Product ReviewsJ.R.R. Tolkien: Lord of the Rings, the Fellowship of the Ring, the Two Towers, the Return of the King, the Hobbit (1986, Boxed set, Soft cover)

JRR Tolkien is excellent fantasy writer

These books are great fantasy books that keep you engaged. This particular box set is nice because it has the pictures from the movies on the covers.However, the novels themselves draw the reader more into the story with even more details than the movies. Though not an allegory like the CS Lewis Narnia series, you can still easily read parallels of the Christian faith in the story.Read full review...

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Still Captivating and Wonderful......One Ring to Rule Them Alll......

Have loved hobbits since.....at least 1978....and dwarves.....and elves (Arwen why didn’t you wait for me?).....and dragons....and Rings of Power....and the wondrous story of good versus evil.....and how a kindly race of peaceful creatures could prevail over the Forces of Darkness.....and the moral of the consequences of wielding power....and how it is hard to watch your friends sail to the Grey Havens. Still captivating after all these years. “One Ring to Rule Them All.......”Read full review...

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More than just a Fantasy Story

The influence of JRR Tolkien to the works of English Literature is only be rivaled by William Shakespeare. Note that Tolkien, unlike Bill, has no cloud of controversy as to whether he wrote all his works or not. The concept of creating a real language for other races (popularly used in Star Trek) was started when he wrote the language of the elves. He created the Ents, commonly called Treefolk in Dungeons and Dragons and Magic: The Gathering. Finally, although brutal beasts have existed for centuries in fantasy and legend, he was the first to call the most powerful ones Orcs.
But The Lord of the Rings (LOR) would not have had the influence it does if all he did was invent monsters or fantastic words. LOR is a true work of literature. There are many different layers to the story and something in their depth is bound to appeal to anybody.
LOR is first of all a Fantasy Adventure story, filled with mighty heroes, strange monsters, fantastic cultures and powerful magic. It is a series filled with a rich history of unpublished works he had been working on. It is an allegorical history of the fall of the feudal society, the rise of industry and the struggle for human rights. It is a reflection of both world wars. Finally, it is a story of Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular.
The series was not originally what Tolkien wanted to write. He had been working on the histories and stories of Middle Earth for decades and wanted to use them as the background for what would be the final, and greatest, story of that mythos. The Hobbit, however, was too popular and he was forced to write "another halfling story". In the end, he compromised and adjusted his own ideas to accept the hobbits as major characters. It is for this reason that The Hobbit, even after being substantially re-written, does not fit as smoothly with LOR as one would expect for a "prequel". His original world can be found in "The Simerillian" and other works published after his death by his son Christopher.
The Industrial Revolution destroyed a 1000 year culture. The nobility fell from power (Elves leaving Middle Earth), the influence of the guilds was minimized (Dwarves hiding in their caves) and the Church came under siege (Galadriel refusing to leave Lothlorien). At this time, the industrialists (Sauroman) and dictators (Saron) enslaved the people (Orcs) and threatened to destroy human rights (the Free Peoples Gondor and Rohan). When Aragorn is crowned King, Tolkien was prophesizing the ultimate victory over oppression that happened in the 1980s with the fall of communism. Marx, Steinbeck, HG Wells and other great authors all wrote about certain aspects of this time, but only Tolkien covered the entire 150+ year period.
The series was written during WW II, so it is easy to understand why the fears of the Free Peoples come so alive. Tolkien and the people he worked and lived with were experiencing the very same threat themselves.
The Christian references in the story are too numerous to list in the limited space of this forum, but it is easy to point out how Jesus (Gandalf), papal authority (Galadriel), Judas (Boramir) and sin (the ring) are portrayed in the series.
The LOR is more than just another fantasy adventure story. It presents nearly 200 years of human struggle for rights in a changing world and emphasizes the importance of spirituality in order to win.

John Holland-author of The Necklace of TerrersylvanousRead full review...

EXCELLENT Box Set!!!

Great set of books! My daughter asked for this collection, as she couldn't find it anywhere! And as they say "You can find anything on EBAY"! As it turned out, it is a very true statement! Bought this as a Birthday gift, and my daughter was thrilled! Boxed set was just as stated on the auction site! The books are great, as it gives you the trilogy all in one, especially since they are paperbacks, this makes it very easy to take anywhere! And of course the Hobbit is a must book for any JRR Tolkien feind!!! It is a classic, as are the Lord of the Rings becoming! Excellent purchase...great set and highly recommended reading!Read full review...

Hobbit and Lord of the Rings books

This is it! The best fantasy collection ever written, period! It follows the events of Bilbo Baggins and his nephew Frodo on their many adventures through the mystical lands of middle Earth. Detailing how, in the most greuling of circumstances, even the smallest of creatures can make the biggest impact. There is just simply not enough I can say about this great quadrillogy! From beginning to amazing end, it is the most fun I have had in my life while turning pages! Buy this box set! It will change your life, or at least, it changed mine. No Joke. Thanks for reading. signed:CLWRead full review...

Great Adventure Novels

These have always been some of my favorite books I've ever read.

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Great series, especially with the Hobbit included

I bought a used set of 4 (The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings) books for just over $4, but the books themselves were like new. The box itself was a little worn, but that's not a big deal. As far as content, this series is engaging and Tolkien's style is very happy and interesting. If you read the books, you've got to watch the movies too, so why not pick them up from Ebay as well? That's what I did.Read full review...

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The Greatest of All Fantasy Novels!

The Lord of the Rings in my opinion is the best fantasy series ever written. J. R. R. Tolkien elaborately created a world with such detailed history, complexity and consistency that you are completely drawn into the story. There is no detail that is forgotten in these stories and the descriptions of characters, places, battles and situations are extremely rich and vivid.

The story starts off with an unusually eccentric hobbit (Bilbo Baggins) preparing to celebrate his "eleventy-first" birthday.

"Bilbo was very rich and very peculiar, and had been the wonder of the shire for sixty years, ever since his remarkable disappearance and unexpected return. Thhe riches he had brought back from his travels had now become local legend, and it was popularly believed, whatever the old folk might say, that the Hill at Bag End was full of tunnels stuffed with treasure........."

The story grows and builds and weaves the characters and amazing land of Middle-Earth together into an inspiring adventure that never stops until the last page. Hobbits, Wizards, Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, Uruk-hai and many more wondrous creatures await you. You will not be disappointed in this book (these books). If you have seen the movies I encourage you to read the books, as there is so much detail missing from the movies; (even as detailed and grand a the movies are). These books allow you to see the story, the characters, the places and battles in your mind as vividly as if you were watching a movie.

(A small factoid for you; these stories which are now usually a trilogy and sometimes a single compilation were originally six books which were intended by the author to be published as a single novel. The publisher broke it up and printed it as a trilogy(1954) because it was thought to be too long as a single novel)

* I would also recomend reading: The Hobbit by: J.R.R. Tolkien. The Hobbit is actually the story about Bilbo and how he gains possession of "The Ring" and how he meets many of the main character in the Lord of the Rings. The Hobbit also gives you amazing history and background to lead up to the Lord of the Rings.

ENJOY THE BOOKS! AND PLEASE RATE MY REVIEW.Read full review...

this set of Lord of the Rings set of books was great!

I purchased this set of books for my son and was very happy with them, I feel like I got a great deal as opposed to purchasing them new in the store. I saved at least $30 or more! The books were in very good shape, a couple of them it didn't even look like the bindings had been broken. These books don't change so it doesn't matter if you purchase them new or used, they are going to stay exactly the same. I am very fortunate to have found a great set like I did & I recommend to anyone to get a used set as opposed to spending all the extra money and buying a new set when you would be getting the exact same thing.Read full review...

Excellent Series for Fantasy Lovers

The books are in great condition and the story is fantastic!

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