LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring

Last week, I told you about J.R.R. Tolkien, creator of Middle-earth. Well, this week I want to talk about the actual books. Wow. I've read this series several times, and every time I read it I always have a greater appreciation for what Tolkien wrote. There is always some new detail that had previously eluded me, another layer to an already layered plot. I realize that some people would argue that Tolkien was a terrible writer, and that although the plot was good, the actual writing was not. However, I am not here to argue about what makes a good book. The reason I'm writing this is to inform you about a classic fantasy. And that is what I plan to do. In this post, I will tell you about the first book in this amazing series: The Fellowship of the Ring.


We start the story with Frodo Baggins, a hobbit from the peaceful Shire. He is the nephew of Bilbo Baggins, who was the hobbit Tolkien wrote about in The Hobbit. And, as in The Hobbit, Gandalf the Grey plays a key role in the conflict. Of course, at the center of it all is the Ring. The one Ring that could decide the outcome of the war. The one Ring that Sauron of Mordor is bending all his will to find. Frodo embarks on a quest to destroy said Ring, along with eight companions, thus forming the fellowship. Included in this company is Aragorn (man), Boromir (man), Legolas (elf), Gimli (dwarf), Gandalf (wizard), Merry, Pippin, and Sam (all hobbits). In order to destroy this Ring it must be cast into the fires of Mount Doom, a fiery volcano located in Sauron's domain of Mordor. The company is under no obligation to follow the ring-bearer into Mordor, but as Gimli said, "Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens." This book is the first in an epic series, and if you haven't yet delved into the word of Middle-earth, I strongly encourage you to do so. (And no, the movies are not the same as the actual books.) I hope to follow this post with the two remaining books: The Two Towers and The Return of the King.