Tag Archives: The Lord of the Rings

Review – The Silmarillion

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Author:  J.R.R. Tolkien

Genre:  Fantasy

Ratings

Enjoyability/Awesomeness:  7

  • Action:  7
  • Suspense:  6
  • Boredom:  5
  • Romance:  7
  • Magic:  8
  • Thrills:  4

Recommended Age Range:  15+

  • Violence/Fear:  6
  • Mature Content:  2
  • Language:  1
  • Alcohol/Drugs:  1
  • Advertising:  1
  • Positive Messages:  3
  • Role Models:  4

Overview

This is the prequel (in a fashion) to The Lord of the Rings, providing background to the Elves, Sauron, and Middle-Earth.  There is a lot of information packed into this book for true LOTR fan(atic)s, but be warned: this book is not for the easily bored.  J.R.R. Tolkien’s typical third-person style is difficult to follow for many, but persevere and the secrets of Middle Earth will be revealed.  As a side note, reserve at least a few weeks to read this book, you will need frequent breaks.

Review – The Hobbit

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Author:  J.R.R. Tolkien

Genre:  Fantasy, Classic, and Adventure

Ratings

Enjoyability/Awesomeness:  9

  • Action:  8
  • Suspense:  8
  • Boredom:  4
  • Romance:  1
  • Magic:  10
  • Thrills:  9

Recommended Age Range:  10+

  • Violence/Fear:  5
  • Mature Content:  1
  • Language:  2
  • Alcohol/Drugs:  3
  • Advertising:  1
  • Positive Messages:  10
  • Role Models:  10

Overview

This is one of the best classic fantasy books of all time.  The prequel to J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, this story is a bit faster paced than its followers, which makes it a better fit for young readers, or anyone wishing to break into the LOTR books.  Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who is invited on the journey of a lifetime.  His quest if filled with dwarves, wizards, elves, dragons, and the other creatures of Middle Earth.  The movies made from this book, while still excellent, are a poor representation of the book.  Our suggestion, as always, is to read the book first.

Review – The Lord of the Rings (Trilogy)

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Author:  J. R. R. Tolkein

Genre:  Classic, Adventure, and Fantasy

Ratings

Enjoyability/Awesomeness:  8

  • Action:  10
  • Suspense:  8
  • Boredom:  6
  • Romance:  6
  • Magic:  10
  • Thrills:  8

Recommended Age Range:  12+

  • Violence/Fear:  5
  • Mature Content:  2
  • Language:  3
  • Alcohol/Drugs:  4
  • Advertising:  1
  • Positive Messages:  9
  • Role Models:  8

Overview

This book is the classic fantasy story of all time.  For those who do not know,  The story follows the adventure of the hobbit Frodo who is given a mysterious and powerful Ring, which he goes on a perilous journey to destroy it.  A strong suggestion would be to read the book, The Hobbit, which is a precursor to this trilogy.  The trilogy can be dull in certain sections, (and there is a great deal of poetry and song which can be skipped over, if one wishes, without risking missing important information) but muscle through and it is a truly rewarding read, if only so you can brag about it.  The books in the trilogy are: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King, all of which can be recognized by the The in the beginning of their titles.  As is rarely said in BookBrook reviews, the movie version is also excellent.