Years after the events of The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins leaves the Shire and passes his magic ring to his young cousin Frodo. Gandalf discovers that it is the One Ring, forged by the Dark Lord Sauron to dominate the world, and that Sauron is searching for it. Frodo sets out with his gardener Sam Gamgee and friends Merry and Pippin, pursued by sinister Black Riders.
With help from the mysterious ranger Strider, the hobbits reach the elven house of Rivendell, where a council of elves, dwarves and men decides the Ring must be destroyed in the fires of Mount Doom, deep in Sauron's land of Mordor. Nine companions form a Fellowship to escort Frodo, passing through the mines of Moria and the golden wood of Lothlorien as tensions grow within the group.
The first volume of The Lord of the Rings moves from pastoral comedy to deepening dread, rich with invented languages, songs, histories and landscapes. Tolkien explores temptation, friendship and the courage of ordinary people. Published in 1954, it became one of the best-selling and most influential works of fantasy, and the basis of Peter Jackson's acclaimed 2001 film.
Book details
| Author | J. R. R. Tolkien |
|---|---|
| First published | 1954 |
| Original language | English |
| Genre | Fantasy |
| Type | Fiction |
| Pages (approx.) | 423 |
| Setting | Middle-earth, from the Shire through Rivendell, Moria and Lothlorien |
Themes
- Temptation and power
- Friendship
- Sacrifice
- Good versus evil
- Courage of the small
Who should read it
Fantasy readers who want the foundational epic that shaped the genre.