The Fellowship of the Ring

Fully recommend listening to unofficial audiobook production by Phil Dragash. Wonderfully read and has sound design and the movie soundtracks behind him reading.

I can see why this book is such a cultural icon and impacted fantasy forever. Tolkien's world is rich and beautifully described and has an incredible amount of cultural knowledge embedded within. It marks the great battle between good and evil and beautifully, courageously illustrates the battle is both within and without oneself. I am glad I waiting until I was older to read this book as I don't know if I would have appreciated it when I was a child. Onto the next book!

Summary:
Frodo Baggins lives with his uncle, Bilbo Baggins, at Bag End in the Shire. Life is sweet and wonderful, with the occasional touch of magic and wonder as Bilbo shares tales of his old adventures, or when the old wizard, Gandalf, comes to visit. Things change as Bilbo disappears from sight during his 111th birthday. This, he accomplishes through the use of a magic ring he once found. Bilbo leaves the Shire to go on one last journey and leaves his house, treasures, and most importantly, the ring to Frodo. Gandalf reveal that he has been curious about the ring for some time and orders Frodo not to put it on and to keep it secretly hidden until Gandalf returns. After 15 years, Gandalf returns with grave news. Bilbo's old magic ring is the ultimate weapon of the Dark Lord Sauron, and he will do anything to get it back. Frodo must leave the safety of the Shire, travel through Middle Earth, and take the ring to Rivendell. He does this with the help of some old friends, and a few new ones too. Once at Rivendell, Frodo decides he must be the one to take the ring to Mount Doom in Mordor and destroy the ring. Companions are chosen and a fellowship is formed, and together they set out across mountains, through the mines of Moria, down rivers, and beyond to destroy this great evil. Sauron's servants are ever faithful to him and pose a real danger to the fellowship. Gandalf is lost in the mines of Moria to a Balrog, orcs kill Boromir and take Merry and Pippen. The fellowship is broken and Frodo must find his way to Mount Doom with only the help of his faithful gardener, Samwise Gamgee.