925—is available to subscribers. Non-subscribers can purchase the individual issue.

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In this week’s issue, Lauren Christensen, an editor at the Book Review, revisits the languages of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth . In his 1954 review of “The Fellowship of the Ring,” W.H. Auden praised the realism of the imaginary world they describe. Read an excerpt below:

Seventeen years ago there appeared, without any fanfare, a book called “The Hobbit” which, in my opinion, is one of the best children’s stories of this century. In “The Fellowship of the Ring,” which is the first volume of a trilogy, J. R. R. Tolkien continues the imaginative history of the imaginary world to which he introduced us in his earlier book but in a manner suited to adults, to those, that is, between the ages of 12 and 70. For anyone who likes the genre to which it belongs, the Heroic Quest, I cannot imagine a more wonderful Christmas present. All Quests are concerned with some numinous Object, the Waters of Life, the Grail, buried treasure etc.; normally this is a good Object which it is the Hero’s task to find or to rescue from the Enemy, but the Ring of Mr. Tolkien’s story was made by the Enemy and is so dangerous that even the good cannot use it without being corrupted.

Mr. Tolkien is fortunate in possessing an amazing gift for naming and a wonderfully exact eye for description; by the time one has finished his book one knows the histories of Hobbits, Elves, Dwarves and the landscape they inhabit as well as one knows one’s own childhood.

Lastly, if one is to take a tale of this kind seriously, one must feel that, however superficially unlike the world we live in its characters and events may be, it nevertheless holds up the mirror to the only nature we know, our own; in this, too, Mr. Tolkien has succeeded superbly, and what happened in the year of the Shire 1418 in the Third Age of Middle Earth is not only fascinating in A.D. 1954 but also a warning and an inspiration. No fiction I have read in the last five years has given me more joy than “The Fellowship of the Ring.”

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The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien - review

In a world known as Middle Earth, in a region named The Shire, is a little village of hobbits, Hobbiton.

On the day of Bilbo's 111th birthday, he gives a ring to Frodo, his nephew. The ring must be destroyed in Mordor, where it was created, so it doesn't get back into its owner and creator's hands, the evil Sauron.

Here is where the adventures begin!

My mother can't understand why I love this trilogy so much, because she absolutely hates it and can't stand it. I loved every single bit of it, the magic, the creatures, the fantasy, the whole world that Tolkien created in these pages.

I love it so much I've done presentations about it at school, talked about it for hours on end with friends… and it definitely is the best book I have ever read! The book is a whole lot better than the film because you can imagine it however you like. Even so, it's the best!

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The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien

Sauron, the Dark Lord, has gathered to him all the Rings of Power, the means by which he intends to rule Middle-earth. All he lacks in his plans for dominion is the One Ring, the ring that rules them all, which has fallen into the hands of the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins. In a sleepy village in the Shire, young Frodo Baggins finds himself faced with an immense task, as his elderly cousin Bilbo entrusts the Ring to his care. Frodo must leave his home and make a perilous journey across Middle-earth to the Cracks of Doom, there to destroy the Ring and foil the Dark Lord in his evil purpose.

Since it was first published in 1954, The Lord of the Rings has been a book people have treasured. Steeped in unrivalled magic and otherworldliness, its sweeping fantasy has touched the hearts of young and old alike. Written by Professor J.R.R. Tolkien and consisting of three separate books (The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King) The Lord of the Rings was first published by George, Allen and Unwin between 1954 and 1955. And a magnificent achievement it is; an epic tale of friendship, love and heroism, a book that set the benchmark for all fantasy novels to come. Tolkien's descriptive narrative beautifully depicts Middle-earth and the journey that the Fellowship undertakes will remain with readers for the rest of their lives. It is hard to put into words the happiness that can be felt when reading a fantasy book as good as this and anybody who has never read it should set aside some time to do so. Is it the best fantasy book of all time? In my opinion, yes.

There's no salvation for a fantasy fan who hasn't read the gospel of the genre. The influence of The Lord of the Rings is so universal that everybody from George Lucas to Led Zeppelin has appropriated it for one purpose or another. Not just revolutionary because it was groundbreaking, The Lord of the Rings is timeless because it's the product of a truly top-shelf mind. Tolkien was a distinguished linguist and Oxford scholar of dead languages with strong ideas about the importance of myth and story and a deep appreciation of nature. His epic, ten years in the making, recounts the Great War of the Ring and the closing of Middle-Earth's Third Age, a time when magic begins to fade from the world and men rise to dominance. Tolkien carefully details this transition with tremendous skill and love, creating in The Lord of the Rings a universal and all-embracing tale, a justly celebrated classic.

10/10 Universal and all-embracing, a justly celebrated classic.

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Review by Floresiensis

145 positive reader review(s) for The Lord of the Rings

JRR Tolkien biography

Frank Joseph from United Kingdom

This book is literally timeless. A tale of epic, heroic fantasy set in a world you won't just want to read about, you'll actually want to live in. You'll find yourself enchanted, fully immersed in a beautiful world full of delightful - and some not so delightful - beings. The written words will transport you into Middle-Earth and allow you enjoy one of the finest reading experiences you'll ever have. The Lord of the Rings is a true masterpiece.

Andrew from United States

Lord of the Rings is the ultimate fantasy book, which kicked off the whole of the fantasy genre. The journey from the peace of the shire to the dark crags of Mordor is the definition of epic, and is the best example of modern day mythology. All of the characters are interesting, and the messages of hope still resonate with an audience to this day.

Jody Davis from USA

Love him and his son's books - greatest fantasy of all time.

Krste from Croatia

Even though it’s got some pacing issues, too much singing and a few 2d characters I can’t bring myself to give it anything less than a perfect 10. Middle Earth is the greatest fantasy world ever created, its heroes and villains are some of the most iconic characters ever put to page (or on screen) and the journey to Mordor is unforgettable. If I was ranking each of the books separately I might be a little more critical, especially towards Fellowship of the Ring which takes a while before it gets going. However, as a single story, Lord of the Rings is just something special.

Andrew from USA

This book is my favorite book of all time. I remember my dad read it to me as a kid and I loved it so much that a year later he read it to me again. It introduced me to the mythic lore of a world beyond our own and the building blocks of all fantasy that followed it.

Toby from United Kingdom

I am 60 now, and have fallen in and out of love with many things over the course of time, but never this book. For people who don't get fantasy, how can you explain to them that a book and its characters can be a cornerstone for your entire life. Much as Aragorn has been my lifelong hero, I never aspired to that level of greatness. As a boy I always contented myself with being Imrahil, a taint of Numenor, a bit of dash, and a willingness to turn up when things got tricky. Briefly on the subject of the films, there is much I don't like about them (a doe eyed Frodo for instance), but I will forever thank Peter Jackson for lighting the halls of Moria for me and allowing me to sail downriver and get my first sight of the old kings at the falls of Rauros. They were just as I imagined. Plus if anyone ever does a better job of the battle for Helms Deep, then I will doff my cap (I don't have a helm) to them. I know some modern readers will question some of Tolkien's style, his description of women (great, beautiful, or almost non existent), but you have to remember when he was writing. Sourced from his feelings on the first world war and Icelandic legend, the fact that this trilogy is still the greatest fantasy work of all time is truly amazing. I have to stop at some point or will write all day. I still love the warmth of the Shire, crave the past glories of men and Numenor, seek for the elves in every golden wood I ever visit, and cry every time that last ship leaves the Grey Havens. If only I could have been on it. (Lovely review Toby - thank you so much! Lee @ Fantasy Book Review)

NIl from India

One of the greatest trilogies of all time and certainly the measuring stick to which all subsequent fantasy-style writing is compared, The Lord of the Rings trilogy still stands at the top of the stack. Its realism, the characters and monsters, the storyline, the epic battles, and the quest motif are all drawn with incredible care by Tolkien in his chef-d'oeuvre. My favorite was The The Two Towers but all three are stunning. This edition, despite the awful cover art, contains all three books and the original appendices from The Return of the King. The one issue I have with this one is that the map of Middle Earth that should open The Two Towers is back in the appendices and relatively hard to find. It is also a rather large book and thus unwieldy for public transport commuting.

Ritehly from Philippines

This is one of the best book indeed movie of all time <3

Smithz from USA

It is a 10. You can get lost in The Lord of the Rings. If you allow it to it can transform your life. It touches on many aspects of the world today and highlights internal struggles and the need for victory over those difficulties. Yet it keeps you entertained and is not moralistic in anyway. There is ecstatic joy and deep and troubling waters to cross in this story of the Dark Lord trying to subdue Middle Earth without the majority of the population not even knowing there is danger. Yet small and mighty forces alike must stand up to the evil in the world. There is a price to pay that each person must decide whether they will first of all be aware of the darknessof the soul. Secondly, decide to oppose EVIL no matter what the cost. And thirdly understand that even in victory there is tremendous loss. But when fighting the good fight there neverending satisfaction and that it is well worth the struggle.

Arne from Sweden

Youssef from Sydney, you are clearly not the right person to review this.

Layan from Israel

Seriously it is the best freaking book I've ever read .and I'm not the type of a person who always reads books, I like movies more, still the movie is absolutely breathtaking so as the book, and if I have to compare the movie to the book I would definitely choose the book. I highly recommended.

Martin from Slovakia

Definitely my favorite fantasy book ever. I've read first two books and i am excited that book can be more interesting than any video game or movie. The main thame is to destroy the ring of power and defeat Sauron- evil of the Middle-earth. I like that the story isn't still about one or two main things, but there are many other parts which sometimes carries theirs own tale and mystery. I found this book very interesting and certainly i'am going to read last book. I recomend this book for all lovers of fantasy.

emerok from the earth

LotR and Tolkien's writing style is not for everyone as I can see from the comments, but I don't think the ppl writing all the negative reviews really understand Tolkien's works at all. LotR is very deep and I get that it takes a while for the story to get moving, but once it gets moving, it is like reading norse myths in their original prose form or Beowulf. after reading one of Tolkien's biographies, I found that he was inspired from the myths more than anything else and an important fact to keep in mind when reading LotR/the Hobbit is that Tolkien created middle earth for his languages rather than vise versa. Tolkien uses language(English, not his invented ones) in very complex way that many modern writers don't grasp, and many ppl are so accustomed to the writing styles of the modern era, that they LotR way out of their comfort zone. I love Tolkien's works and I would recommend it to anyone who likes mythology and history as well as anyone who is up for a bit of a deep read, but as always READ THE HOBBIT FIRST!!!! the most similar book I have come across are the earthsea books by Ursula LeGuin

Fawn from The UnderWorld

Best book I have ever read! I have read many fantasy books and I have a unique imagination of how I think but the creatures and lands of this book is beyond the mind of a mere mortal. J.R.R. Tolkien is truly the best writer when it comes to fantasy books. Never turn down this book for it will open up many paths in your mind and you will discover creatures you never thought could be thought of. I recommend this book to all ages that can read and that includes 5 or even 4 year olds. It has been greatly written and is practically the father of all fantasy books.

John from USA

You can love it or hate it but what you cannot do is underestimate imagination of the highest form.

Caleb from United States

It took me a while, but I finished in about two months. The best parts often come out of the blue, so you need to read the whole book, and not skip anything, otherwise, you might miss some very important details and backstories. I think that there is a little bit too much description of the characters and their dialog, but I love the description of the land and the places that the characters go. I love how we meet new Characters throughout the whole story. This is a great book for people about the age of 13, as it will greatly improve your grammar and ability to read. It is not very hard to read, but it is not written in the dialect that is used today.

Anon from UK

Simply amazing. The book surpasses the word 'masterpiece'. The Lord of The Rings is a must read, no excessive swearing nor sexual content was needed to make this book my favourite.

Alistair from England

The greatest epic fantasy I have ever read, and will ever read. Amazing.

Siddharth from India

My friend had "The Hobbit". I borrowed it. I loved it and wanted some more. I asked my mother to buy me a lord of the rings (all in one) and she did. Literallly, never have i ever read such a book with a brilliant amount of grace,wit and heroism.The language is beautiful and levels higher than many books i had read! It was, at least for me, better than Harry Potter, Percy Jackson(of course) and the chronicles of narnia. The ay the quotes are wrtten for every character, there is a lot to leran in morals as well!! I would like to conclude by giving on of my favourite quotes: "Arise,arise, riders of theoden fell deeds awake: fire and slaughter! spear shall be shaken and shield be broken a sword-day,a red-day,ere the sun rises! Ride now,ride now,ride to Gondor!!!

Me from Where the me live

I felt that this book was beautiful, Tolkien’s imagination is legendary.

Jim from United States

Unlike some I read the Lord of the Rings out of order. My sister had the Two Towers and I had read everything else in her little library. I liked the cover (clearly a 70's cover) and picked it up with Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas running over the grasslands of Rohan in pursuit of orcs. I read it part way and was so lost I gave it up. But the local library had a copy of all three books. I took up the first book and literally read all three books in a span of 7 days. I didn't sleep. I couldn't. At the end I cried that it was over. I wanted it to go on and on. The world created by J.R.R Tolkien swept me up and has never left me. I read the Hobbit after the LOTR - and watched that evolve from a child's bedtime story to a much deeper, much more nuanced tale. Tolkien created a world of constant challenges to each characters moral and ethical souls. Captivated initially by the primary storyline of Frodo, Aragorn and Gandalf I raced through the book to learn the ending. On subsequent readings I understood the depth of each characters risks and rewards. The Ring presents each prime character with a vision of power capable of giving them their hearts desire with the knowledge the Ring will destroy that which they cherish most in time. Some fail, some overcome. And for some to overcome the lure of the ring is ensure the ending of what they hold most dear. Of all the lines in the Lord of the Rings the one that rings over and over to me is Galadriel who when she she refuses the Ring offered by Frodo says: "I pass the test. I will diminish and go into the west." She knows in refusing she has doomed her beloved Lothlorien but to accept she becomes the very thing she opposes. That is a terrible choice. The Lord of the Rings has a depth no other novel I have ever read has. I devoured the appendices at the end of the book. I find myself going back to read them periodically. I don't think it is for everybody - but those of us lucky few who fall into the LOTR completely it is a world that is always with us, always a comfort and cautionary.

Eamonn from Ireland

After many years of avoiding reading Lord of the Rings I have just started it. It is amazing. I'm not sorry I put it off because I get to do it now. Tolkien really creates his world from below the ground up. I cannot recommend this book more. It's a great story and you'll learn how a story should be written.

Harry from Hogwarts

Damn!! Your world is so much more better than mine. Wish i could also fight the great evil Sauron instead of that stupid ugly 'no nose' Voldemort.😌

Jokty from Home

Good but Harry Potter is better.

Christian from UK

It's hard to describe just how magical my first reading of The Lord of the Rings was. I was 'in the book' from the very first page & have rarely - if ever since - been so immersed. I didn't just want to read about Hobbiton, I wanted to live there. It is a truly beautiful story which is imbued with a love for language and nature, a story of heroism in the face of terrifying odds. The characters: Frodo, Sam, Aragorn, Gollum & others have stayed with me for the twenty-five years since. Whenever I take a walk through a particularly pleasant part of England I am reminded of this book. Every fantasy fan should read this book, it really does deserve all the praise it receives.

Zubin from India

Truly an excellent book but its quite lengthy and you need to have some amount of patience.

Suraj from India

The evil us full of fantasy and adventure, in accordance to me the novel is too good in language and very very interesting to read. It has lots of different character which creats interest in it. Every one should read this novel.

Andy Anduin from China

This book is a masterpiece. When I was about 11 or 12 years old I read The Hobbit. At that time I thought is was alright, but with some good bits in it. However I felt it couldn't compare with Watership Down as an adventure tale (that is another great book, surprisingly brilliant). My Grandmother ("on my father's side...") once said that I should read the book and put the old, incomplete cartoon into the video player. Intrigued, but didn't really get what was going on (the Black Riders in that cartoon are terrifying - scarier than the movie versions, and cost me some sleep!). As I grew to become an older teenager I sometimes considered looking at the Lord of The Rings book, but was rather put off the idea due to it's imposing size and the apparent "unfathomability" of the tale in my own ignorance having not read it yet. Nor had my understanding of the cartoon improved. But, somehow in someway, the tale that had not been read just niggled at me from time to time. I met some good friends at 20 years old and they said, "you've not read it yet!? You've got to read it. It's so worth it - but READ IT ALL or you won't get the benefit!" Later that year I bought the one piece, bulky novel and got down to it... It has maps in it, always a good thing and gradually helped my immersion. Gradually, gradually. The first part, the first time, the Fellowship of the Ring was kind of slow and for me, was an effort to read, I didn't know the characters, the lay of the land, the lore or anything. It had some tense and joyous moments. It was basically a deeper version of the world found in the Hobbit. But the English and sentence composition was exquisite in many parts. Didn't dig the singing though, for I knew not the tunes or hints! Then after the new band left Rivendell... Suddenly the book changes tracks! Whoa! It became a massive page turner, though the times I paused reading and was lost in my imagination about what was happening, where and to whom gradually increased in length and frequency. And THIS is what makes it great. You get lost in this world in your own imagination before returning to read the next paragraph... Suddenly the book ends. What an epic and what a fabulously cool ending! Such a good ending, one not really used in the movies I saw 8 years later. The Scouring of the Shire. Awesome LOL. The book ended far too soon. You spend all this time lost in this world and suddenly, it's gone. Over. The end, Oh no! Ridiculously, I started reading it again about 6 weeks later. Oh my goodness, it's EVEN BETTER the second time because you know what is going on and where. The second reading made it even deeper and the little imagination trips went into overdrive! I have read Lord of the Rings five or six times and now I have started reading it again for the first time since seeing the movies 15 plus years ago. Wow. Tolkien's English is just so exquisite and now it's a joy to read every sentence. The Hobbits have just been dropped of by Farmer Maggot at the Brandywine ferry... 8oD When I read reviews of people complaining about the book, I can see from my own experience that almost all of them didn't get through the Fellowship of the Ring! LOL. For those who haven't read it yet, heed my old friend's advice, READ IT ALL. It becomes a page turner after the first part. Seriously. This book is awesome. The movies are great (I love them), but they are just like the images you see in the corners of the pages of old children's books. Wonderfully complimentary, but not actually it itself. Read it.

Jyoti from India

Can't believe people say it is not good. I read it when I was 13. I have read pretty more books but this one is the best. Improved my language a lot. Better than Harry Potter.

Harshit from Chennai

It is a very fantastic, magical and outstanding book. No one would ever leave this book if they will read once.

Bilbo from Middle-Earth

Absolutely incredible.

Phillip from France

I first read the hobbit when I was 15 and quickly followed up with the trilogy. Ever since 1980, I must have read the trilogy 5 times, the silmarillion and the hobbit 4 times. It's the book that got me hooked the most. In modern fantasy, I could say only Robin Hobb comes close to Tolkien. The lord of the ring has everything to offer. The trouble is, the movies attracted a very diverse audience that may not have much time for literature. For it is not Fantasy as such, but literature. So, basically, if you don't enjoy reading, stop after the hobbit book. The LOTR is a saga, with more characters than in the movie, and some characters are far deeper than in the Peter Jackson movies, Gimli comes instantly to mind, a deep character in the book, a buffoon in the movie. Don't mistake me, I've enjoyed the movies a lot and own the long versions dvds. Peter Jackson did a good job overall, but honestly couldn't match the magic of the books.

Larkolas from The Grey Havens

@Shawna from the U.S. If you dare think that Harry Potter is better than LOTR, you are mistaken! J.K. Rowling stole much of her plot from J.R.R. Tolkien, and his characters, so she is a complete fraud! Your insensitivity to original and great writing is just shocking to me, that someone can be so ignorant of actual literature. Did J.K. Rowling invent multiple languages for her different characters? No! Did J.K. Rowling create her own setting? No! Did J.K. Rowling keep her language clean in the story? NO! Harry Potter is for children who can't understand great literature, and who find LOTR too high of a reading level for them.

Éowyn from New Zealand

I love this book SO much! The descriptive language is amazing, leaving me breathless with each chapter. My parents loved the series so much, they decided to name my brother and I after Éowyn and Éomer, our middle names Arwen and Legolas. I remember when I reached the end of the book, I truly had felt part of my heart had shriveled and wilted like a flowers petal. I have considered fantasy as one of my dearest passions and when this particular trilogy ended, I felt there was absolutely nothing reality could offer me that could ever stimulate the emotions I had felt in a world that is so deep in imagination. I had come to understand that it is from reality that this beautiful story was birthed and that what was seen and read can be expressed in our daily lives that we may become a united world and stand in the face of all evil as one, I might be a fool to think there is hope for our world, but I do. In times when I feel darkness around me I chant the Oath of Elendil and breathe.

Duncan from England

Having read a few of the reviews here, I would make a few observations. - The Lord of the Rings, is not fast paced action adventure fantasy, if you do not have patience, you will not enjoy it. It's like a fine wine, savour it, do not try to devour it quickly. - LOTR, is the very first epic scale fantasy. Every single other epic fantasy, every epic sci-fi, and half the art and music of the last 60 years has been influenced, or inspired by LOTR. It's is genesis and should be considered that way. - Tolkien, didn't just write a book, he spent most of his life creating an entire world, it's history, its mythology, its geography, it's languages etc. The scale of what he created is truly staggering and vastly more in depth than anyone before or since has ever attempted, remember this is the lifes work of 1 man... - If you are one of those who demand instant gratification, move on, you simply won't get it, or have the patience to enjoy one of the greatest masterpieces ever written. To the review, I first read LOTR, age 11, having been bitten by the middle earth bug with the Hobbit at about age 9. It took a lot of effort for an 11 year old to read, I got bored in places, but stuck with it because I had to know what was going to happen. By the time I had gotten to the end I had fallen in love. I still didn't understand much of what Tolkien was trying to tell me, but as I got older and wiser, I came to truly understand what he had written and that even the "boring bits" are well worth reading, simply because of the wisdom he is trying to impart. As quick fix epic fantasy, there are better books out there, but for those with the patience and understanding it remains the greatest fantasy book ever written. That's before we consider that all those that have come since LOTR owe their existence to Tolkien and this masterpiece. My personal Tolkien favourite though has got to be the Silmarillion and I for one am very glad that Peter Jackson will never get his hands on that beloved book.

Joshua from South Africa

When I first read this book I was 11 years old. This book is amazing. It paints an amazing picture and you feel like your right there and you are watching it all happen. When I read it as a prepared reading my teacher was very impressed. I if you don't like reading long books it might not be the best for you. Some parts are a bit sad but other wise it is a great book that I would read again.

Grace from Australia

Tolkien has created something so unique, so intelligent, that even all these years later it is the paragon of high fantasy. I first read it one year ago when I was 18, and it still echoes in my mind. I can hardly bear to pick up the book again, because I want to remember the rapture and awe I felt when I first read it. The style is eloquent, yet simple. It is heavy, yet innocent. The humor is uplifting, the darkness intense, the characters endearing. I have never seen such a strong example friendship in any novel as there is in Lord of the Rings. The book is second to none, unrivaled, unprecedented. If your attention span is short, don't read it. But if you care for complex and intelligent worlds, you will not be disappointed. As someone who watched the movies first, I must mention the fabulous job Peter Jackson did. Not everything was exactly by the book, but the spirit of the book was preserved, and that is what you want for a move. You don't want a carbon copy of the book, because then the movies are boring and predictable, and there is no fun in going back to read the book as I did. Books and movies are two very different ways of telling a story, and cannot be the same. Books are ideas strung into sentences and paragraphs that lead the reader into an imaginary narrative. They are entirely based on words, and most make the most of simple letters. Movies, in contrast, deal with visuals and sounds. The characters assume faces, places become structures. It is an entirely different realm of story telling. What is important, then, is that the author's intentions be honored and the spirit be preserved. Ideally, a movie should endear you to the characters and create visual images that can be used when reading the book, and the book should reveal and expand on the characters you are already in love with. I like the fact that Jackson took exact quotes from some characters, and gave them to others. I like that some things were mixed about. When I read the book, the differences were exciting changes, and I was eager to know more. In conclusion, Tolkien is the master, and Jackson constructed excellent portrayal of his masterpiece.

Dernhelm from UK

This isn't really like other books, even its imitators, though the best of them are similarly long, variable in pace and diverse in language and location. The early part of the story was meant to be a follow-up to The Hobbit, until it switches tracks and increasingly becomes the war story that it actually is. Those who have read war memoirs by anyone who actually lived through a war will know the difference between a war story and an action novel. There has been some discussion about whether, since this can be "read by teenagers", LotR is really a "YA" novel. I read Arabian Sands at age of 10, so that is a YA story? Go figure. YA is a marketing term, and didn't exist in Tolkien's day. People just wrote stories. However I think Anon of UK below has it right. It's best read when you still have hopes and dreams. As you get older, it may fade more and more into the land of hopes and dreams - but it is you that are changing. Some of the cold bitter side of life can be glimpsed under the surface at times, (If you want more of that, Go To The Silmarillion.) I have a feeling that when you get really old, you may begin to see its relevance again. In these increasingly difficult times, not a week goes by but I remember the words of Galadriel to Sam at the end of The Mirror of Galadriel. Tolkien had after all lived through the time of Hitler. If you want to read it but (like my Granny) can't stand little men with furry feet, try reading it backwards from, say, Many Partings. Chapter by chapter, I mean, not word for word. That doesn't work. You don't have to read it. The Wizard of Earthsea is also a very fine book, and a lot shorter.

Michael from US

Nitya from India

The trilogy is worth reading once. For readers who like fast paced action , this is not a series I would recommend. It progresses quite slowly and the descriptions are lengthy - not really my type. But if you have the patience, the plot is worth it.

I read The Lord of the Rings when I was sixteen, way back in 1969. And, no, I was not a hippie stoner, as some hostile reviewers here think that lovers of this book must be. In fact, I never touched drugs. I loved The Lord of the Rings than and have read if a few time since. I just picked it up for the first time in twenty years and finished The Fellowship of the Ring. It's lost a little something over the years. But then again, I suspect that I'm the one who's lost a little something. In one sense, that has even made the book greater - I can see the greatness of the book by what I now lack to fully appreciate it: youthful ideals and hopes and dreams. To all those dreamers, read on.

Ela from Dir

Not a review, just read the review and wanted to point out that the first sentence is wrong. Sauron hadn't gathered all the Rings of Power as the three elven rings were owned by Gandalf, Elrond and Galadriel.

allaboutBooks from USA

Lord of the Rings has been a lifelong favorite. I highly suggest it for anyone who wants an epic fantasy, fun read or simply beautiful tale. Also, as I suggested in another review Some Must Fall, book 1 of The Coming Crown, is a must read. If you like LOTR you have to read this!

Anonymous from Somewhere

I first watched the films to these novels and vaguely liked them. When I was older they were read to me as a bedtime story and I fell in love with the beauty of the language used. I thoroughly enjoyed connecting it to real mythology and history, seeing peoples and cultures that not just anyone could of thought of. J.R.R Tolkien said that the languages were not derived from the stories, but rather the stories from the languages. I found that the characters were very real and I disagree with previous accusations of the being wooden. This novel was one of the pioneers of modern fantasy. I understand that many may of found it tedious and slow, among other things. It is not a novel for someone who prefers fast-paced action. I can empathise with those who found language difficult, as I am not yet thirteen and did not understand word such as 'pertness' and 'trothplighted' initially, untill they were explained (I think trothplighted is an EXCELLENT word) but still enjoyed the richness of it. Personally I think the need for fast paced action is a result of everything being fast paced in modern life. The Silmarillion was a particullary difficult read and I mean to read it again when I am older. One has to remember Tolkien described his work as history-making than fantasy. For those who do not like it bit and haven't finished, keep going, it's worth it! For those who have read it but do not like it, not every book is to everyone's taste, and people who say that the people who don't like it are stupid are wrong as not everything is to everyone's taste and everyone has their own.

Dane Campbell from UK

The Lord of the Rings is a beautiful novel which should appeal to readers of all types. It is worth of the 'timeless classic' tag and should be read by any who enjoy the fantasy genre. It's influence cannot be understated and authors like Eddings, Brooks and Jordan all clearly displayed their admiration in their most famous works. The Lord of the Rings is one of those books in which you can fully immerse yourself and it features some of the most memorable locations in any fantasy world (Hobbiton, The Old Forest, Rivendell, Lothlorien, Minas Tirith and Mordor to name those that first came to mind). I read that people do not just want to read about Middle-Earth - they want to live there. And I am one of them. A truly wonderful and inspiring fantasy book. 10 out of 10.

Paul from USA

The LOTR is the greatest novel I've ever read and I continue to read books in the hope that something, anything will approach it greatness. It is a quest in which a seemingly mismatched group of heroes are brought together by the behind the scenes machinations of the wizard, Gandalf, who has been sent to Middle Earth to unite all free people of good will in opposition to the dark lord, Sauron, the title character. Sauron created a ring that holds most of his power but it was taken from millennia ago by the Last Alliance of Elves and Men. The ring was lost, and then found by a creature named Smeagol (Gollum) who, in turn lost it to an unassuming hobbit by the name of Bilbo Baggins. The LOTR tells the story of how the ring was destroyed. The beauty of the LOTR is in its language. Tolkien's prose sings to the ears in the same manner as spoken (but not written) Shakespeare. Tolkien's genius lies in the fact that he created his mythical world, created languages, created a history and then wrote the story. His love for his mythical world emanates from every word.

Manwe from Valinor

Anybody who downrated this series because they thought it was boring is not reviewing this right. Never review a book before you finish it. If you finished it and still think it is boring... Well, too bad. Lord of the Rings is not a high-paced thriller filled with action, it is a slow but amazing epic. If you give me a real explanation of downvoting it other than "It's too boring!!!!!" I will listen to you. Anyways I have a book to review. Professor Tolkien did the unthinkable in a book: he managed to make an amazing story against an even more amazing world. Nowhere else have I seen such an amazing world with a constant realized background, while also having memorable characters, while also including a plot with such epic scale. From the peaceful village of Hobbiton, to the Cracks of Doom, you feel like this place must really exist. Gandalf is one of the greatest wizards in fantasy, the hobbits are all interesting, and Gollum/Smeagol is an amazingly 3-dimensional character. Although in the great scheme of things, the War of the Ring is not too much (like 2 pages in the Silmarillion) it still is a great epic quest, especially for creatures as small as hobbits. The main flaws I can find in this story are lack of female characters (Galadriel is still great though) and some characters seem to be always good, while others always bad. I guess that's just fantasy though. If you say Harry Potter is better, I can kind of see where you're coming from. The characters in HP are better in many ways. However if you say that Percy Jackson or Eragon is better... Well that just makes me angry. Anyways the lord of the Valar thinks this is the greatest book ever made. Manwe out.

Andrew from New Zealand

Amazing book. Those who have just started and find it tedious should be persistent and keep on reading. The first book may be boring but later on (especially in the third book) things get exciting. A must read book.

Yash from India

It was an excellent book.

Haroon from Afghanistan

A very excellent book, I have ever read.

Eowyn from America

This book is truly a piece of art if you have the patience. The first one is long and you will want to give up but the second and third are truly amazing. I am 12 but I have a really high reading score, yet it still took me 3 months to read… it was worth it. But if you are an average or below reader then high school levels, I would not attempt this book quite yet.

Legolas from Middle Earth

The Lord of The Rings is one of the greatest fantasies of all time. Taking the time of it being written this book was revolutionary. Those who argue the book is boring and overly descriptive need to read it again knowing that this book isn't supposed to be an amazing action packed thriller where someone dies every few seconds. This book was written like a history book it explains the journey and explains Middle Earth in such great detail you find yourself immersed in the story. This book although, is somewhat surpassed in that the structure and grammar of the book is not up to modern standard but still the immersiveness of the book makes up for for the small matter. This is the classic fantasy that will continue to be popular for years to come.

Sauron from The Deepest Depths of Mordor

It's an amazing book but it's wrong. The forces of evil shall prevail.

Gandalf the White from Middle Earth (I have no home, I'm the white pilgrim)

This my favorite book I've ever read! This is a book written by J.R.R. Tolkien, who not only erects a world of his own, but also makes you enjoy reading about it. Then, you see reviews where people complain "oh it's too boring" or "this book is long winded" and you can only tell them how wrong they are. These people have the mindset they're going to power through it like a story, yet Tolkien wrote it not only as a story but as a history. I find his writing to be very interesting, and I do understand others have their opinions as well. In the end I give it 10 out of 10 stars because the stories are perfect and fun too read.

Nathan from Australia

Absolutely amazing book. Is the absolute pinnacle of high fantasy and is truly timeless.

Manw� from Valinor

Best trilogy I've ever read in my entire life.

Linan from Netherlands

I think the idea is brilliant! Middle Earth with elves and dwarves, I love everything about it. The only thing is, the book is very slow and it's written with a lot of details. A lot of details can be a good thing, but it makes the book very tedious. I can't get through the books because of that.

Himika from India

Tolkien's work is definitely an epic! I never felt bored while reading LotR, except for some parts of the Two Towers, rather, Inheritance Cycle was more boring. Someone here said that the one ring was not much of a threat. Appaprently, that person has not read the book properly as it was clearly given that the ring, in the hands of Sauron, could control all the other rings and he would gain incredible power. If that is not a threat, I do not know what is. The lack of strong female characters did disappoint me, but that is not to say that Prof. Tolkien was sexist, it was just the impact of the time in which he lived. The book really transports its readers into an ethereal place. I found myself in Middle Earth while reading the book. And Sam is definitely one of the best characters, followed by Aragorn. Those who describe Sam and Frodo as being gay don't deserve to read such a masterpiece. I would advise readers to read Harry Potter first, then The Hobbit, and then enter into the LotR universe. Some stories live on in us forever, whether we are old or young, and Lord of the Rings is definitely such a story. A story so well crafted that the reader's mind lingers around in the beautiful shire, the dark forest or the white city of Gondor long after the book is over.(Excellent review Himika, I would like to second everything you wrote - Lee @ Fantasy Book Review)

Rachel from USA

It has a really good plot. I'm on the second LOTR book, but a lot of the parts are boring. I get confused and lose interest, making me lose track where they are and all of that. It disappoints me that in the second book Frodo, Sam, and Gollum part doesn't come until the end. I love Gollum.

Marion from USA

I discovered The Lord of the Rings when I was a sophomore in college. I was hooked from the start, and I did a bare minimum of school work for two weeks while reading and re-reading the trilogy. I find it interesting that so many people on this forum have such strong feelings whether they loved it or hated it. I loved it, and have read it several times over 40 years. I loved it all even the supposedly boring chapters like the river voyage and the visit with Tom Bombadil. I found these two chapters and other sections restful but fascinating interludes among considerable action in other chapters which are filled to the brim with interesting happenings. After first reading of Bombadil I was sure he was going to return in some important role, but he remained a fascinating mystery. I skimmed over most of the poetry and songs on the first reading but that material introduced depth and mystery to the story that I appreciated more after reading the Silmarillion. I have found some acclaimed action-filled thriller novels overly frenetic to the point I lose interest, and I have to flip back and forth to keep the complex plot straight with all of the non-stop action. The descriptive material and varying pace in LOTR helps to draw me into the fantasy world and connect with the characters and their actions.

Bobsaget from Atlantis

One of the best- and longest- book series I have ever read. It is long and very highly detailed-which annoys some- but I personally love the detail, the songs, and just about everything else... Not only is it great to read, it also took the fantasy genre out of Grimm's Fairy Tales... It is a must read- if you have the time...

James Baker from Wiltshire

I have read this book so many times it has fallen apart. One of the many reasons I love it is because each time I revisit it I find things that I have previously overlooked. It is a book that has everything and I urge those who have enjoyed the film adaptations to also read the book as there is so much more detail which makes the great story even more special. Reading The Lord of the Rings is an annual treat that never fails to deliver.

Andrew Luck from USA

Started the book and it is great.

Guy from Israel

Tolkien spent many decades creating the world of Middle-Earth. With that in mind, there is no richer universe than the mythological world of Tolkien. The plains of Rohan, the many factions of Gondor, Ents, Imladris, Caras Galadhon. The beatiful tale of Beren and Luthien, and the poem of Nimrodel. A well-written masterpiece, certainly earning it's status as one of the greatest classics of our time.

Chris from Scotland

@Shawna from US - Sure, Eragon is good. Sure, Harry Potter may be good to some people. But honestly, they can't match the sheer brilliance of Tolkien. Apparently, there's too much description and not enough conflict. So, did it ever once occur to you that having that much description was the idea? I find it makes it that much easier to sort of meld yourself into the book. And if there's not enough conflict for you, you probably didn't read very far into the book. The entire thing is riveting, from the flight to Rivendell to the Lady Galadriel of Lothlorien. Tokien does an amazing job of immersing readers into a fantasy world with an immense amount of backstory and mythos as an undercurrent to the entire story. The characters are the best developed of any book I've ever read. And to be frank, Harry Potter just doesn't do it for me. The writing is overly simplistic, and honestly, all the heroes (Minus Ron, who actually interested me) are complete "Mary Sue/Gary Stu"s with no real, played-upon flaws.

Colt from US

@Shawna from US. Nice of you not to realize that Potter and Eragon would not exist without Tolkien's work. Not to mention Star Wars, Led Zeppelin. Why read the ripoff when right here, right now, you can read the genuine thing?

Gandalf from Somewhere

This book is fantastic, a MUST READ!

Jeff from America

Beyond amazing!

Jeff from Utah

I first read this series at age 10. I periodically re-read it (about every other year for the last 34 years) because it's the best fantasy series I've come across, and believe me I've read quite a few others in that time period. The books are much better than the movies and I thought the movies were quite well done. I understand not everyone does or will enjoy these books, to each their own I say. You will not find a video game on paper, you will not satisfy your ADD craving, you might even have to put some time and thought into what you are reading, these are not children's books or the latest television fad. Here you will find a marvellously detailed history of an imagined world, and every day characters thrust into unthinkable situations where they respond in ways real people might. Like I said, these books are not for everyone, but based on their continuing popularity and longevity, they appeal to most readers and I strongly recommend them. (I just want to add that I agree 100% with Jeff's review, it echoes my own thoughts perfectly - Lee, Fantasy Book Review)

Harihara from India

One of the best books I have ever read... I felt that The Hobbit was still better than LotR but it was a short one. Sadly not many books were written about Middle Warth. If you are a fan of Harry Potter you are bound to love this too, the characters are all comparable in both the epics. Whatever I say doesn't matter as you should read it and enjoy it. :)

Luke from Durham, North England

The first thing to remember about Lord of the Rings, (and the fact that so many people who gave it bad reviews seem to forget), is that it is not strictly speaking a fantasy novel. Tolkien himself said on several occasions that he did not write fantasy, he wrote history! The fact that the history happened to be for a world that did not exist, told in a language which was Tolkien's own invention, in a world where myths existed in that language did not matter. For those who complain that the book is boring or overly descriptive, I'd ask them to Imagine reading a novel about the crusades. How many chapters about nobles leaving their homes, about journeying months across the seas and through Europe, about tramping through hot and dry deserts would there be before a battle? That is what you are dealing with in LotR, a book which not only is set in its own world and history where everything from the poetry and songs that people sing to the places and roads people walk has its own place and biography, but also a world that is realistically large. Walking from the shire to Mordor takes a long time, and it is much of Tolkien's genius that he is able to show how realistic the experience of this walk is. I have often heard Middle Earth itself called the greatest and most memorable character in Tolkien's writing, and while I wouldn't quite go that far, it is certainly true that here the world plays more of a part than most, whether the italic woods of the shire or the harsh, arid landscape of Mordor. The profound reality of the book is also shown by its lack of angst, because essentially Bilbo and Frodo were country gentlemen with little care or reason to worry before the start of the book, since after all some people just do not have that much trouble and do live normal lives (something which many novelists forget)., Of course, this changes on the journey to Mount Doom, and Frodo's relationship with Sam which one insensitive reviewer calls "gay" is one of the most realistic and beautiful friendships I've read of in any novel. The same goes for magic, it is the very lack of hurling fireballs or easy pyrotechnics that illustrates the profound power of Gandalf, Galadriel and Saruman through their shear presence and force of will. Ultimately, if a person wants a quick fix fantasy novel where manly heroes chop off the heads of trolls by the dozen and wizards throw fireballs, in other words a book that is about as realistic as little pixie Jim's visit to twinkly winkly town, well this is not the book for them, indeed they probably need to grow up and learn a bit more about life. For those however who love language, setting and world, and actually want to care about the characters who are going into danger and the world that needs saving, Tolkien provides it all. Speaking of characters, a particular note must be given to the character of Sam. It is extremely rare that any author can write a character who is unashamedly not the brightest person, but at the same time has traits which make them admirable and indeed remarkable. The moment in which Sam believes Frodo dead and sits to consider what to do next is likely one of my favourites in the story and reduces me to tears on frequent occasions. Gollum is also worthy of note, since despite the somewhat simplified version in the film, he is a deeply complex character with more than usually his share of conflicts and once again, the scene in which he looks at Frodo and Sam sleeping together and feels pity for them is a favourite. Of course, the books are not entirely perfect. In the almost but not quite total lack of female characters they are a distinct child of their time, since back in the 1950's the idea of girls embarking upon a dangerous expedition such as Frodo's' would be unthinkable. Also, as Tolkien himself observed, the book is in many places too short and particularly towards the end certain sets of action are compressed, such as Aragorn's journey to the battle of Pelennor Fields or Merry's ride with the Rohirim, indeed while he wrote an exquisitely personal story from the perspectives of the four hobbits, when dealing with Aragorn, Legolas and the other characters Tolkien did not seem to spend quite as much time or care, indeed I distinctly prefer the portrayal of Aragorn as Strider the shifty but friendly ranger (and not in the dungeons and dragons sense), to Aragorn the somewhat archetypal king. I could go on talking about the fine points of LotR for pages, but better than read me waffling, go and read Lord of the Rings! If you approach the book with an open mind and don't just expect a quick fix standard dungeons and dragons fantasy, you won't be disappointed. I'm sorry that the site rating scale only goes up to ten, since if I were to characterize the quality, style and shear majesty of Tolkien's work I'd be giving it at least a thirty! It is a book I have read innumerable times, right from the age of six onwards, and will doubtless read many times in the future, each time gaining more insight into this profound peace of literature. Just as it has been said all western philosophy are footnotes to Plato, it could equally be said that all fantasy are footnotes to Tolkien, and it's very easy to see why. Whatever else can be said for Peter Jackson's films, the fact that they have introduced Tolkien's work to a whole new generation including many people who have not read it before has got to be a plus. So if you've not read Lord of the Rings read it! Read it now!

Nikunj from India

Adventurous and fantastic book!!! The whole world should read this book!!!

Jack from New York

Lord of the Rings is an exquisite series. Filled with thrilling action and violence. This book is one of my most favorite books in the world. Whoever are haters of the book should get out off this website, this book is the most greatest books in the world. Come on, who doesn't want to read this. Action, adventure, violence, and more. If you never ever read this series, I must say get out of here, go to Barnes and Nobles or any other websites, order or buy this book from the start because I promise you, this book will be on your shelve and on your list for top 10 books. This series is just amazing and brilliant, couldn't find a better way to explain this.

Javaid Bhatt from India

Once in a while comes a book which changes the way you think about fantasy and narrative writings, this book is more than that, somewhere within it there was a sense of religious aspect present in it, without even saying so... I think Professor had gone through some serious religious scriptures which made him write " a right v/s wrong story"... with the conceptual likes of, All seeing one-eye, One Supreme king of kings, Angels (elves) and demons etc. Overall I think somehow these events will occur in future, but I can be wrong also... but indeed the book, it is great treat to read.

Nate from Chicago

Hey, so, I wasn't going to write a review at all, but I feel I must comment on Jordan M. Rapp's comment. But first, this is a great book, but since it's old, it's understandable that today's youth may not understand and enjoy these books. I, myself, am 15, but I thoroughly enjoy Tolkien's work. But, uh, Jordan, no one asked you what your IQ is. There's no need to go calling people morons just because they don't like the same book as you. Don't be such a dick, seriously.

Juan from Oregon

The reason, in my opinion, that this book has and deserves the accolades that it has received is that it doesn't necessarily rely on character development, or on some glorified idea of progress, or even the motif of salvation, but that it creates a world that we begin to feel deeply about, that we can love. Tolkien's world is one that should be saved. Not merely the people or characters in it, nor the ideals that they may uphold, but everything, from the mill ponds to the mountains, from forests to streams. It has a wholeness that stands in stark contrast from the modern tendency to divide, to isolate, to reduce. Instead, it demonstrates the interconnections, the lack of easy answers, the reality that is a world that is broken but still beautiful, that now and again shows a glimpse of its former glory. We begin to understand that the joy and the grief that Frodo experiences after the ring is destroyed is shared by the elves, the ents, the trees, and the very land itself. Joy at the destruction of the evil, at the ending of despair, but grief at the cost, at the fact that nothing will be the same as it was before. The Lord of the Rings, like few books beside it will make the reader care, if he will let it. (I also recommend Les Miserables and the first two books in Orson Scott Card's Ender series, Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead) (This is a brilliant review and I second every point it makes. Thanks Juan - Lee, Fantasy Book Review)

Logan from Australia

Excellent book, loved every word of it, never boring, wish it was longer. Awsome films as well. EPIC!

Dreamy from Albania

Simply great.

Siya from south africa

First of all, the biggest mistake you can ever make is watching the movies first and then reading the books. That just causes you to have expectations about the book. I've also come to the conclusion that Tolkien told the story in the form of a historical account, as if middle earth really exists and this tale is just part of its history. This method really gives the story a strong sense of realism that's why it is so descriptive and slow as if Tolkien was right there next to the hobbits. I think the best example would be to imagine any real story of war written in a history book, you'd find the similarities in Tolkien's storytelling. So you realise this is not meant to be read as an exciting rollercoaster ride but as simply an account of how saruman was defeated by the people of middle earth & the journey of Frodo & Sam. I hope I'm making sense. This storytelling method for me is beautifully authentic and goes perfectly well with this trilogy. Tolkien doesn't just tell a story, he also immerses the reader in the cultures of his world. The BEST high fantasy novel ever written only because unlike other novels it feels REAL!

Pete from England

Wugibooboo from England

Anybody who doesn't like this book should be considered insane. I know it seems harsh but it's true. They are either too stupid to understand it, too lazy to read it or simply have a terrible imaganation and no taste. Tolkien was a god (and I don't care that it's blasphamy to say that it's true) and this is his greatest book. Personally I would say the Two Towers is the best. Don't know why I just prefer it. However, the other two are still amazing. Plus Peter Jackson did a great job on it and Howard Shore is a musical genius. I just hope The Hobbit film doesn't let the side down.

David from Romania

Well, I think most everyone in the world will agree with me when I say this book is a true Masterpiece. Anyone who says otherwise hasn't really read it. Pay attention to the skill put into each sentence and the beauty of each paragraph in The Lord of the Rings. Every sentence is a work of art. Each character's depth is astounding. The dialogue is poetry. J.R.R. Tolkein will be remembered for centuries as one of the greatest writers in human history.

Harry from Great Britain

It may be hard to understand, boring and gets a little to deep into the histories of its own fictional world sometimes; but that's what is so great about it. It's not all about the grand adventure aiming to destroy the 'One Ring', toppling over raid parties with a small group of vagabonds or armies battling each other for the defense of the last bastion for all free men. It goes over extensively on details that are present in their journey through Middle Earth, it throws readers into a world that was otherwise forgotten - Midgard from the Norse Mythology - and creates new legends on its own. It is great that it challenges the readers to exercise the power of their imagination, memory retention, patience (otherwise I would've just watched the movie and be done with it) and be enthralled by the rich and enchanting lore created by the great J.R.R. Tolkien.

Ben from USA

I disagree with the score rating, 10/10 is too low for this book. If you don't like this book, quit reading all together.

Abhiram from India

This is the best movie or the book I have ever seen. I enjoyed while watching this movie, it is 100% good book to read.

Joshua from United Kingdom

My Review. By Joshua, aged 13 from Bournemouth. The Lord Of The Rings is one of the most complex books I truly have ever read. J.R.R. Tolkien spent his life in his books, creating his own language! Maps, histories, yes, this book is boring at times but if it wasn't we would not ever be able to understand it. J.R.R. Tolkien's work, The Lord of the Rings is easily the best ever book written! I have read it and will read it over and over until I fully grasp the beautiful litrature between my finger tips. People who gave this book less than a outstanding 9-10 don't understand it and obviously want to always be entertained with fighting but what they don't understand is that the traveling is the foundation on all of Tolkiens best work. Simpily outstanding!

I have yet to read anything in high fantasy that comes close to it. Tolkien's schorlarliness and deep knowledge of Norse sagas, was a great foundation for world-building. The symbolism of innocence overcoming evil is ever relevant.

Willem from Belgium

Best book ever written, no doubt! WARNING: certain intellectual level needed.

Nathan from Pamilan

This is undoubtedly an excellent book, but gets too slow and boring at times. The walk through the forests in the first part is definitely a bad inclusion. Surely the pace picks up later and the third book of this series is a sheer roller coaster. That's ultra cool.

John from UK

This is a great book, and the one I would take to my "desert island", but not a flawless book. There is actually not enough about the title character and the conflict with him and altogether too much about Saruman who trails on after the climax into the scouring of the shire. It was right to leave that part out in the films along with Tom Bombadil, whose character is completely anomalous, both in terms of the plot and his position in the fantasy world. I would agree too with those who say that character development after the Fellowship of the Ring is poor and also those who complain that female parts are very poorly developed, with the possible exception of Eowyn, but that's only so she can finish off the Witch-King. But it's not to say that it isn't a good read and one that grabbed my imagination all my life.

Sick from upstate NY from Oneonta

Yes, excellent book. Movies were 6 at most w/ plot diversions. Started w/ Watership Down @ 14, did LotR @ 14-15 next. Haven't stopped since. Ran into "Thomas Covenant" @ 16, "Randland" @ 30. Why has only 1 person mentioned "The Silmarillion," not mentioning "Lost Tales" at all? After that CRRT got desparate and series quickly went down. You should consider a series aspect of this. If not for Chris T. pandering the notes, would give 12. Thanx TTFN.

Mary from Fort Worth

When I was little, my father would read me this book as a bedtime story. He would never be able to make voices or inflect emotion into his words (in all honesty, he was a horrible reader) but he had no need. Tolkien had used every word to it's greatest. He crafted worlds so vivid I would fall alseep to the shadows of Mirkwood or the music of the Brandywine.

Katie from London

I loved the film and went straight to the book when I got home and I loved them because they are brilliant and moving - Tolkien is my hero!!! :-)

Nobody from Nowhere

From a literary point of view, Tolkien is a brilliant writer, but so are many other people. The detail in his story is overwhelmingly accute, but this often drives away modern day readers who like to imagine on their own. The Lord of the Rings has very little or no contemporary aspects, aside from the Hobbits (his painting of country folk in England), the modern day English that just so happens to be spoken by many diverse peoples in Middle Earth, and other small samplings that arise from the influence twentieth-century English culture had on Tolkien (it is highly improbable that any writer could hide or destroy every trace of the influence his culture had on them). The main problem many modern day writers have is that they devote the majority of their energy toward writing, that, in many cases, is aimed at pleasing the crowds. Of course, in the short run, it is a very profitable tactic, selling millions of copies in a few years, and after that, on to the next book. Not many individuals notice how quickly sales of contemporary writing fall when the culture has moved on. Others, having seen swiftness with which the present blots out the past, like another Fall of the Eagles (a documentary of the collapse of the three great empires of Eastern Europe soon after the dawn of the twentieth century, Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Russia) turn their attention to writing books with barriers to prevent its unseemly demise. A highly sophisticated scholar who devoted his life to the study and writing of literature might vey well write a novel that has every literary tool honed to perfection, every timeless twist readers with nigh on mechanical efficiency, and characters who will catch the readers attention time after time. However, a crucial aspect that almost all writers seem to forget is that literature, while considered by many to be an independent subject, turns out to be merely a branch off the study of languages, or Philology. Tolkien, by both profession (he, correct me if I am wrong, taught it at Oxford) and nature (he made languages at age ten), was a philologist. Too many people before and after him attempt to start a novel simply based on literary sources and personal experience. This is the wrong approach. One must start at the root of all the social studies: Philology. The linguistic apects of the book are essential for its survival and the continual enjoyment of its readers. For example, each of Tolkien's names (whether person, place, or thing) are not simply created on whim. He discovered each of their names linguistically, that is, he translated them from other languages. The one great flaw and the one great beauty of translation is that some words can not be fully translated into words, but an impression, an emotion that arises from the sound of the word and the broad terms with which translators attempt to capture that impression. Without Philology, Tolkien would have almost certainly not have written any of his majestic works. Without language, Human civilization would not exist!

Coray from Boston

A lot of what I see people mentioning in negative reviews are the things that I actually like most about LOTR. I love Tolkien's overly descriptive style. I love he passively mentions events that took place on a timeline that we know nothing about. And I love that he took the time to tell us about hobbits sitting in the woods eating cheese. I read it once a year. Tied for my favorite "book" with T.H. White's The Once and Future King.

Chandrapal from India

Everytime I read LOTR , I discover something new. This is the story which I'll re-read 10 times.

James from Lancaster UK

The strength of this book is not in its story telling, though a huge Tolkien fan I do not regard him as the best story teller. The genius of Tolkien is in the detail of his world, a detail no author I have read is yet to emulate. I saw the first film first but finished the final book on the way to watch the Return of the King, since then I have read it countless times and currently reading it again. When reading the Lord of the Rings you feel as if every place, event or person has a history behind it/them, and with Tolkien it probably does, in fact if you read more Tolkien you will only be amazed at how much depth there is Ea (the world Middle-earth is just a small part of). The Lord of the Rings has influenced practically every epic fantasy book/series ever since its publication and it's easy to see why, examples are easy. Tolkien was without doubt the best fantasy world builder who has ever lived with the beautiful descriptions of the Glittering Caves and the following language of the Elves. It is the perfect book for anyone wishing to become lost in an entirely different world which you will almost believe exists.

Jordan M. Rapp from Oregon

I first want to point out the lack of knowledge from the makers of the bad reviews. J.R.R. Tolkien is the father of the fantasy genre, and anyone who says the books are terrible fails to realize that the book has been a classic for over 40 years. That said, a book that has lasted that long is only boring to those who don't have the brain capacity to focus on the creativity that the series holds. I loved the descriptions that the other reviewers just bash on because they don't have a high enough IQ to work out the books complex story line. I thought that the forest was a great idea because it showed that the hobbits had no idea what they were getting into. Many reviewers would have many people think The Lord of the Rings was boring, pointless, uncreative, or all of these, because they just don't understand out of pure stupidity. I on the other hand had an IQ test at age five (that's all the fingers on one of your hands for you bad reviewers) and the test showed me to have an IQ of 136 so I at age fifteen can understand what most other morons don't; The Lord of The Rings is a great book.

Andy from Reading

The story is absolutely brilliant there is no doubt about that, however the writing in my opinion was woeful, the level of detail excruciating. Once I got through the first book I made a promise to myself that there was no way that I wasn't going to read the other two. I have met more people who couldn't read this trilogy than could, not through lack of ability mind but grim determination. The story is a masterpiece and the films are good, however the story in the books is better, I just wish Tolkien had allowed us to use our own imaginations rather then filling in every single detail for us.

Gary from Vancouver, BC

I can't see how any Fantasy Novel fan can give this less than ten stars.

Richard from London

A classic case of reputation over substance. I've been reading fantasy all my life and found these books trying, difficult and unenjoyable. A book should flow and keep you gripped, this book constantly interrupts the flow of great ideas at every turn with unnecessary detail and stupid poems. Compared to less high profile works such as Raymond E Feists Magician, David Eddings Belgariad and Terry Brooks Shannara series, these have always felt rather flat. One of the rare occassions for me where the movie is better then the book. Each to there own and if you enjoyed this to consider it worth 10/10 then fair enough, but for me the 10/10 rating seems given for its fame and originality in a fantasy novel, rather then its actual quality.

Edward from Illinois, US

First thing people need to consider, is that the fantasy settings we read about and watch today... did not exist for Mr. Tolkien. He literally created the ideas which are now the foundations of fantasy stories. That said, let me start. The books did often lull with extended description of foliage and landscape in areas that weren't additive to the scenes. And you rarily find fast paced combat to drive the adrenaline. That alone will kill it for younger readers. You can however immerse yourself in a rich world that started it all. I dock it a star, simply because I am an combat action guy from the era of ADD Advance Dungeons & Dragons PLUS Attention Deficit Disorder.

Sarah from USA

I'm a huge fan of fantasy so of course I had to read the books after I saw the movies, and in all honesty I was a little bit disappointed with them. I loved the story-line and the plot was excellent, but I found myself not really liking the story itself. It was way too long, and overly descriptive, and the characters were rather disappointing after the Fellowship of the Ring because there was no real development to them. They were just there on their quest, and I really found myself wishing for some background with Aragorn because he was one of my favorite characters. The other thing I wasn't really fond of was that some of the characters were just placed into the story and they really did not have anything to do with what was going on with the story. I could not get passed Tom Bombadil, I liked him but he was really unnecessary and he had nothing to do with the main characters after the first book. I did love the hobbits, and I thought that JRRT did a great job developing them and the story in relation to Frodo/Sam and Merry/Pippin. I also loved Gollum he was a great character, but the only problem I had with him was that he was too singular for my tastes. I really prefer more complex characters and more complex plot line development, and unfortunately LOTR really did not do it for me. There were just way too many characters for my liking and it got to a point where it was just way too confusing trying to keep all of the characters straight. The introduction of the Rohirrim and everyone connected to those characters did not help that at all. I also did not like like it when he referenced people who had no direct influence on the characters themselves or the story. For example, the elves that were mentioned after the company left Rivendell were interesting but they had nothing to do with the characters or the events that transpired, so it felt really unnecessary to me. There were also way too many subplots to the story. That happens when there are too many characters, and it got kind of confusing and annoying towards the middle. It was interesting and I loved the description of the battle scenes, but the villains were a bit of a flop. I really did not like the battle scene between the Wraith King and Eowyn/Merry in the book because he came of as more pompous than threatening, whereas in the movie he was portrayed as being very sinister. That being said I enjoy the books and I thought that they were pretty epic as far as fantasy goes, but I have read better books. Unfortunately the series suffered due to being overly long and descriptive, and it suffered a complete lack of character development after the first book. Overall it was a good series, and I'd give it an A story telling and the development of a completely magical world, but I give it a C in terms of character development, and I always think that a story is nothing without properly developed characters, and the story really failed to make any of the characters besides the hobbits relatable in any form or fashion.

Elisabeth from Australia

The most beautifully written piece of literature of all time, Tolkien was a genius. People who don't like his songs and descriptions need to take another look! The power and beauty of The Lord of The Rings is just mind boggling.

Jay from Australia

Anyone who calls himself a fantasy genre lover and hates this book is a true idiot. Firstly, half those morons have watched the movie first and expect the same pace from the book as well. The other half (as you'll find some people here) don't get the story at all and bash it for no reason. The third grup of idiots think that Harry Potter is better...

Sharang from India

This is the best book I've ever read... no comparison...

Steve from The Land of Not-influenced-by-ridiculous-hype

Are these books creative, creating an entire world in which we can believe? Yes. Is it a book that can grip the reader, engage them in the sotry? Um...I'm going to say no, because the movies did better than the books did. Yes, JRR Tolkien created a world and essentially created the basic background of most fantasy to come (I'm thinking of the European-Medieval world every single fantasy novel is set in). And yes, I'll grant it, I did like it. But it is not the best. But before we get into that, let's say what was good about it. First off is the world. I've never really come across a world as thought out and described as this book. You can truly believe that palces like Gondor and Rohan do exist. And yes, the split between each book (Aragorn & co's quest, then Frodo, Sam's and Gollums) is done very well. I like how it is done. Now we come to the (many) bad points. 1. Little to no charcaterisation: Of course, I'm not going to include Sam or Gollum, they were really thought out. But everyone else just seemed so... well, it seemed like there was one guy, and Tolkien based every character off of this one guy. I don't see a lot of variation, really. 2. Do I really need pages of songs and tales that really have no affect on the tale, but make the world richer? No, I don't. I read a book to discover a world, and a fantastic story in the world. I don't read a book to glimpse a new world, and the actual tale come second to it. 3. There was no real threat. As most action sequences never really happened (I'm thinking of the battle of Helm's Deep - I know people were dying, but I didn't see any fighting or anything). And, the One Ring didn't seem to have that much of a threat. It turns someone invisible? From where I come from, that's a super-power. What's Sauron going to do? Turn invisible, stow away onto a boat, and wreck havoc in Valinor (where the Elves go to)... Actually, that doesn't sound like such a bad idea at all, too bad we never really got any actual threat. And there you have it. Yes, I like it. But, in reality, I think Tolkien was the creator of this world and tale, but Peter Jackson really told the tale much much better.

Visenna from Poland

Sometimes those long descriptions of some places were really annoying, still one of the greatest.

Kaustav from India

This is truly the BEST high fantasy series I've ever dug in to. First two chapters are not that interesting but necessary. Rest of the book will force you to stay glued with it. A must read for every high fantasy fan.

Derric from Anderson, SC

Minus one star due to the fact that The Fellowship of the Ring began so slowly. But, still, you have to admire Tolkien's handiwork. He took hold of a genre mostly towards children and brought back the point of fantasy, to bring about fear and hopelessness, love and hate, and show them to us in a form we can more understand. He took ahold of legends and introduced them in a new light, bringing back humaniod elves after so long of them appearing as fairy-like creatures. And the orcs point, to symbolize the industrialism that's taking the world, and Sauron being branded as one that wants order, even if it's through destructive means. A gem of a tale that points out that we have our flaws.

The Lord of the Rings started my way off on fantasy and I've read quite a few novels since. But after experiencing a number of fantasy worlds and quests, I realized that the thing that marked The Lord of the Rings as "the BEST" for me was its beauty. The writing style, the locations, the characters, and the theme are all so beautiful. Some people say it's "too long", "too descriptive", "too boring" etc,. but maybe they're searching for something different. If you want a book that you'll cherish forever as a beautiful masterpiece, just read this. And don't forget "The Silmarillion".

Anna del C. Dye from Taylorsville, Utah

J.R.R. Tolkien is the master mind and a great writer. I love his work and the beautiful world he created. He inspired my own Elf series. The Silent Warrior Trilogy was the portal to my Elf series. The elf and the Princess is book one. Two is trouble in the Elf City and three Elfs in a Conquered realm. They have been received very well in the Tolkien market and have great reviews. Tolkien opened my imagination, Thanks so much.

Nick from Inland Empire, CA

My name is Nick. I'm a college student in California and have just completed a fiction literature class in which we covered extensively all the books from The Hobbit to the Return of the King and all the movies. Yes even the horrible animated version of The Hobbit. Now as an assignment our teacher has asked us to complete an online post summarizing and reviewing my experiences in the class and of the books. Now I have to say I'm not one for books in general unless it peeks my interest and seeing as I have seen the movies before I got around to the books I found it kind of hard to get into for the class. I did how ever get the chance to find out about other interesting characters and parts that were left out of the movie completely. Tom Bombadil and the necromancer seemed to stay in my mind after reading and actually it lead to me looking further into the world of Middle Earth. I even went to the point of reading some of the Untold Tales and The Silmarillion to better understand the ways of Middle Earth and its people. Movies aside I have to say the books seemed to be more informative and detailed then the movies were. But then again the movies did give a more realistic view and understanding of the people, the battles, and the cities that I never could have imagined. At each class we would discuss our reading. Whether we liked or disliked any particular part. Overall the class seemed to enjoy it well enough. Overall I recommend you read the books before you see the movies, if you haven't already, but I believe it gives a more personal meaning visually and intellectually. And if you get the opportunity read the other Tolkien books as well; especially The Silmarillion. The books also brought out the creative side of many of my classmates when it came time to do presentations for the class and I believe the imagery of the movies and the imagination brought by the books had a strong influence on their assignments. My Project was a 3D map of Middle Earth using the maps from Tolkien's drawings and not the landscapes of the movies. Which were quite different. Overall though I do recommend that you read and enjoy the books and the movies equally. They both have their ups and downs so I leave it up to you to decide. Nick.

Ryan from California

Hi, I am a California Community College student and upon the completion of all Lord of The Rings books, including the Hobbit, my Professor assigned a brief book review. It was the first time I have read these books and I was amazed of how J.R. Tolkien can describe the scenery and shrubbery with so much detail. At times I did find my self almost wanting to fall asleep, but there is excitement like the battle at Minas Tirith, Helms Deep and the Mines of Moria for example. Another great achievement J.R. Tolkien has accomplished is creating this whole world in which this epic tale takes place. It is also remarkable that he even created his own language. You will be amazed of the amount of information contained in these books from all the maps, family trees and history that all tie into making these books a remarkable tale. The characters in these novels will definitely stay with me for the rest of my life. From Beorn the black man bear, Tom Bombadil the trippy trailblazer, Tree Beard and my favorite character Bill the "beast of burden" pony. I found it quite humorous when Sam would talk to his pony until they had to go there separate ways. Another character that I enjoyed is Gollum. I also thought Gollum was hilarious yet tragic and one of my favorite quotes from Gollum is "Give me fish now and keep the nasty chips!" I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a good fantasy novel to read.

Shawn from Space Coast, Florida

I really never post on these but after reading what Marine from Athens, Greece said, I feel I must. Yea, for a year I hated it. Yes it was big, yes he generated a gigantic world of very detailed characters, and ... yes, it is very, disappointingly, childish in my mind. Then I started reading older fantasy, WOW. It's worse. It is childish or dull or, well I really couldn't get through about 5 or 6 authors. It occurred to me, this was fantasy up until the lotr series. So we have a TOTAL non author who sets out just to write a story for some kids, redefine a genre. And think about it. Almost EVERY fantasy novel follows his lead. Early in the current fantasy book a typical, unlikely, usually young (which Frodo still is because of the ring,) individual (usually male because most fantasy novelists are male, chicks seem to do more urban fantasy I've noticed.) finds out very abruptly he is "ment" for something. Then he must quickly leave his home, usually with a good friend and another who will cause mischief, so total ruin will not hit his home by the super evil thing that wants him dead. Don't forget, in these books our unlikely hero is warned just before our bad almighty evil doer is able to get to him first! And who does the warning? Well, again its always the same. A very wise, experienced (fill in blank for the book) wizard in this case figures it all out, just in the nick of time. Nowwwwwww, Start The Adventure! Hero has no clue, mysterious wise saviour of our hero is mysterious, only telling what he has to in order to not overwhelm our hero who is on shock already. Fast forward, our hero has started to go from unlikely to likely, becoming somewhat proficient in his previously unknown ability, able to now fend for himself. Our mysterious saviour has trained him or he has learned through trials during the adventure. Also the saviour shares more, usually we learn a dark secret about this person at this point, to sow doubt in the readers mind as well as the hero... FF again, nearing the end of the adventure. The hero has now out shined or is about to out shine his masters skills. Also he know what must be done and will do it at all cost.( b4 he would have run like a screaming wet kitten from his Final "destiny" had he known everything too early.) Now our heros teacher-savior-mysterious powerful dude dies either saving him, gets injured, something like that. He will admit and explain the dark secret that's not so dark and actually makes the hero feel more determined and mad at himself for getting cocky and loosing trust in his beloved teacherby listening to the twisted words of our villain. The hero now learns the final secret or has the final weapon needed to win. If the teacher-master dies at this point, the secret is usually what he learned and dies for, whispering it at the very end in a last, heroic way. If he isn't killed then its usually an epic monster that is guarding an almighty weapon. Our hero is fighting this beast and is about to die when out master takes the hit. If he survives, he is to wounded to go on and will be a hindrance. Once again, either way, the hero has what he needs and now is even more determined to vanquish his moral enemy. One more Tolken rule, The hero will ALWAYS, at some point, usually just in the last 100 pages, but not always here, make a leg on his own. Most books have it near the end so they can do the cheesy self hatred, blaming himself for a bit, then he will run into a crazy, weird person or creature. This creature will Sense the pain (they always do!) And poke at, point out his flaws, and antagonize our hero to a breaking point. Here just b4 our hero smashes our antagonist to bits, he realizes the dude is right and comes to terms with his loss. He now has wasted valuable time, again usually at the end, of our story filling pages with oh the loss, I can't do it on my own, self pity page filling crap... this is ok, because now he has learned a true lesson, and is mental and powerful enough to meet his nemesis and the rest of our story is a large and an epic buildup to his final test. If our main teacher-mysterious dude didn't die or get to injured to go on, someone who means EVERYTHING to our hero dies or his own people are attacked being nearly whipped out, or he was to late to save a town and the dead little Hobbit children and human children alike who he feels he should have been in time to save. this is to tear at his heart strings. You how it goes down from here in nearly every fantasy novel. For one reason or another, our hero is making his solo track, taught his lesson by our smart ass protagonist buddy who happened to just be where he was needed and got him back on track. Our hero, constantlcy growing more confident after the protagonists home, now makes his way seeming easily through deadly lands and impossible odds. Our hero now is much to powerful to allow any of the minions standing is his way (crazy to try, creatures and even the land itself was broken and evil), It nowtakes every bit of his skill but he gets it slow him from reaching his final fight.

Jason from USA

Amazing. J.R.R. Tolkien has literally created an entire world using descriptive imagery, captivating and marvelous word choice, and vivid, life-like characters. It tickles your imagination: dwarves, elves, hobbits, wizards, and other mythical beings and settings which makes you want to keep reading more and more. Anyone that has given this a 9 or less really does not understand the pure power of this book. If you had kept reading, you would have liked it more, and that is a guaranteed fact. It is necessary to read the first book so you may know the world that surrounds the Hobbits.

Alex from UK

Whoever gives this book 1 star or 2 or 3 simply have not read it, and that is fact. This is simply a marvel of the human imagination, do not listen to anyone who rates this at less than 5 stars, it's simply not possible to dislike this book if you are a fantasy lover, brilliant.

Abe from USA, TN

In my opinion, this is the greatest book that has ever been written (apart from the Bible), and it definitely set the standard for all fantasy books to follow. It is written with precise detail, not as much as Dean Koontz books though IMO. The only part I have a semi-dislike of is the songs... But if you don't like them, simply skip them, since they don't take away from the story. One thing I'd like to note is if you like Harry Potter, you'll adore this. I believe it is much better than HP (I've read all seven HP books as well), and you will notice things from HP ( http://www.mugglenet.com/hpvslotr.shtml ), which were "inspired" by LOTR, which also inspired many other fantasy books. I recommend watching the movies first. If you like them, I'd then recommend reading the books, and if you also like those, the book "The Hobbit" which actually came before LOTR. LOTR was actually the sequel to "The Hobbit".

Shell from Winchester

I have been reading and re-reading this book for half a century - and everytime it takes me somewhere new.

Reese from Taylors, SC

Loved these books, but can't reward it the highest title only because it started a revolution not refined it. Many authors from George Martin, Terry Goodkind, and Robert Feist helped make this a mainstream trend.

Richard from Ghana

We come to it at last... The greatest tale ever told... One Tale to rule them all.... A timeless masterpiece, no doubt!

Margaret from Boston

It's an absolutely must-read. I love the books and the movie so much! It's so good! A precious edition to your bookshelf at home if you hadn't added the trilogy yet.

Dragos from Romania

The books and the movie were almost perfect but now its time for something new: Gandalf, Eragon, Harry Potter or Voldemort, Galbatorix and Saruman? Who is the most powerful wizard of the world? Answer:none of them-there is a new wizard in town: is powerful, is young, is handsome , is alone and he is not bothered by all that. The wizard who will rock your fantasy world: The Black Vampire. Watch him on www.freefantasybooks.com.

Mimi from Manila

Highly recommended. I admire JRRT so much for being able to bring us into a world as real as Middle-Earth. It was so 3-dimensional you could really believe it actually existed.

Juhan from Cape Town

Best book ever. Worth reading no matter if your a novice or experienced reader. Books are in all respects better than their movie counterparts. Sure the films create the visual aspect of the written word but if you read carefully through all the detail (no matter how long) you can recreate all the emotions, landscapes and characters yourself.

Jared from San Francisco, CA

I can't stop reading this book. Even when I don't feel like reading, I'll find myself curled up on my bed, reading through the pages faster and faster, unable to put it down. The storytelling is flawless. The characters are unforgettable. The dialogue is pleasing. Mr. Tolkien created an entire world from his own imagination, and how I long to find some portal that will send me to Middle-Earth. He created the languages, geography, and the history of Middle-Earth itself. Such a feat is remarkable for a human being, and it alone should be honored. There are songs, poems, story-telling, and never do they get old. Yeah, maybe the constant describing of geographical locations can get tiring, but it is wholly necessary in order to put yourself in this world. When I was younger, I would skip these parts. But now, I read them willingly, and sometimes if I space out and miss all that I have read, I will go back and re-read those passages. This book is, and I can't stress enough, the greatest piece of literature of all of time. If you think otherwise, then you must be a Harry Potter fan. Harry Potter is great, but the Lord of the Rings is superior to all fantasy novels. Trying to surpass its legendary greatness is like trying to climb the Misty Mountains without limbs.

Bradley from New Mexico

OK, the movies may be great but the book is THE GREATEST! Even if I'm only on page 115 but who cares...

Flossie from The Kingdom of Lur

I loved the stories and songs becuase they really told you all about the history and culture of the place. It was fantastic, even at 12, and I loved the whole world that was created, possibly even more than the story itself. The Silmarillion is good for that: it explains all the First Age of Middle Earth, although it's quite rough, but it's amazing how long Tolkien spent living in his world so as to know all the battles and tales from it.

Ry from Michigan

Hands down the king of all fantasy trilogy. Regardless of any flaws it may have it will always be the quintessential fantasy series that any true reader of the genre must read.

Jake from Crewkerne

Amazing, the detail he put in draws you closer and makes you want to read more. BRILLIANT!!

Liam from Baldock,UK

A brilliant book with lots of magic and much better than the films so a MUST BUY! But it is long...

Nona from UK

I haven't read it and wouldn't want to because it is way tooooo long but the movies were absolutely FANTASTIC!!!! I am very obsessed with Harry Potter and The Twilight Saga but this has to be the top three stories/movies I love best so thanks alot Tolkien.

Norris from Lordmanner

I like Tolkien's take on the book. It is amazing.

Likkamatti from Finland

The Lord of The Rings is definitely my favourite book. Epic battles, adventures, heroic romance, hobbits, elves, dwarfs... What else could you ask from a fantasy book? J.R.R. Tolkien is my favourite author. Love it. Perfection.

The Best. The movie rocks and the book is pure talent. Tolkien is so good with characters, plots, and writing overall!

anonymous from unknown

I loved the movies, and the books. They were amazing! Nothing is better. This book is second to no fantasy book EVER written! I absolutely loved it. My dad read it to me when I was 10 and I fell in love with it and the movie.

Jett from U.S.A.

I love all of J.R.R. Tolkien's work. He is definitely my favourite author. He has created a world that not only appeals to kids but is a great read for adults too. Enjoy as you read The Lord Of The Rings!

Lonny from Sweden

One of the best book series ever. If you haven�t read any fantasy this is the one to read. Epic battles, fantastic language, and a wonderful world too discover.

Willie from UK

IT IS THE BEST BOOK EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is another awesome book by Tolkien. Whoever says it's bad needs to re-read the book. If you rated the book 5 or lower you are a bad reader.

Louise from UK

I've just finished reading the books, and I enjoyed them. Very well written, great plot and Tolkien obviously knows his own world in a way that few writers do. Only problem with it is that books 2 and three seemed more like historical accounts than fiction. Half the characters seemed under-developed and were clearly only there to propel the plot on. Outside the Shire there was no banter, no one discussed their feelings, thoughts or personal lives at the end of the book, I still couldn't describe a single thing about Legolas or Gimli's characters (these two only seemed to be used to make up the numbers- the scenery was better explained than them!). Even Aragorn had so little individual character besides what was informed at first that I didn't feel as much as I should have done when his life changed at the end. Also, the romantic relationships seemed false and lacked chemistry, as even long-married couples mainly spoke to each other formally, and no one seemed to show affection unless their partner was dying. It was all too clinical and serious, and purely functional. The characters never really behaved realistically- they only really talked when they had to, and only to discuss actions or strategy, never personal matters, and only the hobbits really showed nerves or anxiety when going into battle- even when they knew they could be walking to their death. It was the same in the appendixes. Lots of names and dates, no real soul or feeling. Also, lots about the past, hardly anything about the 'present' and the lives of the characters. I also didn't like the description of the Orcs. I liked the way we were shown they were bad (Orcs were more well developed than most of the other characters put together!) but I don't like it when races are portrayed as inherently evil, and it's beyond me how a language can be 'foul'.

Jamie from Australia

The Lord of the Rings is the greatest piece of writing ever. And those who think it's too detailed- please just go and learn how to read properly. Do you realise that its detail that makes a novel believable and gives it the various emotions within it. Fantasy epics are meant to be extremely detailed, go read a child's novel if you say it's too detailed.

Wes from Ohio

No book is perfect and that is true of LOTR. It does however stand as the crowning achievement of the grandfather of fantasy and all other fantasy books are eventually measured against it. I would reccomend any reader to start with the Hobbit, especially younger readers, and grow into LOTR. Please remember to thank Mr. JRR Tolkien for the genre when reading.

Jimmy from Scotland

First read The Lord of the Rings 40 years ago and have read them again every 5 or 6 years since.

Javan from Coffs Harbour

This book is great.... WAY better than the movies. The Hobbit is an easier read but it is not as good. I found LOTR a bit of a hard read, and so I gave it an 8, not a 9 or 10. I must say though, the Wheel of Time is better than LOTR by about 1/2 a mark (or at least the first 6 books are). Books 6-12 are about a mark worse than LOTR. The fact that each book is a 850 pages average makes it a very slow series. Just try the first 70 pages of book 1.

Lee from Manchester

This is a timeless classic. The characters that Tolkien invented have stayed with me for over 20 years and the book is as fresh in my mind as they were back then. The visual imagery is staggering and the themes running through the Lord of the Rings are essentially what makes this timeless. Never has has one book had such an effect on my whole life and none have (yet) surpassed it.

Duncan from Reading

Its the originator, its the first, many have been inspired by it, many have tried to emulate it and none have quite succeeded. Yes the first 300 pages are heavy going, but they are totally neccessary in understanding the story and the characters. The films tell you the basic story, but Peter Jackson changed too many things that detract from it.. He thought he could outwrite the master.. he should have realised that you shouldn't change what is as close to perfection as is possible. You may have seen the films, but read the books. you will wonder, you will feel every emotion there is and quite simply the book is the most comprehensive stunning work of fantasy there is. This book, is and will continue to be one of the classics, the books that people will still be reading in centuries time.

Jessie from Wales

This is the best book EVER! If you have watched the films and enjoyed them then buy the book, it's 100% better than the films and they are good. Everything about the Lord of the Rings is magical and a book that can be read and read and read and read again. This book will still be around and popular in hundreds of years time, that's just how good it is!

9.7 /10 from 148 reviews

All JRR Tolkien Reviews

• The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún
• The Lord of the Rings
• The Children Of Hurin
• The Silmarillion
• Tales from the Perilous Realm
• The Art of the Hobbit
• The Story of Kullervo
• The Lay of Aotrou and Itroun
• Beren and Luthien
• The Fall of Arthur
• The Fall of Gondolin
• Sauron Defeated (The History of The Lord of the Rings: Part 4)

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Book Reviews

Lord of the Rings Trilogy: Book Review

The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien

Many people have heard about The Lord of the Rings by J.R R. Tolkien but not many people have actually sat down and read them. The trilogy is long and not the easiest to read. But even if that is the case, I believe anyone who is a fan of fantasy and epic high fantasy and world building novels, you have to read the one that has influenced hundreds if not thousands of books.

The plot behind The Lord of the Rings is pretty simple; Frodo Baggins, a hobbit, must destroy the Ring and prevent Sauron, the dark lord, from getting it and regaining his former power. We are given a basic good versus evil plot and are thrown into the Middle-World, a place that is home to hobbits, elves, dwarves, humans, wizards, and goblins. 

In the novel , Frodo and his friends make a long and arduous journey across the Middle-earth. They encounter many enemies as well as make new friends. Sauron pursues them with his army and wages war against the kingdom. Frodo and his friends have to overcome many obstacles and destroy the ring before it’s too late for everyone in the Middle-earth

Movie Trailer

The Fellowship of the Ring can be read as a stand-alone novel but the right order of the novel is The Hobbit and then the trilogy. The Hobbit take place a hundred years before the Fellowship and the events that take place in that novel do affect the Fellowship. However, you can read the fellowship first and then go back and read the Hobbit. And then watch the movies so you don’t feel lost!

As many of my readers might have guessed, I love fantasy novels and high fantasy novels. And as someone who has read a bunch of them, I can tell you how often I see the Lord of the Rings’ influence on many of those novels. It is amazing to see how much influence one author can have in one genre.

The hard part about reading the trilogy is putting it down. There is a lot that happens and it is hard to stop reading so read at your own risk. I obviously loved the novels and they are near the top of my all-time favorite lists and would recommend them to anyone that loves fantasy and world-building novels. 

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Home » All Posts » A Beginner’s Guide to The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

A Beginner’s Guide to The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

FallenKingdomReads’ Beginner’s Guide to The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

We also have a Reading Guide for all of Tolkien’s Books in Order if that’s what you’re looking for!

The Lord of the Rings is a fantasy novel series written by J.R.R. Tolkien. It is one of the most popular and beloved works of fantasy literature in the world, having sold over 150 million copies worldwide. The story has been adapted into a series of award-winning films directed by Peter Jackson. The books are set in Middle-earth, a fictional world created by Tolkien that is inhabited by various creatures such as hobbits, elves, dwarves, and orcs.

Who is J.R.R. Tolkien?

J.R.R. Tolkien was an English writer, poet, and academic who was born in 1892 and died in 1973. He is best known for his works of high fantasy, including The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Tolkien was a professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford University and had a passion for languages, which is reflected in the detailed and intricate languages he created for Middle-earth.

What to Expect from the Books

The Lord of the Rings is a trilogy consisting of three books: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King. The story follows the hobbit Frodo Baggins as he embarks on a perilous journey to destroy the One Ring, a powerful artifact that has the power to enslave all of Middle-earth. Along the way, he is joined by a fellowship of characters, including Gandalf the wizard, Aragorn the ranger, Legolas the elf, and Gimli the dwarf. The books are known for their epic battles, complex characters, and intricate world-building.

Books in Publication Order

The Lord of the Rings books were originally published in the following order:

• The Fellowship of the Ring (1954)
• The Two Towers (1954)
• The Return of the King (1955)

In addition to The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Tolkien also wrote other books set in Middle-earth, including The Hobbit (1937), The Silmarillion (1977), and Unfinished Tales (1980). These books provide additional context and detail for the world of Middle-earth.

Film Adaptations:

The Lord of the Rings books have been adapted into a series of award-winning films directed by Peter Jackson. The films were released in three parts, with The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Two Towers (2002), and The Return of the King (2003). The films were critically acclaimed and won a total of 17 Academy Awards. In addition, The Hobbit, a prequel to The Lord of the Rings, was also adapted into a trilogy of films directed by Peter Jackson, released between 2012 and 2014.

The Lord of the Rings is a timeless classic that has captivated readers and viewers for decades. Whether you are a longtime fan of the books or are just starting to explore the world of Middle-earth, there is something for everyone in this epic tale of adventure and heroism. With its memorable characters, intricate world-building, and stunning visuals, The Lord of the Rings is sure to continue to enchant audiences for generations to come.

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Book review: the return of the king (the lord of the rings, #3) by j.r.r. tolkien, august 28, 2020 petrik leo comments 0 comment.

The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series:   The Lord of the Rings  (Book #3 of 3)

Genre:  Fantasy, Classic Fantasy, Epic Fantasy

Published: 20th October 1955 by George Allen and Unwin

“For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”

It’s over. I have finally finished reading The Return of the King , the third and final part of The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien; This means that I am officially done with Tolkien’s main novels in The Middle-Earth universe, and I’m proud of myself for it. I’ve read plenty of epic fantasy series more difficult and lengthy than this trilogy, you might be confused why I’m so proud of this. However, as I’ve mentioned in detail in my review for The Fellowship of the Ring , after continuously putting the first book into my DNF pile, completing this trilogy felt immensely satisfying. Plus, no more gatekeepers—despite how many fantasy books I’ve read—would be able to accuse me of “you’re not a fantasy fans unless you’ve read The Lord of the Rings ” anymore. And to be honest, if someone said this to you, you should just ignore them. That being said, now that I’ve finished this series, I will have to admit that Tolkien certainly earned his fame. The writing may not hold up too well for modern fantasy readers reading this for the first time now, but this being published more than sixty years ago? Truly amazing.

Picture: Road to Mount Doom by Donato Giancola

There’s something magical and timeless in the themes told in The Lord of the Rings , and The Return of the King is the conclusion of it all. It is keeping the fire of hope burning even in the persisting and overwhelming darkness. Often we see underdogs and farmboys story as a cliché now, but as I repeatedly say, they became a cliché because they worked a LOT of times. In the end, it always depends on the execution of the narrative to make us care about the journey and characters of the story, but themes of hope and friendships—among many others—are extremely strong. I think we occassionally forget one very important thing about Frodo and Sam, and that is the fact that they are underdogs and unlikely heroes.

“I am glad you are here with me. Here at the end of all things, Sam.”

Really ponder about it again; these Hobbits are unlikely heroes—small and bereft of any physical abilities except to eat so many times in a day—trying to do their best in the name of good, friendship, loyalty. Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Theoden, Eowyn, and all the other warriors, too—despite being separated from the Ring-bearers—believed with all their hearts that they will do what’s right. Everything about it is so inspiring, and honestly, the friendship between Frodo and Samwise Gamgee is still one of the best friendships portrayed in a fantasy series. In addition to these, The Return of the King also put Eowyn into the spotlight of the narrative, and I LOVED it; Tolkien has created one of the most iconic scenes in fantasy with what Eowyn achieved in this book.

“But no living man am I! You look upon a woman. Éowyn I am, Éomund’s daughter. You stand between me and my lord and kin. Begone, if you be not deathless! For living or dark undead, I will smite you, if you touch him.”

I also think that both The Towers and The Return of the King were far easier and engaging to read than The Fellowship of the Ring . The dialogues—excluding their constant use of odd “Good-bye!” and outdated words—between characters were compelling, filled with unforgettable passages, and the songs were much fewer, too. Most importantly, though, there’s no more Tom Bombadil; despite many fans’ love for this character which I don’t think I’ll ever understand, I seriously found Bombadil to be so out of place in this trilogy. There’s one thing in this book that I wish more newly released fantasy books would still include in their final installment: long epilogue. I love reading long epilogue or “after the battle” chapters. Obviously, I don’t mean for an epilogue chapter to be as long—the Scouring chapter near the end was so bizarre—as the one featured in this book, but I’m actually surprised that many people hate long epilogues. Personally, after so many battles and destructions, I would love to know about the characters’ fate after the conflict ended rather than just saying bye-bye then immediately in one or two short chapters. Sometimes, it feels like the story ended before I even got to say goodbye to the characters.

“It is not our part to master all the tides of the world, but to do what is in us for the succour of those years wherein we are set, uprooting the evil in the fields that we know, so that those who live after may have clean earth to till. What weather they shall have is not ours to rule.”

In my opinion, the most disappointing elements from this trilogy were the action sequences. I’ve said this before in my review of The Two Towers , Tolkien really didn’t focus his writing on the action sequences. As someone who utterly loved the movies and the epic battles, the battle scenes in these books were inferior and too short to my liking. I enjoyed reading the build-up and preparations for the battles, but I didn’t get the explosive impact from reading the war scenes themselves. The battle sequences in the films and the official/fan-arts conjured out of the movies/text are by far superior to the prose version, in my opinion. In the movie adaptation, the Battle of Helm’s Deep in The Two Towers and the Battle of the Pelennor Fields in The Return of the King were stunningly incredible and jaw-dropping. I can’t say the same about the books; I’ve read a LOT of fantasy books that have better battle/war scenes.

Picture: The Witch King by Chris Rahn

After all said and done, I think the answer to whether I love the books or the films more is crystal clear. The Return of the King is a classic and wonderful conclusion to Tolkien’s legendary series. I will not deny the importance of Tolkien and this series in shaping and popularizing the fantasy genre, that would be insane. The Lord of the Rings is a great trilogy, but I think the writing is a bit outdated now for modern fantasy readers reading this for the first time. I definitely loved the movies more, and I do believe that The Children of Hurin is Tolkien’s best—and darkest—story. But who knows? I have a feeling I’ll reread this trilogy someday, and I might end up loving <i>The Lord of the Rings</i> more on reread.

“I will not say: do not weep; for not all tears are an evil.”

Series review:

The Fellowship of the Ring : 4/5 stars The Two Towers : 4.5/5 stars The Return of the King : 4.5/5 stars

The Lord of the Rings : 13/15 stars

You can order the book from: Book Depository (Free shipping)

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The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Review: In A Word – Perfection

The lord of the rings trilogy review.

My father was the first person who told me of the genius created by J.R.R Tolkien. The Lord the Rings was a part of his childhood and when the popular books were adapted for the screen, he told me to, “see it immediately!” However, when the first film debuted in 2001, it was during my first year at University and somehow, while the hype reached me, the urge to actually watch the film passed. By the time the second film, The Two Towers was released a year later, I still hadn’t seen the first and therefore the urgency to catch up was missing.

In 2003 however, with the near-manic frenzy around the release of the final installment in the trilogy, I realized that I couldn’t be that person any longer. By that person of course I mean, the only person within my immediate and extended sphere who had not seen the first two films.

I rented The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers and I remember quite vividly how I spent an entire Saturday lost in the world of Hobbits, Dwarves, Elves, and Men. Blurry eyed and steeped in wonder, I went to watch The Return of the King in the cinema the very next day. The discovery of this trilogy was the beginning of an intense and ongoing love affair with the world, its mythology, language and of course, its characters.

It all began with the forging of the Great Rings. Three were given to the Elves; immortal, wisest and fairest of all beings. Seven, to the Dwarf Lords, great miners and craftsmen of the mountain halls. And nine rings were gifted to the race of Men, who above all else desire power. In the land of Mordor, in the fires of Mount Doom, the Dark Lord Sauron forged in secret, a master ring, to control all others.

1. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy begins with its first installment laying the foundation for the giant structure that’s to come. The Fellowship of the Ring introduces us to the scale and scope of Middle-Earth, its creatures, heroes, and villains. Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) is a Hobbit, carefree and happy in The Shire. Frodo is asked by the wizard Gandalf (Sir Ian McKellan) to carry a golden ring to Rivendell, where all the creatures of Middle Earth would decide on how best to deal with the reawakened threat of Sauron, the Dark Lord.

For sixty years, the Ring lay quiet in Bilbo’s keeping, prolonging his life, delaying old age. But no longer, Frodo. Evil is stirring in Mordor. The Ring has awoken. It’s heard its Master’s call.

Unaware of just what he has agreed to do, Frodo, his best friend’s Sam (Sean Astin), Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd) set out from their home to deliver the ring to Rivendell, the home of the Elves. Unfortunately, Frodo and his companions soon learn that the ring has dark powers and even darker creatures searching for it. With their lives in danger, a mysterious Ranger Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) offers them aid and escorts them to Rivendell.

The Fellowship of the Ring expertly immerses you into the world of Tolkien. While the books are not easy to read, Peter Jackson makes the characters accessible, easy to relate to and identify, especially when the ensemble is quite large. As the party reaches Rivendell, we meet more characters – Elrond (Hugo Weaving), Arwen (Liv Tyler), Boromir (Sean Bean), Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and the Dwarf Gimli (John Rhys-Davies). And yet Jackson spends time with each character, giving us glimpses of their personalities and history.

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By the end of The Fellowship of the Ring , the themes of hope, the bonds of fellowship, sacrifice and loss permeate the story. The large story arcs are assembled as the Fellowship journeys towards Mount Doom in order to destroy the One Ring. En-route however, Aragorn must learn to accept his role amongst the nobility of old, Gimli and Legolas must work together and set aside the centuries worth of animosity that exists between the races of Dwarves and Elves and the Hobbits must learn that courage comes in the smallest packages.

2. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy continues with its second installment, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. This film is the glue that binds the trilogy together. While The Fellowship of the Ring elicits excitement about what is to come and The Return of the King is the crowning glory, The Two Towers  does what it is supposed to. It furthers the story, deepens the bonds of fellowship and creates an endless amount of anticipation for how it will all end.

How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer.

The film picks up pretty much where the previous ends. Our Fellowship now broken, characters are moved onto separate paths, each playing a unique role to aid in the efforts to win the coming war. As Sauron grows stronger, amassing his Orc armies, new characters are introduced to the story. The Shieldmaiden Eowyn (Miranda Otto), the Horselord Eomer (Karl Urban) as well as an array of rebellious, walking, talking trees. Yes. Animated trees who stage a revolt. It’s majestic.

Aragorn, once a wandering Ranger, moves closer to accepting a destiny he tries hard to avoid. Aragorn is the heir to the throne of Gondor, King of Men. He doesn’t want the responsibility, but in order to save and unite all the people of Middle Earth, denying his destiny is futile. Complicating matters, he has fallen in love with Arwen, an Elven Princess. Peter Jackson manages to balance the urgency battle and impending doom with a carefully crafted romance that runs like a delightful tingle down the spine of the trilogy.

The Two Towers has character arcs on all fronts. But this middle chapter brings us closer to Frodo and his struggle to maintain his sanity as the ring tries to cloud his world in darkness. By his side, Sam too battles to keep Frodo tied to his humanity. Truly the relationship between these two hobbits is riveting, heartbreaking and inspiring. “What are you holding onto Sam?” Frodo asks him when their quest becomes overwhelming. “That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo… and it’s worth fighting for.” Pass the Kleenex – but the large rolls. A small tissue just won’t do.

Watch out for the incredible battle set pieces at Helm’s Deep and Isengard. The Two Towers quite possibly also covets the title of being the most humorous film in the trilogy. Despite impending doom, the Hobbits, Legolas, and Gimli in particular, know how to make you laugh. Sometimes just before you cry.

As Gandalf says, “The battle of Helm’s Deep is over; the battle for Middle-Earth is about to begin”. And with these words, we jump into the final film.

3. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy brilliantly culminates with The Return of the King. There are many films that have touched me, stayed with me and demanded a space on my “best of” list. None has been as incessant, or perhaps as well deserving as The Return of the King . It’s hard to describe the weight and the emotion of this film. It’s fantasy, however, and for the most part, one would assume that a tale steeped in a make-believe universe with Elves and Hobbits surely cannot be anything more than base entertainment. Emphatically, that estimation is wrong. The Return of the King is in my estimation, the perfect film, a cinematic masterpiece. It brings together our heroes in emotional, heartbreaking ways. Amidst battles – personal and literal – these characters fight for their fellowmen with such unselfish vigour. It’s quite simply exhilarating and inspirational.

A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship. But it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down! But it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!

The Return of the King is three quarter epic battle. The literal kind of course. But also Aragorn’s battle to rally his troops. Sam and Frodo’s interpersonal battle with each other and the creature Gollum. Gandalf and Pippin battling the cruel Steward of Gondor. Eowyn and Merry battling the prejudice that brands them as weak and unworthy of taking up arms. The Return of the King  is by definition epic, supported by the fact that in 2004, it won every Academy Award category (11 in total) it was nominated in, tying only with Titanic and Ben Hur for the most Academy Award wins. To date, it’s still the only fantasy film to ever win the Best Picture Oscar.

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If The Return of the King is three-quarter battle, the final quarter is where I cry – every time – sometimes uncontrollably and other times with a goofy smile. The Return of the King ends with somewhat of an epilogue. The emotional payoff for all of these characters is simply tremendous. However, what makes the story special is that it’s not all rainbows and celebrations. Yes, evil has been defeated, but the personal cost, emotionally and mentally, particularly to the ring-bearer Frodo, is real.

How do you pick up the threads of an old life? How do you go on when in your heart you begin to understand… there is no going back? There are some things that time cannot mend; some hurts that go too deep, that have taken hold.

Some of my favourite moments in film history are encapsulated in this film. Its score, in particular, is hauntingly beautiful and I get emotional every time I listen to The Return of the King . I dare you to take a listen. It always gives me chills.

Now Come The Days of the King

It’s hard to fault the casting of this entire trilogy. Stuart Townsend was famously cast as Aragorn before Peter Jackson recast the role with Viggo Mortensen. I’m sure Stuart would have been fine. However, Viggo Mortensen found the soul of Aragorn with a performance that will be the definitive bar for any actor attempting it in future. The film bursts with so much talent. Cate Blanchett, who I don’t believe I’ve mentioned, or even John Noble, Marton Csokas or Bernard Hill. Quality acting talent, all part of a working, cohesive, sprawling team effort. All the awards, however, must be laid at the feet of Elijah Wood and Sean Astin. While The Lord of the Rings Trilogy is an ensemble, it would have fallen apart without the brilliance of these two young actors. Finally, Andy Serkis arguably created and elevated the art of motion capture as Gollum.

Peter Jackson as Director, Screenwriter, and Producer, is perhaps responsible for the resurgence of fantasy as a filmmaking genre, as well as the viability of making 3 films about a single subject people will want to see.

I assume that most who have read this review will most probably have seen The Lord of the Rings . If you haven’t however, you’re lucky. You get to experience The Lord of the Rings Trilogy for the first time. My father was right you see, I should have seen it earlier. And if you haven’t, so should you.  If you believe fantasy isn’t your thing, give this one a chance. It’s not about magic, strange languages or even stranger creatures. At its core, The Lord of the Rings is about friendship, courage, and heart. It’s about how the smallest among us are sometimes underestimated and have the ability to change the world. The themes are universal and the packaging is superb.

This trilogy marked many firsts for me. Among them, it marked the first time I went to see a film in the cinema multiple times. It was also the first time I listened to the score of a motion picture soundtrack, a classical work, on an incessant loop.

Where to Watch: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy is available for sale or to watch on Amazon. If you don’t already own it on Bluray, I would recommend watching and purchasing the Extended Editions of the Trilogy. It’s a keeper.

Content Note: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy is rated PG-13 for violence and thematic elements like blood and fighting.

Have you watched The Lord of the Rings Trilogy ? What did you think? Comment below and let me know!

Photo Credit: Newline Cinema

OVERALL RATING

“The stuff that dreams are made of.”

ROMANCE RATING

“You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope.

I have loved none but you.”

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Naazneen hails from South Africa and has spent most of her life steeped quite happily in fandom. A corporate Human Resource professional by day, she completed her undergraduate degree in Psychology and is currently completing her MPhil at the University of Cape Town. She spends her nights in a parallel universe where her creative pursuits find meaningful outlets. When she is not doing research, writing fanfiction or reading the latest novel for her book club, she is voraciously consuming information on pop culture and global socio-political issues - or quite simply, travelling the world. She loves words, fangirling shamelessly, Mr. Darcy and rugged beards... a lot.

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5 thoughts on “The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Review: In A Word – Perfection”

Oh, I am huge fan of this trilogy. My parents were/are Tolkien fans. The Hobbit was our favourite bedtime story. We used to discuss — back in the day before the trilogy — how a cinematic adaptation should look, who should be cast…Yeah, I remember those discussions with my brothers (-: And then came the cinematic adaptation and I was sold. Loved it. Saw them all in the theatre. Bought the DVDs. And am now introducing my own wee ones to the story. I have a little Gollum lover in my midst (-: And yes, the ending is a blubber fest for me every time, but then it was also like that in the books….”But your part of the story goes on” or something like that…Oh my, time to see them again. We try to do it every Christmas as a family (-:

Excellent review. With such an amazing story strung along three long films, you managed to touch on all the highlights and encapsulate what makes this trilogy so beloved.

My whole family is crazy about this series, but I put off watching it for years, and then when I finally saw it, I watched at least one every Saturday for over two months straight. It’s such an addictive set of films, and so easy to fall in love with; one of my absolute favourite moments is actually the scene between Faramir and Pippin

I became obsessed with this story after I first saw it in 2001. For years I’d heard of it, and had seen the cartoon adaptation of The Hobbit, but hadn’t read it yet. And of course, it was released shortly after 9-11, making it seem far more poignant: We were Frodo with the Ring, fighting the evil Terrorists for control of the world, that sort of thing.

After seeing the movie, I read the books–with the soundtrack playing all the time. And no, I don’t normally get interested in the genre which I think I can best describe as Dungeons and Dragons. 😉 But this, the granddaddy of the genre, is different. 🙂

Reading The Hobbit also convinced me that I’m a hobbit as well, hence my online handle. 😉

I recently watched The Lord of the Rings series. I have highly enjoyed it, and it has reminded me of the representation of Christ. For example, how the ring represents sin, and we as humans love to hold and touch the evil of sin. As well, keeping the sin destroys us, like seeing other characters such as Sméagol change physically and mentally from the power of the ring he desired, his precious. Another representation is the character of Frodo, an ordinary person who has to complete a task that is out of his power. The character is not the look of a typical hero we see. He is not mighty in war and is tall but a hobbit. Frodo, the no ordinary hero, takes the sin of the ring and destroys it for the rest of Middle Earth to live without evil. Jesus is the same, born in a manager, not in a castle. He lived among the poor and talked with them. A difference is Jesus did die for our sins like Frodo destroying the ring. Except Jesus did not remove our sins but gave us a choice to want to live eternally with him away from the evil of this world.

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The Two Towers

By j.r.r. tolkien.

'The Two Towers' continues Tolkien's epic story as the Three Hunters, consisting of Gimli, Legolas, and Aragorn push themselves to hunt down the orcs who took Merry and Pippin. To the East, the Ringbearer and his faithful servant Sam face new challenges and perils as they make their way to Mordor.

Article written by Michael Chude

B.Sc. degree in parasitology and entomology from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.

J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘The Two Towers’ is made up of parts 3 and 4 of ‘The Lord of the Ring’ compendium, The Treason of Isengard , and The Ring Goes East . The first book, which makes up ‘ The Two Towers ‘ revolves around the fall from grace of the once-great wizard Saruman the White, his actions against Rohan, and its far-reaching consequences which culminated in the siege of the Rohirrim fortress of Helm’s Deep. The second book revolves around the perilous and difficult journey East to Mordor by the Hobbits Frodo and Sam , guided by the wretched creature Gollum.

Use of Reoccurring Themes in The Two Towers

J.R.R. Tolkien’s story ‘ The Two Towers ‘ is a legendary work of fantasy fiction, and it has inspired many genres and mediums of modern media, including films, stage performances, and in the literary field. While the book presents some unique ideas and themes, it also contains reoccurring themes from Tolkien’s legendarium .

Tolkien’s work centers around concepts like the goodness of heart, innocence, purity, duty, honor, and perseverance, even in the face of daunting odds. It also explores dark concepts like evil, greed for power, and control over the wills of others . In ‘ The Two Towers , ‘ these concepts are constantly being tested, and the characters are challenged by them. Boromir, in his desire to protect his home, dishonored his vow to protect the Ringbearer when he tried to take the Ring away from Frodo but redeemed himself by trying to protect the Hobbits Merry and Pippin from the band of Orcs.

Shortly after Boromir’s death, Aragorn chose honor over famous deeds by choosing to chase after the kidnapped Hobbits instead of going after Frodo and the Ring, and perhaps winning himself some renown. On the other hand, Saruman, a being powerful and older than time, allowed his greed for power and dominion over the wills of others to corrupt him and lead him down the path of evil and ignominy. He was cast down and lost his place as the leader of the 9 Istari and of the White Council.

The Representation of Knowledge in The Two Towers

Knowledge remains an important aspect of ‘ The Two Towers ‘ in other parts of ‘ The Lord of the Rings ‘ trilogy and other books of Tolkien’s legendarium . When Gandalf returned from Valinor as Gandalf the White, he is even more powerful than he was before, and most of this power comes from his increased knowledge and wisdom. The Dark Lord Sauron and the pretender Saruman were both defeated by their lack of knowledge.

At the beginning of ‘ The Two Towers ,’ both Sauron and Saruman knew that the Ring was still out there in the world, and after the capture and torture of Gollum, they both knew the general direction where it was located, but they had no idea of its exact location. In their greed for power and control, they also lacked the deep knowledge of their enemies, the forces of good, that would have aided them in discerning that Gandalf and his associates would prefer to destroy the Ring rather than use it as a weapon of war and domination.

Most of the knowledge of the quest in ‘ The Two Towers ‘ comes from the legends and songs; characters are at an advantage if they know the prophecies. Though what we find quite often is that those who know the songs and legends are nonetheless surprised when they learn that the characters and creatures mentioned in the songs do exist.

The Two Towers Review

Book Title: The Two Towers

Book Description: The Two Towers is the second book in Tolkien's iconic trilogy, splits its focus between the Three Hunters' relentless pursuit of their kidnapped friends and Frodo and Sam's perilous trek to Mordor.

Book Author: J.R.R. Tolkien

Book Edition: First Edition

Book Format: Hardcover

Publisher - Organization: George Allen & Unwin

Date published: October 11, 1954

Illustrator: J.R.R. Tolkien

ISBN: 0-261-10275-0

Number Of Pages: 398

• Writing Style
• Lasting Effect on the Reader

The Two Towers: A gripping continuation of Tolkien's legendary masterpiece.

‘ The Two Towers’  is the second installment of Tolkien’s ‘ The Lord of the Rings’  trilogy. It is divided into two parts with the first part revolving around the Three Hunters, Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas, as they chase the trail of the Orc band that kidnapped their friends, and the second part of the book revolves around the Hobbits Frodo and Sam as they make their dangerous journey toward Mordor.

• A rich and immersive world-building.
• Epic and engaging plots.
• Great character development.
• Fragmented narrative that can be hard to follow.
• Slow pacing.
• Limited female representation.

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Michael Chude has years of experience writing flash fiction and reviewing books with his book club members. He is also an avid reader who loves great stories and extensive world-building.

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The Lord of the Rings

J.r.r. tolkien, recommended by, book reviews.

Elon Musk: "I know it's cliche, but Lord of the Rings is my favorite book ever."

Naval Ravikant: "Loved Lord of The Rings and other fiction when [I was] younger."

As a teenager, Peter Thiel's favorite book was 'The Lord of the Rings,' which he read again and again.

Paul Graham's answer to "Any book recommendations for young adults?"

Reid Hoffman: "The book that I’ve most often read is Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.

Because it’s so important to show this journey of these hobbits, these little people in a hero’s journey about how you can change the world within a context where Tolkien is fairly sophisticated around the questions of the corruption of power, the intersection of races, and the needs for us all to work together."

Book Summary

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.

In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, the Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell by chance into the hands of the hobbit Bilbo Baggins.

From Sauron's fastness in the Dark Tower of Mordor, his power spread far and wide. Sauron gathered all the Great Rings to him, but always he searched for the One Ring that would complete his dominion.

When Bilbo reached his eleventy-first birthday he disappeared, bequeathing to his young cousin Frodo the Ruling Ring and a perilous quest: to journey across Middle-earth, deep into the shadow of the Dark Lord, and destroy the Ring by casting it into the Cracks of Doom.

The Lord of the Rings tells of the great quest undertaken by Frodo and the Fellowship of the Ring: Gandalf the Wizard; the hobbits Merry, Pippin, and Sam; Gimli the Dwarf; Legolas the Elf; Boromir of Gondor; and a tall, mysterious stranger called Strider.

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Book, tv, and musical reviews from a professional book nerd.

The Lord of the Rings (Book Review)

Be aware that there are some minor spoilers in this review. They’re not bad, and probably most people have already read  LotR  anyway, but in case you haven’t… heads up. 

What’s it about?

 What’d I think?

There’s no denying that reading  The Lord of the Rings is a big commitment. It is more than a thousand pages long, and not all those pages are easy to read. Tolkien is very fond of lore and language and history and legend, and as a result The Lord of the Rings is full of them all. Many characters and places have a dozen names each. Various characters—Aragorn and Bilbo are the worst offenders—sing very lengthy songs about the champions of old and this and that. It is very, very hard to keep track of, and honestly since this was a reread I skimmed many of these songs and histories because they don’t particularly interest me and only peripherally inform the main story. I get that these were Tolkien’s primary interest, but I personally find it a bit disappointing because the actual story is so good.

Unsurprisingly considering that it is one of the most famous fantasy epics in existence, The Lord of the Rings is epic. Frodo’s quest starts out seeming fairly straightforward, but as he approaches his goal more and more complications come up, and his companions get scattered. Some of them are forced to become warriors. Some struggle to be allowed to do what they feel needs done. They make mistakes. They meet allies and enemies and grapple both with moral ambiguity and moral absolutes. The different characters all follow different paths—though they do overlap occasionally, both physically and thematically—that all weave together in dramatic and engaging ways. The story is exciting, fun, scary, sad, and more in all the right amounts.

Anyone who has spend any time talking or reading about The Lord of the Rings has probably heard “Sam is the real hero” or some sort of variant on that, and it really annoys me. Duh, Sam is a hero. Sam is amazing. As the saying goes, all heroes need a Sam. But Sam’s not not the hero. Literally the whole point is that there is no singular hero; even those who at first glance seem unimportant are actually indispensable. Take anyone out of the equation (even Saruman and Gollum, for all their evil, unintentionally help in their way), and Sauron wins.

I love the characters in The Lord of the Rings. The dynamics between characters are really fascinating, so much so that when I finished reading the first time I wrote a series of (terrible) essays about them just because I wasn’t done with the characters even after a thousand pages. For me, a sign of an excellent writer is the ability to shuffle characters around and create a plethora of different, interesting combinations… and Tolkien does that in spades. You can honestly pick essentially any two characters and find a laundry list of things to discuss about their relationship. I’m planning to revise and add to my nerdy analysis of Gandalf + Pippin (which is, in my opinion, the most fascinating relationship even among a novel full of great ones), so you may see that a little later [update: here it is! ]. Aside from that one, here are a few of my other favorite observations:

• Sam and Pippin : Sam is very deferential to everyone in the group—he never stops calling Frodo “Mr.” or “Master” even at the end—but he forgets with Pippin. He often accidentally calls Pippin “Pippin” before correcting himself to “Master Peregrin,” and he occasionally chats casually with Pippin about the day-to-day aspects of the journey, something that he never does with anyone else.
• Merry and Pippin : Merry and Pippin are obviously best friends, but they are given mirrored storylines even when they split up. They worry that they are not wanted on the quest: they alone reflect on how much they have done and worry about evening the score; they compare themselves specifically to baggage. They both end up swearing themselves to the leaders of Rohan and Gondor, respectively, and their actions in the final battle end up saving Éowyn and Faramir (who end up marrying).

• Gimli and Pippin : Gimli and Pippin don’t really interact all that much, but when they do they ruthlessly (but playfully) insult each other… until the very end, when Gimli reports having rescued Pippin from underneath a troll and tells him specifically that he loves him, a phrase that—unless I missed it—appears very scarcely, and only otherwise between Sam and Frodo and Faramir and Éowyn.

You might imply from that selection that Pippin is my favorite character, and you’d probably be right (I also really love Merry). All of Tolkien’s characters have different strengths and weaknesses, and Pippin’s strength is his ability to quickly win people over and persuade them to do things, and I find that really endearing.

I love that characters who might be seen as or used primarily comic relief end up with some of the most emotional arcs.

Legolas also stood out to me during this reread. He is hilariously and savagely sassy. I’m always surprised when I read  old/classic books and see just how funny they can be. As much as I like classic novels, “funny” is not usually the first word that comes to mind, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true. The Lord of the Rings is scary and epic and sad (the ending is really bittersweet), but at the end of the day it is just really fun.

What’s the verdict?

This is really one of those books that either you’ve already read it or you don’t ever plan to. If you’re on the edge, though, you really should try it. The density of the lore is a little off-putting if it isn’t your thing, but slogging through it is absolutely worth it to get to the awesome characters, groundbreaking fantasy storytelling, and overall enjoyableness. Report card: A

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We invest Hobbits with qualities that cannot be visualized. In my mind, they are good-hearted, bustling, chatty little creatures who live in twee houses or burrows, and dress like the merry men of Robin Hood--in smaller sizes, of course. They eat seven or eight times a day, like to take naps, have never been far from home and have eyes that grow wide at the sounds of the night. They are like children grown up or grown old, and when they rise to an occasion, it takes true heroism, for they are timid by nature and would rather avoid a fight.

Such notions about Hobbits can be found in "Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring," but the Hobbits themselves have been pushed off center stage. If the books are about brave little creatures who enlist powerful men and wizards to help them in a dangerous crusade, the movie is about powerful men and wizards who embark on a dangerous crusade, and take along the Hobbits. That is not true of every scene or episode, but by the end "Fellowship" adds up to more of a sword and sorcery epic than a realization of the more naive and guileless vision of J. R. R. Tolkien.

The Ring Trilogy embodies the kind of innocence that belongs to an earlier, gentler time. The Hollywood that made " The Wizard of Oz " might have been equal to it. But "Fellowship" is a film that comes after " Gladiator " and "Matrix," and it instinctively ramps up to the genre of the overwrought special-effects action picture. That it transcends this genre--that it is a well-crafted and sometimes stirring adventure--is to its credit. But a true visualization of Tolkien's Middle-earth it is not.

Wondering if the trilogy could possibly be as action-packed as this film, I searched my memory for sustained action scenes and finally turned to the books themselves, which I had not read since the 1970s. The chapter "The Bridge of Khazad-Dum" provides the basis for perhaps the most sensational action scene in the film, in which Gandalf the wizard stands on an unstable rock bridge over a chasm, and must engage in a deadly swordfight with the monstrous Balrog. This is an exciting scene, done with state-of-the-art special effects and sound that shakes the theater. In the book, I was not surprised to discover, the entire scene requires less than 500 words.

Settling down with my book, the one-volume, 1969 India paper edition, I read or skimmed for an hour or so. It was as I remembered it. The trilogy is mostly about leaving places, going places, being places, and going on to other places, all amid fearful portents and speculations. There are a great many mountains, valleys, streams, villages, caves, residences, grottos, bowers, fields, high roads, low roads, and along them the Hobbits and their larger companions travel while paying great attention to mealtimes. Landscapes are described with the faithful detail of a Victorian travel writer. The travelers meet strange and fascinating characters along the way, some of them friendly, some of them not, some of them of an order far above Hobbits or even men. Sometimes they must fight to defend themselves or to keep possession of the ring, but mostly the trilogy is an unfolding, a quest, a journey, told in an elevated, archaic, romantic prose style that tests our capacity for the declarative voice.

Reading it, I remembered why I liked it in the first place. It was reassuring. You could tell by holding the book in your hands that there were many pages to go, many sights to see, many adventures to share. I cherished the way it paused for songs and poems, which the movie has no time for. Like The Tale of Genji, which some say is the first novel, " The Lord of the Rings " is not about a narrative arc or the growth of the characters, but about a long series of episodes in which the essential nature of the characters is demonstrated again and again (and again). The ring, which provides the purpose for the journey, serves Tolkien as the ideal MacGuffin, motivating an epic quest while mostly staying right there on a chain around Frodo Baggins' neck.

Peter Jackson , the New Zealand director who masterminded this film (and two more to follow, in a $300 million undertaking), has made a work for, and of, our times. It will be embraced, I suspect, by many Tolkien fans and take on aspects of a cult. It is a candidate for many Oscars. It is an awesome production in its daring and breadth, and there are small touches that are just right; the Hobbits may not look like my idea of Hobbits (may, indeed, look like full-sized humans made to seem smaller through visual trickery), but they have the right combination of twinkle and pluck in their gaze--especially Elijah Wood as Frodo and Ian Holm as the worried Bilbo.

Yet the taller characters seem to stand astride the little Hobbit world and steal the story away. Gandalf the good wizard ( Ian McKellen ) and Saruman the treacherous wizard ( Christopher Lee ) and Aragorn ( Viggo Mortensen ), who is the warrior known as Strider, are so well-seen and acted, so fearsome in battle, that we can't imagine the Hobbits getting anywhere without them. The elf Arwen ( Liv Tyler ), the Elf Queen Galadriel ( Cate Blanchett ) and Arwen's father, Elrond ( Hugo Weaving ), are not small like literary elves ("very tall they were," the book tells us), and here they tower like Norse gods and goddesses, accompanied by so much dramatic sound and lighting that it's a wonder they can think to speak, with all the distractions.

Jackson has used modern special effects to great purpose in several shots, especially one where a massive wall of water forms and reforms into the wraiths of charging stallions. I like the way he handles crowds of Orcs in the big battle scenes, wisely knowing that in a film of this kind, realism has to be tempered with a certain fanciful fudging. The film is remarkably well made. But it does go on, and on, and on--more vistas, more forests, more sounds in the night, more fearsome creatures, more prophecies, more visions, more dire warnings, more close calls, until we realize this sort of thing can continue indefinitely. "This tale grew in the telling," Tolkien tells us in the famous first words of his foreword; it's as if Tolkien, and now Jackson, grew so fond of the journey, they dreaded the destination.

That "Fellowship of the Ring" doesn't match my imaginary vision of Middle-earth is my problem, not yours. Perhaps it will look exactly as you think it should. But some may regret that the Hobbits have been pushed out of the foreground and reduced to supporting characters. And the movie depends on action scenes much more than Tolkien did. In a statement last week, Tolkien's son Christopher, who is the "literary protector" of his father's works, said, "My own position is that 'The Lord of the Rings' is peculiarly unsuitable to transformation into visual dramatic form." That is probably true, and Jackson, instead of transforming it, has transmuted it, into a sword-and-sorcery epic in the modern style, containing many of the same characters and incidents.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Film credits.

Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

Rated PG-13 For Epic Battle Sequences and Some Scary Images

178 minutes

Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn

Sean Astin as Sam

Ian Holm as Bilbo

Ian McKellen as Gandalf

Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins

Christopher Lee as Saruman

Liv Tyler as Arwen

Directed by

• Peter Jackson
• Philippa Boyens
• Frances Walsh

Based On The Novel by

• J.R.R. Tolkien

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The 10 Best Changes to the 'Lord of the Rings' Movies

The Lord of the Rings movies wouldn't be the same without these changes from the book.

Since it was first published in 1954, The Lord of the Rings has reigned as the undisputed king of fantasy novels and has served as the foundation for the modern fantasy genre. Written by Professor J. R. R. Tolkien , it chronicles the Third Age of Middle Earth, where a band of heroes must venture forth to save the land from the Dark Lord, Sauron (Alan Howard), by destroying his Ring, which contains a large quantity of his soul and power. From 2001 to 2003, director Peter Jackson adapted the story into three films, which continue to dominate popular culture thanks to their impressive effects, stellar acting, and powerful cinematography.

All that said, Jackson and his crew had to make many changes to the original books to make the story work for the realm of film. Tolkien's fans and scholars are divided on many of these changes, but a few of them aren't too damaging to the story.

10 Replacing Erkenbrand with Eomer

Replace an inconsequential characters with one who matters.

With the death of Theoden's son ( Bernard Hill ), Theodred, his nephew, Eromer ( Karl Urban ), is to be the next king of Rohan. The film sadly reduces his role from the book and cuts out many moments of comradery between him, Aragorn ( Viggo Mortensen ), and Gimli ( John Rhys-Davies ). However, they do give him a rather powerful moment when he arrives with reinforcements at the Battle of Helm's Deep, replacing the book-only character of Erkenbrand.

The main reason for Eomer to be the one to arrive is because he was exiled by Theoden's traitorous advisor, Grima Wormtongue ( Brad Dourif ). Despite this, he continues to fight for his uncle and country by rallying riders to fight against the marauding orcs that cross their border. While it would have been nice to see his interactions with the main characters, his arrival at the end of the battle, and his decision to remain loyal to his uncle, do a good job of highlighting why he is worthy of the throne.

9 The Warg Attack

An additional action scene with drama and comedy.

To protect the people of Rohan from the armies of the fallen wizard Saruman ( Sir Christopher Lee ), King Theoden commands them to head to the fortress of Helms Deep. Unfortunately, Saruman is informed of this by Grima Wormtongue. He decides to unleash a hunting party of orcs riding giant wolves called wargs, which ambush Theoden's people on the road.

This attack doesn't happen in the book, but it's honestly one of the film's more memorable action scenes . It's a brutal cavalry battle against enemies where both the mount and the rider are equally deadly, and it ends with Aragorn falling off a cliff and getting temporarily separated from the group. There are also a few moments of levity in the battle with Gimli, who gets buried beneath corpses while trying to be a badass.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

8 gandalf doesn't want to go to moria, swapping character motivations for drama.

When the Fellowship departs from Rivendell, there is some debate among the group as to which path to take to get to Mordor. They initially try to cross the mountain Caradhras , only to be defeated by Saruman's magic. The group's wizard, Gandalf the Grey ( Sir Ian McKellen ), then suggests that they travel through the old dwarven kingdom of Moria.

In the film, it is Gimli who insists that they travel through Moria, with Gandalf refusing until there is no other choice. This change was likely done to emphasize the danger of Moria and built up to the reveal of the Balrog. Speaking of the Balrog, its reveal was a surprise for everyone in the book, but in the movie, both Gandalf and Saruman are aware of its existence, which feeds into Gandalf's fears.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

7 arwen's expanded roll, more screen time for the sake of a love story.

The daughter of Lord Elrond ( Hugo Weaving ) of Rivendell, Arwen ( Liv Tyler ) is in love with Aragorn, to the point where she is willing to give up her immortal life as an elf for a mortal one with him. Because Arwen is in Rivendell, she doesn't do much in the books outside of making Aragorn's royal standard. For the film, Jackson and Co decided to give Arwen an expanded role so that they could add a romantic subplot to the film.

For the most part, Arwen's story is harmless and focuses on her debate between remaining on Middle Earth for Aragorn or leaving with the elves to never know the pain of loss. Ultimately, she chooses to stay, as while a mortal life will have loss, it can also have life and joy. She is also introduced earlier than her book counterpart when she comes to help an injured Frodo Baggins ( Elija Wood ) get to her father before he succumbs to his wounds.

6 Lighting the Beacons

One of the most epic moments in cinema.

As the armies of Mordor prepare to attack the capital city of Gondor, Minas Tirith, Gandalf and the hobbit Peregrine Took ( Billy Boyd ) arrive in the city to lend aid. Unfortunately, they find that the steward, Denethor ( John Noble ), has given into despair and madness following the loss of his eldest son, Boromir ( Sean Bean ). To ensure the city survives, Gandalf sends Pipin to light the beacons to call for aid from Rohan, but this is a film-only situation.

In the book, the Beacons call Gondor's army, and Rohan is summoned by a rider bearing a red arrow. Denethor is also a bit more capable in the book and has already lit the beacons before Gandalf and Pipin arrive. This change ends up working because it helps to sell the idea of hope being rekindled among the kingdoms of men, and is told through some truly gorgeous footage of the mountains accompanied by Howard Shore's score.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

5 sam and frodo's conflict, last minute drama that builds up gollum.

While traveling to Mordor, Frodo and his friend, Sam ( Sean Astin ) force the ring's previous owner, Gollum ( Andy Serkis ), to lead them into Mordor through hidden pathways. Though Frodo wants to believe Gollum can be redeemed, Sam never trusts him and keeps a constant vigil to make sure he doesn't try anything. Unfortunately, Gollum drives a wedge between the friends by disposing of their food and framing Sam, which prompts an exhausted Frodo to banish him from the group.

For the film, this scene works because it helps to show Gollum's devious nature and adds another wrinkle to this final leg of the journey. It's heartbreaking to see Frodo so consumed by the dark thoughts of the ring that he views Sam as an enemy. It also helps to show why Gollum is such a dangerous foe: though not physically threatening, his time as a slave to the ring means that he knows how to play on other's obsessions to bring out their worst qualities.

4 The Shards of Narsil

Changing their location for aragorn's story.

During the final battle against Sauron in the Second Age, the king of Gondor, Isildur, defeated Sauron by cutting the One Ring from his hand using the shards of his father's sword, Narsil . Following his death, Narsil's shards were passed down through his bloodline, eventually landing in the possession of Aragorn. When Aragorn joins the Fellowship, the sword is reforged into Anduril, the Flame of the West.

Jackson decided to separate Aragorn from Narsil, with the shards being kept on display in Rivendell. The sword also isn't reforged until The Return of the King , where it is symbolically presented to Aragorn to show the culmination of his journey from ranger to king. It also, admittedly, might look silly if, in the film, Aragorn tried fighting his enemies with a broken sword before the quest began.

3 Frodo and Gollum's Final Fight for the Ring

Turning the ring's greatest defence into its means of destruction.

After a climactic journey to bring the ring to Mount Doom, Frodo finally succumbs to its corrupting influence and refuses to destroy it. At that moment, Gollum ambushes him and bites off his finger, claiming the ring for himself before losing his footing and falling with it into the magma. However, Jackson decided to have Frodo try one last time for the ring and knock Gollum off the ledge as the two struggled.

This change is a small one, but it adds a lot to the overall narrative. The biggest addition is that it gives Frodo a more active role in the ring's destruction, rather than it being because Gollum was clumsy. Plus, having the two fight for the Ring shows its greatest defense is ultimately the very thing that caused its destruction.

2 Aragorn's Character Arc

A reluctant hero works better for film.

As the only living descendant of Isildur, Aragorn, son of Arathorn, is the rightful king of Gondor. He was kept hidden and raised among the Dunedai Rangers for most of his life, and he actively works towards reclaiming his throne by taking the fight to the forces of evil. In the films, however, Jackson and the writers gave Aragorn more flaws, such as doubting if he was worthy of his birthright.

While it can be debated if this change was better or worse than Tolkien's version of Aragorn, it works better for a film trilogy . Giving Aragorn self-doubt gives him a flaw to overcome, and makes many of the scenes where he chooses to fight and die alongside his fellow men have more emotional weight. By the time he is finally crowned after Sauron's defeat, it feels like he truly went through Hell and back to get to this moment.

1 Boromir's Death

More time to show his highs and lows.

Perhaps the most tragic member of the Fellowship is Boromir , the eldest son of Denethor, steward of Gondor. Worn down by his countrymen giving their lives as the bulwark against the forces of Mordor, he suggests using the ring against Sauron, and when rejected, he decides to join the Fellowship to see it destroyed. Unfortunately, he succumbs to the ring's temptation and tries to take it from Frodo, then gives his life protecting the hobbits Merry and Pippin from Uruk Hai.

Thanks to the film not being married to one character's point of view, audiences see Boromir during the final moments of his life, fighting valiantly until the end, even as his body is riddled with arrows. His final moment with Aragorn is heartbreaking, thanks in no small part to Bean's phenomenal performance. He parts with Aragorn in friendship, finally calling him "my king" after rejecting the idea of a king of Gondor at the Council of Elrond.

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Why The Elves Didn't Defend Gondor In Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King

• The Elves were absent in the Battle of Pelennor Fields in The Lord of the Rings due to fighting Sauron elsewhere.
• Jackson's movies added Elves to big battles, but in Tolkien's books, the Elves were fading from Middle-earth.
• Tolkien's works focused more on Men, with Elves gradually leaving Middle-earth to be ruled by mortals.

Many forces united to defend Gondor in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King , but the Elves weren't among them. Peter Jackson's movie trilogy provided no answers in this regard since Elrond only showed up in the days leading up to the Battle at Pelennor Fields to give Aragorn Elendil's sword. After this, these Elves were mysteriously absent despite having fought alongside the Men of Middle-earth in Jackson's Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers . Of course, Tollkien's books explain precisely why the Elves didn't participate in such a significant battle.

The Battle of Pelennor Fields was one of the larger-scale battles of Jackson's Lord of the Rings . It saw Sauron's forces lay siege to Minas Tirith of Gondor, and had they succeeded in claiming the city, the Dark Lord would have all but officially conquered the Men of Middle-earth. It was an all-hands-on-deck moment, with Rohan and even The Lord of the Rings ' Dead Men of Dunharrow getting in on the action. However, while Jackson's movies made it seem like the Elves and Men were fighting side by side in the Third Age of Middle-earth , this wasn't the case in Tolkien's books.

Lord Of The Rings: Why Elves And Dwarves Hate Each Other

The elves were fighting other battles against sauron during the return of the king, the lord of the rings books mention where the elves were during the battle of pelennor fields.

The Last Alliance of Elves and Men at the end of the Second Age of Middle-earth indeed was the last in Tolkien's canon. The races worked together to take Sauron down, but by the time he had regained some power in the Third Age (during the events of The Lord of the Rings ), Elves and Men weren't in a place to offer each other much help. Sauron had stealthily gained influence in various kingdoms, which meant that while the Men were fighting to defend their homes, the Elves were doing the same elsewhere .

During the Battle of Pelennor Fields in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King , the Elves were engaged in battle in Lorien and a few of their other settlements . This meant that, aside from Legolas, there were no warriors to spare to assist the Men in defending Gondor. Tolkien's book briefly mentioned this, but, in truth, it wasn't so strange that the Elves were absent in this version of the story because this Middle-earth race hardly made any appearances after the Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring book.

Peter Jackson's The Two Towers Made The Elves' Role Bigger Than The Books

Peter jackson made the elves join the battle of helm's deep, making it seem strange that they didn't defend gondor.

Jackson made many changes to Tolkien's works in his Lord of the Rings movies , among them the addition of the Elves in the Battle of Helm's Deep in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. In canon, Legolas was the only elf fighting with Rohan , just as he was the only elf defending Gondor in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King . As in the latter case, the Elves were too busy defending their own homes from Sauron's (and Saruman's) growing power and couldn't spare their dwindling fighters to help the Men.

The Battle of Helm's Deep wasn't the only time Jackson added Elves where Tolkien had omitted them. Though Arwen and her story was prevalent throughout the Lord of the Rings movies, she was only briefly seen in the books and had no lines. Additionally, Elrond never brought Aragorn's sword to him in the Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King book since the exiled king of Gondor had Narsil with him from day one and had it reforged as Andúril himself in Fellowship of the Rings . In all, Tolkien's Lord of the Rings books hardly featured the Elves at all .

The Elves were featured only slightly more than Dwarves in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings books, which were focused far more on the Men of Middle-earth than other races.

The Elves' Time In Middle-earth Was Fading During Lord Of The Rings

The fight against sauron belonged to the men in middle-earth's third age.

The Elves are highly important in Tolkien's legendarium, but their prevalence in Middle-earth had waned during the events of The Lord of the Rings . As is mentioned in Jackson's movies, by the time Frodo set out from the Shire, the Light of the Eldar had long since begun to fade. It was time for the Elves to migrate back to Valinor to live out their eternity, leaving Middle-earth to be ruled by Men. So, during the significant battles of The Lord of the Rings , few Elves were even left on the continent to offer a helping hand.

It was time for the Elves to migrate back to Valinor to live out their eternity, leaving Middle-earth to be ruled by Men.

Of course, it makes sense that Jackson would want to feature the Elves more heavily in his Lord of the Rings movies . The ethereal beings are a significant part of Middle-earth's on-screen aesthetic as established by The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring , so it might have been disappointing to leave them behind after the first installment as Tolkien did. However, this does make it strange that, after adding the Elves to so many big moments, Jackson didn't include them in the battle over Gondor in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King . Perhaps the director didn't want to take such a victory away from Middle-earth's mortals.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

The final installment of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Return of the King concludes the epic saga of the Fellowship's quest to destroy the One Ring and put an end to Sauron's reign of terror. As Frodo and Sam continue on their way to Mordor and Mount Doom, accompanied by Gollom, the rest of the Fellowship work to defend Minas Tirith from Sauron's forces. The film's ensemble cast includes Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Ian McKellen, Vigo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, John Rhys-Davies, Billy Boyd, and Dominic Monaghan.

Director Peter Jackson

Release Date December 3, 2003

Studio(s) New Line Cinema

Distributor(s) New Line Cinema

Writers Peter Jackson

Cast David Wenham, John Noble, Liv Tyler, Hugo Weaving, Sean Astin, Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Sean Bean, Andy Serkis, Karl Urban, Cate Blanchett, Billy Boyd, Orlando Bloom, Viggo Mortensen, Miranda Otto, John Rhys-Davies, Ian Holm, Dominic Monaghan, Bernard Hill

Rating pg-13

Runtime 210 Minutes

Genres Adventure

Franchise(s) The Lord of the Rings

prequel(s) The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Budget $94 million

• Arts & Photography
• Graphic Design

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The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim Official Coloring Book Paperback – November 5, 2024

• Print length 80 pages
• Language English
• Publisher William Morrow Paperbacks
• Publication date November 5, 2024
• ISBN-10 0063422182
• ISBN-13 978-0063422186
• See all details

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ William Morrow Paperbacks (November 5, 2024)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 80 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0063422182
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0063422186
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.4 ounces

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THE LORD OF THE RINGS Trilogy to Rerelease in Theaters This June

By movieguide® contributor.

Fans of Peter Jackson’s LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy are in for a treat this summer as the extended cuts of the movies hit theaters for a major celebration.

For the occasion, Warner Bros. is teaming up with Fathom Events to bring each movie back to theaters for one day each. THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING will kick things off on June 8, followed by THE TWO TOWERS on the 9th and THE RETURN OF THE KING on the 10th.

Each movie was recognized by Moveiguide® for its excellent storytelling and commitment to a redemptive story, earning all three a Movieguide® Teddy Bear Award®.

This will be the first time the extended editions are screened in theaters. Though they provide additional lore and action to the movies and are seen as the definitive versions by diehard fans, their lengthy runtimes were cut down for the original theatrical releases in the early 2000s.

THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING gets bumped from 178 minutes to 228 minutes by the extended version. THE TWO TOWERS follows suit, jumping from 179 minutes to 235 minutes. The behemoth THE RETURN OF THE KING tacks on a full hour, jumping from 201 minutes to a staggering 263-minute showing.

The movies will return to the box office, building on an already impressive legacy of a combined $2.93 billion total gross. Combined with THE HOBBIT prequel trilogy, Middle Earth grossed $5.8 billion from 2001 to 2014.

This return to theaters should help LORD OF THE RINGS FANS build excitement for the upcoming THE WAR OF ROHIRRIM, an animated look at the story of Helm Hammerhand, the king of Rohan. The movie will hit theaters on December 13.

Fans are also eagerly awaiting the second season of Prime Video’s THE RINGS OF POWER, which is predicted to release sometime this fall or winter. The show takes fans deep into the past as they experience the rise of Sauron.

Movieguide® previously reported :

New content for THE LORD OF THE RINGS fans is coming to screens in 2024. Fans can expect to see THE RINGS OF POWER SEASON 2 and an animated movie, THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM. “WB has decided to revisit The Lord of the Rings again in an effort to bring the franchise back to big screens.” Movie Web  said  about Warner Bros.’ THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM. “The first film of this endeavor is not, as you would expect, another live-action adventure. Instead, it is an animated feature that is visually inspired by many popular anime films as well as the live-action LORD OF THE RINGS films.”

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