The Rough Guide to the Lord of the Rings

by Paul Simpson (Editor), Helen Rodiss (Editor), Michaela Bushell (Editor)

This guide to the Lord of the Rings provides an entertaining and informative insight into the books, the films and their creator, J.R.R. Tolkien. It serves as an introduction to those who have seen the films but fear the books are for anoraks and is of sufficient depth for devoted Tolkienites. It tracks the evolution of the Lord of the Rings phenomenon from Ronald Tolkien's upbringing and contemporaries such as C.S. Lewis to the revival of fantasy fiction, the obsessive fans and the trilogy's influence on figures from George Lucas to J.K. Rowling. There is also an in-depth look at the characters, a guide to Middle Earth and a rundown of the best film locations to visit, including practical details of how to get there and where best to stay.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Reference, Media Tie In, Travel, Classics

304 pages, Paperback

First published November 17, 2003

Reviews

[K.D. Absolutely]

When the three movies included in the The Lord of the Rings were successively shown in 2001, 2002 and 2003, I watched them all. Prior to the showing of The Fellowship of the Ring, I even bought the book and tried reading it. I could not get past 10 pages. I did not know what the book was taking about: the Middle-Earth, the 12 rings, then there is one who a hobbit gets from a slinky creature, then when the hobbit puts it on, he disappears, then the ring is desired by all people because it can make you rule the world.

I said what the eff. I was 36 years old then and not really a voracious reader. So, I dropped the book and just watched the movie. The movie put me to sleep so I waited for sometime to wait for a pirated DVD copy so I can watch it again. However, during that time, copies of pirated VCD (DVD were so expensive then and not Blu-Ray yet) so it did not have English subtitles. Being an Asian and so English is not my first language, I could not follow the dialogues. Too confusing and sometimes too fast. Add to these was the fact that again, there were those confusing places - Mordor, Gondor, Fangorn, Eriador - that all sounded alike to me. And so, I thought that it was the end of the road for LOTR for me. Why should I punish myself. Until my brother posed the challenge that we should read all the 1001 books and lo and behold, LOTR is there!

I read The Fellowship of the Ring again in 2010 and this time I liked it but I did not have the motivation to read the other books. Although the book was enjoyable (5 stars), since I saw but could not help but fall asleep all the three movies during their theatrical runs, I did not have to motivation to read the 2 succeeding books. Until the first book became our Book of the Month for June 2012 in The Filipino Group (TFG) here in Goodreads, so I looked around for a guide and I found this one!

This is a very nice guidebook. It tells the short life story of J.R.R. Tolkien and why he wrote The Lord of the Rings. It also has the synopsis not only of LOTR but also of the earlier children's book The Hobbit and the book that came in between The Silmarillion. Comes next is a chapter on the three movies and what Peter Jackson did to translate the brilliant books to their screen adaptations. Then there is a chapter about all the characters. Then my favorite: all the places in the Middle-Earth. This part is ingeniously written because the concept is like a travel guidebook. You feel like you are a tourist flipping through the pages of a Lonely Planet and considering if visiting the Middle-Earth will be worth your time and money. Then there are other chapters for specific locations not only in Middle-Earth but the actual places where J.R.R. Tolkien were born, grew up, studied, wrote the books and died. It also has those places that inspired the scenes in the book plus the places where the movie was shot. The last chapter includes the impact of the movie to popular culture, e.g., the paraphernalias, collector's items and even the influence of the book to a political coup in Russia in 1999.

The Lord of the Rings movies are considered as among the all-time top-grossing films worldwide occupying the 22nd, 14th and 5th slots. The book (as one) is considered as the 3rd bestselling book of all times next only to Charles Dicken's A Tale of Two Cities and Antoine de Saint-Exupery's The Little Prince.

What makes the LOTR rock? I think it is the inventiveness and ingenuity of Tolkien's writing. He created a whole fictional world, Middle-Earth matching with different locales and languages as if that world and those people really exists. Then he weaved a tale that has an endless theme: the fight between good and evil and the nature of evil. There were fantasy books prior to this like Alice in the Wonderland and Gulliver's Travels but they don't compare to the outrageously brilliant imagination of J.R.R. Tolkien.

I am now winding up with The Two Towers and I am enjoying it. Next week, I will read the last book The Return of the King and will watch the pirated DVDs that I've been seeing at St. Francis. There is now the complete set, Blu-Ray and comes inside a nice sturdy and colorfully designed tin can. Wonderful advancement of technology. Entertainment at your fingertips!

[Charity U]

Good book! It was packed with information on the books and the movies. It came out between the second and third movies, so the movie information isn't as complete as it could be. It includes movie statistics (about swords, eggs, chain mail, etc), an index of characters, a bunch of locations, a guide to the available books by and about Tolkien and LOTR, and more. Small but full! Includes a bunch of black and white movie stills as well -- delightful.

[Nikki]

Interesting, but I'd say this is more aimed toward the fandom newcomer, I already knew most of the information included in this book. Some parts are also not very interesting at all, most notably the 'The Locations' part.

[Pensusvi]

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[David Shepherd]

This is a great guide book. It’s a mine of info about LOTR and Tolkien.

There’s plenty of text and a great number of images from the Peter Jackson movies and other sources. I would say it’s a great introduction to the lore of Middle Earth as found in LOTR. I’m sure there are those hard core Tolkien fans that would find the material a little superficial in places and may even decry that the movies are given a fair amount of coverage. There are definitely more ‘learned’ tomes that are more analytic than this book for a more academic and critical appraisal.

That isn’t what this book is about. My personal feeling is this is a great companion to the books for someone relatively new to LOTR. it’s also got a nice little section explaining differences between the movies and books. Tom Bombadil’s absence has always puzzled me…

There are a number of sections about the movie e.g. locations that aren’t specifically related to the literary cañon. As I like both books and movies I found this a nice touch.

A great little book. Highly recommend it.

Oh one thing I can’t remember if it’s in the book…Trying to tackle LOTR without any knowledge of events in The Hobbit is going to make you despair and likely give up. Tolkien made his first book a great precursor to the phenomenon that has become LOTR. Read it first 🙂

[Adedapo Fawaz]

As someone who's enjoyed The Lord of the Rings films, I was curious to learn more about Tolkien and the world he created. This guide was a really enjoyable read. It covers much more than I expected, from Tolkien's background and the development of Middle earth to the lasting influence the series has had on fantasy literature and pop culture.
I particularly enjoyed the sections on the characters and the behind the scenes information about the films. Everything was explained in a way that was easy to understand without feeling too simplified. I also liked that it included practical information about the filming locations.
Some chapters are more detailed than others, so I found myself slowing down to take everything in. That wasn't a bad thing it just made this feel more like a reference book than something to read in one sitting.
Overall, I thought it was an informative and worthwhile companion for anyone who wants to explore. The Lord of the Rings beyond the novels and movies. I'd happily recommend it to both new and longtime fans.

[Emily Bagg]

i love LOTR, and it was super cool to learn some more about the canon and the films.

[pedrazaluan]

the series is very addictive

[Hector]

It is a fantastic work, I recommend it

[Johnson]

Wow, just wow! I can't believe how much I loved this book. The story was amazing, and the way it unfolded was masterful. I was completely absorbed in the plot from start to finish.

[Alfle Harriet]

Informative, entertaining, and clearly written for people who genuinely enjoy Middle-earth. A very solid companion to both the novels and the films.

[Darrell Taylor]

A really enjoyable overview of Tolkien, the books, and the films. It covers a lot without becoming too heavy, which makes it easy to dip in and out of.

[Donna Thompson]

I liked that this works for both casual fans and people who already know Middle-earth pretty well. There is enough background to be useful without feeling like a textbook.

[George Crawford]

The sections on Tolkien himself were especially interesting. Understanding more about his life and influences adds another layer to the world he created.

[Jennifer Calra]

A very accessible guide to the whole Lord of the Rings phenomenon. It connects the books, movies, history, and fandom in a way that feels organized and readable.

[John Robert]

This is the kind of companion book that makes you want to go back and reread the novels or rewatch the films immediately.

[Joy Smith]

The book can make you laugh on one page and feel completely heartbroken on the next. That emotional range is probably its greatest strength.

[Juliet Jackson]

Some of the information will feel familiar if you are already a serious Tolkien fan, but it is still a handy overview and easy to browse.

[Kristin Guzman]

One of those books that is easy to leave on the table and keep picking up. There always seems to be another interesting fact or section to browse.

[Loraine Johnson]

I appreciated that the guide does not focus only on the movies. It gives proper attention to Tolkien’s writing and the larger cultural impact of the books.

[Maria Graves]

A fun reference book with plenty of interesting context. I especially liked the material about how The Lord of the Rings grew from a literary work into such a huge cultural phenomenon.

[Melissa Morgan]

The writing is clear and informal, which suits this kind of guide really well. It feels informative without becoming overly academic.

[Michael Bray]

A great starting point for anyone who loves the films but wants to understand more about Tolkien and the original books.

[Natasha Brave]

Not the deepest Tolkien reference available, but that is probably not what it is trying to be. It works well as a broad introduction.

[Otis Marsh]

I liked the mix of biography, literary background, film discussion, and fandom history. There is enough variety to keep the book interesting.

[R]

This is a great little book for lovers of Lord of the Rings. It is particularly useful if you have never read the books and are only familiar with the movies. I read the books 10 years ago, and I love the movies, but I was not familiar with Tolkien's life at all, so I enjoyed learning about him. It's a shame that it was released before the third movie came out but overall I think it's a fun little book. I also really liked the paper that it is printed on, and it's handy compact size. Perfect for slipping into my bag. Best $2 I have ever spent on eBay

[Cait]

Was expecting this to be a quick and light little read but it was very detailed.

Some bits were repetitive (how many pounds Sean Astin had to put on for the role, it's thirty in case you missed it).

Most photos didn't add much, the other ones of places Tolkien lived were good though.

Liked that it included mundane topics like music and merchandise but also discussed serious aspects like religion and politics.

[Andy]

A great read for any LOTR or Tolkien fan. The author does a great job of describing the fantasy aspects and creates an overall warm feeling towards Tolkien.

A short, enjoyable read. I picked this on up at Half-Price Books for $1.50 :)

[Sarah]

I love this little pocket guide to middleearth. Letting you know a lot more than you would normally do.

[Kurt Zisa]

Great bathroom read for all things Tolkien and Lord of the Rings. Very comprehensive for such a small portable edition.