Reviews of Books by J.R.R Tolkien

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The Hobbit

When he published his first novel no fiction work from the Fantasy Genre had made it into the bestsellers lists. Tolkien changed that with his first masterpiece; The Hobbit, which although had a slow start, and not popular with the critics, quickly became a popular book, and the story of Bilbo Baggins became well known to most children of that Generation. It tells the story of how Bilbo, a Hobit of the Shire had a Grand Adventure involving Dwarves, Magicians, Elves, Eagles and even The Big People (humans), plus of course the Orcs/Goblins and the wolves they call Wargs which were enemy to all.

It tells of how Bilbo helped destroy the evil dragon, Smaug the Magnificent, and restore the Dwarvish Heirs of Durin to there rightful Kindom; The Lonely Mountain. On the way Bilbo and his companions meet Elrond the Wise, are abducted by Orcs, chased by wargs (wild wolves) befriended by the Eagles, helped by a giant man who can change his shape to that of a giant Bear, lost in an evily enchanted wood, imprisoned by Elves and eventuall winning a great battle with the men, elves and eagles against the orcs and wargs...

And yet more sinister than all of this, and more importantly to Tolkien fans; Bilbo beat Smeagol in a game of Riddles and won a ring.......

Today The Hobbit is still one of the most popular Fantasy books ever written, even though it was first published some 60 years ago (1937).

The Lord of the Rings

The Fellowship of the Ring

The Lord of the Rings is split up into six books, with two books in each of the three volumes.

The first volume of three in Tolkien's great masterpiece The Lord of the Rings. The fellowship starts with Bilbo's departure from the shire to "see Mountains again!", leaving his adopted heir and nephew Frodo the wealth and privelidge of being THE Mr. Baggins of Bag End. More importantly though, Bilbo, after a struggle, gives up The Ring and gives it to Frodo. After a number of years of happiness in the Shire, Frodo begins to hear odd stories from the world outside the Shire and that Sauron has once more returned to his fortress in Mordor, Barad-Dur. At this time, Gandalf the Grey returns to the Shire to show to Frodo (and to prove to himself) that his ring is the ruling ring of power, and that Frodo must set out for Rivendell, the home of Elrond, where it can be decided what should be done with the Ring.

Frodo sets off with three friends; Meriadoc Brandybuck, Pergrin Took and Samwise Gamgee, also known as Merry, Pippin and Sam.. They set off for Rivendell, passing through the old forest, where they are rescued from Old Man Willow, an evil ent (see The Two Towers), from Tom Bombadil, the oldest living thing on Middle Earth. Tom led the Hobbit's to Bree, where the Hobbit's spend the night in an inn called The Prancing Pony, where they meet Strider, a ranger out of the wilds. It is here that he first proclaims himself as Aragorn son of Arathorn, Chieftan of the Dunedain of the North, who are the wondering people, the remnants of what was once the great kingdom of Arnor, the sister kingdom of Gondor in the South. Strider (from hereon known as Aragorm) promises to lead them to Rivendell, by the safest routes, away from the roads and in the wilds, protecting them from the eyes of the enemy, and the Nazgul, the nine mortal men enslaved by Sauron by the gift of nine rings of power many years before (also known as ringwraiths). On the way to rivendell they encounter the Nazgul at night upon a hill known as Weathertop or Amon Sul. Frodo suucombs and puts on the Ring, at which point he is plunged into the world of the Nazgul, and is attacked by one. He is wounded, and a fragment of the blade breaks off in his arm. This acts as a deadly device which moves towards his heart. If it reaches Frodo's heart he will become a wraith himself. So all haste was made for Rivendell. Upon there way they met the elf lord Glorfindel, who tells Aragorn that he was sent to look for them. Inspecting Frodo, he declares that the wound is beyond his ability to cure, and that only the hands of Elrond could save him now. Glorfindel places Frodo on his horse and quickly they head for Rivendell. As they approach the Fords of Bruinen the wraiths appear to try one last time to capture Frodo and the ring. However, Frodo, now mounted, is saved by the horse of Glorfindel, Arod, who bears him safely across the Fords. As the wraiths try to enter the Fords, a flood suddenly rushes down, under the control of Elrond and Gandalf, and washes them away. Frodo now safely reaches Rivendell, but is gravely ill and passes out, and with him ends the first book in the Lord of the Rings.

The second book starts with Frodo waking up in the house of Elrond having been cured by the master of the house. He is astonished to see sitting by him Bilbo himself, and they at once fall into talking about the Shire and old times. The next day they are summoned, not Merry, Pippin and Sam, to the council of Elrond. Here Frodo meets a number of guests: Gloin the dwarf, Gimli,, his son, Boromir, the son of the Lord of Gondor, Legolas, son of the King of the Elves of Mirkwood and finally the mighty Elrond himself. It is here that Aragorn and Gandalf are revealed to be men of both power and wisdom and are highly respected by all. Here Aragorn reveals Narsil, the sword of Elendil that was broken when he smote Sauron at the end of the second age. He first publicly admits his intentions to reclaim the throne of both Gondor and Arnor, even though he doesn't openly declare his heritage. Rather it is Elrond that pushes him in that direction. Boromir, the son of the Lord and Steward of Gondor is disbelieving. Bilbo then speaks the words of a poem he wrote many years before in honour of Aragorn.

All that is gold does not glitter,

Not all those who wander are lost;

The old that is strong does not wither,

Deep roots are not touched by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,

A light from the shadows shall spring;

Renewed shall be blade that was broken:

"The crownless again shall be king.

Boromir explains his presence saying that he followed a dream which came to both him and his brother, Faramir:

Seek for the sword that was broken:

In Imladris it dwells;

There shall be counsels taken

Stronger than Morgul-spells.

There shall be shown a token

That dome is near at hand,

For Isildur's Bane shall waken,

And the Halfling forth shall stand.

Gandalf tells Frodo to show the council the ring, and so end the riddle that had plagued Boromir. The council decided that the ring was to be destroyed, after acknowledging that only the three elven rings remained apart from the master ring of Sauron which Frodo now had. However the only way to destroy it is to take it right into Mordor, the homeland of Sauron, and throw it into the fire of Orodruin, called Mount Doom by the Men of Gondor. Frodo offers to go, and Elrond advises that only a small company should go, as stealth is the best option as a war of arms against Sauron could not be won. The company was to be of nine, to vie with the nine Nazgul of Mordor. The chosen nine are: Frodo the Ring bearer and his faithful servant Sam, Aragorn, son of Arathorn and Boromir son of Denenthor, Lord of Minas Tirith, to represent man, Gimli son of Gloin to represent the dwarves, Legolas Greenleaf for the elves, and finally Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrion Took of the Shire. Gandalf also goes to fill the complement and is to be there guide on there journey across Middle Earth and to the fire in which the Ring was made. They set off at the beginning of winter, and hope to cross the misty mountains by way of the Red Horn gate, yet snow on the high pass forces them to turn back. Chased by wolves and spied upon by the evil crows of an undetermined enemy, Sauron or Saruman the white, a colleague of Gandalf who has set himself up in opposition to Mordor and Sauron and enemy to elves and men alike, they are forced to take refuge in the Mines of Moria. Moria was an ancient realm of the Dwarves, but was abandoned due to the releasing of a great evil, and was left for the orcs to plunder. It is in Moria that Frodo learns that mithril was the only reason that Moria was the greatest of the ancient dwarfish realms, for here alone was it found and that it became the most valuable metal in middle earth. Frodo had been given a mithril coat by Bilbo before leaving Rivendell and learns that it is worth more than the entire Shire!!

As they journey through Moria they discover a large chamber. It is here they discover the tomb of Balin son of Fundin, who was one of Bilbo companions on his adventure long ago. Gimli is saddened by this but the ever practical Gandalf discover the Dwarf colonies records. It tells a harrowing tale of the destruction of the colony by the orcs and the afore mentioned great evil. Suddenly the chamber is attacked by orcs. They manage to seal the door, but not until after Frodo has been hit by a spear. Aragorn killed the offending orc with a single blow to the head. At this time something powerful approaches the door. Gandalf tells the others to flee down the back stairs while he attempts to lock the door with magic. He soon follows them and tells them that he manaaged to block the chamber after losing the door. They start to head down in to the bowels of Moriaa when Gandalf recognises where they are. He directs them. Suddenly they hear the banging of drums. They run and come to a narrow bridge across a great chasm. They start to go over it when orcs appear. But they seem somewhat restrained. Suddenly a great monster appears. A monster of darkness. Legolas shouts in alarm "Aye! A Balrog has come!" Gimli closes his eye and whispers "Durin's bane". Gandalf look defeated and says "A balrog. I am already tired" They run across the bridge. Gandalf gives them instructions on how to leaves Moria from here, and turns to face his adversary. He draws his sword and declares "I am a servant of the Secret Fire, holder of the Flame of Arnor" As the balrog steps on to the bridge Gandalf destroys it, dropping the balrog into the chasm. As he falls he uses a whip and drags Gandalf in. We hear the words "Run you fools! Run!" Nothing more of Gandalf was heard.

Aragorn stirs the company and leads them out of Moria. They run down to Lothlorien, an elven city in the middle of a vast woods.

The Two Towers

The Two Towers is the second novel to the Lord of the Rings Trilogy and chronicles the Time leading up to the war at the end of the Third Age in middle earthe between Sauron and Gondor and it's allies. It tells of Aragorn's ride with the host of the Rohirrim, Saruman's defeat at Helm's Deep and the destruction of Isengard by the Ents, Frodo's passage through the Emyn Muil, Ithilien all with the help of Smeagol (Gollum)

The Return of the King

The final novel in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, complete with the extensive index and appendices. It tells of how the men of Gondor and Rohan won the first great battle on the fields of the Pelennor of Minas Tirith.