The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings, Part 1)

published	May 12th 1976 by Ballantine Books
first published	1954
binding	Mass Market Paperback
isbn	0345253434 (isbn13: 9780345253439)
ebook
description	The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien's three-volume epic, is set in the imaginary world of Middle-earth -- home to many strange beings, and most nota...more [close] The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien's three-volume epic, is set in the imaginary world of Middle-earth -- home to many strange beings, and most notably hobbits, a peace-loving "little people," cheerful and shy. Since its original British publication in 1954-55, the saga has entranced readers of all ages. It is at once a classic myth and a modern fairy tale. Critic Michael Straight has hailed it as one of the "very few works of genius in recent literature." Middle-earth is a world receptive to poets, scholars, children, and all other people of good will. Donald Barr has described it as "a scrubbed morning world, and a ringing nightmare world...especially sunlit, and shadowed by perils very fundamental, of a peculiarly uncompounded darkness." The story of this world is one of high and heroic adventure. Barr compared it to Beowulf, C.S. Lewis to Orlando Furioso, W.H. Auden to The Thirty-nine Steps. In fact the saga is sui generis -- a triumph of imagination which springs to life within its own framework and on its own terms. [close]
date added	05-10-07 edit book

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adam rated it:

(review of isbn 0618346252)

05/03/07

Read the review by Doc Opp; I think he covers it quite nicely. He explains how Tolkien was the forefather of fantasy writing, and why that makes his books important. He also shares his opinion that the historical importance sort of causes people to overlook that Tolkien couldn't write worth beans.

Opp posits that perhaps it has something to do with the concept of heroism being different in Tolkien's days than it is now. I'm not sure I agree with that. I mean I agree that his characters ar...more Read the review by Doc Opp; I think he covers it quite nicely. He explains how Tolkien was the forefather of fantasy writing, and why that makes his books important. He also shares his opinion that the historical importance sort of causes people to overlook that Tolkien couldn't write worth beans.

Opp posits that perhaps it has something to do with the concept of heroism being different in Tolkien's days than it is now. I'm not sure I agree with that. I mean I agree that his characters are a study in perserverance without being able to really fight or do anything but perservere, I just don't know that I buy that it's a sign of the times. I think Tolkien was just boring.

I don't disagree, also, that the Shannara series is essentially the same storyline with a better writer at the helm.

My venom towards Tolkien is greater than Opp's perhaps because we read for different reasons. I have very little patience with writers who have great ideas or imaginations when it comes to the physical world, but can't get inside the head of a person to save their lives and thus can't tell a story. This sort of writer is often found in sci-fi/fantasy, because the genre is geared to reward the most innovative and plausible inventing of a future or past timescape.

If guys like Opp were always doing the commentating I might not hate Tolkien with such a passion, but unfortunately the world is filled with people who don't read sci-fi but who recalled their lit teacher spoke Tolkien's name once and probably said something about how he was the father of modern fantasy, and those people went on to shout Tolkien's name from the rooftops to the extent that a movie even got made out of it. Now the movie I could actually stomach (a little) because Hollywood realized they couldn't completely bore the pants off of people and still make money. But I digress.

I cannot conceive of any reason one would read these novels unless they were forced e.g. for a class. And even then, it'd better be a history class and not a writing class, unless the objective was to teach how not to write. There's no pace, no character development, the focus shifts between groups of characters ala Robert Jordan without any of Jordan's redeeming qualities (although Jordan certainly has faults as well).

The most compelling reason to read these novels is so that you can rip someone a new one when they bring up Tolkien by making a point by point case where you describe all the things he does wrong.

Let me put it this way, I have read some of the most God-awful books in my time. I mean when I was younger I would read a phone book if it was handy. But I could not finish the Fellowship of the Rings.

Comparing Tolkien to Asimov is just...I mean that's like comparing me to Asimov. I have an imagination and so does Asimov, comparison ended. Asimov came up with a plausible future that was interesting, and then he wrote characters within that adventure that were compelling. Caves of Steel is brilliant because whatshisface the detective is sort of an everyman and Asimov deals with things such as embarrassment because your Dad's job doesn't rate you high enough to eat at the right hydroponics diner. I'm mangling things, but you get the point. Asimov may have been the best ever at having really cool ideas and not wasting them by forgetting to write about people.

I hate Tolkien, I blame him for his vacuous and enraging fan base, I blame him for every author that followed him that spent 5 hours describing a blade of grass, I hate him for taking a genre that I like and making me want to vomit on it, even if he was the first. It makes me want to burn my entire fantasy bookshelf down to the ground.

That's my review....less

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Linda rated it:

(review of isbn 0618346252)

10/27/07

bookshelves: peer-pressure-reading

Read in January, 1972

I'll admit this: the only reason why I read the LOTR Trilogy was because I was jealous.

The year: 1972. It was a time of ridiculously insane fashion: hot pants, maxi-coats (and pads) and rough-woven cotton shirts, so scratchy they felt like the sartorial equivalent of surgical gauze with chunks of wood stuck between the weave. It was not for the faint-hearted.

And of course, who was the most faint-hearted? Me. I was entering a new high school in a new town in a country I hadn't live ...more

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Brandon rated it:

(review of isbn 1594130078)

05/18/08

bookshelves: classics, inkling

recommends it for: Any one who would like to see there world with new eyes

This book is so fun to read. The detail and context which Tolkien takes such pains to develop are what give it the abiltiy to create "secondary belief" and therefore give it the wonder inducing effect of good Sub creative art. See my review of The Silmarillion.
Just a word on Tom Bombadil as he is one the characters who first time readers find difficult to get past. The hobbits’ journey through the Old Forest and Borrow Downs is a very odd portion of the book. ...more This book is so fun to read. The detail and context which Tolkien takes such pains to develop are what give it the abiltiy to create "secondary belief" and therefore give it the wonder inducing effect of good Sub creative art. See my review of The Silmarillion.
Just a word on Tom Bombadil as he is one the characters who first time readers find difficult to get past. The hobbits’ journey through the Old Forest and Borrow Downs is a very odd portion of the book. It takes up forty pages and doesn’t seem to move the plot forward much, and Tom Bombadil never makes another appearance. (Note that Peter Jackson excised the entire section) It seems to be, if I may wax metaphoric, a burl on the trunk of the tree that Tolkien is creating. So, why is Tom Bombadil in the story?
I think that Tom Bombadil is the personification of Faerie Story itself, i.e. a meta-faerie story within the story. By comparing what Tolkien had to say about the origins and purpose of fairy stories to Tom Bombadil we can see that Tom embodies the true “Tolkienesque” model of a fairy story. As to his origin he is called Eldest; for he is older than “the rivers and the trees” and was there to witness the very creation of middle earth. Tolkien says of the origins of fairy stories, “To ask what is the origin of story…is to ask what is the origin of language and of the mind.” So we see that Tolkien saw fairy stories as being participatory in the creation of the human conscience from the very first, just as Tom himself was.
Tom also personifies the purpose of fairy stories: Fantasy, Recovery, Escape and Consolation as explained in “On Fairy Stories.” Tolkien describes Fantasy as “both the sub-creative Art in itself and a quality of strangeness and wonder in the Expression derived from the image.” Tom’s own words to the hobbits is a perfect example of this sub-creative quality. Almost never does Tolkien state what Tom actually says, but only expresses the image created by his words. Pgs 129-131 could be quoted from almost at random to show this but here is a prime cut, “Suddenly Tom’s talk left the woods and went leaping up the young stream, over bubbling waterfalls, over pebbles and worn rocks…wandering at last up on to the Downs” (130). Tom’s words create a context for the Old Forest in Frodo’s mind which eventually encompasses the entirety of the creation of Middle Earth, “and still on and back Tom went singing out into ancient starlight” (131).
He embodies the quality of Recovery in the refreshing of mind and body that the hobbits experience while under Tom’s roof. After one nights sleep Tom wakens the hobbits and, “they leaped up refreshed.” We also see this in the food they eat there, “The drink…seemed to be clear cold water but went to their hearts like wine and set free their voices.”
As for Escape, the hobbits literally escape into the Old Forest from the clutches of the Black Riders. There they find a world “more alive” and full of wonder. Upon leaving the presence of Tom, Sam comments, “I reckon we may go a good deal further and see naught better, not queerer.” In the ultimate sense of the word escape, escape from death, Tom also provides examples. Tom saves them twice; once from Old Man Willow and also from the Barrow-Wight. Both of these events constitute a mini-eucatastrophy, as Pippin (inside of Old Man Willow) and the whole company (inside the Barrow) were completely beyond help and then are saved at the last moment by Tom.
Finally there is the consolation of Tom Bombadil. He whispers to them in their frightened sleep and puts their worried minds to sleep peacefully. He also brings them advice and direction after saving them from the Barrow-Wight, and thus provides them consolation about the course they should take in Gandalf’s absence.
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Fred D rated it:

(review of isbn 0618346252)

12/20/07

bookshelves: fantasy

Read in January, 1991

recommends it for: Anybody

What can I say about The Lord of the Rings? I could go on and on forever. It is my #1 favorite book of fiction of all that I've ever read in my entire life. I am going to review each book separately, but much of what I have to say here applies to all 3 of the books. LOTR is so incredibly EPIC! The scope of the story expands as it progresses to enormous proportions. Tolkien uses a very sophisticated "old" style of writing which at first I found intimidating but eventually I got used to ...more What can I say about The Lord of the Rings? I could go on and on forever. It is my #1 favorite book of fiction of all that I've ever read in my entire life. I am going to review each book separately, but much of what I have to say here applies to all 3 of the books. LOTR is so incredibly EPIC! The scope of the story expands as it progresses to enormous proportions. Tolkien uses a very sophisticated "old" style of writing which at first I found intimidating but eventually I got used to and which now I find very beautiful and poetic. His descriptions of the people, places, cultures, languages, history, and events of Middle Earth are just so incredibly rich and detailed, it is fascinating to me to learn about them as I read. I find the characters to be very interesting, to the point where I have grown to deeply love them and sympathize with them. LOTR addresses all sorts of universal themes and concepts that teach us his view of the human condition. It explores friendship, loyalty, bravery, greed, faith, and many more. Indeed, I consider LOTR to be the closest thing I've ever read to my concept of the "ultimate" or "ideal story". I have read LOTR multiple times and I imagine I'll read it many more times. I first read it in college for an English class. I had wanted to read it for years prior to that but I was intimidated by it so I didn't until college.

I admit LOTR has its flaws. There are spots where the story drags, such as the many pages where he describes the characters marching endless miles through forests or swamps or mountains without much happening. Sometimes I wonder, "why is he talking about this? Why doesn't he just jump ahead to the good stuff?". One can argue that he introduces too many characters and that some of them are not developed enough. Some would say some of the characters are too 2-dimentional, and that everything is too black and white from a moral standpoint. I admit those shortcomings, but in the end none of them matter much to me. In spite of all those imperfections, the book is still a work of genius that is unmatched by anything else I've ever read. The story is so big and powerful it just blows me away and leaves me in awe.

Fellowship is perhaps my second-favorite of the 3 books, after Return of the King. I absolutely love the first few chapters. You learn so much about the history of the Ring and of Middle-Earth. The Ring is shrouded in mystery at first and as the mysteries are revealed, the terrible state things are in is realized. A really cool ominous feeling of foreboding sets in that grabs you and pulls you in so that you have to keep reading. The meeting with Strider in Bree, the encounter with the Ringwraiths at Weathertop, the Council of Elrond, and the encounter with the Balrog in Moria are some of the most dramatic, exciting events of the whole series. The only complaints I have with Fellowship is that it suffers the most of all 3 books from what I described earlier: there are definitely a few slow parts where the pace of the story really drags. Fellowship is one of the ultimate Road Trip Stories, much like Star Wars: a New Hope, or Wizard of Oz. One or two characters start out on a journey, and they meet people along the way who join them. Along the way they become close devoted friends as they go through adventures together. ...less

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Kerstin rated it:

(review of isbn 0618346252)

03/25/08

When we're talking about novels that for some reason happen to be overshadowed by their big-screen movie adaptations (granted, not many exist), then The Lord Of The Rings belongs into that category. I know that the Tolkien-purists might crucify me for saying this, but I'm saying it nonetheless. For me, watching these movies usually equals an exercise of little to medium effort; reading the book, I often found myself on the verge of frustration. And I'm not one with an attention spa...more When we're talking about novels that for some reason happen to be overshadowed by their big-screen movie adaptations (granted, not many exist), then The Lord Of The Rings belongs into that category. I know that the Tolkien-purists might crucify me for saying this, but I'm saying it nonetheless. For me, watching these movies usually equals an exercise of little to medium effort; reading the book, I often found myself on the verge of frustration. And I'm not one with an attention span of a grapefruit. My problem is this - the text is too heavily loaded with superfluous exposition and details. I kept losing track of the new names and places that popped up on every fifth page or so. Alright, I get that we're dealing with a genius who's created a fictional universe intricate enough (and I bow down - the languages sound exquisite) to require its own encyclopedia, but for heaven's sake... crafting a story shouldn't be about how much background and side info can be shoved into it. Just because you have it, doesn't mean you have to flaunt it. Sometimes less is more approach works better. Offers the reader a bit of breathing room.
The writing style is too dry. If we take the Harry Potter series for comparison (I'm aware that it's a crime to do that, but I'm doing it anyway), the fantasy world in there is lush and bubbling. And don't tell me that's because the Harry Potter books are children's books and The Lord Of The Rings isn't. It has Hobbits and Elves in it. And chattering trees.

The characters in The Lord Of The Rings have always confused me somewhat. Nearly all of the primary archetypes are represented, but they don't seem to have that larger-than-life aura that many other characters have in other epic sagas. It is almost as if the weight of the Middle Earth suffocates them. They leave a lasting impression, yet don't seem to be very relatable. Boromir, the humanized knight, dies before I can really start to care about what he was going through. Aragorn's heroics remain too distant, and I can't quite identify with Frodo or Sam either, wonderful as they certainly are.

I realize that my thoughts manifest themselves in more of a rant than an actual review, but if I could sum up how I feel about The Lord Of The Rings (at least the written version) - then this would be it. I struggle to reach a level on which I am able to thoroughly and comfortably enjoy this grand old battle between good and evil.
Maybe it is my fault and I should try harder. Or maybe we're just not meant to love each and every classic. My boyfriend loves it though. He loves the whole trilogy. They are his favourite books. It takes him five years to read them, and he's a bank employee.
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Nuke rated it:

(review of isbn 0618346252)

11/28/07

Read in December, 2001

recommends it for: สนุกมาก

เรื่องราวบทแรก ของมหากาพย์ แห่งสงคราม มัชฌิมโลก เมื่อพลังแห่งความชั่วร้ายได้แข็งกล้า แต่ทว่าชะตาของโลกกลับตกอยู่ใน มือฮ็อบบิทหนุ่มที่ชื่อว่า โฟรโด แบ็กกิ้นส์ เรื่องราว การผจ...more เรื่องราวบทแรก ของมหากาพย์ แห่งสงคราม มัชฌิมโลก เมื่อพลังแห่งความชั่วร้ายได้แข็งกล้า แต่ทว่าชะตาของโลกกลับตกอยู่ใน มือฮ็อบบิทหนุ่มที่ชื่อว่า โฟรโด แบ็กกิ้นส์ เรื่องราว การผจญภัยที่แสนสนุก ตื่นเต้น และเต็มไปด้วย โศกนาฏกรรม ของเหล่าฮ็อบบิท และ ผู้พิทักษ์ ทั้งหลาย เมื่อแหวน ต้องการจะกลับเข้าสู่มือของ จอมมารผู้เป็นเจ้าของ ความเห็นแก่ตัว และการล่มสลายของ อาณาจักรต่างๆที่เคยรุ่งเรือง การแก่งแย่ง และ ความหวังอันริบหรี่ เหมือนแสงดาว ที่อยู่ดวงเดียวกลางท้องฟ้ายามค่ำคืน ก็ได้เริ่มขึ้น ... มาลุ้นกัน

โดยส่วนตัวแล้ว ชอบหนังสือเล่มนี้มาก จำได้ว่าไปซื้อมาจากแผงที่จตุจักร ขอดเอาเงินเก็บที่มีมาซื้อเลยก็ว่าได้ ได้แหวนสีทองมาวงนึงแล้วมันก็ดันหายไปซะแล้ว -*- ทุกครั้งที่เปิดดูหน้าปก ทุกความทรงจำ ที่ได้อ่านและระลึกได้ ก็กลับเข้ามาในหัว หากใครอยากรู้เรื่องราว การผจญภัยอย่างละเอียด ของฮ็อบบิทหนุ่มที่ชื่อว่า โฟรโด แบ็กกินส์ และ แซม แกมจี้ ว่าเขาทั้งสองไปพบเจออะไรบ้าง เล่มนี้ เป็นเล่มแรก ที่ต้องเริ่มอ่าน
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Doc Opp rated it:

(review of isbn 0618346252)

04/29/07

bookshelves: classics, fantasy

Tolkein's masterpiece is notable primarily for its historical significance. He basically invented the fantasy genre, and because of that all fantasy readers owe him a debt of gratitude. Many things in his books will seem somewhat cliche nowadays, but that's because they have been used so often since he wrote this book - almost all of them were original when this book was written.

That said, Tolkein is not a terribly good writer. He tends to go on in excruciating detail about trivial concep...more

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Robert rated it:

(review of isbn 0618346252)

10/03/07

Read in August, 2001

recommends it for: People who know how to read...

Not my favorite author, but definitely worth reading. His style is paced very slow, with more than his fair share of tangents, but all in all this story is one of the best ever written. What others have said and continue to say about characters, about things revealed by the author of character motivation, Point of view shifts and so on are all based on the ideas of modern writing style. They are new developments and shouldn't be applied to Tolkien. And furthermore, that is not what this sto...more Not my favorite author, but definitely worth reading. His style is paced very slow, with more than his fair share of tangents, but all in all this story is one of the best ever written. What others have said and continue to say about characters, about things revealed by the author of character motivation, Point of view shifts and so on are all based on the ideas of modern writing style. They are new developments and shouldn't be applied to Tolkien. And furthermore, that is not what this story is about. This isn't a character story, or at least that wasn't the point. Characters are obviously included but they were not the point. You beg to differ? Well the cardinal rule of character stories is that they end when the characters have reached their turning point. This story doesn't do that, thats why it continues for whole chapters in the cleaning of the shire even though the main plot has clearly ended. Character stories don't do that. There more like this; Jane finally stands up for herself after getting pushed around by everyone, Joe finally finds it in himself to face his father, etc etc... And when those things happen the story ends. This isn't about that. So to say their wasn't enough characterization or that the characters were card board cutouts and base your whole opinion of the book on that, is to miss the point of this story entirely. And thats your right, thats fine. This type of story isn't for you. This story is easily classified as a Milieu story. ITS ABOUT THE WORLD the characters live in and not really about the characters at all. The characters are merely the excuse to show the reader the world. Thats the point. Tolkien spent decades inventing this world, creating nearly complete languages and backstory that goes on and and on and on. This little tale of the the ring is just the tip of that massive juggernaught iceberg. All meant as a means to an end, To Explore that massive world he created. So if that sounds appealing and interesting, this book might be for you....less

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Jesse rated it:

(review of isbn 0618346252)

05/29/08

Read in May, 2008

recommends it for: LARPERS

Light up Old Toby and pour me a flagon of ye best ale. This is a classic comfort book, which for me, is like eating a nice cold fudgecicle during the summers of my youth in New Jersey. Like the fudgecicle, it brings back a sensorium of memories. Playing Dungeons and Dragons until 2:00 AM, Saturday Morning cartoons, launching rockets, and farting on my brother while he slept. This is what LOTR means to me. Pleasant thoughts of a carefree time.

Sure my other friend was interested in girls. ...more

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Bryce rated it:

(review of isbn 0618346252)

10/12/07

Read in June, 1995

recommends it for: everyone. This is an essential read.

I consider the Lord of the Rings trilogy the best fantasy, and perhaps the best fiction, ever written. Middle Earth is a beautiful, rich, complete land to which Narnia pales by comparison (don't get me wrong, I very much like Narnia, too).

The beginning of the quest, which starts innocently but dives into a much larger, darker world than its protagonist, Frodo Baggins, could have ever imagined, is absolutely spellbinding. A small portion of the near-infinite background is revealed and armed...more

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Briynne rated it:

(review of isbn 0618002227)

07/19/07

Read in May, 2004

This is my general Lord of the Rings trilogy review:

What can you even say about Tolkein? The man was a linguistic genious, literally. He created entire languages, and what's more, he created vibrant and fully-realized cultures to go with them. I love that he borrowed so heavily from Norse myth to create a sort of mythic Northern European pre-history, colored with Germanic/Anglo-Saxon imagry.

The hobbits themselves are my least favorite aspect of the books, which I know is close to he...more

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Yahya rated it:

(review of isbn 0618346252)

06/06/08

دنیای توصیف شده در شایر، محشر بود؛ سرزمین بی حادثه و خسته کننده ای که کافی است یک قدم از آن فاصله بگیری تا دلت برایش تنگ شود. شخصیت تام بامبادیل را خیلی دوست داشتم و همینطور گدلبری را. شاهکار دیگر تالکین در این کتاب، شخصیت فرودو بود. بعد از خواندن هابیت، فکر نمی کردم شخصیت داستا�...more

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Hillary rated it:

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05/13/08

"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

"He wandered in loneliness, weeping a little for the hardness of the world, and he journeyed up the River, till he came to a stream that flowed down from the mountains, and he went that way. He caught fish in deep pools with invisible fingers and ate them raw. One day it was very hot, and as he was bending over a pool, he felt a burning on the back of his head...more

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d-pain is currently reading it (review of isbn 0618346252)

03/16/08

bookshelves: currently-reading

Read in March, 2008

If you haven`t at all seen the Lord of the Rings at all, well here is a quick summary of what happened in the book. This book is good. Its seems longer than the movie,( I guss from all thIf you haven`t at all seen the Lord of the Rings at all, well here is a quick summary of what happened in the book. This book is good. Its seems longer than the movie,( I guss from all the writting)but I think that its a little diffrent than the movie.
Well in the book Frodo (the ring carry),(he is a hobbi...more

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Friska rated it:

(review of isbn 9796866935)

09/21/07

bookshelves: sciencefictionfantasy

Read in January, 2005

recommends it for: everyone

Trilogi ini bercerita mengenai persahabatan 9 tokoh dari berbagai ras (wizard, peri, manusia, hobbit, kurcaci) untuk menghancurkan sebuah cincin penguasa seluruh ras, yaitu One Ring.

The Fellowship of The Ring, terdiri atas:
* Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin (hobbit)
* Gandalf (wizard)
* Aragorn (manusia)
* Legolas (peri)
* Gimli (kurcaci)
* Boromir (manusia)

Persaudaraan cincin yang terbentuk untuk melindungi Frodo dalam misinya menghancurkan One Ring, menjadi terhambat ketika mereka menj...more

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Meri rated it:

(review of isbn 0618346252)

07/30/08

Read in March, 2001

recommended to Meri by: My Dad
recommends it for: Everyone

The Fellowship of the Ring is the first in a Trilogy recounting the tale of Frodo the Hobbit whose quest it is to rid Middle Earth of the Ring of Power. It is fantastic on multiple levels and creates a beautiful world full of realistic dangers even as they are magical and incredible. Solidly based in 'real world' structure, it is a delicious tale that hooks the reader and despite the addition of multiple characters, layers, and an intricate dance of action and adventure it is so absorbing I c...more

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Julie rated it:

(review of isbn 0618346252)

05/02/08

Read in January, 2008

This is one of my favorite books ever, so I used it to cleanse myself after the debacle that was Eat, Pray, Love. And now I can review it.

There are many praiseful things I can say about this book, but I'll try to keep it short. One of the sharpest things about this first installment of the Lord of the Rings trilogy is its ability to create terror and suspense without actually introducing us to the enemy, Sauron (or even Saruman, his wizard henchman, for more than a few pages at least). Th...more

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Sherri rated it:

(review of isbn 0618346252)

08/22/08

bookshelves: fantasy

Read in January, 1986

I turned these books down in my teen years -- too slow, too tedious, too much time spent staring at the details of