The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
|
List Price: Our Price: $55.97 You Save: $44.03 (44%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $40.93 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of The Lord of the Rings
Book Review: World of Tolkien
Summary: 5 Stars
It was C.S. Lewis who said:" Here are beauties which pierce like swords and burn like cold iron; here is a book that will break your your heart... good beyond hope" and was completely correct, although if you cannot see what he means, once you read it will be clear. This book shows the divine line between good and evil and how evil can overcome good like a shadow. But shadows are only temporary and evil can only destroy itself. The Lord of the Rings is a book that will win your heart, mind, and soul . Tolkien has created a world so real ,loving, and terrible that you would wish it were like your own. The book is finely descriptioned and will make you think that you yourslef lived there. Tolkien puts it in words that should never be changed or revised becasue history should never be changed or revised. The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King is one novel consisting of three books containing two books in each. This story is about a Hobbit, a hairy footed stump high little man, who destiny was not intended on his own nor by the Ring of Power. On his mission to destroy which he grows to utterly love is a compelling story for the household and the mind.Book Review: Worthy Collection
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a beautiful three volume set with illustrations by Alan Lee. My only complaint with the illustrations is that I wish their were even more of them! =) I am reading The Two Towers book now and I count 15 illustrations in it. The three books seem to have roughly the same number in each but I haven't actually counted. Some reviewers have commented that the use of glossy paper throughout the book caused glare or eye strain but I haven't noticed any problems like that and I have read them outside in bright light and at night by dim lighting. My only comment is that my volumes had some mild ink smearing in places which I think the glossy paper might be more prone to do. I guess I would have had a slight preference for matte paper for the text but I haven't been bothered by the glossy paper. I have enjoyed following the travels on the maps drawn on the inside covers. The set comes in a sturdy box covered with Alan Lee illustrations and each book is nicely bound and has gold outside lettering. The dust jackets also sport Alan Lee illustrations. A beautiful set to own that you can enjoy and even pass down like an heirloom.Book Review: Five stars is beyond stingy!
Summary: 5 Stars
No matter what edition you have of Lord of the Rings, what's important is thast you have it. Not three books, but in reality one whole book in three volumes, Lord of the Rings is, IMO, the greatest novel ever written. Filled with awe and majesty that pervades the O so real world of Middle Earth, this is a tale about power, heroism, coming of age, and much more, telling the magical story of the young hobbit, Frodo, sacrificing all to do what he knows is right. I will not reveal any more, for it is an experience that one must face alone. I'll just say that it comes to the most climactic ending I've ever read. Don't take the story literally of course: everyone should know that good and evil do not exist in people the way they do here. It is however, a picture of what goes on within us all as we try to find our inner goodness. Lord of the Rings is essentially a god as a fairy tale is a human; an immensely enhanced form of the fairy tale for all to read and enjoy. Don't take my word for it: read it yourself. It will change your life.(note: for best effect, read the book first, THEN see the movies)
Book Review: Beautiful edition, but heavy volumes
Summary: 5 Stars
Others have already left excellent reviews of this edition [ISBN 0-618-26051-X] and of the book, but I wanted to address a couple of points made by reviewers.
1) I'm not having any difficulty with the glare cited by one reviewer. While it's true that all of the pages are glossy, not just the illustrations, this has not caused me any eyestrain or irritation. Changing the book's angle to the light resolves the issue easily.
2) The bigger challenge is the weight of the individual volumes. I chose this edition over the one-volume ones, because those seem to me to be more for display than reading. Even divided into three parts, however, these hardcover volumes are too heavy to hold unsupported for long. You will want to rest them on something, and those with wrist issues may want to consider the paperback editions.
Overall, however, I agree with other reviewers that these are beautiful books with color illustrations, 2-color maps, and clear text (not too tiny). They offer a middle way between a truly massive one-volume and less displayable paperback versions.
Book Review: Words cannot describe LOTR
Summary: 5 Stars
How many of the so called great authors have created such a detailed and original world? Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, The Silmarillion, and the rest of Tolkien's books based in Middle-Earth are without question the greatest story ever written. It's almost mind boggling of how a man can create a world in his mind, and then write a complete history of it. Who needs Shakespeare? What he wrote was all about finding "hidden meanings" and "reading between the lines". Tolkien was a true literary genius. Instead of writing a novel to be analyzed in a classroom, he created an imaginary universe that everyone can enjoy. No one can hope to ever write a story close to Lord of the Rings' greatness. I would recommend this book to any person in the world. If you havn't read Lord of the Rings, you are a deprived person. I don't give this book five stars. Five stars is an insult to Tolkien. I give Lord of the Rings a 20 star rating, and even that is an understatement.
Other Recommendations: The Hobbit, The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales of Middle-Earth, and the Lord of the Rings Movie Trilogy.