The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Gift Set

Customer Reviews:

Books are great..........2006-11-21

I have all the parts (Fellowship of the ring, Return of the King & The Two Towers). I have loved the audiobooks.

I only have 1 problem with the audiobooks and that is when I converted the discs so I could listen to them on my ipod, the names of each track varied.

On some it ists the name of teh chapter and followed by a number(part of the chapter, others it names the book and the track number without the chapter title name, and on others it says the track number...

They should have been consistent with the track names.

Lord of the Rings for car trips?.......2006-11-19

It's hard to add more than other reviewers have done. Most of the comments are right-on, but I think it's nice for a potential buyer to hear a lot of people voicing their opinions. This is a long set but perfect for a devoted fan. I love listening to it while doing other things or in the car on the way to work, probably also for an airplane. Rob Inglis did a great job, and while a few of the female voices are a bit odd, you soon forget about such things when you get wrapped up in the story.

He adds the right emphasis to the right parts and I think his voice is well-suited to this work. For hardcore LotR fans, it's hard to find something that meets our high expectations as this is a simply amazing work of art that will last for years - it's hard to find a voice that meets every (somewhat unreal, I think) expectation. But Rob Inglis comes extremely close.

It's a Good buy.......2006-06-03

It is a nice audio book. It does have it's flaws though.

1. It does not offer maps or any drawings. I have searched online for some, but only find blurry copies. Considering the maps and drawings are held so highly in admiration... it kinda sucks not to have them

2. the acting of the narrator is not the greatest. There were parts when the book notes "he yells" and the narrator speaks in a calm and clear character voice. It's kind of funny sometimes.

3. many of the narrator's "attempted" character voices sound alike. All the elf kind sound the same, even the women sound like males. All the hobbits pretty much sound the same, except Sam who has this manly deep voice, which often sounds like Aragon. Often the narrator accidentally mergers one character voice into another by accident. So a hobbit will be speaking then all the sudden he sounds like Aragon or Gandolf.

But outside of that the audio book is great. These "problems" are small. Since the un-abridged reading offers the names of who is talking and their emotions that go along with it, you can make out the story just fine. It just takes a little more imagination and you can alter their voices in your head to sound like what you want to hear. I would highly reccomend it, that is until someone figures out they can get a better actor or has the mind to hire multiple actors to fulfill the part.

There is nothing funnier than hearing a deep manly voice trying to immitate a woman singing

Brilliant, and well worth the money!.......2006-04-15

I am not a "Total Ringophile", like some out there, but I have read the books three times and loved them. I lashed out and purchased this 46 CD set as I spend a lot of time on the commute to work. It is brilliant! Each CD has approx 15 "tracks" on it so that if you miss a bit as your mind wanders (as it does in the car..) you can just bounce back one track and hear that bit again, no problems. Rob Inglis does a great job, no question. It has added a new dimension to my experince of Tolkien's masterpiece, and I highly recommend it to all. BRILLIANT !

Ingles does a fantastic job.......2005-11-26

I did not realize what a wonderful job that Ingles had done in this reading until I began listening to other audio books. Ingles manages to give each character a distinct voice and as you proceed, you recognize immediately who it is that is speaking.

After many years, Tolkien's work stands alone as the only sci-fi/fantasy story that puts the subtlety of language and culture equal to, if not above, the drama. Ingles interesting voices and care with the language of Tolkien make this a most worthy represenation of the timeless classic.

Average customer rating:

One of the best editions ever!
Wonderful Book... Worth Every Penny
Good, if You Like this Genre
Lord of the Rings boxed set review.
One "Ring" to rule them all

The Lord of the Rings
J.R.R. Tolkien
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0618260587

Book Description

Three-volume boxed set edition lavishly illustrated in full color by Alan Lee

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness 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 rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth still it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell, by chance, into the hands of the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins.

From his fastness in the Dark Tower of Mordor, Sauron's power spread far and wide. He gathered all the Great Rings to him, but ever he searched far and wide for the One Ring that would complete his dominion.

On his eleventy-first birthday, Bilbo dissapeared bequeathing to his young cousin, Frodo, the Ruling Ring, and a perilous quest: to journey across Middle-earth, deep into the shadow of the Dark Lord and destroy the Ring by casting it into the Cracks of Doom.

The Lord of the Rings tells of the great quest undertaken by Frodo and the Fellowship of the Ring: Gandalf the wizard, the hobbits Merry, Pippin and Sam, Gimli the Dwarf, Legolas the Elf, Boromir of Gondor, and a tall, mysterious stranger called Strider.

Customer Reviews:

One of the best editions ever!.......2007-08-01

What else should I say? Alan Lee is t h e perfect illustrator for this epic work of literature!

Wonderful Book... Worth Every Penny.......2007-07-23

I recieved this book and the artwork on the novels in fantastic. It really gives the books a great look and I have had fellow friends and family comment on how wonderful the artwork is too.

The whole Lord of the Rings novel is split into the three parts making it a trilogy, like the movies. This makes for easy handling of the book while reading instead of readind and trying to hold a 1000 or more page novel in your bed or in a chair.

This novel has a great story to it. Anybody looking for a great long novel would definetly enjoy this one. It gives a lot of background into the characters and really helps their image develop in your mind.

This product is an A+ for me and they couldn't have done it any better.

Good, if You Like this Genre.......2007-06-14

You can't say you didn't get what you paid for. These colossal books, filled with adventures, can certainly keep a person occupied, but as a general warning, these aren't those "glove-fits-all" books. You have to be in the mindset for an epic fantasy battle, and though I wasn't, my classmates who read the entire trilogy absolutely adored the stories. I would highly recommend reading The Hobbit before attempting to digest the trilogy, just so the concepts of hobbits, wizards, and Middle Earth, will be old hat.

Lord of the Rings boxed set review........2007-05-14

An mesmerising tale beautifully presented in this illustrated boxed set. The Lord of the Rings is the ultimate tale of good versus evil set in the enchanting landscape created by Tolkien that is Middle Earth.
I would recommend this edition to anyone who wants to embark on this wonderfully exciting quest with Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin.
An excellent edition!

One "Ring" to rule them all.......2007-05-06

Though J.R.R. Tolkien was not the first or most critically-acclaimed fantasy writer, he remains the most beloved and influential, even though "Lord of the Rings" is decades old.

Now with the epic movie trilogy based on this book, new waves of readers are discovering the unique power of the "Lord of the Rings." Tolkien's classic is a timeless tale of good and evil, written in a detailed, powerful style, set in a fictional world of staggering detail and haunting beauty.

Following up on events in "The Hobbit," "The Fellowship of the Ring" opens with the hobbit Bilbo Baggins departing from the Shire, after many years of living as the town eccentric. He reluctantly leaves his treasured ring of invisibility to his adventurous nephew Frodo, and vanishes into the wild with some dwarves.

But Gandalf the wizard, informs Frodo that the Ring is really the Ring of Power, a powerful item that the demonic Dark Lord Sauron has poured his essence and power into. And if Sauron can regain the Ring, he will be able to conquer Middle-Earth. Aghast, Frodo joins a fellowship of Elves, Dwarves, Hobbits, Men and a wizard, to go to the one place where the Ring can be destroyed: Mount Doom.

"The Two Towers" begins directly after "Fellowship," after Frodo Baggins flees with his friend Sam into Mordor, with no one to protect them. His cousins Merry and Pippin are kidnapped by orcs from the renegade wizard Saruman. Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli begin a frenetic search for the hobbits, and receive unexpected help from unlikely allies. Meanwhile, the Ring weighs more heavily on Frodo, as he is forced to get help from one of the people he most despised: the Ring's slave Gollum.

"Return of the King" brings the trilogy to an action-packed, slam-bang and ultimately poignant finale. Sam barely rescues Frodo from Sauron's orcs, and the two resume their journey to Mount Doom, barely escaping Sauron's forces. As Aragorn leads the desperate battle against Sauron's armies at the city of Minas Tirith, Frodo falls increasingly under the seductive spell of the Ring.

"Lord of the Rings" is indeed a powerful book, and its timeless messages and quests have shaped the fantasy genre, and crossed the boundaries of literary fiction. At its core it's about the fight of good versus evil, and how "little people" can have a strength and willpower that the great and mighty can't even begin to understand.

And Middle-Earth is a pretty astounding universe -- not just because Tolkien created a rich back-history for it, but because of the feeling of mystery that hangs around its corners, whether it's dead soldiers or slumbering tree-men. And of course rich cultures of Men, ancient wizards, the stately melancholy elves, and the tough dwarves -- as well as the idyllic Shire, a sort of ancient British countryside which is threatened by corruption.

Tolkien's writing is evocative and descriptive, though not to extremes; an elf rider is simple described as shining like a light behind a veil. The story is wrapped in a wide range of dialogue -- from Sam's folksy chat to the Elves' ethereal, formal songs -- and the pacing is slow and gradual, but kept alive by sudden twists of the plot. The first several chapters are kind of slow-moving, but by the time our heroes get to Bree, the pace picks up.

Frodo Baggins is an everyman hero, who dreams of adventure but begins to treasure the simple, boring life that he had once he is deprived of it. His deteriotation is saddening, all the more so because he is aware of it. The equally vibrant cast also includes Gandalf the crabby grandfatherly wizard, Sam Gamgee the loyal gardener, and a variety of kings, elves, dwarves, and more lovable little hobbits.

Even after all the years, J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" still rules the fantasy genre and has become an integral part of modern literature. It's an epic for all ages, and few books have even come close to equalling it.

The Lord of the Rings (Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

After having reading this book for the 4th time...
Centenary Edition (LoTR)
Beautiful
21st Century Ahistorical Bibliophilia: Almost without peer, and the flaws have been been exaggerated in number and degree
Not overly satisfied

The Lord of the Rings (Collector's Edition)
J.R.R. Tolkien
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Imitation Leather

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Epic | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0395193958

Amazon.com

A Christian can almost be forgiven for not reading the Bible, but there's no salvation for a fantasy fan who hasn't read the gospel of the genre, J.R.R. Tolkien's definitive three-book epic, the Lord of the Rings (encompassing The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King), and its charming precursor, The Hobbit. That many (if not most) fantasy works are in some way derivative of Tolkien is understood, but the influence of the Lord of the Rings is so universal that everybody from George Lucas to Led Zeppelin has appropriated it for one purpose or another.

Not just revolutionary because it was groundbreaking, the Lord of the Rings is timeless because it's the product of a truly top-shelf mind. Tolkien was a distinguished linguist and Oxford scholar of dead languages, with strong ideas about the importance of myth and story and a deep appreciation of nature. His epic, 10 years in the making, recounts the Great War of the Ring and the closing of Middle-Earth's Third Age, a time when magic begins to fade from the world and men rise to dominance. Tolkien carefully details this transition with tremendous skill and love, creating in the Lord of the Rings a universal and all-embracing tale, a justly celebrated classic. --Paul Hughes

Book Description

A one-volume collector's edition boxed and bound in handsome red leatherette with gold, green, and blue foil stamping, two-color text setting, and large format fold-out maps containing the complete texts of The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King, and six appendices. One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness 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 rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell, by chance, into the hands of the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins. From his fastness in the Dark Tower of Mordor, Sauron's power spread far and wide. He gathered all the Great Rings to him, but ever he searched far and wide for the One Ring that would complete his dominion. On his eleventy-first birthday Bilbo disappeared, bequeathing to his young cousin Frodo the Ruling Ring and a perilous quest -- to journey across Middle-earth, deep into the shadow of the Dark Lord, and destroy the Ring by casting it into the Cracks of Doom. The Lord of the Rings tells of the great quest undertaken by Frodo and the Fellowship of the Ring: Gandalf the Wizard, Merry, Pippin, and Sam, Gimli the Dwarf, Legolas the Elf, Boromir of Gondor, and a tall, mysterious stranger called Strider.

Customer Reviews:

After having reading this book for the 4th time..........2007-09-22

I didn't like Fellowship of the Ring the first time I read it, but plowed on to the end and gave up on the other two "books" (it's really just one long book). I think I now know why. The first reason is that I had just read and loved The Hobbit, and was expecting another book along the same lines.
LOTR starts off with Bilbo and the wizard Gandalf in Hobbition, and mentions of Gollum. What a great opener! The problem was, for me, that these familiar elements were all moved into the background. The only times I felt hey this is cool, is when they jumped back into the story for a moment, and these were few and far between. When are we going to get to the good stuff, huh?
The other thing is that this is, except for the first chapter or two, in a completely different style than The Hobbit. It's pure fantasy in the sense of looking around at all the wonder. (often times of very not magic things eg, trees and grass and hills in the shire.) Indeed, the later books focuses on humans. (In the recent movies they injected Elves in places where there were none before in the story, I expect to increase general interest in the atmosphere)
The result is that I did not enjoy LOTR until I took a very leisurely attitude towards it, rather than an adventurous one, notwithstanding that there are adventurous moments. Every time I read it I find some facet of the world that I did not notice before, or that I forgot. That is now when I most enjoy the book. For others to enjoy this book I think you must enjoy the moment, and not be in a hurry for the plot to advance.

Centenary Edition (LoTR).......2007-09-08

This is not a critique of Profesor Tolkien's works: I defer to others more qualified than I to judge his writing.

This is merely a review and description of a specific version of The Lord of The Rings. A number of reviews and comments have prompted me to point out some sought-after features of this edition.

First, this is only about the edition known as "The Centenary (1892-1992)." It was published in a single volume by Houghton Mifflin in 1991 to celebrate 100 years since the birth of Professor Tolkien in 1892. To easily identify this book look for, on the back of the dust jacket, a special centenary medallion and ISBN-10: 0-395-59511-8.

Alan Lee, reknowned Tolkien artist, was specially commissioned to paint 50 illustrations for this "Illustrated Edition." They are beautifully rendered on glossy, high-quality paper and interspersed throughout the book.

The book is set in large type, with the typeface clear and easy to read. The paper is good quality, bright white and shows little print "bleed-through" from following pages. On a personal note, special attention was obviously paid to this edition, as compared to some of the other poorly printed editions. The cover boards are in brown cloth with a simple gilded imprint of the professor's trademark signature. Nothing very fancy, but elegant nonetheless.

What should be great news to many readers, this edition is CONTINUOUS from page one to the end. The table of contents lists the SIX books, as Prof. Tolkien intended! Page numbering does not start over after each book:
Books 1-2 (Fellowship) = pp. 33 - 428
Books 3-4 (Two Towers) = pp. 429 - 772
Books 5-6 (Return) = pp. 773 - 1069
Appendix A-F = pp.1070 - 1172

Six maps of middle-earth are bound in at the end of the book. They are of various aspects of middle-earth, in black and white, and are not fold-out style. They're of medium quality and nothing to write home about.

This is a wonderful edition, identified by its special Centenary medallion on the back of the dust jacket, quality printing and beautiful artwork by Alan Lee. If your wrists are strong enough to heft a single-volume LoTR, this makes a great reading copy for your library.

Beautiful.......2007-09-03

This is a wonderful edition to our book collection. It's leather, hard cover, fat, & comes in a nice matching sleeve. The pages are gold edged. There is artwork as well. I know there are probably nicer & more expensive books out there, but come on! This is a great book for the price! It's a future heirloom sitting pretty on your book shelf!

21st Century Ahistorical Bibliophilia: Almost without peer, and the flaws have been been exaggerated in number and degree.......2007-08-12

Two points to clarify about the most popular single-volume LOTR editions:

1) The 1991 single-volume Alan Lee-illustrated edition is the "centenary" edition, commemorating Tolkien's 100th birthday (cf. "centenarian") . The "centennial" edition won't be published until 2054, which will be the 100th anniversary of the original publication of Lord of the Rings. This is a very well designed and well printed/bound edition, built to last and beatufil. Its only fault is the absence of fold-out maps (it has the black and white maps printed in sections, often seen in paperback editions).

2) The reason for the broken type in the 1974 red leatherette "Collector's Edition" (and the occurrences of this number on the order of 1 or 2 characters on every 50th page or so) is more likely that the source text from which the negatives/plates were made and this edition printed was itself flawed and originally was some form of letterpress metal type, probably Monotype [a more 'modern' version of the old LinoType system], though depending on the date of that setting [up to mid-'60s, or even later] it may have been hand-composed. All metal type gets re-used, and becomes worn and some of it cracked/chipped over time. There were many books reprinted in this way through the early '80s (and a few publishers, such as Lindsay Books, of long out-of-print, mostly public-domain or 'gray rights' titles, still do this).

The problem is unlikely to have been caused by faults in photo-typesetting strips or process-camera negs in 1973 or so (when this LOTR Collector's Edition was first printed) since that process was a fully mature, climax technology by then, and quality control was simply outstanding (this was due to that extinct beast, the unionized master-printer, especially at Houghton Mifflin, a publisher with a very large academic textbook list, and an industry reputation for quality production; just look at any ten trade hardbacks circa 1973 and earlier, and compare any element of quality to any ten current titles and it's clear the the technology and practice of printing and book binding peaked long ago, and nothing of newer technology, especially computer technology has served the interest of producing better made books, quite the opposite. 2007 tech only makes it faster and cheaper, nothing else.

Remember also that it was the Allen & Unwin type-compositors who introduced virtually all the spelling and diction errors in both the 1st and 2nd editions, some of which have only finally been fixed in the 2004-05 50th Anniversary edition; and these were errors mostly such as 'dwarves' being "corrected" to 'dwarfs', 'elven' to 'elfin', and many others, primarily linguistic, along those lines; these would have been proper corrections with any author other than Tolkien, of course.)

As for the notion that photo-reproduction is at all like printing a Word document on a laser printer, then scanning it back into a computer as a JPEG or GIF image file, and finally printing it again, that is a facile and plainly inaccurate comparison. In short, unless one starts with a bitmap or similar low quality computer 'font', prints on low-brightness ( <70) recycled paper via a cheap ink-jet printer, scans using a 75-by-75 dpi setting via low-end scanning hardware and software, and repeats printing as above, the result will certainly be nothing so poor as Jeff Sun describes in his review. Photo-reproduction via PC and peripherals or via process-camera, strips, and offset printing, can easily and does commonly achieve excellent results, provided the equipment is of first quality and the operator is skilled.

If anyone is obsessed enough to try this (as I clearly am), one fairly reliable way to tell whether a book is printed (at some stage) from some form of metal type is to use at least a 20x loupe and examine the vertical straight edges (particularly of upper N's, T's, L's, and E's) for irregularity. Metal type degrades in miniscule degrees after the first few hundred impressions, and will show this by cracking/splitting/chipping/warbling/bending and otherwise appearing NOT straight, sharp, and crisp (especially machine-set monotype/linotype which was all lead/tin, since it was melted down repeatedly; hand-set type has antimony and sometimes manganese in it, which makes it much harder to start and also casts more sharply; parts of letters break off but usually don't deform). It's a challenge to tell these apart, since photo-reproduction of letterpress can be hard to distinguish from original letterpress printing, if the latter is done by a highly skilled compositor and press operator. Some letterpress books show the impression of the type on the page, like a light embossing, from the force of the type striking the stock. Really good printing avoids this. So, if you have a book without this feature that does show feathering, breaks, waviness, etc. it may be either letterpress or photo-repro of LP, but if these traits are present it is almost certain metal type was used at some point in the life of the typesetting.

Two caveats to even to this: feathering alone does not definitely mean deformed metal type. Feathering,, or little veins and stream-like projects away from the character is often caused by excessive inking and watery ink, and also by cheap papers that are unsized (meaning a starch like substance is added during the paper's manufacture to prevent feathering and bleedthrough; newsprint is unsized and you can see how feathering works buy lightly touching a fountain pen to a piece of it for a minute or so). The other caveat is that some computer fonts, especially some high end ones for MAC typesetting systems, have been photographically captured/reproduced from books printed mostly before 1800, and their designers often deliberately retain some of the source type's imperfections (which are due mostly to the more primitive metallurgy of that era) to achieve a particular design effect. You might be surprised how much theory and psychology underlies type-design and typography; there is a lot. Need a dissertation topic?

This has become, I see now, a rant, and a really long one. First as a reader, then as a writer, then as apprentice in a letterpress print shop and bindery, I've always held the book as art-object or craft-work in very nearly as high esteem as the words contained within. I do think these issues are worth some ink, and I expect (or hope) that those interested in fine editions such as this so-called "Collector's " (Ugh! I so hate that term, it's like "deluxe" or "premier" and is mildly patronizing to the reader/buyer) edition of LOTR might also find at least some of the above ramble of interest and use. I do regard this red leatherette slipcased edition (ISBN 0-39-519395-8) as my favorite. It was this edition in which I first read LOTR, and though the Centenary hardcover and the HC 50th Anniversary editions (slipcased US and UK, different designs, both excellent) are on the whole and in most particulars better printed and bound, this edition is a nostalgia item for me. I also very much like the red binding, evocative as it is of the "Red Book of Westmarch," the foil-stamping on the spine, of the White Tree of Gondor, (which must be by either Pauline Baynes or by Tolkien himself) is a delight, and the two color printing, in spite of the ocassional bad character and slightly inconsistent inking, makes me feel like I'm reading an incunabulum. All of these speak across from the old world, though perhaps very long after the Third Age had concluded. I recommend it, highly and without reservation, even to a casual collector, especially now since it has recently gone out of print(ca. 2003-2005, around the time the slipcased, black bonded-leather, US 50th Anniversary edition [ISBN 0-618-51765-0] was published), and is very unlikely to be reissued. It (the Red) listed for $75, and Amazon last sold new copies for $47.50 last January. Now however, fine, used copies are nearing the original list price for the new, and new copies are nearing $100, and very hard to find. Buy one now, as soon as you find one available fine or better.

Not overly satisfied.......2007-08-02

The stories make a great novel, I'm a huge LoTR fan. Alas, when I attempted to purchase this product I found myself waiting nearly a month just to get an email telling me that Amazon was unable to obtain and ship me a copy of it. I opted for a different variation of this collectors edition, I would have been more impressed with this one.

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

Average customer rating:

Lord of the Rings
Is it not about a ring and not environments?
The Ring of Power is found!
I wanted to love it...
Gold

The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings, Book 1)
J.R.R. Tolkien
Manufacturer: Recorded Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

Epic | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0788789813

Book Description

The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien's three-volume epic, is set in the imaginary world of Middle-earth -- home to many strange beings, and most notably hobbits, a peace-loving "little people," cheerful and shy. Since its original British publication in 1954-55, the saga has entranced readers of all ages. It is at once a classic myth and a modern fairy tale. Critic Michael Straight has hailed it as one of the "very few works of genius in recent literature." Middle-earth is a world receptive to poets, scholars, children, and all other people of good will. Donald Barr has described it as "a scrubbed morning world, and a ringing nightmare world...especially sunlit, and shadowed by perils very fundamental, of a peculiarly uncompounded darkness." The story of this world is one of high and heroic adventure. Barr compared it to Beowulf, C.S. Lewis to Orlando Furioso, W.H. Auden to The Thirty-nine Steps. In fact the saga is sui generis -- a triumph of imagination which springs to life within its own framework and on its own terms.

Customer Reviews:

Lord of the Rings.......2007-10-05

The fellowship of the ring is a fantastic thrill of events. The ring of power has to be destroyed in the firey pits of mordor. Frodo and his 9 freinds and allies travel throughout the land of middle earth do dispose of the ring of power. The horrible servents of Sauron are after Frodo and his allies if Sauron reclaims possestion of the ring middle earth will be doomed forever. This book shows the true imagination of J.R.R Tolkein as it takes you through the epic battles and adventures the group goes through a real thrill. The author does a fantastic job of describing the characters and events a true masterpeice.

Is it not about a ring and not environments?.......2007-09-18

I barely made it through this book. It is horrible. I feel that a lot of people have intially be influenced by the movie in their review. The book however does not offer the same excitement.

It does not have a whole lot of action in it for those of you expecting that. Tolkien put more emphasis describing environments and the hobits than he put in interesting elements. In its defense I have been told numerous times that this monotony continues on into about half of the Two Towers. From that point it picks up and takes you where you really felt you should have been all along. However, for me it will be awhile before I get back to the series because of the Fellowship itself and I dread going back. I could not wait for the end of the book so I could put it down.

For anyone who has seen the movie and loved it, read the book because it is ALOT different. The movie added and omitted alot of elements which I think Tolkien should have done to make it a better book.

The Ring of Power is found!.......2007-09-03

'The Fellowship of The Ring', by JRR Tolkien, is the exciting first installment in 'The Lord of The Rings' trillogy. Building upon the story that was told in 'The Hobbit', this story tells the tale of the discovery by Gandalf the Gray, that the magic ring found by Bilbo Baggins on his journeys, is none other than the ring of power, the One Ring, the master ring that was created by the Dark Lord, Sauron, himself.

Together with several companions, three other Hobbits, an Elf, a Dwarf, Gandalf, and two men, Aragorn and Boromir, Frodo sets off on the quest of Mount Doom, the quest to destroy the One Ring forever. This story is wonderfully done, a true masterpiece in fantasy fiction. Tolkien expands upon the world that he has only touched upon in 'The Hobbit', and we find it a place inhabbited by creatures of various kinds, some are evil, others strive for good, and others do only what they think they must. Yet now, with Sauron, the Dark Lord, rising to power once again, and gathering his strength, they find that they must choose a dreadful course, a course into peril.

RD Williams, author of 'The Lost Gate'

I wanted to love it..........2007-08-21

As is often the case for me, when I read a book (or watch a film or whatever) that has a huge following and reputation for being a masterpiece, I usually come away disappointed. I probably go in expecting too much, but nonetheless...

I thought the book moved a little too slowly. I thought it was moving quickly at the beginning, but once they started walking, it got very slow. The majority of book consists of the hobbits walking around (first alone and then with the fellowship), and encountering various dangers. We learn some stuff during these experiences, but probably much less than you would expect considering the number of pages devoted to it. The majority of the story development takes place (or rather, is quickly discussed) in the Council of Elrond chapter. So much of Gandalf's story (particularly his encounter with Saruman) could have been fleshed out and described in more detail. I felt like the book devoted WAY too much time to the tedium of their journey and just skimmed over this important back story and development. I can appreciate a book taking its time to develop, but when you get frustrated by the pace, waiting for something to happen, that's not a good thing.

Also, this may just be my personal tastes, but I found all the discussion of Middle Earth history/geography/languages to be somewhat difficult to get through. It's not that I can't see the value of what Tolkien has done, but I think from a story telling point of view, all the historical references are a hindrance to the flow of the story (I constantly found myself wandering "who is he talking about" or "who was that again"... then debating whether or not it was important enough to go back and try to find it or just ignore it and go on.

I don't want to say that his is a bad book, but I think it is something that is perhaps too complex to be enjoyed without a great deal of effort (this isn't bad... but it's certainly not a casual read). I'm all about books that require effort and interpretation, but in this case I'm not sure the effort required to really delve into Tolkien's constructed world is worth the insight gained from such efforts. However, I found the overall story very intruiging and will eventually read the remaining books because I genuinely what to know what happens (even if the journey is somewhat tedious).

Having finished the first book, I think it was worth the effort and I'm glad that I got through it. Other who have read the trilogy tell me the first book is the slowest, so I'm looking forward to moving on and hopefully picking up the pace a bit.

Gold.......2007-07-23

I just finished reading the book, and now I am listening to it starting with the hobbit straight through the return of the king because I read them that way and I think the hobbit is in a way a part of the lord of the rings. its 60+ hours total but its worth it the narrator is great, I would of course recommend actually reading it before listening to it because as the story is a big journey, so is reading the book, its a very long story and part of appreciating it is working your way through it and for those that say "Oh I saw the movies", There is ALOT that the movies left out and gives the story a new feel. Since I read it long after seeing the movies I was not prepared for what I read, there are so many small parts that either were left out or changed slightly that its like reading a story you don't know entirely. I have to say that I love the movies and if not for them I would never have wanted to read the books. If the only way you are willing to experience the book is audiobook only then I still recommend it because they are wonderful books, my favorite actually. If you do read them first, finishing them does feel great, like a journey complete.

J.R.R. Tolkien Boxed Set (The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings)

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Lord of the Rings
Top Quality
Gets better with each reading
J.R.R. Tolkein Boxed Set
CLASSIC NOVELS!

J.R.R. Tolkien Boxed Set (The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings)
J.R.R. Tolkien
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Dune 2000 Retail Version

ASIN: 0345340426
Release Date: 1986-09-12

Amazon.com

Hobbits and wizards and Sauron--oh, my! Mild-mannered Oxford scholar John Ronald Reuel Tolkien had little inkling when he published The Hobbit; Or, There and Back Again in 1937 that, once hobbits were unleashed upon the world, there would be no turning back. Hobbits are, of course, small, furry creatures who love nothing better than a leisurely life quite free from adventure. But in that first novel and the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the hobbits Bilbo and Frodo and their elfish friends get swept up into a mighty conflict with the dragon Smaug, the dark lord Sauron (who owes much to proud Satan in Paradise Lost), the monstrous Gollum, the Cracks of Doom, and the awful power of the magical Ring. The four books' characters--good and evil--are recognizably human, and the realism is deepened by the magnificent detail of the vast parallel world Tolkien devised, inspired partly by his influential Anglo-Saxon scholarship and his Christian beliefs. (He disapproved of the relative sparseness of detail in the comparable allegorical fantasy his friend C.S. Lewis dreamed up in The Chronicles of Narnia, though he knew Lewis had spun a page-turning yarn.) It has been estimated that one-tenth of all paperbacks sold can trace their ancestry to J.R.R. Tolkien. But even if we had never gotten Robert Jordan's The Path of Daggers and the whole fantasy genre Tolkien inadvertently created by bringing the hobbits so richly to life, Tolkien's epic about the Ring would have left our world enhanced by enchantment. --Tim Appelo

Book Description

The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings
Four deluxe paperback volumes
by J.R.R. Tolkien

"J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings created a unique, wholly realized other world, evoked from deep in the well of Time, massively detailed, absorbingly entertaining, profound in meaning."
-- New York Times Book Review

Customer Reviews:

Lord of the Rings.......2007-10-09

The Fellowship of the Ring is an amazing piece of literature written by J.R.R. Tolkien. J.R.R. Tolkien was born in 1892 and died at age 81 in 1973. He was an author, a teacher, a philologist, and an icon for people who love to read fantasy books. His first book was The Hobbit, which was very popular when it came out in 1937. Then he started on the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, which became legendary all over the world.
The book The Fellowship of the Ring is about a young hobbit named Frodo who inherits a ring that has unusual powers. It first fell into the hands of Gollum, a creature who dwelled in the dark worshipping the ring, calling it "his precious". Then it fell into the hands of plump little Bilbo Baggins, Frodo's cousin. After many years, it was handed down to Frodo. When Frodo learned of its powers, he set off on a journey to seek fortune and adventure, as well as to destroy the ring. Through hardships and pain, Frodo and his friends travel across middle earth, encountering many un-natural things. To find out more, read the book!
I thought the book was fantastic; I give it a 9.5 out of 10. I was impressed by the quality of the writing, how descriptive it was, and how different all of the concepts were from how we live. It sure got me hooked! It was a challenging read, but it was worth it. I recommend it for experienced readers, because the book is 398 pages long. This book relates to the Hobbit, which my dad read to me when I was little. If you love fantasy, the Fellowship of the Ring is the right book for you. I am now moving on to the second book in the trilogy, The Two Towers.

Top Quality.......2007-10-07

The Hobbit/ Lond of the Rings Boxset is of very good quality and a certain must have for Lord of the Rings fans! No damage in the box set itself and the books are well printed!

Gets better with each reading.......2007-09-27

Read the Hobbit first then jump right in! I find new and wonderous things every time I read it again!

J.R.R. Tolkein Boxed Set.......2007-09-23

fast shipping, reasonable price for books that we have had for years and wanted to obtain new copies. Good job!

CLASSIC NOVELS!.......2007-09-13

I love this stuff. Tolkien is a great writer. LOTR rocks! Like the films, they get better with each one. The story is wonderful, and the writing style is first rate. You,ll love it.

The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, Book 2)

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The Quest continues...
Not Free SF Reader
Slowest of the trilogy, but still a fantastic read
Gold
Brace yourself for the most action-packed installment ...

The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, Book 2)
J.R.R. Tolkien
Manufacturer: Recorded Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 078878983X

Book Description

The second volume of The Lord of the Rings trilogy relates a tale of the eternal battle between good and evil.

Customer Reviews:

The Quest continues..........2007-09-03

'The Two Towers', by JRR Tolkien, tells of the continued adventures of the Fellowship after its breaking. It traces Frodo and Sam's journey as they strive to come closer to Mordor, yet in the hard, barren lands, one must have a guide, mustn't they my precioussss?

Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas trail after the Orcs who have taken Pippin and Merry captive, seeking to over take them and free the prisoners. Many leagues they travel over the fields of Rohan, finding signs that are hopeful, as well as those that fill them with dread and doubt. Yet unknown to them, Ugluk, leader of the Orc troop, has troubles in his ranks, for not only does he have fellow servants of Saruman the White with him, there are also emisaries of Sauron. What will Aragorn and his companions find if and when they overtake the Orc host, and what of the strange forest of Fangorn, feared by so many in these untrusting days. What secrets does its tangled boughs hold, and what of this mysterious white clad stanger that shows up once they are in the forest?

RD Williams, author of 'The Lost Gate'

Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

Greed, betrayal, infighting, and indecision have led the Fellowship of
the Ring to break up. Gandalf has fallen, and Boromir is dead. The rest
of the party is split in two, as Frodo sneaks off with Sam, to go to
Mordor, and Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli pursue the Orcs that have
abducted the other two hobbits.

A lot of breaking stuff, fighting and sneaking to be found here.

It ends in a cliffhanger.

Slowest of the trilogy, but still a fantastic read.......2007-08-22

All three of the shorter novels published as "the Lord of the Rings trilogy" are fantastic novels, but the action taking place in The Two Towers is fantastic! This "trilogy" (originally meant to be published as one book) contains lush imagery, rich and detailed description, heart-pounding action and you can really immerse yourself in the world of Middle Earth.

In The Two Towers, Frodo and Sam continue their solitary journey to Mordor, and are eventually overtaken by Gollum (Sméagol). Gollum agrees to guide them to the Black Gate of Mordor, but their journey is fraught with danger (not the least of which is Gollum's dual-personality dilemma). Tolkien cleverly wrote his master epic in six books - two books for each volume which was eventually published. In The Two Towers, the books show the division between the Frodo/Sam storyline and the remainder of the Fellowship. Pippin and Merry become separated from the rest of the Fellowship and flee into an ancient forest full of strange and wondrous creatures. A fantastic journey filled with Orcs, Ents, a confrontation with Saruman and a reunion, not only with the remainder of the broken Fellowship, but with the reborn Gandalf, this chapter of the adventure is definitely a page-turner. Even if words on a page don't tend to excite you, this will keep you enthralled. The world that Tolkien has created in Middle Earth is so easy to lose yourself in, you might not want to come back!

Gold.......2007-07-23

Brace yourself for the most action-packed installment ..........2007-07-17

Anyone who read all of The Fellowship of the Ring and bemoaned its supposed slow start or lack of action (misguided souls ... surely God will correct them im the afterlife) will finally find a home in the second part of The Lord of the Rings. The Two Towers has the benefit of an established world the author no longer needs to set up, and the story moves along from wonder to terror and back again at a most satisfying pace.

When we left Frodo, he had abandoned all the fellowship except his servant Sam, unwilling to share his seemingly certain destruction with them. Thus, Tolkien splits his narrative. Book III is devoted to the adventures of Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli as they learn the fate of the fallen wizard, Gandalf, and seek to rescue the hobbits Merry and Pippin from the clutches of the orcs. Book IV returns us to Frodo and Sam on the hopeless trek to Mordor. Along the way, they enlist the help of a most unlikely guide ...

Epic battles, walking tree-gods, monstrous spiders, and reintroduction of literature's most tragic villain, Gollum, highlight this most worthy second part of the greatest fantasy epic ever written.

(This review has been posted by Marcus Damanda, author of the vampire fantasy, "Teeth.")

The Lord of the Rings (50th Anniversary Edition)

Average customer rating:

Best possible gift for a LOTR fan
Excellent!
Water in a dry place
An Awe-Inspiring Masterpiece
A beautiful, supple, savory edition

The Lord of the Rings (50th Anniversary Edition)
J.R.R. Tolkien
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound

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ASIN: 0618517650
Release Date: 2004-10-21

Book Description

The Fellowship of the Ring, part one of J.R.R. Tolkien's epic masterpiece, ﬁrst reached these shores on October 21, 1954, arriving, as C. S. Lewis proclaimed, "like lightning from a clear sky." Fifty years and nearly one hundred million American readers later comes a beautiful new one-volume collector's edition beﬁtting the stature of this crown jewel of our list. With a text fully corrected under the supervision of Christopher Tolkien to meet the author's exacting wishes, two large-format fold-out maps, a ribbon placemarker, gilded page edges, a color insert depicting Tolkien's own paintings of the Book of Mazarbul and exceptionally elegant and sturdy overall packaging housed within an attractive slipcase, this edition is the ﬁnest we've ever produced.

Customer Reviews:

Best possible gift for a LOTR fan.......2007-10-11

I bought this as a gift for a friend of mine after reading several of the other recommendations. He is a LOTR fan and absolutely loved it. However, it didn't end there. His wife, who is not a great LOTR fan, also thought it was the best gift he had ever gotten.

The binding and presentation are superb. I may buy one for myself if no one else does.

Excellent!.......2007-10-05

This book is a must have for LOTR fans. It looks simple too great. It has very genuine leather cover and has really authentic maps inside. It is a good collector's item.

Water in a dry place.......2007-10-02

Over the past several decades, THE LORD OF THE RINGS has sold millions of copies and is commonly regarded as one of the most influential fantasy novels ever published. Many first time readers have began their trek into Middle-earth with Frodo and the Company of the Ring in recent years. What they will encounter there has been loved by millions of readers before them, and if they allow themselves to respond to Tolkien and his Myth will doubtless become a loyal and ardent fan of Tolkien and those furry-footed hobbits. What's also notable about THE LORD OF THE RINGS is, for a book as long as it is, many of its readers reread the novel many times over. Yet despite its enduring popularity, Tolkien is often held in complete disregard by the literary establishment.

The real question is why? In the literary climate that is characterized by modernism and post-modernism where the twentieth and twenty first century is a wasteland why does a "series" of fantasy novels become one of the most beloved works in modern times?

It's because the power of myth over the human imagination works wonders, creating a longing and a hunger that, Tolkien argues, is met by the Christian religion. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis are the flip-sides of the same coin, with Lewis giving us accounts of the longing and Tolkien providing the books that would create that longing. And what about the longing? It's that longing for Myth, that love for those beauties which Tolkien shows us in THE LORD OF THE RINGS. It's that longing that sets man apart from all other creatures in the universe: a craving for beauty and for joy. The German word for this longing is "senhsucht". In a time characterized by fast-food, cell-phones, materialism, superficiality, the account of a Hobbit working against all odds in a mythic landscape so captures the human imagination (and this is NOT hype) that an entire genre is created. It is because of how Tolkien so masterfully handles Myth that he has been so highly treasured by such a large fan base.

Still, there are a few things to consider when reading Tolkien nowadays. Looking over the reviews, it proved rather shocking to me that people have been complaining that, although it was original when it was published, much of what Tolkien has done has become cliche and that other writers are much better working with these cliches and making them more exciting than Tolkien. They complain about his "endless descriptions" of the natural world, very detailed accounts of geography and not enough "characterization." The characters are unrealistic: the "human drama" required by the book's very nature is beyond Tolkien's scope as a writer. THE FELLOWSHIP is both uneven and very weak in pacing, with so much invested in the world and its history Tolkien forgets to make us care about the characters themselves. Another fault oft cited against Tolkien is the lack of "female characters," and there have been accusations that Tolkien is racist; one of my favorite misconceptions is that Frodo and Sam are homosexuals.

Academia has no time for Tolkien, and many of our key critics have denounced Tolkien as ill-written or escapist (Harold Bloom said that THE LORD OF THE RINGS is a period piece which will simply not die but just keeps lingering on long after its relevance. This is the stance taken by a lot of professional critics with a grudge against Tolkien, and wonderfully have been proven wrong). To this day, while not nearly as openly hostile as previous decades, academia in general harbors resentment against Tolkien and everything he's done. As far as they're concerned, he's done something that is actually popular and therefore unworthy of study. It's one of those "high-brow vs. low-brow" situations, and instead of producing "worthwhile" academic research, Tolkien instead writes a "series" of novels which become one of the most established authors of this century. In recent years, academic support has grown tremendously for Tolkien, but he is still a very hotly contested modern writer, unlike some other "academically undeniable" classics such as James Joyce. Unlike the academic favorites, Tolkien highly polarizes the professional literary establishment. Fortunately he has gained some ground here though.

Much of the complaints voiced against THE LORD OF THE RINGS are both unimportant and irrelevant. Tolkien is working with literary traditions not in-tune with the modern mind, but is instead handling narrative threads of Myth. Tolkien gives us solid archetypes to work with, bringing out the very qualities of masculinity and the beauties and stark wonders of femininty, but all expressed in mythological terminology. The idea of Sam and Frodo as homosexual is both ridiculous and totally unfounded. In Myth, good is characterized and seen as "White," and the evil is dark and perverted. Those who say Tolkien is racist approach him from the wrong standpoint.

As for the modern fantasy reader, those who complain about Tolkien's originality (while acknowledging it, but that later writers do a much better job with it) is like saying Shakespeare, while a good dramatist, is not that good because other people take his principals and make them more exciting, etc. I heard a story once about a person who went to see a Shakespeare play and went away complaining there were too many quotes in the play to make it any good. Shakespeare is the source of these quotes and he did not even realise it.

Most people know that Tolkien founded modern fantasy. Tolkien laid down the template for the fantasy genre in general, and anyone who reads fantasy has been touched, directly or indirectly, by Tolkien's work. Almost all of the major fantasy authors have acknowledge their debt to Tolkien, and the shadow Tolkien casts over fantasy literature is very long indeed. Because there is fifty years separating us from the original publication, it is much harder to approach THE LORD OF THE RINGS as those first reviewers, for those who have grown up reading fantasy literature are now accustomed to Dwarves and Elves and Dark Lords and Epic Quests, but when it was issued THE LORD OF THE RINGS transformed and invented an entire new genre. It is not Tolkien's fault that his vision of a mythology was so successful that everyone else decided they would try their hand at fantasy and work within Tolkien's templates. The main problem with fantasy authors in general are they are more interested in emulation than they are in true "myth-making." Much like early rock and roll, which, because rock was not an established form of music, the early musicians relied on other forms to create a new genre, Tolkien did not have this tradition to fall back on so instead he used various literatures and epic poems to create his own vision of myth. A lot of fantasy writers do not work in the context of myth any more, but rather rely on genre stereotypes which are generally found in Tolkien. Many readers who are interested in "pulp" fantasy get bogged down in Tolkien because he takes the time to fully explain his world and its cultures, because his goal is different. There is plenty of action in LORD OF THE RINGS, but those raised on the pulp fantasy will not care for it.

Ultimately, THE LORD OF THE RINGS's criticism has shown itself to be of little importance on its durability as a major text. Ever since its publication in 1954, 1955, and 1956, LOTR has become one of the most important literary works our era has produced, highly regarded and passionately loved by an enormous amount of people. Despite the very vocal minority who despise Tolkien and his work, THE LORD OF THE RINGS has consistently topped the polls for the best book of the last one hundred years. Whatever the critics say, THE LORD OF THE RINGS is here to stay because popular imagination has grabbed hold of Tolkien's vision and ran with it. Tolkien and Lewis have been wonderfully vindicated in their belief that there is an enormous adult appetite for Myth and fantasy literature.

Tolkien's work is water in a dry place.

An Awe-Inspiring Masterpiece.......2007-09-14

Finally, 50 years later, Houghton Mifflin is able to assemble the Masterpiece that Tolkien dreamed of so many years ago. This leather bound edition is complete with all 6 books, gilded pages, it's own cloth bookmark, as well as appendices full of additional information. It allows for Tolkien's story to become a tale, his dream a reality. Such a work of art is a must have for Tolkien enthusiasts and book collectors alike. At $53 dollars, it was money well spent.
The only con i see is that it is so beautiful, you don't even want to open it! More seriously, be careful with the fold-out maps. They take a little coaxing to unfold as they are glued at the corners. The cover of the book does seem a little thin considering the weight and amount of pages, but it has held up fine for me. Despite these small "problems", this IS a five star book in every way possible. Thank you for your time

-Matt

A beautiful, supple, savory edition.......2007-08-24

Whatever problems might have been with this book before, they seem to have been solved - the pages are sewn in, the leather is gorgeous and feels wonderful, and it is a solid, beautiful, wonderful book.

The Lord of the Rings is also, of course, a five star story, but I am five starring this review solely on the physical characteristics of this leather edition.

Mmmmmmmm.... s'wonderful!

Sit in your highback reading chair in front of the fire with a glass of Cognac reading this one. Very Alistair Cook.

It's pricey, but well worth it.

The Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings, Book 3)

Average customer rating:

Inglis' Narration is the perfect complement to the perfect trilogy
Not Free SF Reader
SUPERB!!!!!!
Gold
The Greatest Climax and Longest Falling Action of All Time

The Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings, Book 3)
J.R.R. Tolkien , and Rob Inglis
Manufacturer: Recorded Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 0788789848

Book Description

In the third volume of The Lord of the Rings trilogy the good and evil forces join battle, and we see that the triumph of good is not absolute. The Third Age of Middle-earth ends, and the age of the dominion of Men begins.

Customer Reviews:

Inglis' Narration is the perfect complement to the perfect trilogy.......2007-10-01

I listen to a lot of books on tape. Every once in a while I come across a narrator who is perfectly suited to the work. I don't mean a narrarator who has a good voice, I mean a narrator whose voice brings the story alive. Rob Inglis is such a narrator in all three books in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Each character is clearly identifiable by his uncanny ability produce dozens of distinct voices. I've listened to other audio versions of Tolkien's works. Those narrarated by Rob Inglis are the only ones that I've found worth the purchase.

Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

While Tolkien's epic has its obvious flaws : the blatant racism,
simplistic politics and superiority of Westerners he beats you over the
head with, the wonderful setting is not to be denied.

Pitched battle as decoy is not too bad a stunt either, as they try and given Sam and Frodo more time to destroy the One Ring.

After this, the repercussions of this war for Middle-Earth are felt closer to home for the four fuzzy short guys.

SUPERB!!!!!!.......2007-08-31

I have bought the lord of the rings in all it's form since becoming interested in all things tolkien 25 years ago and the trilogy in this form is absolutely superb. Rob inglis's voice and narration really complement the book brilliantly. Excellent stuff.

Gold.......2007-07-23

The Greatest Climax and Longest Falling Action of All Time.......2007-07-17

At the school where I teach, I've got a very nice little model of Tolkien's city of Minas Tirith on my desk. I'll always love the first several chapters of The Return of the King for its focus on that city-on-the-brink, and for the apocalyptic battle against the witch king of Angmar and his minions. And the great news is, that's just the beginning of the book!

Book V, the first part of Return of the King, picks up with the fate of all Middle Earth teetering on the very doorstep of destruction at the hands of Lord Sauron's most powerful ringwraith servant. Aragorn and company forge a last alliance between the human kingdoms of Rohan and Gondor that serve to stem the Dark Lord's tide while Frodo and Sam inch ever closer to their final destiny ... and the ring's (chronicled in the first three chapters of Book VI).

Just as The Fellowship of the Ring lovingly spent several chapters establishing a world that needs to be saved, this final installment of Tolkien's master trilogy spends several chapters wrapping it up when the major danger has passed. It seems old J.R.R. was reluctant to leave, but don't be fooled (or over-spoiled by Peter Jackson's abridged movie ending). The uprising in the Shire, which serves as falling action and conclusion, does what so few stories of this scope ever do: wraps up every loose end and shuts the door on the story in a way that made it virtually impossible to sequelize. And Tolkien is to be credited for that.

(This review has been posted by Marcus Damanda, author of the vampire fantasy, "Teeth.")

Average customer rating:

Not what I wanted at all
The Best Audio Production I've Yet Heard
More Complete Dramatization For Fans of the Book
okay
Wonderful memories - nice to have on CD

Lord of the Rings
J. R. R. Tolkien
Manufacturer: Highbridge Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 1565115503

Book Description

The original American dramatization as broadcast on National Public Radio. From the wonderful landscapes of the Shire and Lothlorien, to the stark and sunless land of Mordor, the courageous Hobbits pursue their quest, bearing the awesome Ring of Sauron, the Dark Lord! This epic trilogy takes up where The Hobbit leaves off, tracing the legend of the One Ring, found by Bilbo in the Goblin's cave, to its final destruction in the Crack of Doom. This dramatization has been broadcast by hundreds of radio stations and is one of our most popular boxes sets.

Customer Reviews:

Not what I wanted at all.......2007-08-18

I wasn't paying attention when I purchased this set. I meant to get the unabridged reading of the books and couldn't listen to more than a few chapters of this. The voices are terrible, cheesy and unlike who they're described to be, the musical interludes are long and dull, and so much of the description and explanation is edited out that it's hard to follow. However, I love the books and wanted to hear it in its entirety, so if that's what your looking for than definately go with the narrated version by Bob Inglis - so good and he does all the voices spectacularly (it also helps that he's English).

The Best Audio Production I've Yet Heard.......2007-03-30

In my line of work, I have to drive a lot from school to school with trips taking anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour and a half. These Nine Hours of adventure, hobbits, men, dwarves, elves and Tom Bombadil, (yes, Tom Bombadil!) is a great way to pass the time. Unlike the Unabridged Reading where the casual listener can get bogged down in the misings of the reader (a production which should be given justice in a situation where you can give it your full attention), this exciting performance with a great cast of voices and well done music is just what the traveling listener needs. Gandalf, Sam, Frodo and Aragorn's voices have to be my favorites. Gollum and Gimli are a bit overdone but to using interesting effect but they are all leagues better than the BBC version. I bought that first figuring that a British version would be the golden standard but Gollum sounded like a normal guy who occasionally slurped or sucked his words and Gandalf sounded like a real loser. The Gandalf here speaks with authority as does Aragorn. Sam has just the right touch or innocence and Frodo never lets the listener done. All the major events of the books with the exception of Galadriel being tempted by the Ring are very well presented. What a sight for sore eyes (or ears I should say) was it to hear Tom Bombadil's merry voice, a favorite of fans and readers who never quite made it into any production at all of the series. The battles are all satisfying as is the climax in Mount Doom and the skirmish with Shelob. I recommend it for journeys long and short.

More Complete Dramatization For Fans of the Book.......2005-06-25

I own both radio dramatizations (Minds Eye and BBC). On the whole I prefer the Minds Eye one. Both have their pros and cons, but as a fan of the book this one was more accurate to the story and conveyed a better sense of emotion than that of the BBC story. The BBC has a way better sound affects, overall better production value, and a more evened out (and higher priced) cast. Still, though, overall the Minds Eye produced better voices for Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Eomer, and Faramir than the BBC production did, and Frodo was well done also (just not as good as Ian Holm). However, the top factor for me was that the Minds Eye is just far more accurate to the book itself, for my money, than the BBC version. Others opinions obviously very. Know what you're looking for in whichever set you buy.

okay.......2005-01-25

I'm a HUGE Tolkein fan. This CD way OKAY, here's why.

Up's,
-differnt voices so you know who's talking
-labeld CD's so you don't have to go looking for a part you want to listen to
-a little bit of music so it keeps you awake

Down's,
-voices don't seem to fit characters, it would be better if one person did all the voices such as Jim Dale
-it's abridged
-the manner in which they abridge it makes the battle of Minus Tirith seem minor
-some words like Minus Tirith pronounced as ni-nus Tirith istead of Me-nus tirith

Wonderful memories - nice to have on CD.......2004-08-22

Back in the late 1970's, in an era when radio drama was disappearing from public radio, the American prodcution of "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" were created with a full cast of voice actors along with music and sound effects. Reminiscent of the radio dramas of the 1940's and 50's, these productions were usually aired on Sunday afternoons, when a family could listen and enjoy the week's story. Released on Jabberwocky Audio on cassette tapes, I remember the Christmas when I received the entire collection of Jabberwocky's stories on tape. From "The Hobbit" to "Alice in Wonderland" to "The Red Badge of Courage," all were classic tales. They even re-released on cassette some of the original radio productions, such as "War of the Worlds" and "The Gift of the Magi." These stories were designed to get the listener interested and promote reading the books the productions were based on. They were not designed for an adult audience, but rather for children and families to share. Wonderfully edited and masterfully performed, many modern audiences find these old productions a little silly or even perhaps dated, but play it for a child, and they will listen in rapture, just as I did 25 years ago when they were new. Of all my collection of the Jabberwocky tapes, "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" are the only ones that I have trouble playing today, because they have been played so many times over the years that they are worn out. We would play them in the car on road trips, I would play them in my room while putting together a puzzle, and I played them for my friends, who enjoyed them as much as I did. I am delighted to have it on CD to listen to over and over again. At seven years of age, I had not yet read the books when I first listened to the tapes. But the tapes were perfect for a small girl just getting interested in reading. If only all the rest of the old radio dramas were also on CD! I would buy them all. It was unfortunate to come to this website and see the poor reviews written by people who have no understanding of the history of the production or what demographic it was originally intended for. I look forward to the day when I can play these CD's for my own children and see the wonder and delight in their faces when they hear the same stories that I grew up with.

The Return of the Shadow: The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part One (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 6)

Average customer rating:

Great Look behind the scenes. Far better than earlier volumes
I hate to give this only 4 stars, but too much repitition.
For Hard Core Tolkien Fans Only!!!
Vital exploration of Tolkien's work, but for fans only
Warning-not a novel....but a great resource

The Return of the Shadow: The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part One (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 6)
J.R.R. Tolkien
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Epic | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0395498635

Book Description

In this sixth volume of The History of Middle-earth the story reaches The Lord of the Rings. In The Return of the Shadow (an abandoned title for the first volume) Christopher Tolkien describes, with full citation of the earliest notes, outline plans, and narrative drafts, the intricate evolution of The Fellowship of the Ring and the gradual emergence of the conceptions that transformed what J.R.R. Tolkien for long believed would be a far shorter book, 'a sequel to The Hobbit'. The enlargement of Bilbo's 'magic ring' into the supremely potent and dangerous Ruling Ring of the Dark Lord is traced and the precise moment is seen when, in an astonishing and unforeseen leap in the earliest narrative, a Black Rider first rode into the Shire, his significance still unknown. The character of the hobbit called Trotter (afterwards Strider or Aragorn) is developed while his indentity remains an absolute puzzle, and the suspicion only very slowly becomes certainty that he must after all be a Man. The hobbits, Frodo's companions, undergo intricate permutations of name and personality, and other major figures appear in strange modes: a sinister Treebeard, in league with the Enemy, a ferocious and malevolent Farmer Maggot.

The story in this book ends at the point where J.R.R. Tolkien halted in the story for a long time, as the Company of the Ring, still lacking Legolas and Gimli, stood before the tomb of Balin in the Mines of Moria. The Return of the Shadow is illustrated with reproductions of the first maps and notable pages from the earliest manuscripts.

Customer Reviews:

Great Look behind the scenes. Far better than earlier volumes.......2007-02-20

`The Return of the Shadow' is the first of a four volume series (`The History of the Lord of the Rings') within a series, (volume VI of `The History of Middle Earth') edited by Christopher Tolkien, from the unpublished writings of his father, J. R. R. Tolkien, most famous as the author of `The Hobbit' and `The Lord of the Rings'.

For those who have been slogging through the previous three volumes dealing with fragments from the composition of `The Silmarillion', this volume is a great pleasure, as it deals entirely with early drafts of what becomes the first two-thirds of `The Fellowship of the Ring' (FR), the first volume of the great `The Lord of the Rings' (LotR). It begins at the beginning of FR and ends as the fellowship stand in the mines of Moria over the grave marked `Balin Son of Burin, Lord of Moria' (The dramatic encounter between Gandalf and the Balrog will have to wait until the next volume).

For those of you who may have read `The Lord of the Rings' only once or twice, this and the next three volumes in this series are an enormous treat, as reading this is far more rewarding than a second or third reading of LotR, and will make that second or third reading even more interesting. For those of us who have read LotR for ten or twelve times, and have seen Peter Jackson's films of same more times than I care to count, the interest tends to wane just a bit, as the percentage of entirely new material is small compared to early versions of text which appeared in the final volumes.

What I really looked forward to in these volumes was some insight into my second most favorite character, after Gandalf, and this would be the perpetual Middle Earth hippie, Tom Bombadil and his consort, Goldberry. Unfortunately, this book does not through a lot of light on Bombadil's origins. Thankfully, it also does not violate any of my lengthily speculations on where Bombadil fits into the history of Middle Earth and the cosmology of the world in which Middle Earth is set. The heart of the matter is that Bombadil is one of the very few true natives of Middle Earth. The elves are clearly immigrants from the Far West. Dwarves and men seem to be creations of the Valar, and orcs and trolls are perversions of elves, men, and dwarves made by Melkor or Sauron. He is certainly not one of the Valar, as nothing said about his lack of interest in The Ring would be true of a Valar. Similarly, he is certainly not a wizard, one of Gandalf's clan, the Istari. The fact is, Tolkien senior simply added him in as a `deux ex machina', pinch hitting for Gandalf in a way, to get the wandering hobbits out of two jams with powers far greater than their own, so that they can safely reach Bree and the assistance of Strider. And, it turns out Tolkien simply wanted to include Bombadil and Goldberry since he had written of them in earlier publications!

One thing that does come out is the fact that the minor character, Farmer Maggot is potentially a far more interesting character than may appear on the surface. For example, Tom Bombadil seems to get most of his information about the outside world from Farmer Maggot and there is a suspicion in this narrative that Maggot is not entirely `hobbit' bred. This is not too unusual, as there has always been a suspicion that the three strains of hobbits are a result of a bit on interbreeding with elves and dwarves (but you didn't hear that from me!). One thing about Maggot which tickles my fancy is that his physical description here is a strong image of the Pennsylvania Amish and Mennonite farmers, which fits perfectly into the land around the Brandywine and the cultivation of mushrooms, both features of southeastern Pennsylvania, the home of the very same Pennsylvania Dutch. And yet, editor Christopher seems to make no mention of this obvious connection.

Being a true fanatic, even little things about these books will please me to no end. One thing, among others, which makes me think that Peter Jackson used these books in his writing the screenplay for the movies is the similarity between the picture of Bag End and the surrounding Shire and Bag End as it appeared in FR. I'm also thrilled by the additional original Tolkien maps, as well as the usually excellent index to the volume. I look forward to a composite index covering the whole four volumes of the `History of the Lord of the Rings' series.

The greatest impact of this volume comes from the smallest note in the beginning. After all the preparation done on the history of Middle Earth, Tolkien senior still had no notion of what he will find in Bree, who or what was Strider, or any notion of the design of Moria until he actually reached these characters and events in his writing.

I hate to give this only 4 stars, but too much repitition........2006-03-14

I was hoping that this would give like amny differnent versions of these books, but it tends just to show you the evolution and showing you the rewritings of early chapters of the lord and some of them like the council of elrond show you like 6 different versions. Every version a new character will show up, somebody will turn from good to evil, or maybe their words will be given to some one else.

I guess I was just hoping that this would be more like the previous 5 books and give us new stuff like they did of the silmarillion. But it did provide me with enough new info and some pretty exciting evolutions in this.

For Hard Core Tolkien Fans Only!!!.......2005-07-13

I got the book thinking it was part of Tolkien's unfinished sequel to the LOTR "The Return of the Shadow", but the shadow here is Sauron's return to middle earth after the end of the second age.

This is a volume in the previously unpublished letters and papers of J.R.R. Tolkien. In this volume we follow the evolution of the different parts of the LOTR the Fellowship of the Ring over time. From its beginning as a sequel to the Hobbit to the final epic product of mythic proportions.

Its interesting to see all the various drafts of the original chapters and the progression of Bingo Baggins into Frodo and the Hobbit Trotter into the Human King Strider/Aragorn. But this is the main drawback also, how many variations of "A Long Expected Party" can one read without being bored?

For Tolkien enthusiatists and English Majors only.

Vital exploration of Tolkien's work, but for fans only.......2004-05-09

If you're not a Tolkien fan, you need not apply to the sprawling History of Middle Earth series. But if you're interested in seeing how the Professor developed the rich creation of Middle Earth, warts and all, this is a treasure trove of material.

The 12 volumes of the History of Middle Earth take a close look at the creation of Tolkien's greatest achievement - Middle Earth itself - through early drafts, unpublished texts, and dead end writings. For ardent Tolkien readers it is a fascinating look at one of the great literary creations of the 20th Century. For more casual fans, it's text better left unread.

"The Return of the Shadow" marks the first in the four volumes dealing with the history of the writing of "The Lord of the Rings." Like the other volumes in the series, it features unpublished writings by Tolkien, supplemented, explained, footnoted, annotated and expounded upon by his son, Christopher Tolkien.

Here we have the earliest versions of what would later become the most beloved fantasy epic in the world, detailing the extraordinary and convoluted history of the earliest chapters of "The Lord of the Rings." Some readers might be surprised to know just how different a book this was in its earliest stages, and just how much Tolkien was making it up as he went along in those early days.

The wealth of information is fantastic, and Christopher Tolkien goes to great lengths to examine each text, putting them in the context of the larger puzzle of his father's writings. The exploration of how "The Lord of the Rings" came about is fantastic - for those interested. Otherwise, it will bore. This is, after all, a series of unfinished draft chapters and essays on the text. I enjoyed it, but many won't.

Anybody wishing to do a study of Tolkien's craft, into "behind the scenes" writings, or just interested in finding a few snatches of new Middle Earth material (even if in unfinished form, there are some scattered throughout the series) will certainly find what they are looking for here. Christopher Tolkien's work here is appreciated by scores of ardent Tolkien fans.

Those looking for fresh new tales about hobbits and heroes, however, will be disappointed. This isn't new fiction, nor does it even feature finished works. Seek elsewhere if you are looking for more tales in the way of "The Lord of the Rings."

Warning-not a novel....but a great resource.......2003-01-10

Of the thrilling and informative History of Middle-Earth series, this is perhaps the most interesting part. Normal Tolkien fans will get the rare chance to see how the germ of an idea can explode into the most complex cosmology ever created. Although it may seem boring, as it is not a novel per se, it is an insightful analysis of a very beloved book. The Lord of the Rings was initially conceived as a sequel to the Hobbit, growing into something incomparably more vast. We see Bingo in the character of Frodo, the name Frodo applied to another character. Aragorn is named Trotter and the idea emerges that he might be a long lost Hobbit who has had many experiences on the road. Somehow, with many footnotes and comments in the margin, we see the evolution of these ideas into what we know today as LOTR. Fascinating and useful for the Tolkien scholar, the devoted Tolkien reader, or even an aspiring writer.

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