Lord of the Rings (Tolkien)

Book Reviews
J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings trilogy is a genuine masterpiece. The most widely read and influential fantasy epic of all time, it is also quite simply one of the most memorable and beloved tales ever told. Originally published in 1954, The Lord of the Rings set the framework upon which all epic/quest fantasy since has been built. Through the urgings of the enigmatic wizard Gandalf, young hobbit Frodo Baggins embarks on an urgent, incredibly treacherous journey to destroy the One Ring. This ring—created and then lost by the Dark Lord, Sauron, centuries earlier—is a weapon of evil, one that Sauron desperately wants returned to him. With the power of the ring once again his own, the Dark Lord will unleash his wrath upon all of Middle-earth. The only way to prevent this horrible fate from becoming reality is to return the Ring to Mordor, the only place it can be destroyed. Unfortunately for our heroes, Mordor is also Sauron's lair. The Lord of the Rings trilogy is essential reading not only for fans of fantasy but for lovers of classic literature as well
Barnes & Noble Reviews

Among the greatest works of imaginative fiction of the twentieth century.
Sunday Telegraph (UK)

An extraordinary work — pure excitement
New York Times

A masterful story — an epic in its own way — with elements of high adventure, suspense, mystery, poetry and fantasy.
Boston Herald

One of the great fairy-tale quests in modern literature.
Time Magazine

A work of immense narrative power that can sweep the reader up and hold him enthralled for days and weeks.
The Nation