You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.46 AVERAGE
4.46 AVERAGE
I remember reading this in the summer of 1999 - I was seasoned going into the movies
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
This book was really hard to read, but well worth it. Yes, I read it before the first movie came out, so I came to it late. (I read The Hobbit years ago, but never made it to LOTR.) But I'm glad that I did finally come to it. It's an amazing trilogy. Probably the best fantasy series ever written. Just the thought that Tolkien created this world and all of those languages is amazing, but to actually put a great story in them, too, makes it even more awesome.
If you're not afraid, check it out. It took me, like, a year to read, but I'm glad I did it.
If you're not afraid, check it out. It took me, like, a year to read, but I'm glad I did it.
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
slow-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Independently, I'd give these books 3-4 stars; but the entire thing, the extra information in the appendix is just... It's mesmemirising and sooo layered, it's insane!!!
I always thought I loved the movies, but having read the books (after several tries; I think 30 y/o does the trick and makes me mature enough to complete the trilogy), I think the movies have some serious faults:
I always thought I loved the movies, but having read the books (after several tries; I think 30 y/o does the trick and makes me mature enough to complete the trilogy), I think the movies have some serious faults:
- esp. how they portrayed Frodo like a whiny little b...
- Saruman teaming up for/with Barad-dûr rather than doing it all for his own motives
- the Ents wanting to fight for themselves rather than Merry and Pippin having to seriously convince them of standing up
- Merry's relationship with Theoden and Eówyn
- Pippin's relationship with Faramir/Beregond
- Portrayal of Merry, Pippin, Frodo and Gimli throughout (although sure, Gimli is funny in the movies)
- Eowyn's depression and finding a reason to live (again) in Faramir
- Gimli's admiration of Galadriel
- The sons of Elrond were all over the place lol
- Arwen pretty insignificant? But what a SAD ending to her story omg
- Denethor is insane but he does NOT mistakenly believe Faramir's dead but rather hopelessness is on him and he's been manipulated by Sauron because of the palantír he has (Denethor had a palantír???)
- Celeborn stayed in Middle-Earth after Galadriel left and rebuilt Lothlórien basically and was friendsies with Thranduil??? Then he got bored and went to Rivendell to chill with Elladan and Elrohan??
-Saruman didn't die in Isengard- the list goes ooooon
I read [b:The Lord of the Rings|33|The Lord of the Rings (The Lord of the Rings, #1-3)|J.R.R. Tolkien|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1347257199s/33.jpg|3462456] at the urging of my mother, who said she read somewhere that it was a significant book in English Literature. I didn't read it exactly when she said it, because I wanted to read it in its original form. So in 2002, I decided that my English had progressed enough.
The story is very engaging and complex. The world has a lot of characters, with a lot of background. It's not a light read. The language is not easy. There are many thorough descriptions. Some I started to skip after a while.
The story is divided into three parts. [b:The Fellowship of the Ring|34|The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings, #1)|J.R.R. Tolkien|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1371849682s/34.jpg|3204327] is about how the main character, a hobbit named Frodo gets together with a rag-tag group of humans, elves, dwarf, wizard and other hobbits. They have a task.
It was the best part. I loved the elven places in it, and the many adventures during the voyage. The team interacted very well together.
In the second part, [b:The Two Towers|15241|The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, #2)|J.R.R. Tolkien|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1298415523s/15241.jpg|2963845], we see many places in the world as the characters travel. However, this was the most boring part for me. I found myself skimming this part the most.
The third part, [b:The Return of the King|18512|The Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings, #3)|J.R.R. Tolkien|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1367746343s/18512.jpg|2964424], is when things escalate. This was a real page turner. Just when I thought it had all ended, there was more, and that turned out to be one of my favourite parts. It wasn't even in the movie.
I read [b:The Silmarillion|7332|The Silmarillion|J.R.R. Tolkien|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1336502583s/7332.jpg|4733799] after this book. It provided valuable information for the story. I wrote a review for that book as well. It can be read before LotR, and that is perhaps better, but it may turn some people off Tolkien.
The movies are great, and provide a good visual, but the two things don't always match. It's better to read the book first, because the movies can be better understood that way.
Overall, this is a wonderful book, a real journey. It may require a level of maturity even for people whose first language is English. So if you pick it up, and feels too much at first, wait a few years and give it another shot.
Cross-posted at Unapologetic Reviews, and the books-only version is on Booklikes too.
The story is very engaging and complex. The world has a lot of characters, with a lot of background. It's not a light read. The language is not easy. There are many thorough descriptions. Some I started to skip after a while.
The story is divided into three parts. [b:The Fellowship of the Ring|34|The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings, #1)|J.R.R. Tolkien|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1371849682s/34.jpg|3204327] is about how the main character, a hobbit named Frodo gets together with a rag-tag group of humans, elves, dwarf, wizard and other hobbits. They have a task.
It was the best part. I loved the elven places in it, and the many adventures during the voyage. The team interacted very well together.
In the second part, [b:The Two Towers|15241|The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, #2)|J.R.R. Tolkien|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1298415523s/15241.jpg|2963845], we see many places in the world as the characters travel. However, this was the most boring part for me. I found myself skimming this part the most.
The third part, [b:The Return of the King|18512|The Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings, #3)|J.R.R. Tolkien|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1367746343s/18512.jpg|2964424], is when things escalate. This was a real page turner. Just when I thought it had all ended, there was more, and that turned out to be one of my favourite parts. It wasn't even in the movie.
I read [b:The Silmarillion|7332|The Silmarillion|J.R.R. Tolkien|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1336502583s/7332.jpg|4733799] after this book. It provided valuable information for the story. I wrote a review for that book as well. It can be read before LotR, and that is perhaps better, but it may turn some people off Tolkien.
The movies are great, and provide a good visual, but the two things don't always match. It's better to read the book first, because the movies can be better understood that way.
Overall, this is a wonderful book, a real journey. It may require a level of maturity even for people whose first language is English. So if you pick it up, and feels too much at first, wait a few years and give it another shot.
Cross-posted at Unapologetic Reviews, and the books-only version is on Booklikes too.
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes