The first truly serious fantasy, the one that jump-started the genre!
Penned by an Oxford professor with a great deal of imagination, "The
Hobbit" and "Lord of the Rings" have never stopped captivating the
readers. (The thousand-page knockoffs have never equalled it)

Written to amuse his children, "The Hobbit" is the tale of
mild-mannered Bilbo Baggins, a peaceful little hobbit who is plucked
from the security of his everyday life and into an adventure.
Accompanied by eccentric wizard Gandalf and a group of bad-tempered
dwarves, he sets off to defeat a dragon and gain treasure whether he
likes it or not - and inadvertantly finds much more than gold. Though
this first story is connected to the trilogy, it can be read alone.

"Hobbit" was written in a very different style than the other books,
but it was a children's book. It's a little less serious, a little
more comical, and a little less realistic than the books that follow
it. The dwarves aren't as dignified, the Elves are fluffier, and
Gandalf is a great deal weirder.

"Fellowship of the Rings" picks up where the prequel leaves off.
Bilbo's young relative Frodo is left the magical Ring that Bilbo left
behind him - but Gandalf soon reveals the true nature of the Ring.
Frodo and his loyal companions set out to destroy it, from the
ethereal gardens of Lothlorien to the depths of Moria's mines.

"The Two Towers" returns us as Frodo and Sam are heading for Mordor,
with a strange presence following them. Gandalf, Aragorn, Gimli and
Legolas are attempting to ward off attack by both Mordor and the evil
wizard Saruman.

"Return of the King" brings the trilogy to both a wider scale across
Middle-Earth, and an explosive conclusion (literally). As Frodo and
Sam struggle to destroy the Ring, Aragorn must attempt to save the
city of Minis Tirith - but he can't hope to succeed as long as the
Ring exists. This is a much grittier book than the previous ones,
including the aftereffects of battle and what the heroes have to do
then. While the ending is ultimately happy, there is a bittersweet
quality to it.

Tolkien populated the land of Middle-Earth with an assortment of
mythical creatures: elves, dwarves, wizards, dragons, goblins,
demonic Black Riders, and so forth. But he did not simply make them a
part of the story. Each species has its individual background,
language, and culture that was meticulously created.

One thing that makes these stories so appealing is that good and evil
are clearly drawn. Sauron and the Black Riders are the stuff of
nightmares, and the orcs have no redeeming characteristics. Most
elves and men are on the side of good, as are hobbits and dwarves.
But, moral redemption is also shown, when Boromir falls under the
Ring's spell and manages to redeem himself.

That isn't to say that the good guys are not flawed. Gandalf is
extremely impatient, the hobbits often do stupid things, and Aragorn
often shows chinks in his seemingly perfect shell.

Some people say that these books should not be read by children.
That's ridiculous. If a kid picked this book up, he would find a
unique fantasy world almost as real as this one, with fantasy heroes
he can admire. There is no sex and no profanity, though there is
battle violence, but Tolkien skimps deliberately on the details. Best
of all, the story makes you THINK.

The works of JRR Tolkien are unparalleled in modern literature.
Though some may find it slow and boring compared to the usual
sword-and-sorcery fare, if you get through it you will see just what
the fuss is about!

Copyright c)2001 LA Solinas