The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien

Jessie from Wales

This is the best book EVER! If you have watched the films and enjoyed them then buy the book, it's 100% better than the films and they are good. Everything about the Lord of the Rings is magical and a book that can be read and read and read and read again. This book will still be around and popular in hundreds of years time, that's just how good it is!

Duncan from Reading

Its the originator, its the first, many have been inspired by it, many have tried to emulate it and none have quite succeeded. Yes the first 300 pages are heavy going, but they are totally neccessary in understanding the story and the characters. The films tell you the basic story, but Peter Jackson changed too many things that detract from it.. He thought he could outwrite the master.. he should have realised that you shouldn't change what is as close to perfection as is possible. You may have seen the films, but read the books. you will wonder, you will feel every emotion there is and quite simply the book is the most comprehensive stunning work of fantasy there is. This book, is and will continue to be one of the classics, the books that people will still be reading in centuries time.

Lee from Manchester

This is a timeless classic. The characters that Tolkien invented have stayed with me for over 20 years and the book is as fresh in my mind as they were back then. The visual imagery is staggering and the themes running through the Lord of the Rings are essentially what makes this timeless. Never has has one book had such an effect on my whole life and none have (yet) surpassed it.

Ollie from Nottingham

Now for the readability factor god this book is pure evil. The problem is that Tolkien describes everything in such detail you have to sort of make an imaginary time line in your head to try and get around the sheer size of waffle that’s in the book. Coupled with the fact that most of the book is just like reading the scribbling of a retarded child makes this book worse than the Bible... It’s even longer for Christ sake. But there are some good parts to this book, which kind of redeem the Lord of the Rings, but it doesn’t cancel out the gigantic amount of drivel in this book. Over-rated. Peace.

Javan from Coffs Harbour

This book is great.... WAY better than the movies. The Hobbit is an easier read but it is not as good. I found LOTR a bit of a hard read, and so I gave it an 8, not a 9 or 10. I must say though, the Wheel of Time is better than LOTR by about 1/2 a mark (or at least the first 6 books are). Books 6-12 are about a mark worse than LOTR. The fact that each book is a 850 pages average makes it a very slow series. Just try the first 70 pages of book 1.

Wes from Ohio

No book is perfect and that is true of LOTR. It does however stand as the crowning achievement of the grandfather of fantasy and all other fantasy books are eventually measured against it. I would reccomend any reader to start with the Hobbit, especially younger readers, and grow into LOTR. Please remember to thank Mr. JRR Tolkien for the genre when reading.

Jimmy from Scotland

First read The Lord of the Rings 40 years ago and have read them again every 5 or 6 years since.

Jamie from Australia

The Lord of the Rings is the greatest piece of writing ever. And those who think it's too detailed- please just go and learn how to read properly. Do you realise that its detail that makes a novel believable and gives it the various emotions within it. Fantasy epics are meant to be extremely detailed, go read a child's novel if you say it's too detailed.

Marine from Athens, Greece

I read those books because everyone said they were sooooo good. I have never been so disapointed in a book. I find it so childish. Tolkien may have marked the path of fantasy as some say however the students have surpassed him!

Louise from UK

I've just finished reading the books, and I enjoyed them. Very well written, great plot and Tolkien obviously knows his own world in a way that few writers do. Only problem with it is that books 2 and three seemed more like historical accounts than fiction. Half the characters seemed under-developed and were clearly only there to propel the plot on. Outside the Shire there was no banter, no one discussed their feelings, thoughts or personal lives at the end of the book, I still couldn't describe a single thing about Legolas or Gimli's characters (these two only seemed to be used to make up the numbers- the scenery was better explained than them!). Even Aragorn had so little individual character besides what was informed at first that I didn't feel as much as I should have done when his life changed at the end. Also, the romantic relationships seemed false and lacked chemistry, as even long-married couples mainly spoke to each other formally, and no one seemed to show affection unless their partner was dying. It was all too clinical and serious, and purely functional. The characters never really behaved realistically- they only really talked when they had to, and only to discuss actions or strategy, never personal matters, and only the hobbits really showed nerves or anxiety when going into battle- even when they knew they could be walking to their death. It was the same in the appendixes. Lots of names and dates, no real soul or feeling. Also, lots about the past, hardly anything about the 'present' and the lives of the characters. I also didn't like the description of the Orcs. I liked the way we were shown they were bad (Orcs were more well developed than most of the other characters put together!) but I don't like it when races are portrayed as inherently evil, and it's beyond me how a language can be 'foul'.

Willie from UK

IT IS THE BEST BOOK EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is another awesome book by Tolkien. Whoever says it's bad needs to re-read the book. If you rated the book 5 or lower you are a bad reader.

Lonny from Sweden

One of the best book series ever. If you haven´t read any fantasy this is the one to read. Epic battles, fantastic language, and a wonderful world too discover.

Jett from U.S.A.

I love all of J.R.R. Tolkien's work. He is definitely my favourite author. He has created a world that not only appeals to kids but is a great read for adults too. Enjoy as you read The Lord Of The Rings!

anonymous from unknown

I loved the movies, and the books. They were amazing! Nothing is better. This book is second to no fantasy book EVER written! I absolutely loved it. My dad read it to me when I was 10 and I fell in love with it and the movie.

Angie

The Best. The movie rocks and the book is pure talent. Tolkien is so good with characters, plots, and writing overall!

Likkamatti from Finland

The Lord of The Rings is definitely my favourite book. Epic battles, adventures, heroic romance, hobbits, elves, dwarfs... What else could you ask from a fantasy book? J.R.R. Tolkien is my favourite author. Love it. Perfection.

Nick from Fresno

I can guarantee this claim will stand, anybody that enjoys and raves about the exceptional nonexistent qualities of this book has probably never read Don Quixote. Tolkien's prose and imagination obviously are aimed at those that believe a god man thing actually rose from the dead. Call it a Trilogy, one whole storybook, whatever you desire, it will never make this terrible work of the human imagination anything more than it is, and that's being a boring, travelogue through the woods, running into extremely laughable characters with some of the worst dialog since Garbo's first silent movie. Bring it on you Ring lovers, the foundation of this book is built on sand, and the strength of your skulls isn't going to help stand it up to the test of what is considered great literature and fantasy.

Norris from Lordmanner

I like Tolkien's take on the book. It is amazing.

Katherine from Cape Town

I am an avid fantasy reader and I loved the movie but the book was a huge waffle. Yes parts were interesting and creative but the characters spent chapters and chapters eating cheese in a forest and not doing much else besides singing songs. I wish people could think for themselves - this drivel has critical acclaim simply because no one wants to admit that a so called master piece was a complete bore. Long live Raymond E Feist!

Liam from Baldock,UK

A brilliant book with lots of magic and much better than the films so a MUST BUY! But it is long...

Jake from Crewkerne

Amazing, the detail he put in draws you closer and makes you want to read more. BRILLIANT!!

Ry from Michigan

Hands down the king of all fantasy trilogy. Regardless of any flaws it may have it will always be the quintessential fantasy series that any true reader of the genre must read.

Nona from UK

I haven't read it and wouldn't want to because it is way tooooo long but the movies were absolutely FANTASTIC!!!! I am very obsessed with Harry Potter and The Twilight Saga but this has to be the top three stories/movies I love best so thanks alot Tolkien.

Flossie from The Kingdom of Lur

I loved the stories and songs becuase they really told you all about the history and culture of the place. It was fantastic, even at 12, and I loved the whole world that was created, possibly even more than the story itself. The Silmarillion is good for that: it explains all the First Age of Middle Earth, although it's quite rough, but it's amazing how long Tolkien spent living in his world so as to know all the battles and tales from it.