Genre Fiction
![J.R.R. Tolkien - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_a_jrr_tolkien.jpg)
The Fellowship of the Ring (Media Tie-in): The Lord of the Rings: Part One
Begin your journey to Middle-earth.
The inspiration for the upcoming original series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
The first part of J.R.R. Tolkien's epic adventure The Lord of the Rings.
The dark, fearsome Ringwraiths are searching for a Hobbit. Frodo Baggins knows that they are seeking him and the Ring he bears-the Ring of Power that will enable evil Sauron to destroy all that is good in Middle-earth. Now it is up to Frodo and his faithful servant, Sam, with a small band of companions, to carry the Ring to the one place it can be destroyed: Mount Doom, in the very center of Sauron's realm.
The inspiration for the upcoming original series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.
The first part of J.R.R. Tolkien's epic adventure The Lord of the Rings.
The dark, fearsome Ringwraiths are searching for a Hobbit. Frodo Baggins knows that they are seeking him and the Ring he bears-the Ring of Power that will enable evil Sauron to destroy all that is good in Middle-earth. Now it is up to Frodo and his faithful servant, Sam, with a small band of companions, to carry the Ring to the one place it can be destroyed: Mount Doom, in the very center of Sauron's realm.
Editorial Reviews
"Filled with marvels and strange terrors . . . an extraordinary, distinguished piece of work."-New York Herald Tribune
Readers Top Reviews
Reviewer19Reviewe
As a huge nerd and book lover I was very excited to read this. Unfortunately it proved to be the best in the series and was very slow. It is an interesting book and contains a lot of very interesting parts which are not included in the film. A lovely world to dive into and I would recommend but unfortunately it was very slow and difficult to read. The Illustrations are lovely and the hardback edition is very easy to read in terms of print size. Unfortunately it arrived heavily damaged and was not well packaged. If you are going to buy any editions, I would buy these as they are lovely.
A. PickettLukeRev
So, I finally decided to read this book. I love the movie, and I love the story and fantasy and science fiction as a whole... But Tolkien's writing is not my cup of tea. He is a brilliant linguist, and the story and world he has come up with in this book is amazing, but his writing is not engaging at all. He will spend pages and pages discussing the landscape and geography, or the minute details of a character that is only present for a few moments in the story... But then gloss over major events in the story in a couple of sentences. He'll write for a long time about songs being sung (sometimes in his made up languages), but barely develop some of the main characters. There are things I thought the movie didn't do justice, of course... But overall, the movie was so much more entertaining and well-written than the book. I'm really only giving it even 2 stars because I had the movie to frame the story before reading it. Without that, I feel I would have lost interest very early in in this book. Again...I don't want to take away from the brilliance of Tolkien himself and the world he created... He just couldn't convey it in an engaging way to me.
Petta ParentA. Pi
The Fellowship of the Ring, the first book of the Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R. Tolkien, is a book that excels in a number of things. One of these is expertly immersing you in the world of Middle Earth. The author slowly pieces together the world by having characters not explain things to the reader, but instead to other characters. The book does this in a way that allows you to take in all of its information easily. Another thing the book does seamlessly is developing characters. For example, Sam is a seemingly underwhelming hobbit. Yet, throughout the book, you can see his courage building and his desire to protect Frodo overpower any thought of his personal safety. And last but not least, the book leaves no plot holes. Like when Frodo asks Gandalf why he can’t take the ring, the answer is given that the power of the ring is limited to the power of the wielder. Hobbits are fairly low on the food chain so the ring does not do much in their hands. All of these qualities contribute to one of the most well written books of the century that has stood the test of time.
Tim VolkovPetta P
Read this book for the first time ever in its original language and form (the foreword states it's the go-to edition) and I was disappointed exactly zero times. You see, even Martin can (and does) get tedious every now and then. Not Tolkien. Carefully crafted writing, vivid imagery, relatable characters. Yes, they aren't that multilayered as those in the ASOIAF, but they sure ain't as black and white either, as some would make you believe. Take Gollum, Boromir, even Bilbo, for instance. We see their internal struggle many a time. The pacing is spot on and you hardly want to skim through anything, because every detail counts and ultimately adds to an exquisite bigger picture. I loved every single description of the nature: every sunset and sunrise, every gray morning and starry night, every moor and craggy peak. They are presented in such a way as to help you see them with your own heart I can't wait to read on, to you have a look at The Two Towers and The Return Of The King afterwards, because this is where the power of the English language, the notion of doing the right thing, the turf war on the global scale are at their best and simply unrivalled. I wish the movies - however great they are and however good Peter Jackson as a director is - did the books justice and let's hope we'll live to see that day when there is a movie or a series (even better) worthy of the master's writing and vision. For now though, I'll contend myself with coming back to this masterpiece, telling about it to anyone who'd listen and reading it aloud to my kids and having the faintest hope... of seeing the lady Galadriel in real life one day.
Teresa RamseurTim
I have a friend who's been trying to get me to read this series, and I have resisted her suggestion quite strongly, as I had already seen the movies, and was worried that they would spoil the books for me, nor did I think that I would like the series, although, I had seen the movies, and thought them very well done, I didn't think the book series was for me, as I am very picky, especially when it comes to fantasy. But I was completely blown away by this first book in the series, there's some great world building, and and it doesn't take much to come invested in the story, to come to root and care for and about the characters. Now, I'm only wondering why it took me so long to read this. Well worth the read, one I'd highly recommend, now I can't wait to see what happens next.
Short Excerpt Teaser
A LONG-EXPECTED PARTY
When Mr. Bilbo Baggins of Bag End announced that he would shortly be celebrating his eleventy-first birthday with a party of special magnificence, there was much talk and excitement in Hobbiton.
Bilbo was very rich and very peculiar, and had been the wonder of the Shire for sixty years, ever since his remarkable dis- appearance and unexpected return. The riches he had brought back from his travels had now become a local legend, and it was popularly believed, whatever the old folk might say, that the Hill at Bag End was full of tunnels stuffed with treasure. And if that was not enough for fame, there was also his prolonged vigour to marvel at. Time wore on, but it seemed to have little effect on Mr. Baggins. At ninety he was much the same as at fifty. At ninety-nine they began to call him well-preserved; but unchanged would have been nearer the mark. There were some that shook their heads and thought this was too much of a good thing; it seemed unfair that anyone should possess (apparently) perpetual youth as well as (reputedly) inexhaustible wealth.
‘It will have to be paid for,' they said. ‘It isn't natural, and trouble will come of it!
But so far trouble had not come; and as Mr. Baggins was generous with his money, most people were willing to forgive him his oddities and his good fortune. He remained on visiting terms with his relatives (except, of course, the Sackville-Bagginses), and he had many devoted admirers among the hobbits of poor and unimportant families. But he had no close friends, until some of his younger cousins began to grow up.
The eldest of these, and Bilbo's favourite, was young Frodo Baggins. When Bilbo was ninety-nine he adopted Frodo as his heir, and brought him to live at Bag End; and the hopes of the Sackville-Bagginses were finally dashed. Bilbo and Frodo happened to have the same birthday, September 22nd. ‘You had better come and live here, Frodo my lad,' said Bilbo one day; ‘and then we can celebrate our birthday-parties comfortably together.' At that time Frodo was still in his tweens, as the hobbits called the irresponsible twenties between childhood and coming of age at thirty-three.
Twelve more years passed. Each year the Bagginses had given very lively combined birthday-parties at Bag End; but now it was understood that something quite exceptional was being planned for that autumn. Bilbo was going to be eleventy-one, 111, a rather curious number, and a very respectable age for a hobbit (the Old Took himself had only reached 130); and Frodo was going to be thirty-three, 33, an important number: the date of his ‘coming of age'.
Tongues began to wag in Hobbiton and Bywater; and rumour of the coming event travelled all over the Shire. The history and character of Mr. Bilbo Baggins became once again the chief topic of conversation; and the older folk suddenly found their reminiscences in welcome demand.
No one had a more attentive audience than old Ham Gamgee, commonly known as the Gaffer. He held forth at The Ivy Bush, a small inn on the Bywater road; and he spoke with some authority, for he had tended the garden at Bag End for forty years, and had helped old Holman in the same job before that. Now that he was himself growing old and stiff in the joints, the job was mainly carried on by his youngest son, Sam Gamgee. Both father and son were on very friendly terms with Bilbo and Frodo. They lived on the Hill itself, in Number 3 Bagshot Row just below Bag End.
‘A very nice well-spoken gentlehobbit is Mr. Bilbo, as I've always said, the Gaffer declared. With perfect truth: for Bilbo was very polite to him, calling him ‘Master Hamfast', and consulting him constantly upon the growing of vegetables-in the matter of ‘roots', especially potatoes, the Gaffer was recognized as the leading authority by all in the neighbourhood (including himself).
‘But what about this Frodo that lives with him?' asked Old Noakes of Bywater. ‘Baggins is his name, but he's more than half a Brandybuck, they say. It beats me why any Baggins of Hobbiton should go looking for a wife away there in Buckland, where folks are so queer.
‘And no wonder they're queer,' put in Daddy Twofoot (the Gaffer's next-door neighbour), ‘if they live on the wrong side of the Brandywine River, and right agin the Old Forest. That's a dark bad place, if half the tales be true.
‘You' re right, Dad!' said the Gaffer. ‘Not that the Brandybucks of Buckland live in the Old Forest; but they're a queer breed, seemingly. They fool about with boats on that big river-and that isn't natural. Small wonder that trouble came of it, I say. But be that as it may, Mr. Frodo is as nice a young hobbit as you could wish to meet. Very much like ...
When Mr. Bilbo Baggins of Bag End announced that he would shortly be celebrating his eleventy-first birthday with a party of special magnificence, there was much talk and excitement in Hobbiton.
Bilbo was very rich and very peculiar, and had been the wonder of the Shire for sixty years, ever since his remarkable dis- appearance and unexpected return. The riches he had brought back from his travels had now become a local legend, and it was popularly believed, whatever the old folk might say, that the Hill at Bag End was full of tunnels stuffed with treasure. And if that was not enough for fame, there was also his prolonged vigour to marvel at. Time wore on, but it seemed to have little effect on Mr. Baggins. At ninety he was much the same as at fifty. At ninety-nine they began to call him well-preserved; but unchanged would have been nearer the mark. There were some that shook their heads and thought this was too much of a good thing; it seemed unfair that anyone should possess (apparently) perpetual youth as well as (reputedly) inexhaustible wealth.
‘It will have to be paid for,' they said. ‘It isn't natural, and trouble will come of it!
But so far trouble had not come; and as Mr. Baggins was generous with his money, most people were willing to forgive him his oddities and his good fortune. He remained on visiting terms with his relatives (except, of course, the Sackville-Bagginses), and he had many devoted admirers among the hobbits of poor and unimportant families. But he had no close friends, until some of his younger cousins began to grow up.
The eldest of these, and Bilbo's favourite, was young Frodo Baggins. When Bilbo was ninety-nine he adopted Frodo as his heir, and brought him to live at Bag End; and the hopes of the Sackville-Bagginses were finally dashed. Bilbo and Frodo happened to have the same birthday, September 22nd. ‘You had better come and live here, Frodo my lad,' said Bilbo one day; ‘and then we can celebrate our birthday-parties comfortably together.' At that time Frodo was still in his tweens, as the hobbits called the irresponsible twenties between childhood and coming of age at thirty-three.
Twelve more years passed. Each year the Bagginses had given very lively combined birthday-parties at Bag End; but now it was understood that something quite exceptional was being planned for that autumn. Bilbo was going to be eleventy-one, 111, a rather curious number, and a very respectable age for a hobbit (the Old Took himself had only reached 130); and Frodo was going to be thirty-three, 33, an important number: the date of his ‘coming of age'.
Tongues began to wag in Hobbiton and Bywater; and rumour of the coming event travelled all over the Shire. The history and character of Mr. Bilbo Baggins became once again the chief topic of conversation; and the older folk suddenly found their reminiscences in welcome demand.
No one had a more attentive audience than old Ham Gamgee, commonly known as the Gaffer. He held forth at The Ivy Bush, a small inn on the Bywater road; and he spoke with some authority, for he had tended the garden at Bag End for forty years, and had helped old Holman in the same job before that. Now that he was himself growing old and stiff in the joints, the job was mainly carried on by his youngest son, Sam Gamgee. Both father and son were on very friendly terms with Bilbo and Frodo. They lived on the Hill itself, in Number 3 Bagshot Row just below Bag End.
‘A very nice well-spoken gentlehobbit is Mr. Bilbo, as I've always said, the Gaffer declared. With perfect truth: for Bilbo was very polite to him, calling him ‘Master Hamfast', and consulting him constantly upon the growing of vegetables-in the matter of ‘roots', especially potatoes, the Gaffer was recognized as the leading authority by all in the neighbourhood (including himself).
‘But what about this Frodo that lives with him?' asked Old Noakes of Bywater. ‘Baggins is his name, but he's more than half a Brandybuck, they say. It beats me why any Baggins of Hobbiton should go looking for a wife away there in Buckland, where folks are so queer.
‘And no wonder they're queer,' put in Daddy Twofoot (the Gaffer's next-door neighbour), ‘if they live on the wrong side of the Brandywine River, and right agin the Old Forest. That's a dark bad place, if half the tales be true.
‘You' re right, Dad!' said the Gaffer. ‘Not that the Brandybucks of Buckland live in the Old Forest; but they're a queer breed, seemingly. They fool about with boats on that big river-and that isn't natural. Small wonder that trouble came of it, I say. But be that as it may, Mr. Frodo is as nice a young hobbit as you could wish to meet. Very much like ...
