The Lord of the Rings

J. R. R. Tolkien

Average Rating 8/10 (1 Review)

The Lord of the Rings cannot be described in a few words. J R R Tolkien's great work has been labelled both heroic romance and a classic science fiction.

It is, however, impossible to convey to the new reader all of the book's qualities, and range of its creation. By turns comic, homely, epic, monstrous and diabolic, the narrative moves through countless changes of scenes and character in an imaginary world which is totally convincing in its detail.

Tolkien created a new mythology in an invented world which has proved timeless in its appeal.

Book One – The Fellowship of the Ring

In a sleepy village in the Shire a young hobbit is entrusted with an immense task. He must make a perilous journey across Middle-earth to the Cracks of Dome, there to destroy the Ruling Ring of Power – the only thing that prevents the Dark Lord’s evil dominion.

Book Two – The Two Towers

The Company of the Ring is sundered. Frodo and Sam continue their journey alone down the great River Anduin – alone that is, save for a mysterious creeping figure that follows wherever they go…

Book Three – The Return of the King

The armies of the Dark Lord are massing as his evil shadow spreads ever wider. Men, Dwarves, Elves and Ents unite forces to do battle against the Dark. Meanwhile, Frodo and Sam struggle further into Mordor in their heroic quest to destroy the One Ring.

'The English speaking world is divided into those who have read The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit those who are going to read them.'

Review by Vex (260204) Rating (8/10)

Review by Vex
Rating 8/10
This review is probably a little different to many of the reviews you'll find for this book, because I read the book after watching the films.

The Lord of the Rings is a book that I've been meaning to read for many, many years, ever since school in fact! When the rumours about the films started I was determined to read the books first, I even managed to get around to buying them, but somehow I failed to read them before the first film arrived.

I won't go into the story, as you'll most likely already know it, and if you don't it would take a long time to explain it all!

Reading the book is an odd experience, the way it's written is a bit strange, and in some ways quite poor, you have to wonder whether a book like this would ever get published in this day and age. There are a lot of long-winded passages that say very little, describing the endless journeys, etc., and I suspect it would be edited down a lot if it were published nowadays.

However, you have to wonder whether the book would be so famous and popular if it had been edited and altered before publication. Maybe it's the very fact of all the extra detail and long-winded passages that actually makes the book what it is. Without many of it's seemingly unneeded passages perhaps it would lose its magic?

Despite some of its failings the book (or books) are very engrossing, and Tolkien does a brilliant job of creating a very rich and believable Middle Earth.

It's definitely something that most people should have a look at but be prepared for a very long read!
Vex (26th February 2004)