Ahhh, a genuine classic. I last read The Lord of the Rings trilogy over 15 years ago, and was very much looking forward to re-reading them as part of my British reading list. It was well worth the wait.
The story is known to most: Frodo Baggins, nephew of Bilbo of The Hobbit fame, is gifted Bilbo's magic ring before anyone realizes what it is. The good wizard Gandalf finds out that this indeed is the one ring, created long ago by the evil Sauron. The ring must be destroyed if Sauron is to be defeated, and in The Fellowship of the Ring, Frodo sets out with eight companions to do so. This being book one, the group only start their journey here- their exploits continue in The Two Towers and The Return of the King.
Few will question the impact this book has had on the fantasy genre- most of the writers who have followed Tolkien have copied his general creature elements- elves, dwarves, orcs, and goblins. I love these tales, though, not for their impact on other writers, but for the adventures and wisdom found therein. It's not just an adventure story, the classic hero quest- it's littered with valuable one-liners throughout. My (digital) highlighter got a good amount of work here.
As a final thought, this was the first time I read the book since viewing Peter Jackson's movie adaptations. How does the movie differ from the book? In many ways, actually- far more than I expected. The fifteen years since I last read the book clearly dimmed my memory on the details. A great site that spells out the differences between book and movie is here. I will say, however, that I felt (at least the first) movie stays true to the spirit of the first book, and that's the important thing where movies are concerned.
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| The Folio Society edition of the Lord of the Rings- highly recommended |
Rating: A+
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