The Lord of the Rings

#1 The Fellowship of the Ring

#2 The Two Towers

#3 The Return of the King

Author: J.R.R. Tolkien

Publisher: 6th July 2022 by HarperCollins Australia

Pages: 407 / 744 / 1031

Genre: fantasy, classic, adventure

My Rating: 5 cups

Book One: The Fellowship of the Ring

Synopsis:

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 into the hands of Bilbo Baggins, as told in The Hobbit.

In a sleepy village in the Shire, young Frodo Baggins finds himself faced with an immense task, as his elderly cousin Bilbo entrusts the Ring to his care. Frodo must leave his home and make a perilous journey across Middle-earth to the Cracks of Doom, there to destroy the Ring and foil the Dark Lord in his evil purpose.

“The wide world is all about you: you can fence yourselves in, but you cannot forever fence it out.”

Book Two: The Two Towers

Synopsis:

The Two Towers is the second part of J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic adventure The Lord of the Rings.

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.

Frodo and his Companions of the Ring have been beset by danger during their quest to prevent the Ruling Ring from falling into the hands of the Dark Lord by destroying it in the Cracks of Doom. They have lost the wizard, Gandalf, in a battle in the Mines of Moria. And Boromir, seduced by the power of the Ring, tried to seize it by force. While Frodo and Sam made their escape, the rest of the company was attacked by Orcs. Now they continue the journey alone down the great River Anduin—alone, that is, save for the mysterious creeping figure that follows wherever they go.

“There’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo… and it’s worth fighting for.”

Book Three: The Return of the King

Synopsis:

The Return of the King is the third part of J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic adventure The Lord of the Rings.

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.

The Dark Lord has risen, and as he unleashes hordes of Orcs to conquer all Middle-earth, Frodo and Sam struggle deep into his realm in Mordor.

To defeat Sauron, the One Ring must be destroyed in the fires of Mount Doom. But the way is impossibly hard, and Frodo is weakening. The Ring corrupts all who bear it and Frodo’s time is running out.

Will Sam and Frodo succeed, or will the Dark Lord rule Middle-earth once more?

“Courage is found in unlikely places.” 

My Thoughts

I first became interested in these books in my early teens. My Grade Six teacher had read The Hobbit to the grade and I became obsessed. Thus ensued a lifelong passion for all things Middle Earth. I have my precious battered copy my mother bought me (having finally become frustrated with having to constantly run to the library to renew these awesome tomes) in 1983.

I have watched all the movies (multiple times) from the first original release in 2001 and each follow up movie onwards. They are one of the truest representations of book to movie adaptations I have ever come across. 

Coming to the end of LOTR feels like coming home or visiting an old friend. The story, the world building, the characters are phenomenal and will never leave you. I mean Tolkien even invented an entire new language for his precious tales. The stories are so well written with strong themes of friendship, camaraderie, loyalty, duty above self. It connects back to a past of greatness where good will conquer evil when we band together for the greater good. It is an incredible literary experience. 

Now, this Friday (*drumroll please) comes The Rings of Power which has me salivating once more. I can’t wait! I simply had to revisit this fantastical tale to lose myself once more in this incredible world. Readers who are cover collectors (and the variety of covers that The Lord of the Rings has is a hobby in itself) will be delighted with the release of a Rings of Power series tie-in editions. The new covers will each show images out of the promotional poster series that was first released back in February.

Are you ready to begin your journey into Middle Earth? Do yourself a favour and dive into the original trilogy in readiness for the upcoming series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.