Product Description

Three-volume paperback boxed set of J.R.R. Tolkien's classic masterpiece, packaged in the classic black covers designed by Tolkien himself. Sauron, the Dark Lord, has gathered to him all the Rings of Power -- the means by which he intends to rule Middle-earth. All he lacks in his plans for dominion is the One Ring -- the ring that rules them all -- which has fallen into the hands of the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins. In a sleepy village in the Shire, young Frodo Baggins finds himself faced with an immense task, as his elderly cousin Bilbo entrusts the Ring to his care. Frodo must leave his home and make a perilous journey across Middle-earth to the Cracks of Doom, there to destroy the Ring and foil the Dark Lord in his evil purpose. Since it was first published in 1954, 'The Lord of the Rings' has been a book people have treasured. Steeped in unrivalled magic and otherworldliness, its sweeping fantasy has touched the hearts of young and old alike.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1222 in Books
• Published on: 1999-03-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 3
• Binding: Paperback
• 1500 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
For those who have not read Tolkien's epic fantasy, or for those looking to replace a worn and battered copy, this three-volume The Lord of the Rings box set is a great place to start. Comprising the three novels that make up the Lord of the Rings sequence--The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King--the whole set is presented in matching matt black packaging with embossed runes and coloured rings. Of course, beneath the fancy covers lies a great epic story of good versus evil, perhaps one of the greatest stories ever told. Attractively presented--and at a great price--there really is no excuse not to have this in your collection. So go on, give it a try; once you've entered Tolkien's fantastic imagination, you'll find it hard to leave. --Jonathan Weir

Review
'Extraordinarily imaginative, and wholly exciting.' The Times 'The story itself is superb.' Observer 'A most remarkable feat.' Guardian 'An astonishing imaginative tour de force.' Daily Telegraph 'Tolkien was a storyteller of genius.' Literary Review 'Amongst the greatest works of imaginative fiction of the twentieth century.' Sunday Telegraph

’ Sunday Telegraph
‘Amongst the greatest works of imaginative fiction of the twentieth century.

Customer Reviews

This is not a novel in the modern sense
To all the people who've given this a low mark, and all seem to have the same gripe with it - you all fail to understand that this is not a novel in the sense we've come to understand as a fantasy novel these days, so it's not fair to judge it as such.
Tolkien was not a career author, he didn't set out to write a searing page-turner, a wizzbang tale of derring-do in 500 sizzling chapters. Gandalf doesn't hurl raging fireballs at enemies, Aragorn doesn't have a sex scene with Arwen while doing Eowyn behind her back, there's no pandering to the lowest common denominator to flog a few more copies.
Tolkien barely cared if no one ever read it. He was writing it largely for himself and his friends and family.
You're all guilty of confusing the result of Tolkien's legacy and influence (virtually every other fantasy novel, movie or game) with his actual work, and expecting to see in the father what you've seen in his unruly children.

Judge it for what it is, not for what you wanted it to be as a modern fantasy reader.

So over-rated it hurts
I think my problem with this book(/s) is that I didn't read it when I was a child. If I had done, I may have loved it like I did Star Wars or appreciated the world it creates like I now accept that the World of Warcraft universe is impressive in its size and scope.
As it is, I can't get over how thoroughly mediocre the whole thing is. People talk about it as an epic but what is epic about it other than its incredible length? People talk about the life lessons you can learn from it or its universal themes of good and bad. Really? Are we ever given even the tiniest shred of motivation for any of the characters? Is it ever explained to us why the 'good' characters are good or why the 'evil' ones are evil?
I challenge any one of this books millions of fans to find a single person who read this after the age of 25 and liked it. Or to re-read it themselves without the rose-tinted spectacles of their childhood and explain to me why it is in any way more impressive, inventive or rewarding than most of todays fantasy computer games. These too create whole worlds with plenty of maps and creatures and races and fights and quests and so on, usually with more to their story than: "Walk for 1400 pages then throw a ring into some lava" but none of these are every held up as the ultimate examples of literature.
Like "The DaVinci Code", this book is cited as a masterpiece only by people who simply haven't read enough other books to know better.

shockingly bad
This is the single most apallingly overrated nonsense I have ever had my displeasure to read. It starts badly (there never is a plausible reason given why the hobbits set off on this ridiculously dangerous adventure) and just gets worse. The descriptions are turgid, the characterisation unbelievable and the use of language frighteningly dull.

Truth is I have never managed to get past the first of the three books that make up this shockfest. I have always got to the point where the hobbits enter the elvish forest and thrown (yes physically thrown) the book across the room. When I say always I must confess that I have attempted to read this thing three times and always come to the same conclusion - it is too bad to be worthy of my time.

Four points: first I am not afraid to read lengthy novels as I completed Thomas Mann's "Joseph and His Brothers" and Proust's "In Search of Lost Time" this year and found both amazing. Also I am not some bigot opposed to children's literature, "Pinnochio" and "The Little Prince" are delightful and speak more to the human condition than Tolkein ever could. I also found "The Hobbit" to be a near perfect fantasy novel whose characters I could easily empathise with. Finally I delight in fairy tales and recognise the importance of the Elvish folk in some cultures. The truth is this is just badly written nonsense best ignored while you realise there is more magic in "Moby Dick" than in some tale about a magic ring.