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The Fellowship of the Ring

(The Lord of the Rings #1)

J.R.R. Tolkien,

Francis Ledoux (Translator),

Maria Skibniewska (Translator)

4.38 · Rating details · 2,595,677 ratings · 30,246 reviews

Alternate Cover Edition ISBN 0618260269 (copyright page ISBN is 0618346252 - different from back cover)

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkeness 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 ...more

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Paperback, Media Tie-In Edition, 398 pages

Published September 5th 2003 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (first published July 29th 1954)

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· 2,595,677 ratings · 30,246 reviews

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May 31, 2015 Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies rated it it was ok

Never have I been so sad to give a low rating to such a revered book. I'm so sorry. I can't tell you how sorry I am.

Again, I'm so sorry, but I found this book unbelievably dull. I really am so, so sorry. I'm desperately sad about this. This series has been such a foundation for modern-day fantasy that I'm incredibly disappointed in myself for not liking this. I have always wanted to be a Tolkien fangirl. I've always wanted to learn Elvish and get completely offended à la Stephen Colbert but I ca ...more

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Jul 29, 2016 Voldemort rated it it was ok

As a single lady myself, I also love to put a ring on it. And shoutout to my homegurl Sauron!!! you go girl take over middle earth! Reach for the stars! With that balrog on your side you can do anything!
That main dude Frodo tho... reminds me of dat boi Harry... besides what does he need the ring for??
Anyways I gotta give it a low rating cuz theres 2 much frodo, not enough orcs

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Jun 08, 2011 Lyndz rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: own, witches-wizards, reviewed, mypod-audiobook

I refuse to write a review for one of the best books ever written. Asking a serious fantasy fan to write a review for Lord of the Rings is like asking a Christian to write a review for The Bible.
So instead I will supply you with this graph:

...more

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May 28, 2009 J.G. Keely rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, reviewed, uk-and-ireland

Authors who inspire a movement are usually misunderstood, especially by those they have inspired, and Tolkien is no exception, but one of the biggest misconceptions about Tolkien is the idea that he is somehow an 'innovator of fantasy'. He did add a number of techniques to the repertoire of epic fantasy writers, and these have been dutifully followed by his many imitators, but for the most part, these techniques are little more than bad habits.

Many have called Tolkien by such epithets as 'The Fa ...more

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Jan 17, 2014 Sean Barrs rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: tolkien, 5-star-reads

I’m not going to write a normal review; it’s almost impossible for a fantasy fan to do so in this case. Instead I’m going to give you a series of ten points to explain exactly why I love this particular book. Take from it what you will. There will be spoilers. Here goes:

1. The wizards!

"“Do not meddle in the affairs of wizards, for they are subtle and quick to anger.”

Now I do love wizards. Who doesn’t? The wisdom of Gandalf is unmatched. He is, in effect, the leader of the forces of light. He ...more

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May 15, 2020 Petrik rated it really liked it · review of another edition

“All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.”

As someone who’ve read more than three hundred fantasy novels, it may come as a surprise to many people that this is, in fact, the first time I managed to finish reading The Fellowship of th ...more

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Nov 05, 2021 Mario the lone bookwolf (is on a longer vacation) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: tolkien-j-r-r

Founding a genre like a boss

Stealing everything possible from mythology and the, maybe sometimes a tiny bit boring, old, classics.
The beloved tradition of using others' ideas to create something new is big here, especially because Tolkien had the perfect background to milk everything from wherever he could find inspirations, from ancient to medieval and, at the time, modern works. It would especially be interesting to read or reread LotR with a focus on how he let the classics mutate to new for ...more

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Jun 19, 2010 Ahmad Sharabiani rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens-young-readers, british, fantasy, classics, novels, 1001-books, 20th-century, epic, fiction

(Book 494 from 1001 books) - The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of The Rings, #1), J.R.R. (John Ronald Reuel) Tolkien

The Fellowship of the Ring is the first of three volumes of the epic novel The Lord of the Rings by the English author J. R. R. Tolkien.

It is followed by The Two Towers and The Return of the King.

The Fellowship of the Ring is the first volume of John Ronald Reuel Tolkien's three-volume novel The Lord of the Rings, an epic novel set in the fictional world of Middle-earth.

The t ...more

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Feb 07, 2011 Jonathan rated it it was amazing

A review of Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, by Sauron

Hello. You may remember me as the title character of the Lord of Rings. I go by a lot of names: Dark Lord of Mordor, Sorcerer, Red Eye, Dark Power, Lord of Barad-dûr, Ring-maker and Base Master of Treachery (I use that one in my band). I actually object to Tolkien's chosen name of Sauron, which I understand originates from an adjective that means "foul, putrid" in his crappy invented language. What can I say, the showers in Mordor a A review of Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, by Sauron

Hello. You may remember me as the title character of the Lord of Rings. I go by a lot of names: Dark Lord of Mordor, Sorcerer, Red Eye, Dark Power, Lord of Barad-dûr, Ring-maker and Base Master of Treachery (I use that one in my band). I actually object to Tolkien's chosen name of Sauron, which I understand originates from an adjective that means "foul, putrid" in his crappy invented language. What can I say, the showers in Mordor are sketchy at best. On weekends, my poker buddies call me Sauron the Destroyer of Nacho Platters.

Because Tolkien intentionally failed to give a proper description of me in his books, allow me to give you an idea. I have a bit of a dark look. My quest for world domination having been thwarted, I watch a lot of TV these days. My body is roughly equivalent to the "The Situation" on Jersey Shore. Oh, no I don't watch that, but the Witch-king of Angmar is obsessed. He won't shut up about Snowcone or some bimbo on that show. I'm missing a finger, which while preventing me from raining down carnage on Middle Earth, allows me to collect decent EI. Plus the best lawyer in Mordor got me covered under the dismemberment clause on my insurance, so I'm riding the double dip gravy train. Much has been written about my terrible Lidless Red Eye, blah blah blah. It freaked out that little twat Frodo pretty good. I'll have you know that conjunctivitis is no laughing matter. Having to keep it open 24/7 to look for hoodlums skulking around Mordor is murder on my hydration. The Nazgul have enough lift and aim to get up there to toss a bucket of Visine at it, but it's just temporary relief. Regardless, I'm still more of a looker than your precious King Elessar or Aragorn or whatever he's calling himself these days. He's never met a brooding look he didn't like. Buy a razor. Get a real job.

Someone sent me Peter Jackson's movies in the mail. The package had no return address but it was postmarked "Hobbiton", where ever the hell that is. As I watch these movies over and over (I never even finished the books) I was reminded of all my mistakes...

Perhaps a ring was not a good choice. Some buddies have suggested that maybe I shouldn't have tied all of my terrible powers to something as easy to misplace as the One Ring. In retrospect, I should have forged The One Gas Station Bathroom Key Chain of Power. It would have been a lot harder to tief. I even could have pimped it out by making it from an Ent branch or Saruman's foot, for all the good that old fart did me. Maybe a ring would have been just fine if it had been a toe ring. Then it wouldn't glow in the dark like a target for every freaking Man on the battlefield. I heard that the guy who beat me was named "Isildur"!!?? WTF. Maybe I could have worn tougher gloves, I don't know. Perhaps the door to the Fires of Mount Doom should have had a better lock. ADT could have hooked me up with motion detectors but I hear that even cats can set those off. They claim they can calibrate them but I'm not so sure. The Uruk-hai are always jumping up on the table, so they would set it off for sure. Maybe just the alarm that goes off if something hits the lava, like pool alarms for kid. Although I guess it would have been too late by then. "My preccciioouussss!". Learn some balance a-hole.

Frodo. That little prick. I'd rather not discuss how my quest for utter dominion was defeated by something I could poop out unnoticed.

I'm getting off track. I'm supposed to discuss the events of the first book, the Fellowship of the Ring. Good times! I was on a comeback! Then the withered up senior citizen Gandalf had to go to the library and do a little research and figure out that my Ring was not some cracker jack prize. My Ringwraiths tried to track down the Ring but apparently taking it away from children was too difficult. If I had put the Nazgûl on fell beasts rather than bloody horses from the start I might have tracked down Frodo (prick) and his three buddies in the bloody woods. Don't horses have a good sense of smell!? Anyways, the fell beasts would have at least avoided drowning in a river. Sweet Mary. Then those Elves suggest a damn "fellowship". Could you have come up with a lamer group name?? Why not call it the "Loose Association of People Who Share Common Beliefs or Activities…of the Ring". That Balrog almost did me the biggest favour, he was always one of my peeps. "You shall not pass!!" What a line Gandy! How cow. I heard that one took like 15 takes because Pippin kept making everyone laugh by adding in the word "gas". Fool of a Took!

Anyways, by the end of the Fellowship of the Ring, I still had a fighting chance. Great book. Anyways, The Two Towers won't be as fun to review. Sh*t hits the fan.

(A note from Sauron's agent: full credit for the idea of this review goes to Kemper and his awesome review of Drood)

...more

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Apr 09, 2020 Muhtasin rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2020, 401-500-pp, classics, 4-star, fantasy

The Fellowship of the Ring (Lord of the Rings,#1) by J.R.R. Tolkien

This book is full of wonder and adventure with fantastic writing. And filled with a lot of emotions, exciting characters, and creatures. But also provided a lot of information at the beginning. For this, the story was a bit confusing for me at first. But later, Tolkien amazingly set up all the information and made the story so entertaining.

Don't adventures ever have an end? I suppose not. Someone else always has to carry on o
...more

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Jun 01, 2010 Matt rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, classic-novels

I wasn't really "cool" back in high school. I never made out with girls under the bleachers, or smoked under the bleachers, or did any of the other things under the bleachers that - I am lead to believe - the popular kids did. Instead, I maintained a low profile and waited for the teenage years - that wilderness of strangled thinking - to end.

In high school, as today, I harbored geekish obsessions, had a wandering imagination, and nurtured an appreciation for minutiate. In other words, I should ...more

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Nov 16, 2021 Anne rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, audio, read-in-2021, libby-app, classics

YOU CANNOT PASS!
Very cool line, sir.

description

And that's pretty much it.
If you're hankering for action, you'll need to go on a different quest. This is not The Fast and Furious Fellowship of the Ring. In fact, it's pretty much the opposite of that in every way. I ended up speeding up the narration to 2x fairly early on thinking that I'd slow it back down once it got past some of the duller parts.
Turns out, I liked that speed.

description

This is one of those books that you can completely space for 5 or 6 minutes an ...more

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Jun 03, 2019 JV (semi-hiatus) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-star-reads, middle-earth, 2019, audiobooks, classics, fantasy, home-for-my-heart, favourites, completed-series

"All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king."

Life is, indeed, a box of chocolates. No matter how much we prepare for it, we will never be ready. Truth be told, no one ever is — such is the mystery that life has to offer, as we don't get to choo

"All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king."

"'I wish it need not have happened in my time,' said Frodo. 'So do I,' said Gandalf, 'and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.'"

Sometimes, the image that we conjure for ourselves doesn't necessarily match or mirror life itself. At those times, we often feel inadequate, overwhelmed, and beaten, yet we continue living even though we've suffered enough, our own grief is too great to bear, and that our losses cannot truly be mended.

"Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see all ends."

However, beyond these conditions, we rise above them, grow beyond them. Humans always have the capacity to change the world for the better if possible or even change oneself if one so ever desires it — with the intensity of our spirit matching the fervour of our heart.

"The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater."

We tell ourselves that the magic is in the journey and not in the destination. Perchance, the allegory of this book reflects that of life — generally, morally, historically, and even spiritually. It might also allude to Galadriel's Mirror showing "things that were, and things that are, and things that yet may be." Whatever interpretation you might have for this timeless magnum opus, the burden is laid upon you, for the Shadow will always grow and succumbing to the One Ring's call will always bring forth utter destruction lest we learn the simplest and most significant lesson of them all.

"Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie."

All I know is that we are put here in this world to play a part that we have yet to see. Some of us might be a Frodo — for we bear a burden too great; or even a Sam who doesn't even know what he truly wants but perceives that he has a purpose that lies beyond the Shire and that he has to see it through to the end. We might even be a Merry or Pippin who will "stick to you through thick and thin – to the bitter end. And you can trust us to keep any secret of yours – closer than you keep it yourself." Mayhap, a Gandalf, a servant of the Secret Fire, a wielder of the Flame of Anor, telling others to flee and holding his ground to fight the Flame of Udûn.

Much like the Fellowship, there will always be someone who will be there to help you bear the burden, whatever what that might be. When night is about you, always remember that courage will always be found in the most unlikely places and that hope is but a chink in the curtain that lets the light through.

Audiobook rating (narrated by Rob Inglis):
Narrative voice & style - ★★★
Vocal characterisation - ★★★½
Inflexion & intonation - ★★★
Voice quality - ★★★
Audiobook verdict - ★★★ (Good performance overall) ...more

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Dec 26, 2015 Hannah Greendale rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, tolkien, classics, adult, fiction

Click here to watch a video review of this book on my channel, From Beginning to Bookend.

From the valleys of the Shire to the summit of Amon Hen, The Fellowship of the Ring is an extraordinary adventure of endearing characters defying impossible odds. ...more

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Sep 18, 2018 Merphy Napier rated it really liked it

Shelves: classics, adult, three-stars

reread rereview! https://youtu.be/Tc5xG8Fp5mY ...more

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Jan 08, 2013 Matthew rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: series, own, fantasy

Raise your hand if you remember the awesome book fairs or Scholastic book order forms from back when you were a kid? Well, in middle school I picked up this sweet read in a box set with the rest of the trilogy and The Hobbit. Unfortunately, while I have always been enthusiastic about reading, I did not find the motivation to complete it for almost 15 years.

In the early 90s I read the Hobbit. Then I followed it up by starting this one but lost interest shortly after Tom Bombadil. Tolkien is great ...more

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Jul 31, 2014 Alejandro rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: epic-fantasy, magic, novel, politics, espionage, military

The Journey begins!!!

THE EVOLUTION OF A RING’S STORY

Courage is found in unlikely places.

What started up as an adventure oriented for children turned into an epic fantasy...

...THE epic fantasy book, anything else in the genre after this, born here, any other author writing in this field, began here, and even impacted in many other genres and formats.

Certainly, in The Hobbit, there are dangers, there is death, so thinking about it as a children’s tale is a much debated issue, but it’s ...more

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Nov 11, 2020 Tharindu Dissanayake rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites-fiction

"Sing hey! for the bath at close of day
that washes the weary mud away!
A loon is he that will not sing:
O! Water Hot is a noble thing!"

"You shouldn't listen to all you hear,"

When I first watched LOTR TFOTR, a movie that is around 3 hours long, I thought the movie to be insanely long. But now that I've finally gotten around to reading the book, I'm shocked that the movie did manage to fit at least half of the contents of the book in to that three hour run, for this is one long and eventful story wi ...more

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Nov 05, 2008 Will Byrnes rated it it was amazing

Shelves: all-time-favorites-fiction

One of the great works of 20th century literature. I first tried this in high school, but was not able to get through on the first try. The second try, in my early 20s was the charm. Frodo goes on a quest that take in issues of morality, friendship, one's responsibility towards others, facing one's fears, courage, danger. While depicting a global battle between good and evil, Tolkien puts a human (or hobbit-ish) face on that conflict. His themes are universal and his characters are very accessib ...more

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Apr 28, 2020 Klaus rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, tolkien

21/25(84%) 4 stars.
This is bullshit. The language is ancient, the characters are boring, there are stupid poems and songs in the middle of the text! And there are no queer or diverse characters! It's escapism and has nothing to say about the issues of our modern world! And it's just so boring!
description

“May your beer be laid under an enchantment of surpassing excellence for seven years!”

Well y'all, if that's your take on this, sorry to say so, but then you're probably a bad person. Really. The experie ...more

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Jul 16, 2016 Michael Finocchiaro rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, made-into-movie, series, fantasy, novels, fiction, english-20th-c, classics

What can I say besides that rereading Tolkien's masterwork after so many years is just as full of wonder and inspiration as it was 40 years ago when I was a young man learning the ways of this old world. The Fellowship of an elf, a dwarf, two men, and four hobbits is such a incredibly beautiful tale of adventure and friendship and I savored every page while looking over my shoulder for wargs and balrogs and hiding my head from The Eye of Sauron. So many images, so many memories.

The Fellowship o ...more

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Nov 22, 2008 Jason Koivu rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, fantasy, fiction

Give me a few friends,
a stretch of pleasant hills and an ominous wood.
Let us romp in the remnants of innocence,
free of the fear coursing through the veins of the greater world.
Give me the first half dozen chapters of The Fellowship of the Ring and I will gladly make a little heaven on earth out of it.

After finishing The Hobbit as a young boy, I needed something else, something a little more mature to meet my growing needs. Lucky for me, Tolkien had done just that in the form of his epic trilogy ...more

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Jul 22, 2020 theburqaavenger➹ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: shall-i-compare-theeto-summers-day, classics, i-have-but-one-heart, we-ll-always-have-paris, you-made-me-a-believer, when-life-gives-you-lemons, i-love-her, don-t-knock-on-death-s-door, i-love-him, re-read

“All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.”

Every year a man comes to my house
and he knocks at my door. . .

He wears a pointed hat and he has a staff
and he tells me that it is that time of the year again.

I open the door and he looks ar ...more

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Jan 07, 2012 James rated it really liked it

Shelves: 1-fiction, 3-multi-book-series

4+ out of 5 stars to The Fellowship of the Ring, J.R.R. Tolkien's first novel in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, later made into a billion dollar movie franchise. I count myself lucky to have been able to read this book before it became a movie, though I loved the movie, too.

Why This Book
I was 13 years old when I stumbled upon this book while a friend was reading it. He was a major video gamer, fantasy sports leaguer and avid reader of science fiction. Though we were good friends, I ...more

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Jul 30, 2011 Lyn rated it really liked it

Tonight on Anderson Cooper 360, we find ourselves in Murfreesboro, Tennessee and at The Green Dragon Public House and Brewery, a Tolkien inspired pub. Our special guest tonight is none other than THE Hobbit, Mr. Bilbo Baggins, formerly of the Shire. We’ll have a moment to get to know the individual that has meant so much to generations of literary fans and then to a new generation of movie going fans in this last decade. Bilbo, how are you tonight?

Bilbo Baggins: I’m well; thank you, Anderson, an ...more

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Oct 18, 2017 Manny rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: children, why-not-call-it-poetry, german-and-dutch, linguistics-and-philosophy, transcendent-experiences

My education as a young German continues. I have been able to read children's books easily for some time, but books for grown-ups are still challenging. I thought that reading The Lord of the Rings in translation might be helpful, since for me it's intermediate between children's literature and adult literature. The vocabulary and grammar are more like adult literature; but the writing is concrete and straightforward as children's literature tends to be, with little of the abstractions, generali My education as a young German continues. I have been able to read children's books easily for some time, but books for grown-ups are still challenging. I thought that reading The Lord of the Rings in translation might be helpful, since for me it's intermediate between children's literature and adult literature. The vocabulary and grammar are more like adult literature; but the writing is concrete and straightforward as children's literature tends to be, with little of the abstractions, generalisations and complicated narrative structures that characterise adult fiction. I think it's worked well, and I could positively feel the book stretching my vocabulary. But most importantly, it's increased my appreciation for the poetics of the language. The text was many times able to reach me emotionally, and I could recapture the magical effect it had on me when I first read it at age ten: the comic interlude in Bree, the horror of the Barrow-wight and the Balrog, the glimpses of the vast shadowy history of the First Age.

The part that affected me most was the sequence in Lórien, which, to my surprise, moved me to tears. I couldn't quite understand why, but when I looked through some of the other reviews it became clearer. Readers of my generation were able to enter the enchanted world of Middle Earth and make it part of our own reality. But now I glance at Khanh's review, which has attracted 500 votes and a depressing number of positive comments, and see that for many people it is no longer possible. They understand nothing. The Elves have departed over the Sea, and left only a nostalgic memory behind them. It is desperately sad, and it is just this ineluctable tragedy of the passing of time that Tolkien captures so perfectly.

Ai! laurië lantar lassi súrinen,
Yéni únótimë ve rámar aldaron!
Yéni ve lintë yuldar avánier
mi oromardi lissë-miruvóreva
Andúnë pella, Vardo tellumar
nu luini yassen tintilar i eleni
ómaryo airetári-lírinen.
Sí man i yulma nin enquantuva?

An sí Tintallë Varda Oiolossëo
ve fanyar máryat Elentári ortanë
ar ilyë tier undulávë lumbulë
ar sindanóriello caita mornië
i falmalinnar imbë met, ar hísië
untúpa Calaciryo míri oialë.
Sí vanwa ná, Rómello vanwa, Valimar!

Namárië! Nai hiruvalyë Valimar!
Nai elyë hiruva! Namárië!

'Ah! like gold fall the leaves in the wind, long years numberless as the wings of trees! The long years have passed like swift draughts of the sweet mead in lofty halls beyond the West, beneath the blue vaults of Varda wherein the stars tremble in the song of her voice, holy and queenly. Who now shall refill the cup for me? For now the Kindler, Varda, the Queen of the Stars, from Mount Everwhite has uplifted her hands like clouds, and all paths are drowned deep in shadow; and out of a grey country darkness lies on the foaming waves between us, and mist covers the jewels of Calacirya for ever. Now lost, lost to those from the East is Valimar! Farewell! Maybe thou shalt find Valimar. Maybe even thou shalt find it. Farewell!'

Varda is the name of that Lady whom the Elves in these lands of exile name Elbereth. ...more

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Mar 26, 2013 Bradley rated it it was amazing

Shelves: top-one-hundred, fantasy, 2019-shelf, top-ten-w-cheats, epic-fantasy

I cannot rightly recall how many times I've read the trilogy. I think it's between 5 or 6 but that doesn't include a dramatized version. I don't think. And then there are the gazillion times I've watched the movies, the cartoons, or the beautiful old green poster I used to gaze upon in my room.

Not to mention the balrogs I used to paint alongside my dragons. Or the feverish studying of elvish and writing messages to my friends in runic. Taking a class on LotR and even publishing an academic paper ...more

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Apr 29, 2007 Doc Opp rated it liked it

Shelves: 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 concepts. Par ...more

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Jan 21, 2017 Jo (The Book Geek) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: i-m-in-love, fantasy, classics, i-believe-in-magic

This was my fourth or fifth read through, and to be frank, it was most definitely the best read through.

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Feb 14, 2022 Piyangie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: brittish-lit, my-library, fantasy-classic, favorite-classic

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

Synopsis of The Lord of the Rings
The Dark Lord, Sauron, seeks the one ring, the one he created, and the one that he lost. His shadow clouds the Middle Earth. Land, sky, and sea are filled with his spies bringing cold terror to those who oppose him. The Ringwraiths are back seeking the ruling ring with a vengeance. And here the poor hobbit, Frodo, from the Shire is thrust with the burden of "One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them."

Synopsis of The Lord of the Rings
The Dark Lord, Sauron, seeks the one ring, the one he created, and the one that he lost. His shadow clouds the Middle Earth. Land, sky, and sea are filled with his spies bringing cold terror to those who oppose him. The Ringwraiths are back seeking the ruling ring with a vengeance. And here the poor hobbit, Frodo, from the Shire is thrust with the burden of the ring. He, as the ringbearer must destroy it before Sauron could get at it. But the ring can be destroyed only by casting it into the fires of Mount Doom. But to get to this, Frodo must pass through Mordor, Sauron's kingdom. A fellowship is nine is formed in support of his quest, choosing members from all fractions that oppose enemy power. Will they succeed in destroying the ruling ring or will the Middle Earth succumb to the power of Sauron?

The Fellowship of the Ring is part one of Tolkien's masterpiece The Lord of the Rings. Here, the quest of Frodo begins, and with the companions of the fellowship, he must face many dangers and difficulties before he could fulfill his charge. And we follow the company of nine, Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin through many perilous adventures as they make their way from Rivendell to Mordor.

The Lord of the Rings is my first proper introduction to the fantasy genre. Although I'm not a keen fan of the genre, this series fascinated me beyond measure. From the first page on I knew I was in for a rare treat. And I was right. This is a rare literary gem that you'll want to cherish. I say this for several reasons. First, I've never read a tale like this, ever. Tolkien has not only written a story, but also has created a unique world, a fascinating one inhabited by hobbits, Wizards, Elves, Dwarves, Men, and many other creatures. And he doesn't stop there. He makes their history, creates their language, thus building a complete world. Only a genius is capable of such a feat. His imaginative power is greater than any I've met in my literary journey. Second, his storytelling is absolutely brilliant. It absorbs the reader completely and effortlessly. As the first part, the story is by no means conclusive; it's only the beginning. But at no point the reader will feel bored or tired. Third, Tolkien's use of the language is absolutely beautiful, beyond any description. It's a pure delight to read. In the use of language Tolkien surpasses all the others I've ever read. And fourth is the cinematic quality he brings with his brilliant writing. Be it the shadow that slowly creeps on the middle earth, the darkness where enemy and his spies dwell, or the light, beauty, and the purity of Rivendell and Lothlorien where the Elves dwell, Tolkien brings all these perfectly into life. The fear, uncertainty, despair, and hope are so strongly captured that readers feel the effects of all these varying emotions. Who but a rare genius can create such a thorough and complete work of literature?

Tolkien's Middle Earth is such a fascinating place to be even with the lurking shadow of the Dark Lord. A magical power draws us in even though every step generates much fear and tension. The company connects with us immediately, and we come to love them all in different degrees. Aragorn was my hero when I first read it twenty years ago, and I find my preference is still intact. :) I'm revisiting The Lord of the Rings after reading The Silmarilion, and that helped considerably to understand and appreciate the history behind the story.

Tolkien wrote that "the prime motive (in writing this) was the desire of a tale-teller to try his hand at a really long story that would hold the attention of readers, amuse them, delight them, and at times maybe excite them or deeply move them". And all I can say is that: Dear sir, you accomplished perfectly all that you set out to do in this masterpiece of yours. ...more

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About J.R.R. Tolkien

J.R.R. Tolkien

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John Ronald Reuel Tolkien: writer, artist, scholar, linguist. Known to millions around the world as the author of The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien spent most of his life teaching at the University of Oxford where he was a distinguished academic in the fields of Old and Middle English and Old Norse. His creativity, confined to his spare time, found its outlet in fantasy works, stories for children, p John Ronald Reuel Tolkien: writer, artist, scholar, linguist. Known to millions around the world as the author of The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien spent most of his life teaching at the University of Oxford where he was a distinguished academic in the fields of Old and Middle English and Old Norse. His creativity, confined to his spare time, found its outlet in fantasy works, stories for children, poetry, illustration and invented languages and alphabets.

Tolkien’s most popular works, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are set in Middle-earth, an imagined world with strangely familiar settings inhabited by ancient and extraordinary peoples. Through this secondary world Tolkien writes perceptively of universal human concerns – love and loss, courage and betrayal, humility and pride – giving his books a wide and enduring appeal.

Tolkien was an accomplished amateur artist who painted for pleasure and relaxation. He excelled at landscapes and often drew inspiration from his own stories. He illustrated many scenes from The Silmarillion, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, sometimes drawing or painting as he was writing in order to visualize the imagined scene more clearly.

Tolkien was a professor at the Universities of Leeds and Oxford for almost forty years, teaching Old and Middle English, as well as Old Norse and Gothic. His illuminating lectures on works such as the Old English epic poem, Beowulf, illustrate his deep knowledge of ancient languages and at the same time provide new insights into peoples and legends from a remote past.

Tolkien was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa, in 1892 to English parents. He came to England aged three and was brought up in and around Birmingham. He graduated from the University of Oxford in 1915 and saw active service in France during the First World War before being invalided home. After the war he pursued an academic career teaching Old and Middle English. Alongside his professional work, he invented his own languages and began to create what he called a mythology for England; it was this ‘legendarium’ that he would work on throughout his life. But his literary work did not start and end with Middle-earth, he also wrote poetry, children’s stories and fairy tales for adults. He died in 1973 and is buried in Oxford where he spent most of his adult life. ...more