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The Lord of the Rings: The Trilogy
Widely regarded as a broadcasting classic, the 1981 BBC Radio dramatisation of The Lord of the Rings stars Ian Holm, Michael Hordern, Robert Stephens, John Le Mesurier and Peter Woodthorpe. This box set contains all three parts of the epic tale - The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King. Sauron, the Dark Lord, has gathered to him the Rings of Power - the means by which he will be able to rule the world. All he lacks in his plan for domination is the Ruling Ring, which has fallen into the hands of the hobbit, Frodo Baggins... Brian Sibley, one of the original dramatists, has written new opening and closing narration for the character of Frodo, played by Ian Holm. This collection also includes a bonus CD featuring Stephen Oliver's complete musical score, and a demo version of 'Bilbo's Last Song'.
13 CDs. 13 hrs 15 mins.
13 CDs. 13 hrs 15 mins.
13 pages, Audio CD
First published January 1, 1987
92 people are currently reading
4449 people want to read
About the author
Brian Sibley
101 books100 followersBrian Sibley is an English writer, broadcaster, and award-winning dramatist.
The author of over 100 hours of radio drama and hundreds of documentaries and features for the BBC, he is best known for his acclaimed 1981 radio adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, co-written with Michael Bakewell, as well as dramatizations of C. S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia, Mervyn Peake’s Gormenghast novels, and Richard Adams’s Watership Down.
Sibley has also written numerous original plays for radio, presented popular BBC programmes including Kaleidoscope and Talking Pictures, and produced documentaries on figures ranging from Lewis Carroll and Ray Bradbury to Julie Andrews and Walt Disney.
His contributions to broadcasting have earned him accolades such as the Sony Radio Award and the BBC Audio Drama Award for Best Adaptation.
In print, Sibley is the author of many acclaimed film “making of” books, including Harry Potter: Film Wizardry, The Lord of the Rings: The Making of the Movie Trilogy, and Peter Jackson: A Filmmaker’s Journey, as well as companion volumes for The Hobbit films, The Golden Compass, and Disney classics. His literary works range from Shadowlands to children’s books like The Frightful Food Feud and Osric the Extraordinary Owl, with stories appearing in official Winnie-the-Pooh collections.
A noted Disney historian, Sibley has contributed essays to The Walt Disney Film Archives and recorded DVD commentaries for classic films. He is the editor of J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Fall of Númenor, winner of the Tolkien Society’s Best Book award in 2023.
Sibley has served as President and Chair of The Lewis Carroll Society and is an honorary member of The Magic Circle, the Tolkien Society, and The Children’s Books History Society.
The author of over 100 hours of radio drama and hundreds of documentaries and features for the BBC, he is best known for his acclaimed 1981 radio adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, co-written with Michael Bakewell, as well as dramatizations of C. S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia, Mervyn Peake’s Gormenghast novels, and Richard Adams’s Watership Down.
Sibley has also written numerous original plays for radio, presented popular BBC programmes including Kaleidoscope and Talking Pictures, and produced documentaries on figures ranging from Lewis Carroll and Ray Bradbury to Julie Andrews and Walt Disney.
His contributions to broadcasting have earned him accolades such as the Sony Radio Award and the BBC Audio Drama Award for Best Adaptation.
In print, Sibley is the author of many acclaimed film “making of” books, including Harry Potter: Film Wizardry, The Lord of the Rings: The Making of the Movie Trilogy, and Peter Jackson: A Filmmaker’s Journey, as well as companion volumes for The Hobbit films, The Golden Compass, and Disney classics. His literary works range from Shadowlands to children’s books like The Frightful Food Feud and Osric the Extraordinary Owl, with stories appearing in official Winnie-the-Pooh collections.
A noted Disney historian, Sibley has contributed essays to The Walt Disney Film Archives and recorded DVD commentaries for classic films. He is the editor of J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Fall of Númenor, winner of the Tolkien Society’s Best Book award in 2023.
Sibley has served as President and Chair of The Lewis Carroll Society and is an honorary member of The Magic Circle, the Tolkien Society, and The Children’s Books History Society.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
July 23, 2017
Review of the BBC dramatized audio version:
While on a massive road trip this summer, our family listened to the BBC's dramatized audio edition of The Lord of the Rings. It was first produced in 1981, airing on BBC Radio 4 in 26 half-hour episodes. CD releases, including the 1999 reissue that we listened to, have remixed the content into 13 hour-long episodes. Though I've been a fan of Tolkien for most of my life life, and I've heard good things about this dramatized version, this was my first time listening to it--and I loved it. The two obvious questions are how it compares to the original books, and how it compares to Peter Jackson's film versions. Predictably, I'll say that it's not as good as reading the books, but it's a lot better than the movies. There's no substitute for immersing oneself in Tolkien's creation through savoring the words on the page. However, the audio drama did an excellent job of presenting the story, and even drawing out some aspects of it that I might not think about so much in my own personal readings. The dramatized version follows the book very closely--though still, sadly, leaving out Tom Bombadil, the barrow-wights, and various other details that I've grown fond of in the books.
The comparison to Jackson's movie trilogy: At the time the films were released in theaters (can it really be almost 14 years ago now?), I loved them. I saw each movie multiple times in the theater, and on DVD, and on extended edition DVD, and even once at an all-night marathon in a theater. I recently re-watched the trilogy with my two oldest sons, and I find it hard to remember how I liked the movies so much a decade ago. They haven't aged well, and the clunky expositional speeches and odd changes from the books are more annoying to me now than they were then. The BBC audio version tells the story much better in a number of ways. With 13 hours, there is time for the slower, introspective moments that are so important in the story. The words, mostly straight from Tolkien, convey the weight of Middle-Earth history in a way that I find more satisfying than the visual spectacle and attention to detail from the films.
What do the movies do better than the audio drama? The big battle scenes are of course much more exciting in the purely visual format of film; the audio drama minimizes the time spent on the battles, because just the sounds without the visuals don't really work so well. The other thing I continue to love about the movies is Howard Shore's score, which will always be the way I hear The Lord of the Rings musically. The music in the BBC production is fine, and some of the songs are very appropriate to the story, but overall the music is not one of the standouts of the production.
A great script, such as adaptor Brian Sibley has crafted, requires really good voice acting, and this production is excellent. Ian Holm plays Frodo, which is initially jarring since he played Bilbo in the films; but I quickly got over that and thoroughly enjoyed his performance. The way he portrays Frodo's transformation as the ring takes over, especially as he nears Mount Doom, is astounding. I liked this take on Frodo much better than Elijah Wood's performance in the movies. Most of Holm's scenes also feature Bill Nighy as Sam, and Nighy--one of my favorite actors--is amazing as Sam. He really makes the story into the story of Sam's development, which is a wonderful way to understand The Lord of the Rings. When the story ends with Sam's return to the Shire, it makes perfect, poignant sense. The supporting cast is great. The listener feels that this is a cast that is putting their full creative energy into the performance--not simply reading the lines. (In fact, so many of the voices in this production are so similar to the way Jackson directed the films, it sometimes feels almost like Jackson was plagiarizing the BBC audio drama.) The last episode had me in tears (as the end of The Lord of the Rings always does), reaching into the depths of what Tolkien was writing about--beauty, sacrifice, sadness, duty, truth, .
In short: I loved the BBC audio drama of The Lord of the Rings, and will very likely listen to it regularly, in addition to my regular read-throughs of the books. I highly recommend it to Tolkien fans with the patience to spend some hours listening to Tolkien's world. A note for anyone considering listening to this in the car: the CDs are mixed rather softly, and sometimes unevenly. We had to turn the volume in the minivan up a bit louder than usual for other CDs, and there is a lot of up and down in the volume of the production, so that we sometimes had to adjust the volume in the middle of an episode (and were then sometimes startled by a very loud sound effect or voice!). Also, we felt that the hour length of episodes was a bit long (though some episodes went by very quickly). Half-hour segments, as originally broadcast, might have been a better way to break up the story.
March 23, 2022
Absolutely delightful adaptation, a wonderful companion to the epic fantasy saga for audio fans
February 18, 2023
This trilogy of audios is absolutely fantastic (But The Lord Of The Rings trilogy in any form is brilliant)
Definitely recommend it 📚
Definitely recommend it 📚
June 10, 2025
Great dramatization. I listened to this dramatized version on my way to work. Because it was an adaptation, I'm counting this as only one book, not three. In 2011, I was going to finish on my birthday (March 24), but I heard that Sauron was defeated on March 25, so I put it off until then.
June 14, 2009
This is a BBC dramatization, and was very well done. Nancy and I had a long drive to Montana last week, and then back, and then had to finish it off with a few shorter jaunts while back home. Tolkien was just a good business.
February 9, 2017
I was really excited when I discovered this BBC audio dramatization of Tolkien's classic Lord of the Rings trilogy. It was highly recommended by a staff member at the Ventura County Library in Ventura, California. Even though sections from the original books had been cut and altered for the dramatization, she said that it was an experience that any Tolkien fan would enjoy.
The box and the CDs are beautiful! They have images, maps, and other useful information about the trilogy and author on each case. On the back of the box it reads:
This stunning dramatized BBC production of Tolkien's classic is presented in thirteen hours on thirteen compact discs. Starring Ian Holm and featuring a cast of 25 performers, specially composed music and sound effects, this beautifully packaged boxed set is a perfect gift for every Tolkien fan.
This introduction and every colorful display on the CD cases kept my excitement high as I listened through the entire series with my husband during our long car rides. It didn't take long to breeze through the discs.
One aspect that made the experience less enjoyable was the fact that the library copy contained badly scratched CDs. Often, the car player wouldn't recognize that there was a CD in it, and we would spend countless minutes cleaning them until they could be played. Ventura library should invest in a DVD doctor or a similar device. Since this collection is so popular, they need to maintain the quality of the discs.
I enjoyed the dramatic presentation more than my husband, who kept comparing it to Peter Jackson's films. In all honesty, this audio book cannot compare to the films. Thus, it's really important not to expect a similar Hollywood/movie experience. Otherwise, you will not enjoy the dramatization. I kept thinking about radio dramas and radio shows. That constant reminder made it easier to get wrapped up in an auditory experience where my imagination roamed free.
All the actors in the production were amazing! I especially liked Frodo, played by Ian Holm, and Sam, played by William Nighy. My least favorite actor was Peter Woodthorpe, who played Gollum. The problem wasn't the actor, per say, but the way that Gollum was presented to the listener. The character mumbles a lot, screams, and makes other random noises that make it difficult to determine what is happening in the audio drama. Too much sound can be a detriment, and that was the case with Gollum. We paused the production numerous times to ask each other questions about what was going on with Gollum. These moments happened at important points in the story too, which was unfortunate. For example, at the end of the book, the characters are on Mt. Doom. Gollum's actions during this section was very confusing! Luckily, we knew what was going to happen because of the films. Gollum's actions and speech were equally unclear. In order to understand what Gollum was saying, we had to go back to previous tracks and put the volume up really loud to understand his mumbling.
The sound effects were spectacular! I really felt drawn into the story, as if I was on the journey with Frodo. The music, however, was hit or miss. Most of the songs weren't as good as we had hoped, especially compared to the epic score from Jackson's films. We both agreed that Sam's singing was the best; he also had the best lyrics for his songs. There was one song that was sung by a single young boy that was really moving. The music at the end was decent too. My favorite score was the one they played when introducing and ending each disc, which is probably why they reused it so often.
As I haven't read the original books in a long time, I can't comment on how authentic the dramatization was in comparison nor indicate where the sections were altered and cut. My husband did complain that there wasn't enough narration and that there was too much character dialog. From what I know about radio dramas, this is often the case. The listener wants to hear the voices of the characters rather than being read a story. However, more narration would have made it easier to understand what the characters were doing. Unfortunately, they mainly used the narrative sections as an opportunity to transition segments of the story and to show the progression of time rather than as a tool for telling the story.
The breakdown of the CDs compared to the original books is as follows:
CDs 1-6: The Fellowship of the Ring
CDs 7-9: The Two Towers
CDs 10-13: The Return of the King
The division was perfect, and our favorite section was the fist book, CDs 1-6. The end felt drawn out, but this is also how I felt when I read the books. So, I wasn't as surprised as my husband.
When it comes down to it, there are a lot of reasons to listen to this audio book. First, from what I have read, it is the best radio drama on Tolkien's infamous trilogy. The drama provides another way to experience the books; this one was produced in 1999. Peter Jackson's first film wouldn't be made until 2001. Second, the actors did a stupendous job! Ian Holm is the star, as he received top billing, but every voice actor provided a new, dynamic element to the dramatization. Third, the music. Even though it's hit or miss, some of the songs were moving (absolutely loved Sam's song about The Shire). Finally, how can you not want another production of Tolkien's trilogy, especially with one as artfully created as this was? The production received numerous awards, such as the Prometheus Hall of Fame Award (2009) and The Big Read, BBC (2003). These awards were not given to a sub-par production!
Even with all this praise, there are still some cons to consider before you listen to the audio dramatization. First, make sure you have high quality CDs! Our low quality discs really soured our listening experience. Plus, it was just plain frustrating having to stop the CDs so often in order to clean them. Second, be forewarned that some of the actors might be difficult to understand. For us, it was Gollum. However, there are other characters that might be difficult to hear or understand with all the dramatic special effects and music. Third, it's not an unabridged version. If you are a stickler for unabridged reading experiences, you will not enjoy this rendition. Lastly, if you are not a fan of Tolkien or fantasy novels, I recommend viewing Jackson's films over listening to this audio book. There are places where the history of Middle Earth will cause the drama to lull. A lot of these moments are not included in Hollywood's rendition.
Overall, I am happy that I took the time to listen to this book, and I would listen to it again if I owned a copy of it. In fact, I wonder how better my experience would be if I had an undamaged set (Perhaps some of the audio sections would be easier to understand too). I would love to own this as part of my literary collection. Unfortunately, I don't think my husband was as thrilled or that he would listen to it again with me. It's definitely not for everyone.
The box and the CDs are beautiful! They have images, maps, and other useful information about the trilogy and author on each case. On the back of the box it reads:
This stunning dramatized BBC production of Tolkien's classic is presented in thirteen hours on thirteen compact discs. Starring Ian Holm and featuring a cast of 25 performers, specially composed music and sound effects, this beautifully packaged boxed set is a perfect gift for every Tolkien fan.
This introduction and every colorful display on the CD cases kept my excitement high as I listened through the entire series with my husband during our long car rides. It didn't take long to breeze through the discs.
One aspect that made the experience less enjoyable was the fact that the library copy contained badly scratched CDs. Often, the car player wouldn't recognize that there was a CD in it, and we would spend countless minutes cleaning them until they could be played. Ventura library should invest in a DVD doctor or a similar device. Since this collection is so popular, they need to maintain the quality of the discs.
I enjoyed the dramatic presentation more than my husband, who kept comparing it to Peter Jackson's films. In all honesty, this audio book cannot compare to the films. Thus, it's really important not to expect a similar Hollywood/movie experience. Otherwise, you will not enjoy the dramatization. I kept thinking about radio dramas and radio shows. That constant reminder made it easier to get wrapped up in an auditory experience where my imagination roamed free.
All the actors in the production were amazing! I especially liked Frodo, played by Ian Holm, and Sam, played by William Nighy. My least favorite actor was Peter Woodthorpe, who played Gollum. The problem wasn't the actor, per say, but the way that Gollum was presented to the listener. The character mumbles a lot, screams, and makes other random noises that make it difficult to determine what is happening in the audio drama. Too much sound can be a detriment, and that was the case with Gollum. We paused the production numerous times to ask each other questions about what was going on with Gollum. These moments happened at important points in the story too, which was unfortunate. For example, at the end of the book, the characters are on Mt. Doom. Gollum's actions during this section was very confusing! Luckily, we knew what was going to happen because of the films. Gollum's actions and speech were equally unclear. In order to understand what Gollum was saying, we had to go back to previous tracks and put the volume up really loud to understand his mumbling.
The sound effects were spectacular! I really felt drawn into the story, as if I was on the journey with Frodo. The music, however, was hit or miss. Most of the songs weren't as good as we had hoped, especially compared to the epic score from Jackson's films. We both agreed that Sam's singing was the best; he also had the best lyrics for his songs. There was one song that was sung by a single young boy that was really moving. The music at the end was decent too. My favorite score was the one they played when introducing and ending each disc, which is probably why they reused it so often.
As I haven't read the original books in a long time, I can't comment on how authentic the dramatization was in comparison nor indicate where the sections were altered and cut. My husband did complain that there wasn't enough narration and that there was too much character dialog. From what I know about radio dramas, this is often the case. The listener wants to hear the voices of the characters rather than being read a story. However, more narration would have made it easier to understand what the characters were doing. Unfortunately, they mainly used the narrative sections as an opportunity to transition segments of the story and to show the progression of time rather than as a tool for telling the story.
The breakdown of the CDs compared to the original books is as follows:
CDs 1-6: The Fellowship of the Ring
CDs 7-9: The Two Towers
CDs 10-13: The Return of the King
The division was perfect, and our favorite section was the fist book, CDs 1-6. The end felt drawn out, but this is also how I felt when I read the books. So, I wasn't as surprised as my husband.
When it comes down to it, there are a lot of reasons to listen to this audio book. First, from what I have read, it is the best radio drama on Tolkien's infamous trilogy. The drama provides another way to experience the books; this one was produced in 1999. Peter Jackson's first film wouldn't be made until 2001. Second, the actors did a stupendous job! Ian Holm is the star, as he received top billing, but every voice actor provided a new, dynamic element to the dramatization. Third, the music. Even though it's hit or miss, some of the songs were moving (absolutely loved Sam's song about The Shire). Finally, how can you not want another production of Tolkien's trilogy, especially with one as artfully created as this was? The production received numerous awards, such as the Prometheus Hall of Fame Award (2009) and The Big Read, BBC (2003). These awards were not given to a sub-par production!
Even with all this praise, there are still some cons to consider before you listen to the audio dramatization. First, make sure you have high quality CDs! Our low quality discs really soured our listening experience. Plus, it was just plain frustrating having to stop the CDs so often in order to clean them. Second, be forewarned that some of the actors might be difficult to understand. For us, it was Gollum. However, there are other characters that might be difficult to hear or understand with all the dramatic special effects and music. Third, it's not an unabridged version. If you are a stickler for unabridged reading experiences, you will not enjoy this rendition. Lastly, if you are not a fan of Tolkien or fantasy novels, I recommend viewing Jackson's films over listening to this audio book. There are places where the history of Middle Earth will cause the drama to lull. A lot of these moments are not included in Hollywood's rendition.
Overall, I am happy that I took the time to listen to this book, and I would listen to it again if I owned a copy of it. In fact, I wonder how better my experience would be if I had an undamaged set (Perhaps some of the audio sections would be easier to understand too). I would love to own this as part of my literary collection. Unfortunately, I don't think my husband was as thrilled or that he would listen to it again with me. It's definitely not for everyone.
February 7, 2017
This was fantastic, and so much fun listening to in the car while driving. There were a couple times that the acting seemed slightly over the top, but overall it was really amazing, and those moments didn't distract from the story at all.
Now all I want to do is reread the book and rewatch the films...
Now all I want to do is reread the book and rewatch the films...
July 21, 2014
This 13 part BBC radio dramatization was great fun. I have no quarrel with it. It sounded to me like they used Tolkien's dialogue for the script. The tinkering they did with it was minor to my ear. Yet, the voice talent and sound effects were excellent.
Last weekend my mother-in-law gave the set to me along with The Hobbit and a disk of music using Tolkien's writings for lyrics while doing Spring-cleaning to her house. She knows how much I like Tolkien. I like it well enough that it got to the top of my to listen to list and I got all of the way through it in a week. That should say something about how good I think it is and how much pleasure I got from listening to it.
Oh, the two main things that were left out were Tom Bombadil (poor guy always seems to get cut) and the scene with the primitive man.
Last weekend my mother-in-law gave the set to me along with The Hobbit and a disk of music using Tolkien's writings for lyrics while doing Spring-cleaning to her house. She knows how much I like Tolkien. I like it well enough that it got to the top of my to listen to list and I got all of the way through it in a week. That should say something about how good I think it is and how much pleasure I got from listening to it.
Oh, the two main things that were left out were Tom Bombadil (poor guy always seems to get cut) and the scene with the primitive man.
June 12, 2012
Really great dramatization. The cast and production did a wonderful work bringing this story to life.
July 1, 2014
made me feel i was in the middle earth!
September 23, 2023
★★★★½ - it was great / masterpiece
The classic BBC dramatization of The Lord of the Rings was just as good as I expected it to be. It was produced in the 80s and thus had an older feel to it, but I found that fitting—thus, it naturally adapted the books more closely than something like Peter Jackson’s trilogy, simply due to the fact that long action sequences often sounded muddled and chaotic. The slower, quieter moments of dialogue between characters is really where this shined for me.
The voice acting was good all around, but I especially loved the performances by the actors portraying Gandalf and each of the Hobbits. I was also surprised at just how much influence Peter Jackson clearly took from this adaptation—there are things in the movies that are almost 1:1, including jokes between characters and overall style of characterization.
There were scenes across all three parts of this story that were absolutely incredible, and it was a joy to hear a new, fresh adaptation of them. And I’m so glad that The Scouring of the Shire was included here. One of my favorite parts that I need to mention are the musical motifs sprinkled throughout. They elevated the entire thing, and in my opinion, solidified this version of the story as timeless and classic, just like the books and movies.
Overall, to me this was a brand-new version of the greatest story ever told. Of course I was going to love it! I put off listening to it for years until I felt finally ready to give it a go, and I’m so glad that I did.
The classic BBC dramatization of The Lord of the Rings was just as good as I expected it to be. It was produced in the 80s and thus had an older feel to it, but I found that fitting—thus, it naturally adapted the books more closely than something like Peter Jackson’s trilogy, simply due to the fact that long action sequences often sounded muddled and chaotic. The slower, quieter moments of dialogue between characters is really where this shined for me.
The voice acting was good all around, but I especially loved the performances by the actors portraying Gandalf and each of the Hobbits. I was also surprised at just how much influence Peter Jackson clearly took from this adaptation—there are things in the movies that are almost 1:1, including jokes between characters and overall style of characterization.
There were scenes across all three parts of this story that were absolutely incredible, and it was a joy to hear a new, fresh adaptation of them. And I’m so glad that The Scouring of the Shire was included here. One of my favorite parts that I need to mention are the musical motifs sprinkled throughout. They elevated the entire thing, and in my opinion, solidified this version of the story as timeless and classic, just like the books and movies.
Overall, to me this was a brand-new version of the greatest story ever told. Of course I was going to love it! I put off listening to it for years until I felt finally ready to give it a go, and I’m so glad that I did.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2021
Can you tell I'm in comfort-reading mode? (Also, yes, I will now be listening to the theme music of this on repeat for the next several months.)
March 15, 2017
This BBC dramatization, in 13 chapters of 1hour each, was quite a nice way to get into that story once again. Great performances, including those of Ian Holm who plays Frodo and Bill Nighy as Sam Gamgee.
There's quite a bit of screaming at some point, and that can be a bit painful though! Particularly when it happens during the Sam/Frodo episodes, who tend to be told in a lower softer voice (so you would have cranked up the volume to hear better maybe, and then your ears starts bleeding from the screaming).
But overall it was nice. Very nice indeed.
There's quite a bit of screaming at some point, and that can be a bit painful though! Particularly when it happens during the Sam/Frodo episodes, who tend to be told in a lower softer voice (so you would have cranked up the volume to hear better maybe, and then your ears starts bleeding from the screaming).
But overall it was nice. Very nice indeed.
March 28, 2017
Solid adaptation but oscillates from wooden to overwrought. The musical score is a nice touch overall but some of the songs of the elves and Rohirrim are cover-your-ears awful / why people think they hate classical music.
October 11, 2017
Terrific interpretation. I've listened numerous times. In some ways I enjoy more than the movies. Primarily, I think Ian Holm makes a great Frodo. Brian Sibley nailed it with this BBC radio adaptation!
July 5, 2017
Some parts (especially towards the end) dragged on, but overall it was very delightful to listen to while I was driving or working
May 19, 2022
Nisssse ssssingerss and actorsesss, yes, yesss, preshhhiouss, exsssept when they goesss from whissssperss to ssscreamses in one sssingle ssecond.
July 21, 2019
I must have first heard this when it was first broadcast on NPR in the US, apparently in 1982, going by Wiki - I still have the distinct memory of Tammy Grimes' intros, which were done specifically for NPR, and are not present on the CD box set that I finally obtained a few months ago, and listened to in April over about a week when I had to drive a couple of hours round-trip every day.
I'm not an audio book guy, and I normally listen to the news or music when driving - and driving is really the only part of my day where I listen to anything - so perhaps it isn't surprising that it took me decades before I cared enough to go back to this radio drama which had been a wonderful moment in my youth. It's not a substitute for the novel of course, and it wasn't when I first listened to it at 16-17, having read the book about 3 years earlier, and then as now I really regret the absence of Tom Bombadil, left out of every adaptation of the novel thus far I believe. And it's understandable why this segment doesn't "belong" as it's something of an aside from the main plot - but I think it's an important glimpse into Tolkien's concept of "faerie" and it contains some of the more evocative writing in the work, so I still miss it. Thankfully we do get "The Scouring of the Shire" and that alone makes this a more faithful rendition in it's way than Jackson's cinematic trilogy.
But enough of what's left out and specifics about plot - I don't have any desire to write a dozen paragraphs here and who's going to read it? This is overall a wonderful production with a first-rate voice cast of mostly British theater actors, the most familiar of whom to this cinema fan are Michael Hordern (Gandalf) and Ian Holm (Frodo). Holm later played Bilbo in Jackson's LOTR adaptation, and he and Hordern are just perfect, and have not yet been bettered. It took me a while to get used to Robert Stephens as Aragorn - he's got a rather rough and strong accent, but by the end of production he won me over, and his voice and accent seem to change a bit as well, as his station and prominence in the story change. Peter Woodthorpe's Gollum is another highlight, and Woodthorpe was also in the Ralph Bakshi animated version of the first half of the novel in 1978, though if pushed in this instance I might pick Andy Serkis in the Jackson films as equally definitive, or perhaps even edging out Woodthorpe slightly.
The music by Stephen Oliver is excellent as well, evoking much early 20th-century British classical music, particularly Vaughan Williams, and the whole thing is a nicely produced work in the 2002 CD box set. There was an earlier 1979 American radio dramatization from The Mind's Eye, which I have dim memories of hearing as well; I suspect it's not nearly as good, by reputation it's rather amateurish, but as someone still in lifelong-love with Tolkien, I'll probably give it a go at some point. In the meantime I would recommend this set most highly - if you still like physical media, the CD set is beautifully put together, but I'm sure it can be listened to in other ways as well.
I'm not an audio book guy, and I normally listen to the news or music when driving - and driving is really the only part of my day where I listen to anything - so perhaps it isn't surprising that it took me decades before I cared enough to go back to this radio drama which had been a wonderful moment in my youth. It's not a substitute for the novel of course, and it wasn't when I first listened to it at 16-17, having read the book about 3 years earlier, and then as now I really regret the absence of Tom Bombadil, left out of every adaptation of the novel thus far I believe. And it's understandable why this segment doesn't "belong" as it's something of an aside from the main plot - but I think it's an important glimpse into Tolkien's concept of "faerie" and it contains some of the more evocative writing in the work, so I still miss it. Thankfully we do get "The Scouring of the Shire" and that alone makes this a more faithful rendition in it's way than Jackson's cinematic trilogy.
But enough of what's left out and specifics about plot - I don't have any desire to write a dozen paragraphs here and who's going to read it? This is overall a wonderful production with a first-rate voice cast of mostly British theater actors, the most familiar of whom to this cinema fan are Michael Hordern (Gandalf) and Ian Holm (Frodo). Holm later played Bilbo in Jackson's LOTR adaptation, and he and Hordern are just perfect, and have not yet been bettered. It took me a while to get used to Robert Stephens as Aragorn - he's got a rather rough and strong accent, but by the end of production he won me over, and his voice and accent seem to change a bit as well, as his station and prominence in the story change. Peter Woodthorpe's Gollum is another highlight, and Woodthorpe was also in the Ralph Bakshi animated version of the first half of the novel in 1978, though if pushed in this instance I might pick Andy Serkis in the Jackson films as equally definitive, or perhaps even edging out Woodthorpe slightly.
The music by Stephen Oliver is excellent as well, evoking much early 20th-century British classical music, particularly Vaughan Williams, and the whole thing is a nicely produced work in the 2002 CD box set. There was an earlier 1979 American radio dramatization from The Mind's Eye, which I have dim memories of hearing as well; I suspect it's not nearly as good, by reputation it's rather amateurish, but as someone still in lifelong-love with Tolkien, I'll probably give it a go at some point. In the meantime I would recommend this set most highly - if you still like physical media, the CD set is beautifully put together, but I'm sure it can be listened to in other ways as well.
October 9, 2018
An excellent full cast audio drama of the entire series (although The Two Towers got a little shorted).
September 3, 2022
My favourite version of my first favourite story. Revisit it regularly.
December 18, 2025
Exceptional. A masterpiece. A lot of walking. Amazing world building, scene setting, descriptions, dialogue, and narrative. who knew walking could be so exciting. The Andy Serkis audiobooks are really something special; so much extra Gollum content!
July 23, 2010
This review is for the BBC audiobook version.
Thanks to Peter Jackson's film series, just about everyone knows Tolkien's great trilogy, though not everyone has read them. The BBC did a radio drama version once, and has released it as an audiobook. It is good, though not great. The bad thing about a film version is it will undoubtedly cast a certain actor as a certain character when you read a novel version, no matter what the author did. Case in point, Stephen King does not describe Jack Torrence's wife as looking anything remotely like actress Shelly Duval in his novel The Shining, yet anyone who knew Stanley Kubrick's movie first would be hardpressed to remember that. Such is also the case here though it is made odder since different unseen actors are playing the characters. That said, a handful really stand out, such as Ian Holm (Jackson's Bilbo) as a tough-minded Frodo Baggins, Bill Nighy playing a fantastic, working class, humble Samwise (who, probably, has the best storyarc of Tolkien's original work), and Michael Horden as a wise yet world-weary Gandalf. I would give props also to Peter Woodthorpe's Gollum being distinctive, though Gollum's unique diction tends to help a lot there. The work isn't as epic as Jackson's, probably owing in part to budget, but its also a lot more accurate to the source material.
There's not much more to say that hasn't already been said about JRR Tolkien's work, so I will simply say this audiobook would be a good one for fans of Tolkien and audiobooks/radio plays in general.
Thanks to Peter Jackson's film series, just about everyone knows Tolkien's great trilogy, though not everyone has read them. The BBC did a radio drama version once, and has released it as an audiobook. It is good, though not great. The bad thing about a film version is it will undoubtedly cast a certain actor as a certain character when you read a novel version, no matter what the author did. Case in point, Stephen King does not describe Jack Torrence's wife as looking anything remotely like actress Shelly Duval in his novel The Shining, yet anyone who knew Stanley Kubrick's movie first would be hardpressed to remember that. Such is also the case here though it is made odder since different unseen actors are playing the characters. That said, a handful really stand out, such as Ian Holm (Jackson's Bilbo) as a tough-minded Frodo Baggins, Bill Nighy playing a fantastic, working class, humble Samwise (who, probably, has the best storyarc of Tolkien's original work), and Michael Horden as a wise yet world-weary Gandalf. I would give props also to Peter Woodthorpe's Gollum being distinctive, though Gollum's unique diction tends to help a lot there. The work isn't as epic as Jackson's, probably owing in part to budget, but its also a lot more accurate to the source material.
There's not much more to say that hasn't already been said about JRR Tolkien's work, so I will simply say this audiobook would be a good one for fans of Tolkien and audiobooks/radio plays in general.
January 13, 2024
This is an audio"book" - a recording of a BBC radio series that predates the movies by several decades, I believe. One of the more interesting aspects is the producer's editing choices (i.e., what to cut from the book plot) compared to Peter Jackson's cuts. Battle scenes are probably the most obvious cuts, but other scenes are included that didn't make the movie cut, and these were a nice reminder for someone like me that hasn't read the books in about ten years.
July 23, 2019
I finally did it, I've completed the Lord of the Rings series. It's taken me a little over a month, but I'm so glad I finally did it. These audio books do not follow the books exactly, they skip over a lot of the description bits that take away from the story a little more. I'm so glad I listened to them on audio, otherwise I don't think I would have been able to make it through the trilogy. I think I prefer the movies over the books, but everyone should read them at least once in their life.
January 30, 2018
I really enjoyed this audio for the most part. I did skim through a lot of Frodo’s parts towards the ending, but I kinda do that in the movie as well so it’s not really the audio’s fault. It was pretty well done; although, not a reading of the book as I originally thought. It was a drama that did not entirely follow the original storyline, but it worked for the most part.
July 16, 2022
Long time fan of the movies, had never read the books. This teleplay was made in the 80s, so the films didn't exist yet, and hell, this probably informed Peter Jackson. The production, voice acting, and musical scoring were all phenomenal. Though I knew the story shape going in, I found every minute just as gripping and beguiling.
November 6, 2009
This is a wonderful adaption of TLOR. The script writer was Brian Silby, who did some of the tie in books for Peter Jackson's movies. Ian Holm, who played Biblo in the films, voices Frodo here. The radio script follows the book very closely.
January 1, 2022
The truest and best adaptation. Bar none.
November 6, 2024
Gros plaisir dans les dernières semaines : j'ai écouté la version radio de la BBC (audio anglaise) de The Hobbit et de Lord of the Rings, à savoir :
- version BBC de 1968 de The Hobbit (4h environ), adaptée par Michael Kilgariff;
- version BBC de 1981 de The Lord of the Rings (5h environ pour le premier tome, 4h environ pour le second et 3h environ pour le dernier), adaptée par Brian Sibley et Michael Bakewell.
J'ai écouté ces adaptations dans le catalogue audio de la Bibliothèque et archives nationales du Québec (application Libby).
Chaque "émission" a des efforts sonores (bruits de batailles, chansons, cris, etc etc) et une équipe complète de narrateurs.
Mes notes sont les suivantes (je note purement la version audio, pas le récit papier) :
- The Hobbit : 4,5 /5
- The Lord of the Rings : 3 /5 pour le premier tome, 3,75 / 5 pour le second et 5 /5 pour le dernier
En bref, c'est une expérience géniale pour les amateurs de The Hobbit et LOTR !!
Réflexions détaillées
- Les effets sonores et l'équipe de narrateurs rend l'expérience superbe : on se croirait tout simplement dans un film sans image.
- Là où le bât blesse (surtout pour les tomes 1 et 2 de LOTR) est l'absence quasi complète de narration "hors dialogue", faisant en sorte que quelqu'un qui n'a pas lu les livres ne comprendrait rien du tout au récit... Plus de narration aurait vraiment amélioré l'expérience, et ce encore plus dans le cadre des batailles... Je souligne que le dernier tome de LOTR est bien mieux à ce sujet, j'ai noté une grande différence dans mon expérience audio.
- Le rythme est évidemment très accéléré et on manque donc le développement des personnages qui est la clé des livres : à titre d'exemple, après avoir entendu Aragorn parler dans seulement deux courtes scènes, Frodo dit à Gandalf à Rivendell qu'il tient beaucoup à Aragorn, ce qui sonne bien sûr plutôt faux (encore une fois, une narration hors dialogue aurait aidé). Par ailleurs, Legolas et Gimli sont quasiment absents de toute l'adaptation radio (ou disons qu'on ne les remarque pas du tout), donc ils nous laissent vraiment indifférent, contrairement aux livres.
- Au début du second tome de LOTR, lors de la fameuse scène entre Boromir et Aragorn, je me suis surpris à attendre l'iconique "I would have followed you. My brother. My captain. My king.", avant de me rendre compte que ces mots apparaissent uniquement dans le film. Cela montre à quel point le film a été marquant; même constant pour le discours de Theoden dans la chevauchée des Rohirrim.
- J'ai trouvé difficile dans les adaptations radios des 4 livres de deviner quel personnage parlait puisque plusieurs voix sont très similaires (à part bien sûr Gandalf, Gimli et la superbe voix de Gollum) et qu'on n'a aucun contexte dans les dialogues, sans la mention des noms.
- Gros problème de gestion du son dans les adaptations radios des 4 livres, avec des hausses subites de décibels (cris etc) qui nous tuent les oreilles lorsqu'on porte des écouteurs comme moi. C'est quelque chose qui aurait dû être travaillé avant de télécharger ces adaptations dans les plateformes audios contemporaines...
- Pour The Hobbit, les voix de Gollum et des gobelins sont excellentes. Il y a plus de narration "hors dialogue" que LOTR, qui permet de mieux comprendre le récit. Il y a le même problème de gestion du son : je ne comptais plus le nombre de fois où les cris de Gollum m'arrachaient les oreilles. Vraiment très très chiant et j'ai failli mettre une note plus basse uniquement à cause de cela...
Je répète : superbe pour les amateurs des livres mais ce serait particulièrement dur à suivre pour quelqu'un qui n'a pas lu les livres ou vu les films.
Vous n'avez pas déjà eu le bonheur de les écouter ? Jetez vous dessus ! Pour les Québécois, l'attente est quasi-inexistante pour ces adaptations dans le catalogue audio gratuit de la Bibliothèque et archives nationales du Québec (application Libby) !
- version BBC de 1968 de The Hobbit (4h environ), adaptée par Michael Kilgariff;
- version BBC de 1981 de The Lord of the Rings (5h environ pour le premier tome, 4h environ pour le second et 3h environ pour le dernier), adaptée par Brian Sibley et Michael Bakewell.
J'ai écouté ces adaptations dans le catalogue audio de la Bibliothèque et archives nationales du Québec (application Libby).
Chaque "émission" a des efforts sonores (bruits de batailles, chansons, cris, etc etc) et une équipe complète de narrateurs.
Mes notes sont les suivantes (je note purement la version audio, pas le récit papier) :
- The Hobbit : 4,5 /5
- The Lord of the Rings : 3 /5 pour le premier tome, 3,75 / 5 pour le second et 5 /5 pour le dernier
En bref, c'est une expérience géniale pour les amateurs de The Hobbit et LOTR !!
Réflexions détaillées
- Les effets sonores et l'équipe de narrateurs rend l'expérience superbe : on se croirait tout simplement dans un film sans image.
- Là où le bât blesse (surtout pour les tomes 1 et 2 de LOTR) est l'absence quasi complète de narration "hors dialogue", faisant en sorte que quelqu'un qui n'a pas lu les livres ne comprendrait rien du tout au récit... Plus de narration aurait vraiment amélioré l'expérience, et ce encore plus dans le cadre des batailles... Je souligne que le dernier tome de LOTR est bien mieux à ce sujet, j'ai noté une grande différence dans mon expérience audio.
- Le rythme est évidemment très accéléré et on manque donc le développement des personnages qui est la clé des livres : à titre d'exemple, après avoir entendu Aragorn parler dans seulement deux courtes scènes, Frodo dit à Gandalf à Rivendell qu'il tient beaucoup à Aragorn, ce qui sonne bien sûr plutôt faux (encore une fois, une narration hors dialogue aurait aidé). Par ailleurs, Legolas et Gimli sont quasiment absents de toute l'adaptation radio (ou disons qu'on ne les remarque pas du tout), donc ils nous laissent vraiment indifférent, contrairement aux livres.
- Au début du second tome de LOTR, lors de la fameuse scène entre Boromir et Aragorn, je me suis surpris à attendre l'iconique "I would have followed you. My brother. My captain. My king.", avant de me rendre compte que ces mots apparaissent uniquement dans le film. Cela montre à quel point le film a été marquant; même constant pour le discours de Theoden dans la chevauchée des Rohirrim.
- J'ai trouvé difficile dans les adaptations radios des 4 livres de deviner quel personnage parlait puisque plusieurs voix sont très similaires (à part bien sûr Gandalf, Gimli et la superbe voix de Gollum) et qu'on n'a aucun contexte dans les dialogues, sans la mention des noms.
- Gros problème de gestion du son dans les adaptations radios des 4 livres, avec des hausses subites de décibels (cris etc) qui nous tuent les oreilles lorsqu'on porte des écouteurs comme moi. C'est quelque chose qui aurait dû être travaillé avant de télécharger ces adaptations dans les plateformes audios contemporaines...
- Pour The Hobbit, les voix de Gollum et des gobelins sont excellentes. Il y a plus de narration "hors dialogue" que LOTR, qui permet de mieux comprendre le récit. Il y a le même problème de gestion du son : je ne comptais plus le nombre de fois où les cris de Gollum m'arrachaient les oreilles. Vraiment très très chiant et j'ai failli mettre une note plus basse uniquement à cause de cela...
Je répète : superbe pour les amateurs des livres mais ce serait particulièrement dur à suivre pour quelqu'un qui n'a pas lu les livres ou vu les films.
Vous n'avez pas déjà eu le bonheur de les écouter ? Jetez vous dessus ! Pour les Québécois, l'attente est quasi-inexistante pour ces adaptations dans le catalogue audio gratuit de la Bibliothèque et archives nationales du Québec (application Libby) !
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April 24, 2024Did you know that amidst the throes of World War II, Tolsky dispatched drafts of his burgeoning masterpiece, "The Lord of the Rings," to his son Christopher, then stationed in South Africa? Captivated by the timeless saga of good versus evil, Christopher shared the unfolding tale with his comrades during the tranquil hours of the evening. These nightly readings became a cherished ritual, offering a glimmer of hope amid the chaos of war. As the South African Air Force grappled with adversity, these stories emerged as a source of unity and resilience, inspiring the troops to persevere and ultimately alter the course of the conflict in South Africa's favor.
This fascinating anecdote adds a poignant layer to the enchanting tale that is Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. Consisting of "The Fellowship of the Ring," "The Two Towers," and "The Return of the King," this trilogy is a masterpiece of fantasy literature that transports readers to the magical realm of Middle-earth.
In "The Lord of the Rings," Tolkien beckons us into an extraordinary odyssey, where hobbits, elves, dwarves, and men unite in a quest to vanquish the ominous figure of Sauron. Through Tolkien's lyrical prose and vibrant imagination, Middle-earth burst forth in all its splendor and peril, a realm where valor and solidarity sway.
"The Fellowship of the Ring" introduces us to Frodo Baggins and his intrepid companions as they embark on a perilous quest to rid the world of the One Ring's malevolent influence. In "The Two Towers," the fellowship confronts formidable trials and unforeseen alliances in their relentless struggle against the encroaching darkness. In "The Return of the King," the destiny of Middle-earth teeters on the brink as heroes rise to meet their fate and usher in a new era.
Although this book is traditionally placed in the Fantasy genre, it is equally categorized as literary fiction with its rich descriptions and character development. Tolkien's trilogy transcends the bounds of traditional fantasy, evolving into a timeless saga of camaraderie, self-sacrifice, and the enduring triumph of righteousness over malevolence. With its sweeping vistas, this trilogy not only ignites the imagination but also delves into the depths of the human condition, reminding us of the enduring power of hope and the resilience of the human spirit.
So, whether you're a seasoned voyager of Middle-earth or embarking on your maiden journey, Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy promises an unforgettable expedition into a realm where magic and literary finesse converge in perfect harmony.
This fascinating anecdote adds a poignant layer to the enchanting tale that is Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. Consisting of "The Fellowship of the Ring," "The Two Towers," and "The Return of the King," this trilogy is a masterpiece of fantasy literature that transports readers to the magical realm of Middle-earth.
In "The Lord of the Rings," Tolkien beckons us into an extraordinary odyssey, where hobbits, elves, dwarves, and men unite in a quest to vanquish the ominous figure of Sauron. Through Tolkien's lyrical prose and vibrant imagination, Middle-earth burst forth in all its splendor and peril, a realm where valor and solidarity sway.
"The Fellowship of the Ring" introduces us to Frodo Baggins and his intrepid companions as they embark on a perilous quest to rid the world of the One Ring's malevolent influence. In "The Two Towers," the fellowship confronts formidable trials and unforeseen alliances in their relentless struggle against the encroaching darkness. In "The Return of the King," the destiny of Middle-earth teeters on the brink as heroes rise to meet their fate and usher in a new era.
Although this book is traditionally placed in the Fantasy genre, it is equally categorized as literary fiction with its rich descriptions and character development. Tolkien's trilogy transcends the bounds of traditional fantasy, evolving into a timeless saga of camaraderie, self-sacrifice, and the enduring triumph of righteousness over malevolence. With its sweeping vistas, this trilogy not only ignites the imagination but also delves into the depths of the human condition, reminding us of the enduring power of hope and the resilience of the human spirit.
So, whether you're a seasoned voyager of Middle-earth or embarking on your maiden journey, Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy promises an unforgettable expedition into a realm where magic and literary finesse converge in perfect harmony.
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