The Fellowship of the Ring

I listened to all the books in a row. I was certainly influenced by the movie. For every scene read, I kept visualizing the movie in my head, and growing in anticipation for the next event I knew it was going to happen.

The movie was a masterpiece. It is not much fair to compare it to the book, since both were exceptionally good and serves different purposes when experiencing them. Still, I would say the movie was better.

As any fantasy book, it was filled with descriptions, which made it hard to understand for many parts. I didn't mind the singing, I think it enriched the story. Although I also didn't get much of the songs lyrics.

Tolkien dedicated his whole life to bring to life the world of Middle Earth. He created many races, including their own language and main characters genealogical backgrounds. He described every road, turn, mount and forest with vivid details. He thought of the world geology, and its evolution throughout the ages. Every character is interesting, and the dialogs are all you would expect from a fantasy epic.

Although I was sad it was over, It felt very fulfilling, seeing all the characters had their fair ending.

A long time ago I tried to read this book. I made it to page 65 before finally giving up. Tolkien uses so many descriptions and adds SO many characters! It becomes overwhelming and boring.

I opted instead for this audiobook. It was intended for radio audiences. It was SO much better. It doesn't say it was abridged, but it used different voice actors to differentiate the different character's dialog. That sped up the pace drastically. Finally I was able to enjoy the world that so many others have raved about.

Before I didn't want anything to do with the books. Now I can't wait to start the next one.

It took me almost 2 months to finish this which is probably the longest it's taken me to finish a book since reading the A Song of Ice and Fire series a few years back. I almost returned it to the library before finishing, but I'm glad I stuck with it to the end! I enjoyed the story - even though there's a lot of walking - and how it set up the next books in the series. I'm looking forward to following Frodo and Sam on their next adventure!

It's tough to write a review of a classic like The Fellowship of the Ring. Who am I to opine about such a revered novel? This was the first time I've read it (having not been as much a Fantasy fan in my youth as a Sci-Fi fan), and I wasn't sure what to expect. My appreciation for The Lord Of The Rings was originally shaped by the 1978 Bakshi animated film, and then by the Peter Jackson movies, but I was amazed at how much deeper an experience it was to read this first novel, despite the faithful depiction of many aspects of the book in those films. Tolkien's opening to his opus is a treasure, rich with detail. The first 1/4 of the book, in the Shire, is a delightful, whimsical tale. The mines of Moria are even more darkly vivid than I expected. The forest of Lorien is invoked like a gentle breeze, rustling through the golden leaves of an autumn tree. The language is sometimes dated, and the pacing stumbles from time to time, but there is an authentic passion to every passage that makes up for any technical shortcomings. I'm very glad I decided to finally jump in and read this book... and am looking forward to continuing the journey through The Two Towers.

This book is just so good.
It is full of hope and despair and light and good. It is a read that makes me cheer for the characters and their mission. It drew me in, made me want to search every name and location just to find more about this wonderful world Tolkien made.
And though the peril in the book is great the fellowship is brave and good and gives me hope during a time where I too am in need of hope and help.
I simply loved it.

Undeniably phenomenal but not without flaws

This book (well this and it's two original companions) pioneered fantasy and are the reason that elves, dwarves, long journeys and so much more are tropes of modern fantasy and have just become part of fantastical world's without explanation. In the 500 pages (only 1/3 of the full journey) this book explored such a variety of people, cultures and lands that it felt like a book of many smaller stories. Truly something special.

However, as mentioned, this book isn't perfect. At times the pacing can be very slow, there's also a LOT of text that is purely long text of the travelling they're doing and the land around them. If the land were fantastical and there were much to see during all of these, it would make sense, but often it is simply written to emphasise the length of their journey. As a result, it can drag and can sometimes take a little rereading.

However I cannot knock this book down for that as it is part of what gives the book its feel. It is supposed to feel like a long journey for naive hobbits travelling much much further than they ever have before and seeing many characters, creatures and cultures they never knew even existed. Can't wait to read the second...but may have a couple days off to build up the concentration levels again.

It took me a really long time to get around to reading this book every time I put it down just because the movies are such an amazing adaptation that ever time I tried reading it I felt like I was reading the extended extended edition with some not as good plot points such as Tom bombadill, the Gardner, and the fact that Arwen was basically not in the book at all.

But I did find myself really enjoying it after the fellowship was formed because I then got enthralled with the characters Im already in love with and getting to read more about their history and reading new dialogue.

That being said if you want to read something that completely sucks you into a new world this is a great read but overall I completely understand why so many people who aren't already fans of the films have a hard time reading these books.

The second star is for being an inspiration for the Harry Potter series. The foundation of fantasy, or whatever.
Why didn't enjoy this? Why did this feel like too much of a work to me? Why do I feel sorry for myself for having had to read this thing?
1. If I make this a template. It's a journey from one place to another. Insert many more places, mountains, valleys and rivers in; all with multiple names. And half the book is description for them.
Some faceless dark-lord-assistant-type thing attacks them, every once in a while.
One servant-type friend. Two other friends - whose names if interchanged and read, you wouldnt notice the difference (except that Merry knows to handle a boat). And a few others. They meet a few people on the road, who treat them kindly. Umm well, that's it. Oh yeah, and a few songs too... which I just can't make myself care about.
2. There are no emotions. Something happens, sun westers, river flows, golden larks cry, some guy who is the son of some other guy.. idk, sleeps. I feel so disconnected from the characters. I just can't care about them. The only time I saw emotion, is in the final chapter with Boromir.
3. There are so many places. Why?
4. Apart from very few situations, it's very linear. Maybe when Frodo suspects something, or Sam sees something - we have something to look forward to. Otherwise it's just boring narration, that once becomes past, no longer matters.
5. Not relatable. Obviously
6. Appreciate Lady Galadriel, and the other river-lady( though I didn't get her point). But where are all the other women??
7. Nobody has a personality. Aragorn's sort of nice. Everybody else is borrring..
Okbye.

I've tried multiple times throughout the years to read Fellowship of the Ring but I've always either skimmed through the book or given up entirely. Still, it's one of those bucket list TBR that I know I want to keep having another go at, and I think I've finally gotten to a sweet spot in life where I've managed to finish reading Fellowship and enjoy it.

I think my previous attempts had been foiled by mismanaged expectations brought about by my obsession with the first movie (back when I was a teen), but now that I've kinda left that behind at this point. I've also read more classics and gotten used to this style of writing, and all of this made Fellowship a much more pleasant read than I've previously experienced. It also helped that i went into it knowing that some parts were going to be slower-paced and lore-rich rather than action-packed (as i had expected during my very first attempt), and that helped me to shift my mindset to enjoy it better.

I took so long to read this not because it was a drag as it had been on my previous attempts. In fact, this is the most I have been engaged in and enjoyed the book in all my numerous attempts throughout the years! But I figured that this was a book I didn't want to rush through and force myself to read any faster than what I was comfortable with, so along the way I got distracted by a lot of things, like reading an entire other book (Astrophysics for People in a Hurry) and watching an entire 50-episode TV show. Despite all that, I'm still managing to finish FOTR within a month, and I think that's really good progress for me.

I'm already planning out the rest of my LOTR reading journey - TTT in Sep and ROTK in Dec. I really want to finish the rest of the trilogy this year, but I also think that these are books that I don't want to read consecutively because they're pretty dense in themselves. I want to take my time and slowly savour it along the way.

Some spoilerish observations:
Sam is even more of a voice of reason in the book than he was in the movie. I also can't believe they ended it so abruptly?? I thought that they'd at least have gone on to the death of Boromir and the kidnapping of Merry and Pippin etc. but I guess not. I previously really didn't like the whole Tom Bombadil bit because it felt so draggy and useless, but I found myself really fascinated by it this time round! Also, very fascinated by the Lothlorien bits and the fact that Galadriel is in fact Arwen's grandmother.

There's little one can say to sum up the folklore genius which is Tolkien. Few can create such vast, believable worlds and societies than this gatekeeper of high fantasy. Frodo's journey is riddled with underlying philosophies and struggles that, to this day, make up the fabric of modern society.

For any lover of literature, reading through Tolkien's epic of Middle Earth is an absolute must. To list the names of those such writings influenced would be foolish. Rather, pick up this book and begin to imagine just how much work would have gone into producing such a beautiful piece of writing.

As a note to lovers of the movies: do please read this book. The level of detail it chases after isn't intimidating - but rather, enticing. Things that simply couldn't have occurred in the film adaption live among the pages of this novel - and that alone demands your attention.

Brief review. I felt slightly bad about the relatively low rating I have given the frontrunner of modern fantasy, but I think it should reflect how much I enjoyed it and was compelled to carry on reading it. I am probably on well trodden ground, but here goes.

Tolkien is not that great a writer. He creates an incredibly complete world with myth and history and a great deal more, and there are legions of Tolkien scholars who have ensured the consistency of the whole thing and noted the precious few places that there is a mistake. I think that Middle-Earth is certainly one of the most complete universes I have come across in fantasy. Unfortunately, what I have seen of it is still not enough. I think the books occupy a strange middle ground between a universe where you can know everything - there is a truly complete history - and ones which are content to leave you wondering. Westeros and Essos, by way of comparison, are certainly less fleshed out than Middle-Earth. Much of the history is not written, but just alluded to; many of the languages really consist of just a few words in comparison to Tolkien's tour de force that is Elvish. Yet in reading, the impression you get is not significantly different. There is still a great deal of unknown surrounding Middle Earth, and filling in the gaps with cryptic references to Valinor and Light, not to mention anythng east of Mordor, is no more satisfactory than ASOIAF's oblique mentions of ancient kings. In both cases the reader feels that there is so much more to be said.

The characters of the Fellowship are often equally bland. Aragorn is a mighty king when it suits him, but helpless the rest of the time. I don't think he mentioned any desires of his ever, not even like for food or to sit down for a time, except when he returns to the king-place with Elendil and whoever and when he makes a reference to Arwen/Eowyn - don't even know which one he likes because they haven't even been met. Legolas and Gimli are stereotypes of elves and dwarves respectively, with little individuality. Boromir is practically a non-character. I don't think Tolkien realises that saying "Boromir had a greedy glint in his eye" several times leading up to his attempt on the Ring is not actually great suspense. Gandalf is boring - he is super powerful in all respects other than those in which he needs to be. The hobbits: Merry and Pippin are just non-characters. Sam is one dimensionally devoted to Frodo, and Frodo just seems clueless the entire time. There was a brief moment when he had some resolve at the Breaking, but he was still stupid then.

There's a whole thing on heroism I'll talk about once I finish the trilogy, since that was why I started in the first place. In any case, I think this book was impressive in its scope and historical importance, and contains enough that you won't dislike reading it, but I didn't find it exciting by any other means.

Well, I did it. I finally did it. I finished “Fellowship of the Ring”. I had a few other times in my life and just couldn't do it. But with some Amazon TV-show inspiration, an adult appreciation for slower narratives, and the help of Andy Serkis' incredible narration, I did it!

And I really loved this book, especially once I slowed down and accepted it on its own terms. I still think Tolkien could have tightened this narrative quite a bit (many first-time readers have crashed on the rocks of its long travel sections or Tom Bombadil–still a baffling character to me). But Tolkien makes it all worth it in the end and makes me excited for more..

I came with minimal Tolkien or fantasy experience. I read and enjoyed “The Hobbit” as a middle-schooler, and I watched its creepy 1970s cartoon version a bunch. I've watched the theatrical versions of the movies once or twice, but mostly forgot them. I grew up hearing bad “Lord of the Rings” sermon illustrations. So if you are like me, what should you know about the book?

First, before we really get into it, this truly is a sequel to “The Hobbit”. I had forgotten some of the specifics of that book, but “Fellowship” begins with a prologue that summarizes all of it, spoilers and all; so if you ever plan on reading “The Hobbit”, do that first. This book flows directly from that one.

Second, as you may know from just general cultural osmosis, this is more a travel book than an adventure tale. The characters travel many miles for many days on the journey in these pages, and nearly every day and region is described here. This creates a weird pacing to the book. Lots of slow, meandering days, full of beautiful descriptions of landscapes and geography accompanied by little bits and hints of lore and history. Tolkien really is a beautiful writer–not just a profound thinker.

And then there are the action scenes. Some are striking and suck you in. Others are confusing, leaving with an impression of what happened but not the clearest mental picture (for example, what on earth happens in the barrow-downs?). The action is also spaced out amidst sporadically without much rhyme or reason. At times they make sense; at others they feel a little arbitrary, as if an editor had told Tolkien, “they've been walking and talking too long. Throw in some inconsequential peril to liven things up.”

On one hand, this adds suspense as the stakes rise and you never know what's going to happen and when. On the other, this all deeply challenges us modern readers. We are used to information dumps or action-filled narratives that fit particular rhythms and templates for such things.

But “Fellowship” is different. Even in all its fantasy, it's much closer to real life than modern books. Most of life is boring. It's moving from place to place or having conversations that serve no immediate purpose or “plot”. The most perilous things we encounter are often unpredictable, random, and seemingly disconnected from our “real” life.

For example, if you've seen the movies, you know the whole point of all this travel is to take The Ring to Mount Doom to destroy it. And yet, this entire book goes by without them coming to that conclusion! When they start walking, they just know that some bad people want the ring, so they flee. They are literally aimless. Even by the end, they still have no idea where they should go or what they should do! They get up each morning, ask “okay, what now?”, head in a direction, and respond to things that happen along the way.

It's fascinating to experience a book like this. It forces you to slow down, settle in, and receive the book on its own terms. Even as the mystery deepens and you want answers, you're forced to wait. Apparently, the next two books are much faster-paced, but I wonder if having been made to sit and pace yourself makes those books all the more beautiful and exciting.

But that's all about the plot and pacing. But as someone completely unfamiliar with “high-fantasy”, what did I think about the world-building and lore?

I am in awe of what Tolkien has accomplished here. This is truly a fully-fleshed out alternative world at every level. Its history, cultures, languages, geography, and mythology are completely realized in Tolkien's brain in a way similar to a god creating a world in its totality out of nothing. It's astonishing. This world is not built off of a single clever conceit or proposal or small twist added to our world. It is wholly other and unique.

It does not feel nearly as nerdy or inaccessible as I expected. In the book it all unfolds much like real human conversation. People with their own histories and stories travel together and as different things remind them of songs or tales, they mention it to the rest of the group (and us). Then the narrative moves forward.

There are very few grand speeches or exposition dumps. You can tell there is (literally) a whole world of lore and knowledge behind this story that is only given to us in carefully portioned out doses. It really draws you in and makes you curious for more. “Fellowship” is an excellent fantasy gateway drug.

One key to my reading success was that I listened to the audiobook version narrated by Andy Serkis. And it is amazing. I listened to some of every audio version available–even a well-regarded fan-produced one that incorporates music and sound effects from the movies–and Serkis' was by far the best. It will be the new standard for a very long time.

Serkis, who played Gollum in the movies, provides voices, acting, emotion, and singing (so much singing) that really keeps you enthralled. Save for a few characters, his voices tend follow the movie accents pretty closely. (One funny feature of Fellowship in this regard is that Gollum never has a speaking part, so I haven't yet heard if Serkis does the same voice!)

He is dynamic, and truly performs the book in a way that is moving, but not distracting, and still maintains integrity to the text. He takes you on a ride. His voice can be soft and trembling (like when Frodo realizes he needs to the leave the Shire), and screaming to the point of his voice cracking in others (Gandalf's epic “You shall not pass!” He kills that scene. Dang). I cried multiple times reading the book, was actually scared in others, and deeply shaken elsewhere. It's that good.

This has been a long review. I mean, it's “Lord of the Rings”: there's both so much to say, and also nothing really needs to be said. It saturates our world and culture. But still, reading it for the first time makes you realize just how much you really don't get it if you've only seen the movies.

This is not cheesy, nerdy, socially-awkward (or even escapist) fantasy work. This is truly literature that shows you the best and worst of the world, challenging your intellect and moral reasoning, drawing you into something higher. And it does it all with sophistication, beauty, complexity, and humanity.

As long as you accept the book on its own terms and settle in for a long read, you will get through it. And you will love it. I can't wait to finish the whole series, and then read these books to my kids someday.

As Tolkien's bff once said: “onward and upward!”

This is really the first volume of a single novel divided into three volumes for publishing purposes, so it's probably more appropriate to review the whole thing than to review each volume separately.

However, I suppose this first volume is my favourite. Because, although it has various scenes of darkness and danger, overall it seems the most cheerful of the three; and also because Gollum doesn't appear in it, although he's mentioned now and then.

To avoid double-counting, I've listed here only the times when I've read this volume without reading the other two.