I read this one many years ago, when the throes of my LOTR obsession were still young. I was reading everything by Tolkien I could getRandom is right.
I read this one many years ago, when the throes of my LOTR obsession were still young. I was reading everything by Tolkien I could get my hands on.
This one was a bit disappointing after the scope and characters of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. It was a fun enough story, I enjoyed it and all, but it was completely forgettable.
Not my fave Tolkien by a long shot, but if you're a fan you kinda have to read it anyway, right?...more
I have to say, this one drags a little more than Fellowship, but it's still a heck of a ride.
It's split clean down the middle: Book 3 deals with AragoI have to say, this one drags a little more than Fellowship, but it's still a heck of a ride.
It's split clean down the middle: Book 3 deals with Aragorn and friends as they journey in pursuit of the orcs, encountering many new friends along the way, while Book 4 continues Frodo's journey towards the Cracks of Doom.
What I love most about this installment is all the new characters. Finally we learn a little more of Rohan and Gondor and the people that inhabit those lands. Eomer is one of my favourites because of his loyalty, and Faramir is such a wonderful, humble contrast to his proud brother.
The story begins to darken, as the perils become greater and the evils of Orthanc and of Mordor spread further. There's a gloom that hangs over the story now, and we begin to feel the true weight of Frodo's quest. All the same, it has its light moments here and there, and there is the promise of unseen strength as Aragorn begins to come into his own. We finally start to see him taking command of his destiny, yet always he puts his friends first. I love that. I love that, even though the Fellowship is broken, there is still this thread that binds them across the distances.
Tolkien takes a lot of time to describe everything, and this is painfully evident throughout book 4. Book 3 at least has a variety of new characters, places, plots and battles to keep things interesting and unpredictable, whereas poor old Frodo and Sam are wandering from one desolate place to the next. I've just about had my fill of Middle Earth's landscapes and flora, I'm sorry to say. Again, it is the new characters they interact with throughout their journey that keep things interesting. (None make me happier than Faramir, who is kind, noble, and appears way too briefly for my liking.)
There are plenty of heroic moments and I feel that the themes of the story are stronger now, with the battle of good vs evil becoming more vital as time passes. There are some great moments where characters debate their courage, their purpose, their decisions, and even the nature of the enemy. We get to go a little deeper, yet we never feel that we're on the wrong side. Good MUST prevail.
The character development is crucial and it's really wonderful to see how the members of the Fellowship begin to function outside of the quest.
It does tend to get a little sidetracked with describing every single detail of the surroundings, and this becomes particularly painful towards the end of the novel, but the host of new characters and the promise of epic things to come makes this still a worthy, tense, exciting read. I'm definitely still absorbing more than I did on my first two reads almost 20 years ago, and I still find my breath catching in places, fearing and cheering for these beloved characters.
A worthy continuation, and you know it's only going to get better from here.
This series is just so epic, and here at the end of things that never stops being true. It's the final push, where everyone's limMy heart is full.
This series is just so epic, and here at the end of things that never stops being true. It's the final push, where everyone's limits are tested, and frail hope has to be enough to spur them on.
The final installment begins in the city of Minas Tirith, which is rather fitting since it is to this city the titular king returns. Minas Tirth is practically next door to the (figurative and literal) heat of Mordor so they're preparing for a bad time. But Rohan is sending reinforcements, and all the while they have the fool's hope that Frodo's quest will succeed, although his position is a little precarious after the events of the previous book.
Once again, we spend a lot of time marvelling over the detailed world Tolkien has created. It is often said that he created the story to fit the world, and that is quite apparent in the pride he takes in detailing the world so thoroughly. Mountain ranges, scrublands, cities, rivers, lakes ... even the plains and pits of Mordor itself. Everything is given a name and a visual, and it really transports you to this land. No detail of this world has gone unconsidered.
There's also the magnitude of the quest, and how much heroism is required from the whole cast of characters. Everyone gets their moment to choose whether to be brave and it drives the story. The inner turmoils and second guessing, people doubting themselves yet fighting all the same. I love it all so much. There are so many moments that made my heart soar.
It's a divided book again - books five and six (plus appendices) - with the continuation of Frodo's quest not beginning until the sixth book. This might be a tough extension of a cliffhanger for some, but the action of book five is such that it's easy to blaze through and hardly an inadequate offering. The action is plentiful with heroic thoughts and deeds throughout. It also sets up the importance of Frodo's quest as it comes to its final leg, and you can really feel that urgency as we get closer and closer to Orodruin - aka Mount Doom.
It also takes the time to finish the story properly - addressing where each character ends up, and what their future might hold, and exploring the grey areas even further with fleeing villains who have not yet ceased causing trouble. That's something I really love about this series - sure, the quest itself is fairly black-and-white, good-vs-evil stuff, but the details of the story and its characters give such depth, and nothing can be assumed.
This is an epic saga with characters who will stay with you long after you finish reading. The themes are the sort that will endure, and the story itself will continue making an impact on readers who take the time to understand it thoroughly. There is certainly a lot of material - as can be assumed by the presence of its appendices, which accounts for another 150 or so pages of this edition - but if you relish it and appreciate it for the world it represents, it truly enriches your experience of the story.
Now, for my own pleasure, allow me to detail the things I loved the most: (view spoiler)[ -Faramir and Eowyn. Those two ... guh. My heart. I can't handle how much love I have for their union. And when Faramir asks her, 'do you not love me?' *cries* SO. BEAUTIFUL. -Aragorn is finally the badass he's been transforming into, but he still answers to Strider. He's become this epic, powerful, lordly king, and they all bow to him, and poor Sam is like, 'who? Strider?' and Aragorn just like chuckles and takes it and this is why we love him. -Eowyn being a total badass. Clearly I am enamoured by badasses. Eowyn finally gets her moment of glory and it's in defending her king and it totally makes my heart melt. Them being so close on the battlefield and Theoden not realising it though ... god, what a tear jerker. -Eomer and Gimli picking between Galadriel and Arwen. I mean, I was thrown a little when it said something like, 'Eomer was amazed by how beautiful the women were,' - it was unexpected in a noble dude I've loved so fiercely, and I was ready to scoff and be like, 'pfft. MEN.' but then it was explained as the elven ladies and it made more sense. I forgive you, Eomer. They are both beautiful, you are correct. -The relationship dynamics between Pippin, Faramir, Beregond and his son, Bergil. Beregond is an underrated hero, and his dedication to Faramir is precious and warms my heart. Then the way he accepts Pippin and considers him a friend so easily is just really sweet. Then he sends him to go hang out with his son, and the son tries to give Pippin crap, and Pippin is like, 'oh ho ho, you cheeky rascal! Can't get one over me!' and thus their friendship is solidified. And between them all is Faramir, who is to be admired and respected and loved and, YES I LOVE HIM. -Speaking of friendships, Legolas and Gimli are a bromance for the ages. -Prince Imrahil is a character I definitely didn't remember but he's so cool-headed, and I liked that he seemed to be sort of a calming presence. He just gets things done that need to be done; steps up when he has to but then steps back when he's no longer needed. -Speaking of forgotten characters, Ghan-buri-ghan makes me laugh. He's great. -The fact that Tolkien has even considered where the orcs of Mordor actually get their food etc. THE MAN IS THE KING OF WORLD-BUILDING. -Sam being described as a fearsome elf lord, and how much pride it gives him. You are a warrior, my lad, and you go ahead and own it. -Frodo promising Gollum that if he touches him, he'll end up in the fires of Mt Doom himself. Ah, Gollum. You really shoulda listened, buddy. -Actually that ending, though, because it just ties together everything that Gandalf said, and that whole notion that Bilbo's one act of pity could echo so thoroughly across the ages. It's such a powerful message of compassion. -Frodo and Sam finally being reunited with everyone in the Fields of Cormallen, after having nearly died to save the world, only to have Pippin be like, 'look, Frodo, me and Merry are serving our kings right now so you're gonna have to wait.' Ah, bless you, proud Pippin. -Also Merry and Pippin pledging their services to their respective rulers. It really shows that they have become their own people, and I think it really strengthens their part then in the Scouring of the Shire. The pride they have in being in the service of these great lords gives them a courage and strength they didn't realise they had. Warms the heart. -Cirdan the Shipwright himself coming to collect them. Dang, that dude must be hella old by now.
GOD THERE ARE JUST SO MANY MOMENTS TO LOVE. (hide spoiler)]
I love this series. I'm so glad I decided to re-read it. It's brought so much joy into my life.
Here ends my review for the conclusion of one of the greatest fantasy series of all time. Please read on for my review of the appendices.
When I first started reading Appendix A, my first thought was, 'why have I never read this straight through before?' and then I got to Appendix C and was like, 'ohhh THIS is why.'
Here's the breakdown: Appendix A: Annals of the Kings and Rulers Appendix B:The Tale of Years Appendix C: Family Trees Appendix D:Shire Calendar Appendix E:Writing and Spelling Appendix F:The Languages and Peoples of the Third Age
It's basically all supplementary info for the trilogy, but the first two are really all you need.
*Please note: spoiler tags have been used to hide events that occurred in ROTK, but that's it. If you don't want spoilers for the appendices or any random Middle-Earth history this is your warning.
Appendix A: Annals of the Kings and Rulers (5 stars) This one is actually a lot of fun, and has some great stories. It talks about the history a little more, and we get the story of how Aragorn and Arwen meet. We learn a bit more about how the races connected, about the relationship between Rohan and Gondor, and what Denethor was like before (view spoiler)[he turned into a proper psychopath he was driven mad by Sauron (hide spoiler)] the events depicted in this book. There are so many things about legends of old that are totally glossed over like it's no big deal, but I would definitely read an entire novel on it. For example, this one guy, Eldacar, is overthrown by Castamir, who turns out to be a grade A jerk. He captures Eldacar's son and has him put to death. Eldacar bides his time - which turns out to be a short ten years - then gathers this massive army from all over (because people love him and hate Castamir) and they go into battle and Eldacar slays Castamir himself as revenge for his son. This is such a BADASS story and it's told in less than a page. This is why I had so much fun with Appendix A. There are so many great tales of warriors, and they're all generally the ancestors of our hero friends from LOTR.
There are a lot of place names which gets really confusing, so I found it helpful to continually refer to the maps at the back. There's also a lot of names that come in and out of stories and it's impossible to remember them all. It's tempting to skim some of the long lists of names, but they're handy to refer to when the name crops up in a story a few pages later.
Appendix B: The Tale of Years (5 stars) This is great because it's a more chronological approach to a lot of the stories we've just learned, as well as a lengthy timeline for the entire LOTR trilogy. It helps to highlight the important events that occurred prior to LOTR, and gives a greater understanding of what was going on all at the same time.
Appendix C: Family Trees (N/A) The (hobbit) family trees were just a bit of fun. It details the ancestory of our four hero hobbits and their subsequent unions. I basically skimmed anything that didn't directly relate to Bilbo, Frodo, Sam, Merry or Pippin, but one could have a lot of fun following the tree back and trying to work out the direct relationships they had to one another. (view spoiler)[My favourite part of the trees, though, was seeing who married whom, and their kids, and the kids' names. For example, Sam and Rosie had 13 children! That is a lot of kids! And a lot are familiar names. Also, I LOVE the fact that Pippin named his son Faramir, and then Faramir marries Sam's daughter Goldilocks. THAT IS TOO FREAKING CUTE. (hide spoiler)] Really, the fun part of the tree is just checking where our friends ended up.
Appendix D: Shire Calendar (2 stars) OH GOD. The calendars were so dreary. I mean, it's a little bit fascinating with the variations of the names and days and years etc but there was so much detail here that I just did not care about. This is purely Tolkien getting wrapped up in the world he created. He did so much work to make sure his fantasy rules corresponded with real world science, which I appreciate so much but WOW, I don't think I needed to read about it.
Appendix E: Writing and Spelling (3 stars) Same kinda deal with above - there's so much detail that I probably didn't need. But at the same time it was fun trying to understand the languages a bit more, and it really helps with pronunciation. It's fascinating, but it's a hard slog.
Appendix F: The Languages and Peoples of the Third Age (4 stars) This one is a little easier to bear, because while it is still giving a lot of information that is hard to follow, it's often accompanied by the movement of peoples, so it gives us more story. It was a bit more fun, having the context relevant to the information.
FINAL VERDICT The appendices aren't necessary to understanding LOTR, but it gives a lot of fun information about the world, so it's more like 'additional reading' without you having to go find the sources. Although some is a little hard to follow, it's truly fascinating, and I'd highly recommend reading at least the first two. But make sure you've read the trilogy first because the appendices assume that you have....more
Many, many years ago, teenage me thought Lord of the Rings was somehow related to a flea circus. Where did that thoughI'm so thankful for these books.
Many, many years ago, teenage me thought Lord of the Rings was somehow related to a flea circus. Where did that thought even come from? Honestly my mind works in mysterious ways. Either way, it meant this book held zero interest for me.
Then, mid-2001, I saw a preview for the first film and it looked right up my alley. Of course, being the loyal book nerd I am, I vowed to read at least The Fellowship of the Ring before seeing the film.
So it was that I first read this book, and began a lifelong love affair with the series. I read it a second time before the second film was released, a year later.
I remember loving the book but, having seen the film too many times to count, events were beginning to blur in my mind. I remembered the book as dense, full of words I didn't understand and long explanations about things I didn't really care about. I remembered everything up til Rivendell being something of a chore to get through.
It's a good example of why it doesn't hurt to re-read books, particularly if decades have passed.
This third read has been such an incredibly enjoyable experience. Having become a little obsessed since those early years, I relished all the little details this time around and got so much pleasure out of being fully immersed in this world. Tolkien had a gift of painting detailed pictures with only a few words, and it draws you into the world completely. There's never too much revealed about what any one person is thinking, and yet we learn their characters so completely. They are developed brilliantly and each has their own journey.
It's certainly a darker sort of story, with this cloud of evil constantly hanging over them all, but I think that's what makes the relationship between the characters so strong. There are some really beautiful moments when they turn to one another, or even when they annoy each other but stick together all the same. The relationship between Gandalf and Pippin is particularly priceless. Sam is basically Frodo's servant at the beginning of the book, but becomes his most trusted and loyal friend. Boromir is proud of his ability to protect others, and Aragorn is a reluctant leader who leads well all the same.
The book is divided into two, and the first is certainly not nearly as action-packed as the second. There is a lot of travelling in much the same vein - they walk, they rest, they eat, they sleep, they set out again - but there is also a lot of world-building, and telling of the history of the rings. The songs and poems can get a little tiresome but they're also an efficient way to touch on histories relevant to the story, so I had a lot more tolerance for them this time around.
The second book is one adventure after another, as the Fellowship makes their way south through perilous terrain. It's impossible to predict and there is always more information to latch onto. There is also just a lot of fun to be had in learning about these characters and watching them interact.
So much about this story is epic, and the world is rich with detail. At the same time, Tolkien really did work magic in packing so much lore and action and adventure into a nice, tidy size. He doesn't waste time with pages of character musings - he just tells the story, with the passion of someone fully immersed in this world.
I love everything about it, and I'm glad I felt the urge to re-read it because I got so much more out of it than I did in my teens. Sure, there are some things due to its age that may rub people the wrong way in this PC age - not enough women, Sam being a slave, all of the characters being white, etc. - but if you just relax into the story none of that stuff matters. It's just an epic adventure.
It also gives me such great respect for what PJ did with the films, and how he managed to be so faithful to the parts of the story that really mattered. The adaptation of this book to film is a work of genius. Both mediums are epic and brilliant in their own right and I will never stop loving them both equally.
Tolkien created an entire world, with detailed maps, races, and history. This book begins the expression of that, and the detail is what makes this story so powerful and enduring. It has timeless themes that can be interpreted by successive generations.
It's a classic, and one that only gets better with each read. It absolutely changed my world, and for that I will never stop being thankful.
I think of all the worlds I've visited in books, that created by Tolkien will always be my favourite.
The detail is so rich and its history so compelliI think of all the worlds I've visited in books, that created by Tolkien will always be my favourite.
The detail is so rich and its history so compelling that it so easily comes alive for me. If you want to know more about Middle Earth, the info is there. You just have to find the book that tells it. If you're looking for more beyond The Lord of the Rings, this is that book.
Now, I'm not going to lie - the first 150-or-so pages are a bit of a slog. This could be retitled "A Condensed History of Middle Earth" and it begins with the world's very creation. It's basically the Bible of Tolkien's world. Don't look for any mention of familiar names too soon. (This is also very likely the reason I gave up about a third of the way in when I first read it, back when I was 17 or so.)
First, there's The Big Guy, Illuvatar, who brings into being the Ainur, who essentially end up being the gods of this world (The Valar). Then there's the creation of the physical world, and the people destined to inhabit it. It's all described in rather complex detail, so this is not light reading, my friends.
From the very beginning, one of the Ainur has evil intentions, and Melkor (aka Morgoth) swiftly becomes the Big Bad who lurks throughout this entire history, darkening all that the others create. His presence sows the seed of good vs evil, and suddenly this fancy new world is marred into something tragically more recognisable and honestly far more interesting.
So the first half of the book is all about who creates what, who descends from who, what the land looks like, and who ends up in which lands. We know the elves are quick to inhabit, so then we must learn all of the elves of importance, and how they come to scatter throughout the lands of Middle Earth.
It gets incredibly confusing, not least because of the multitude of characters but additionally because each character tends to come with several names, and reference to them is not consistent.
Thankfully, there's an index and a few family trees at the back to assist, though it's not really until great deeds are done that the characters become somewhat familiar.
But, man, when those deeds begin, things start to get really interesting.
The underlying story is about the creation of three jewels, the silmaril, and the quest to reclaim them, yet this actually composes very little of the stories within these pages. It's more about the various fates of all those affected by the existence of the jewels, and the endless feud with Morgoth. The fates are many and varied, and I ended up sticking post-it notes throughout my book to remind myself of some of the most epic occurences within these pages:
We have people chained to mountains, limbs hacked off, people crushed by boulders and thrown from cliffs, destroyed by monstrous creatures, betrayal, murder, incest, lies, greed, arrogance, jealousy, veangeance ... there were actually so many moments in this book where I felt the need to cover my gaping mouth in horror.
I FREAKING LOVED IT.
Eventually I found my favourites among the stories, and characters I got to know and love - Turgon, Maedhros, Thingol and Melian, Hurin, Beren and Luthien and Huan the hound ... and so many others whose parts I loved but then forgot in favour of the next great hero to arise. That's another thing - you hear about the deeds of one, then they disappear from the story for a time, only to reappear later when you've all but forgotten them. It was confusing but it was also kind of fun to have friends coming back into the story.
There are also a lot of echoes of other myths and legends, and of deeds made familiar through The Lord of the Rings. There's definitely a sense that life is circular, and history often repeats.
I loved the complexity of it, but it doesn't make for easy reading. You really have to concentrate on every word of every sentence, so this is only for those fully committed to learning the lore of Tolkien's world. It's told more than shown so it can feel a little tedious at times, but if you stick with it you'll be rewarded by fantastic stories rich in detail. Consider the fact that within 366 pages we have centuries of history and lore - Tolkien actually does pretty well to keep it entertaining.
Truth is, I still managed to feel so much for some of these characters. I loved Thingol so his fate really affected me, and I was bemused to learn that the true hero of the story of Beren and Luthien was actually a dog. I loved that damn dog so much. The story of Turin Turambar horrified me so many times, and Maehdros was one I felt loyalty to without really remembering why. I loved the friendships and loathed the actions of those lacking honour and generally ended up being fully invested in everything. There are also little gems of information that will spark the memory of things read about elsewhere, or embellish a little. For example, one fun fact I learnt is that dwarves apparently went into battle wearing these terrifying masks. Oh if only those masks had appeared in Peter Jackson's imaginings.
Then of course as time draws closer to the Third Age, learning about Aragorn's ancestors was a real treat. Although working out that he was kiiiiinda related to Elrond made things a bit weird, if you follow me.
GUH.
This just ended up being so rewarding to read and I'm really glad for that. It's definitely reignited my love for this world, which never dies but does sleep from time to time as I immerse myself in other worlds.
This is probably only for the hardcore Tolkien junkies, but if you make the effort it will be well rewarded. I know I was....more
This is very much a children's story, full of adventure and peril but ultimately a safe little fantasy story.
Very, **Re-read Dec 2025**
Still holds up.
This is very much a children's story, full of adventure and peril but ultimately a safe little fantasy story.
Very, very different vibe to the trilogy of films done by Peter Jackson.
It's light and whimsical, and the writing is beautifully simple. The characters are mostly wholesome, and the way the dwarves' feelings towards Bilbo develop into great respect is a wonderful journey.
There are some references to the darker world outside of this story, but it's held at length here so that none of that darkness seeps into this tale. Still, there's very clear sides for good and for evil, with strong themes of power and corruption as expected from a Tolkien story.
The dwarves aren't easily differentiated here (though I'm proud to say I CAN, in fact, remember all their names now) aside from poor fat Bombur, but because of this it emphasises their togetherness. It hammers home that they share everything - goals, dreams, hopes and feelings. Thorin is more humble here than in the films, and its easy to develop affection for him as the leader of the company.
Gandalf is definitely a loose unit, but when has he not been? It's just much clearer here that, while he's involved in the small happenings of this crew, he also has bigger, more important responsibilities that interfere every now and then.
Every read of a Tolkien book will give you more context, and more understanding of the world and its people. I'll never tire of reading his works.
Highly recommend. Obviously!
**Original Review, 2013** I re-read this back in 2012 to coincide with the release of the films and I loved it just as much.
It's a wonderful, light story with some great characters. The hobbits are such unique little creatures, and the contrast between Bilbo and the dwarves makes for a lot of fun.
Gandalf is a bit of a question mark in this one, displaying highly irresponsible behaviours, but hey, that's what wizards are famous for, right? Also, he wanders off a bit. But the dwarves! I'll never remember their names, but if you're familiar with the films it'll help put some faces to names.
I read this after the LOTR trilogy, so it's quite interesting to see how this light adventure story gave birth to the action-packed darkness of the following three books. This book still has a little darkness, but it's more about finding your sense of adventure, and getting out of your comfort zone and enjoying life.
I'm sure this book doesn't need my recommendation this late in the game, but it has it all the same. Just don't ask me whether I prefer the book or the film(s) because I have no idea how to answer that loaded question....more
I think I'd like to revisit this one, because I remember being pretty disappointed with it the first time. I'm a mad LOTR fan, but I also love clever I think I'd like to revisit this one, because I remember being pretty disappointed with it the first time. I'm a mad LOTR fan, but I also love clever humour, even if the object of such humour is something I admire.
This just never got my belly aching from laughter. It seemed like it was trying too hard to be funny; trying too hard to poke fun at a much-loved tale. I like clever humour - this was more stupidity that attempted to anger, rather than amuse.
Certainly not the best parody out there, that's for sure. ...more
