This Lord of the Rings, by J. R. R. Tolkien, is my favorite work of fiction. I dedicated my book, Artists, Myth & Hope, published by Grant Hudson of Clarendon House Publications, to the great writer, philologist, and mythmaker Tolkien.

It is amazing to me that although Tolkien sadly was an orphan, and lost many of his friends in the hell of WWI, he was still able to function, became an incredible Oxford professor, believed in a good and loving Creator, married his beloved Edith, who was also an orphan, and inspired his Luthien and Arwen characters in his mythology, and gave the world some great works of literature like The Hobbit, The Silmarillion, and his masterpiece The Lord of The Rings.

This man is such an inspiration to me, and his works have made me weep tears of joy, inspires me to pursue my passion for writing, literature, and art with all that I have, live out my faith, love people of different worldviews, love with passion, strive to be gentle, kind, brave, honest, and jovial.

Save time... watch the movies. This book can appeal only to a linguist. The underlying story is great, but it is buried under an avalance of horribly annoying songs and poems that do nothing to advance the story. They just take up space. I diligently read every last one, hoping that they held some deep meaning in relation to the story, but if there is one, it is so obscure that it serves no purpose. Also, the book is all about walking. Yes, I know they are on an epic quest, and there has to be soul-searching, etc., but the amount of detail regarding the walking is a snoozer! 45 pages of walking and 3 pages for a huge battle. AUGH! I know that this is a masterpiece, and I agree that the plot line is a beautiful tale of good and evil and power and corruption. However, reading this series was a drudgery. The only really good part that you miss in the movies is when the hobits return to the Shire in the last three chapters of The Return of the King. If you want a Tolkien fix, I'd reccommend The Hobbit.

So good, I’m tempted to read it again.

This is the story of Frodo who goes on an impossible quest to destroy a very powerful and magical ring. Along the way, Frodo travels with various characters, and they find themselves constantly in peril.

This book was very challenging for a variety of reasons. It has a completely different world with completely new beings (hobbits, etc.) while the book flows as if you know all about these creatures. Additionally, it was so different from reality that it was difficult to visualize. This was one of the rare instances where I feel that the movie was better than the book. The quest is extremely long, and it kept reiterating the fact that they are taking on a quest that might not be successful. Although it served as a good reminder to really challenge oneself, it was very repetitive, and my patience was wearing thin in a 1,000+ page book. It also was extremely slow going in places (more than 100 pages just to leave to go on the adventure). Personally, I felt that it was such a chore to read this book, and it derailed my entire reading plan for 2020. The Hobbit was much shorter and straight to the point.

That being said, Tolkien created entire worlds. That creativity has laid the foundation for so many other authors and stories. This book has inspired people to dream dreams. It just didn't inspire me. However, I feel that I would be remiss if I didn't note that the impact this book has had in the world and on arts/literature even in the present year. I could reread a page or two, but I would not want to read this book again.

The ending....after 1,000+ pages, it seemed very abrupt. And I was left thinking, "Um why didn't they just do that in the beginning to destroy the ring?!"

2025 Reading Schedule
JantA Town Like Alice
FebtBirdsong
MartCaptain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Berniere
AprtWar and Peace
MaytThe Woman in White
JuntAtonement
JultThe Shadow of the Wind
AugtJude the Obscure
SeptUlysses
OcttVanity Fair
NovtA Fine Balance
DectGerminal

Connect With Me!
Blog Twitter BookTube Facebook Insta My Bookstore at Pango

Leggere Il Signore degli Anelli ad alcuni sembra un'impresa impossibile, vuoi per la mole decisamente ingombrante,vuoi per il tipo di scrittura,ma vi assicuro che la vera impresa è tentare di recensirlo!
Quando ho iniziato a leggerlo l'unica cosa a cui riuscivo a pensare era perchè non l'avevo letto prima, questo romanzo è "Il Libro"!
Non credo ci sia bisogno di riassumere la trama, tutti sommariamente sanno di cosa si parla,grazie anche ai film basati sul romanzo,quindi direi di iniziare così...

Tre anelli ai re degli Elfi sotto il cielo che risplende,
Sette ai Principi dei Nani nelle lor rocche di pietra,
Nove agli Uomini Mortali che la triste morte attende
Uno per l'Oscuro Sire chiuso nella reggia tetra
Nella Terra di Mordor, dove l'Ombra nera scende.
Un Anello per domarli, Un Anello per trovarli,
Un Anello per ghermirli e nel buio incatenarli,
Nella Terra di Mordor, dove l'Ombra cupa scende.

L'anello da cui tutto parte e che scatena gli eventi devastanti che portano tutte le razze della Terra di Mezza a unirsi per combattere l'Oscuro Sire di Mordor.
Elfi, Nani, Uomini e Hobbit uniti contro l'Ombra. Al centro della vicenda proprio gli Hobbit, questi piccoli esseri che possono essere scambiati per bambini, ma provvisti di tanto coraggio e dignità. E proprio a Frodo, Hobbit della Contea, sarà affidato il compito di distruggere l'Anello gettandolo nella lava del Monte Fato. Insieme a lui una compagnia eterogenea composta da altri tre Hobbit, Sam, Merry e Pipino, da Gandalf il Grigio, dal Ramingo Aragorn, dall'elfo Legolas, dal nano Gimli e da Boromir di Gondor.
La Compagnia dell'Anello inizia il suo viaggio animata dalla speranza, ma fin troppo presto le trappole di Sauron li mettono a dura prova...
Il romanzo si divide in tre parti e le vicende e i personaggi che si alternano tra le pagine sono così tanti da rendere questo romanzo una vera e propria epopea fantasy!
Sulla trama c'è davvero poco da dire, ma devo assolutamente spendere qualche parola per l'autore, Tolkien era un genio! Ha creato tutto un mondo dove ambientare la sua storia e non ha tralasciato nulla. Oltre alla storia principale anche il background è estremamente dettagliato, l'ambientazione, i personaggi e le loro discendenze, ogni cosa è perfettamente studiata per dare l'impressione al lettore di non star semplicemente leggendo una storia, ma piuttosto di essere entrati in un altro mondo!
Inoltre ho trovato lo stile di Tolkien per nulla pesante, anzi è poetico, magico e fa delle descrizioni talmente belle da permettere a chi le legge di vedere esattamente quel che lui stava immaginando mentre scriveva!
Le oltre 1000 pagine sono letteralmente volate via, per me è stato impossibile mettere giù il libro nonostante avessi già visto svariate volte i film, film che io ho apprezzato moltissimo, anche se solamente adesso, dopo aver letto il libro, mi rendo conto quanto poco mostrino della Terra di Mezzo.
I personaggi sono molto più complessi e dettagliati. I veri protagonisti della storia sono gli Hobbit che, piccoli piccoli, compiono gradi imprese divenendo eroi e mostrando a tutti che non sono l'altezza o le dimensioni a fare il coraggio di una persona!
Frodo con le sue insicurezze e gli alti e bassi nel ruolo di Portatore dell'Anello è contrapposto al coraggioso Sam, lui che partito come il più timido dei quattro Hobbit diventa invece la forza di Frodo, colui che lo aiuta a portare a termine la sua missione. Una volta letta tutta la storia si realizza che senza Sam Frodo avrebbe fatto poco...
Gli altri personaggi, elfi,nani,uomini, sono tutti perfettamente caratterizzati. Ritroviamo il ramingo Aragorn divenuto Re, l'insostituibile Gandalf, la meravigliosa amicizia tra Gimli e Legolas, il coraggio di Eomer, la forza di Eowyn e le battute di Merry e Pipino.
E' impossibile non affezionarsi alla storia e ai personaggi, nonostante già sapessi come sarebbe andata a finire mi sono ritrovata a fare il tifo per Frodo e Sam, a sperare in Aragorn, ad ammirare i coraggiosi Cavalieri di Rohan e a sospirare di tristezza all'addio ai Porti Grigi...
Non ho letto solo un libro, ho fatto un vero viaggio nella Terra di Mezzo! Ho viaggiato con la Compagnia tra paludi e montagne,ho visto la bellezza di Lothlòrien, ho accompagnato Frodo su per la scala infinita, ho combattuto accanto a Eomer e i suoi Rohirrim, ho visto Aragorn diventare Re Elessar e ho visto salpare le ultime navi dai Porti Grigi...

"Non vi dirò: "Non piangete!" Perchè non tutte le lacrime sono un male!"

Non dimenticherò facilmente quest'avventura, quello di Tolkien è uno di quei libri che lasciano un segno profondo, perchè oltre la storia, oltre le righe ci sono messaggi di speranza, ci sono il vero amore e la leale amicizia!Un romanzo indimenticabile, una lettura imperdibile!

Every reading journey has a beginning, even if that beginning comes across as lame as hell in the retelling. My beginning with this particular book occurred on a wedding anniversary date. I was a few cran and vodkas over the limit and had decided that a nice leisurely stroll through the bookstore would help clear my head before venturing on to our next destination, the grocery store. Yes, you read that right. My anniversary date celebration consisted of booze, books and groceries. I’m pretty sure if you google anniversary gifts by year for the modern working couple with children you will see this exact scenario listed under year sixteen. If it isn’t there I vote it should be because silver hollowware, who actually wants that?

ANYWAY

When I happened upon this ginormous book in all of its leather bound glory I knew that I had to possess it. I realized that buying it would force me to read it sooner than later and it was a book that had lived on my mental to-read list for a very long time. What I didn’t consider was the size of the book and how difficult it would be for me to lug it around everywhere I went. Sober me would have thought of this and went for the story broken out across three books instead of one. Tipsy me saw the fancy binding, smelled the pages and could care less about my future suffering. I saw my precious and nothing was going to stop me from making it my own, especially not commonsense.

My reading stretched on for weeks on end and every day the book got heavier and more cumbersome (if you aren’t singing 7M3 right now then you can’t call yourself my friend). A few chapters in and I decided to get a tote to make my traveling easier and to protect my precious from rain, stains and torn pages. I was Frodo and the tote became my Sam. Without my durable new friend I would have been miserable and it would have taken me a hell of a lot longer to finish one of the best stories I have read in a while. I also wouldn’t have been able to enjoy the characters I had fallen hard for in all of the various locations I was able to visit because of it. Exciting locations such as the doctor’s waiting room and a hotel room in Texas, to name a few.

Five stars to a book that taught me to appreciate epic journeys and all of the friends you might find along the way and zero stars to a specific edition of that same book that taught me not to visit the bookstore under the influence of alcohol. (Just kidding, the book is gorgeous and it makes a great new addition to my real bookshelf.)

Y me zúa loh cohone. Qué ganas tenía de esta reseña.
Por donde empezar... porque el principio no hay muchas ganas. 500 páginas de la más absoluta nada. No vemos ni a los personajes. Ir del punto A, al B, al C y así hasta dar 70 vueltas al abecedario. Me la suda que el libro se escribiera en 1950, la imaginación de Tolkien, o la gastó en El Hobbit (que ni he leído ni tengo intención) o es un invento de la agenda 2030.
Vladimir Propp escribió en 1928 laMorfología del cuento, pero no fue hasta que TOLKIEN J R R se sentó delante de una máquina de escribir que los clichés y los estereotipos fueron ejemplificados como era debido. Historia genérica como no podría hacerse ni queriendo, en la que no pasa nada nunca, pero por alguna razón todo el mundo está siempre diciendo que han pasado cosas.
Los primeros dos libros (la primera peli) se siente como que estén hablando todo el rato de una fiesta a la que no te invitaron. Es más, se siente como entrar en el Tivoli en 2025, imaginas (o quieres hacerlo) que en algún momento estuvo chulo, pero solo quedan señales gastadas y actores mal pagados que están por hacer bulto.
Hablemos de la lucha entre el bien y el mal. Los buenos son buenos porque van de blanco y los malos, porque van de negro. Esto es literalmente así durante todo el libro. Sauron, el principal villano, que amenaza todo el continente, NO APARECE. Literalmente solo se le menciona, pero termina la obra y resulta que todo este tiempo estuvo de vacaciones o algo. Que también me podéis decir cómo tirar un Anillo que él no tenía a una raja en la tierra le hace perder todo el poder que sí tenía. ¿Por qué los orcos le seguían? Bueno, si tienen dudas de algo, lo hizo un mago. ¿Qué poderes tenía? Pues malos, supongo. Porque vivía en una torre negra. O eso dicen, tampoco se llega a entrar.
Y eso por no hablar de Frodo, el protagonista que menos puntos de vista tiene para él. Y tambi´ne el que menos sangre. Los personajes son malos de cojones, pero lo de Frodo es otro nivel. Este intento de embajador de la ONU nepobaby pjipi me pone negro. No hace absolutamente nada y a veces da la sensación de que un escritor normal insertaría en algún pasaje un capítulo suyo. Pero no.
Ah bueno, y siempre cuenta las cosas a posteriori. Tolkien ve mucho mejor contarme en capítulos sueltos, cuando ya ha pasado y no tiene nada que ver, los background de los peresonajes que podrían aportarle un mínimo de carisma. La historia de amor de Aragorn siendo un MILF hunter habría estado bien en algún punto de las 1050 páginas en las que aparece, no en un epílogo al final del libro donde me cuentas 200 años en 3 páginas.
Porque bueno. Hablemos de los tiempos, de las batallas y los puntos de inflexión. El crítico que dijo por primera vez que esto era fantasía épica, que me digan donde está enterrao porque voy a cagarle en la lápida. Las "grandes batallas" duran 2 páginas, tirando a lo mucho, eso si no las omite para que luego las cuente un personaje en un parrafito de diálogo. Que no pasa nada si estabas traumatizado por la guerra y no querías escribir violencia, pero en ese caso habértelo pensado antes de escribir una historia de guerra del fin del mundo, vamos, digo yo. El final del anillo NO LLEGA A LA PÁGINA. Y sin embargo la charla intrascendente de los personajes indiferenciables, fotocopias unos de los otros, se extiende páginas y páginas. La llegada de Aragorn (épica en teoría porque nadie lo esperaba) fueron 2 párrafos, la retahíla de príncipes del chichinabo hablando con sirvientes irrelevantes diciendo LO MISMO se extendió por QUINCE PÁGINAS.
Si no me aprendí la lista de los reyes visigodos, qué te hace creer que me voy a poner a memorizar los reyes con todos sus putos muertos (literalmente, lo llaman por su nombre y el de sus ancestros), para que encima, tanto sus países como su comportamiento sea... el mismo. Literalmente el mismo, son el mismo personaje pero con un nombre fruto de aporrear el teclado con un objeto diferente.
No voy a hablar de las mujeres. Me reservo el tema para el vídeo y el 8M. Pero vamos, que me has enseñado decenas de criaturas mitológicas, pero parece que la más rara de encontrar son las hembras. Sólo aparecen Galadriel, cuyo cometido es ser mona y dar souvenirs, y Eowyn, cuyo cometido es hacer la de Mulan pero mal y hacer que un hombre se conforme con ser el segundo plato.
Decepción absoluta, no entiendo la veneración a este sujetapuertas. No dudo que en el cine sea mejor, sólo vi 1 peli y no me pareció aburrida, pero creo que si alguien dice que El Señor de los Anillos es su saga preferida está a la altura de que venga un alparnawi a decirme que sólo lee libros de desarrollo personal. Las dos estrellas se las puse porque me hace gracia que sea un libro de boyslove donde yo personalmente creo que 6 de 9 de los de la Compañía del anillo se detonaban entre ellos cuando acampaban y eso los hacía más chulos.

Prima rilettura del capolavoro di Tolkien, capolavoro perchè è un'opera così particolareggiata, così densa di sfumature e ideata per essere un'epica avventura dove Tolkien non si focalizza solo su un solo personaggio rendendolo l'eroe incontrastato, ma qui il tutto è protagonista, anzi il lettore stesso lo è. Poi vi sono le appendici e si capisce all'istante di non aver letto una "semplice" storia, ma una storia di storie di altre storie all'interno di un universo, tutto creato da un uomo solo: Tolkien.
La prima volta che lo lessi, mi aveva letteralmente sbalordito, perchè la scrittura è molto ricercata, i personaggi sono molteplici e splendidamente caratterizzati, ma all'epoca non avevo ancora letto "Il Silmarillion". Ora, avendo "Il Silmarillion" che gironzola ancora nelle mia testa, la lettura si è rivelata qualcosa di ancora superiore, riuscivo a collegare molti degli eventi narrati come se fossero parte della Storia e sogghignavo affascinato e con ancora più coinvolgimento della prima volta. Mi son sempre chiesto come Tolkien fosse stato in grado di creare una storia così grandiosa, quella de "Il Signore degli Anelli", ma quella che avevo letto era solo una parte. Quindi Tolkien è un "semplice" essere umano o è un Valar o addirittura Eru in carne ed ossa?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnVlN...

“Home is behind, the world ahead,
and there are many paths to tread
through shadows to the edge of night,
until the stars are all alight.”

The Lord of the Rings stands as one of the best Fantasy novels even more than 66 years after its release. It quickly cemented itself as my personal favorite book of all time and I do not see that changing in the near future.

The Hobbit felt like a true adventure which is something I have come to crave in my fantasy. The Lord of the Rings takes that same base and amplifies everything a hundredfold. Every aspect is taken apart and made grander in comparison. Tolkien managed to create something truly marvelous that will stand the test of time for ages to come.

“But in the end it's only a passing thing, this shadow; even darkness must pass.”

The biggest achievement Tolkien managed is the expertly crafted world. Middle-Earth remains one of the most well-realized and believable in fantasy for a very good reason. Tolkien was an expert in crafting myths and sprinkling history into his novel. There are references and nods to the history of Middle Earth on almost every page. Whether it be in form of songs or old tales the reader is constantly reminded that this is a world that has stood for many millennia. From the languages to the culture - everything just has so much depth to it. I have no doubt in my mind that Tolkien could have written thousands upon thousands of pages concerning everything that has ever happened in Middle-Earth but some things are better left as a myth and a mystery (Even with The Silmarillion there is a lot that we will never know - and I love it!)

“Frodo: I wish none of this had happened.
Gandalf: So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.”

Another thing that managed to pull me into the novel was the writing style. I know that it might feel a little dated to some modern audiences, although to me everything about Tolkien's use of words is just utterly beautiful. The prose is objectively quite immaculate in my eyes and I had joy experiencing it. The expertise of actually writing and crafting beautiful sentences is something that is rarer and rarer these days so I deeply appreciate every work that incorporates even a little of that style.

“I am Aragorn son of Arathorn; and if by life or death I can save you, I will.”

The plot and characters are something I will not delve on for long as most people have a clue of what is going on in this story through popular media. I will say that I deeply encourage people who only know of The Lord of the Rings through said media to pick up the book as well since a lot of aspects are expanded upon that are simply missing from different adaptions. From tone to character motivations - aspects of the story are deeply expanded upon or even completely changed at times and it is worth checking out the novel just based on that alone. For myself, the original stands taller than all other visions of this story and should be experienced by any Fantasy fan.

One thing I do want to point out as well is that this is a traditional Good vs. Evil story which might put some more modern fans off. Right now most of the main trends in Fantasy gravitate towards being morally grey but I believe good stories can be told in any format or direction and I would not write off this story based on that alone as The Lord of the Rings has a lot to keep even modern fans invested.

“I would rather spend one lifetime with you, than face all the ages of this world alone.”

“Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see all ends.”

I believe The Lord of the Rings is a crowning achievement within the entire Fantasy genre. All aspects of it are crafted with love and care and it just picks you up, whisking you away to a mysterious world with many wonders to behold. To me this is a near-perfect work and fully deserves the 10/10 rating I give it and a place among my favorite literature ever created.

For some reason I only marked, 'The fellowship of the ring' as read, when I actually devoured the whole of 'The Lord Of The Rings' in one go!

I read this a loong time ago, when the films came out but I remember loving it. A lot.
Amazing book, amazing films, a wonderful distraction from my finals at uni back in the day

When my parents wanted to wash their hands of me and thereafter treat me with a distanced forbearance - as I sweated it out in a nearby hospital and resisted my coming of age - it seemed the whole world had ganged up on me, though of course it hadn't.

Freaky behaviour must bear its downside.

The Daemon of Self-Pity, though, had begun to DEVOUR me, spitting out tiny bone fragments at the everyday world. Self-inflation precipitates deflation, but - bipolar as I had suddenly become - I dumbly balked at any correction.

I requested that Dad bring me my cigarettes - I had become hooked in that grim place, for I had tried ‘em just to have company in the desperate smoke haze of their common rooms - and asked him to visit me each night. He complied, as I was close to his office, and regularly, too, God bless him.

But with the drugs I received I didn’t know if I was punched, bored or reamed. It was unspeakable horror.

The worst part is that the shrinks started taking any and all diversions away from me, along with my books. Dreams were verboten.

This was one of ‘em: the Bantam Paperbacks three-volume set, a common sight in the sixties, after word of it got out. Tolkien mania was at its zenith, but I had barely cracked open the first one.

But of COURSE I read ‘em all, immediately upon release from Lord Sauron's ward from hell - but through a dense cover of numbing neuroleptic thunderclouds.

But they said it ALL. All three of these books. By throwing the Ring into Mount Doom, we give up the Siege against Reason (our diseased and Irrational Self-Justification).

Alas, we're not much to write home about.

So can Frodo LIVE again?

Yes.

He now has a New Life in Faith!

He's now free at least from his self-inflicted psychiatric armlock over the Ring of Power with the Gollum in that mountainside cave. His "precious" was not worth the bother in retrospect.

Power only corrupts.

Though he wondered at first how the Lord scraped his remains from Mount Doom's volcanic express lane to hell - and though his shocked brain neurons now misfire erratically - he started to sing:

I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain -
I’ve seen sunny days I thought would never end; but

There were lonely times when I could not find a friend.
***

No one gets that Hell is real.

Frodo does...

And I do.

And, because of that -

I've finally relinquished the Ring.

I’m healed.

And glad of it... My life is now Brand New.

For without standing up to my own self-pitying hurt, my heart was hollow.

But, now, if I throw my heart into the fire, it will be returned to me a hundredfold.

Crowned with abundant Life.

Update: (24.06.2024 г.)

Отзивите ми от новия прочит на великолепната трилогия „Властелинът на пръстените“:


„Задругата на пръстена“:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

„Двете кули“:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

„Завръщането на краля“:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...




Първоначално ревю:


„Галадриел! Галадриел!
Чист извор, светлина поел;
звезда във бяла длан сияй,
кристално чист е онзи край
сред Дуиморден, във Лориен
в прекрасния и вечен ден.“


Обожавам „Властелинът на пръстените“... Ако трябваше да избирам само една най-любима книга, това щеше да бъде тя! Средната Земя е великолепен фентъзи свят, към който винаги е огромно удоволствие да се завръщам! Не ми стигат думите да представя достойно прекрасната и изключително мъдра Толкинова творба... Тя е една от книгите, които породиха любовта ми към четенето. Филмите по нея определено са красиви и запомнящи се (като фойерверките на Гандалф), обаче книгата носи несравнимо и много по-задълбочено преживяване! ❤️




„Известно време хобитите продължиха да говорят и да мислят за отминалото пътешествие и за предстоящите опасности; ала такива бяха достойнствата на Ломидол, че скоро страх и тревога отлетяха от душите им. Добро или зло, бъдещето не бе забравено, но губеше всякаква власт над настоящето.“