Book review
No matter how you slice it, The Lord of the Rings is amazing fun. Even though this was my first read through of the fantasy epic, it nonetheless felt super nostalgic as Tolkien still had a massive influence over my formative years. The Fellowship of the Ring was the first DVD I ever owned, and with it I would lose myself in Middle Earth almost every day after school as a kid, even if it was a version rendered through Peter Jackson’s eyes.
While Jackson did a great job, having read the original I can now join the chorus of nerds who exclaim that the book is better. It really is. No one would accuse Tolkien of skimping on detail, and with his powers of verbosity he crafts a truly beautiful and impressive world; a magic that few others have been able to emulate. Now, as this series splits six books over three publications, like with my review for The Bible, I’ll share my thoughts book by book before tossing out my final two cents down below.
The Fellowship of the Ring
Book 1: This one has the daunting task of picking up where The Hobbit left off, leading the reader out of the light-hearted Shire and into the grittier reaches of Gondor. For me, the segue works seamlessly both narratively and tonally.
‘The wide world is all about you: you can fence yourselves in, but you cannot for ever fence it out.’ – Gildor (83)
Similar to its prequel, this tale opens in the Shire to a new gaggle of hobbits: Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin (amongst numerous others). It’s whimsical hobbit business as usual until Bilbo’s eleventy-first birthday when he gifts Frodo the Ring and role as new lead protagonist. The wise Gandalf then appears shortly thereafter to deliver quotable exposition and act as Tolkien’s moral, sagely mouthpiece.
‘All this is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost’ – Gandalf (170)
Gandalf visits over a period of 17 years, and while this slower pacing may not be for everyone, I enjoyed the time to acclimate before launching full speed ahead into muddier waters. Something else I unexpectedly enjoyed was the wacky Tom Bombadil. Until meeting Bombadil, the Ring is presented as having an almost omnipotent draw, acting as a heavy burden or force of corruption for its bearer. This is not the case for Bombadil, who is neither effected nor affected by it.
Bombadil presents a perplexing complexity to how the Ring (and power) works in Middle Earth. The Ring grants power at the expense of exerting sway over the one who holds it. Whether that person is good or bad makes no difference, the Ring warps their mind with the promise of a sense of control, playing on weakness or desire. What sets Bombadil aside is an intense inner peace that he seems to have cultivated from within. While the other characters are still coming into their identities, Bombadil is ‘a moss-gatherer’ as Gandalf would later put it, someone who is truly content with his sense of self and place in the world.
This book ends in Rivendell after a high-speed chase with the Nazgul hot on the hobbits and Strider’s heels; much suspense.
Book 2: This one is basically the Seven Samurai arc of the series. Fun fact, Akira Kurosawa’s samurai epic came out three months before The Fellowship was published. I doubt one actually impacted the other, but 1954 sure was an epic year for culturally influential stories centering on a ragtag group from drastically different walks of life teaming up for the greater good. Dope stuff.
‘Don’t adventures ever have an end? I suppose not. Someone else always has to carry on the story. Well, it can’t be helped.’ – Bilbo (232)
This story opens with a meeting of the Council, where representatives of the different races share their intel, most notably Saruman’s betrayal, as well as their different takes on course of action. After deliberation, it is agreed that the Ring must be destroyed, and so four hobbits, two humans, one dwarf, one elf, and one wizard set out to save Middle Earth. (You know who they are.) They work together and make a plan to cross the Misty Mountain which ultimately fails, a recurring theme throughout this tale.
Instead they are re-routed and must pass through the mysterious, ancient dwarf kingdom Moria. This plan also starts to unravel as they find the place overrun by orcs. I won’t elaborate too much, but the battle and escape from Moria is one of the most suspenseful sequences of the series. Balrog of Morgoth haunted my dreams as a kid.
‘Fly, you fools’ – Gandalf (331)
Following the events of Moria, the group are down one sagely wizard, but they do get a moment of repose at Lothlorien. Galadriel’s pep talk and gifts hold especially meaningful sway with the gang. Even if Gandalf is not present, Tolkien always seems to have a wise presence waiting in the wing to inspire or explain (plot).
This book ends with Sam and Frodo breaking off from the pack following Boromir’s betrayal. If only Boromir had a bud like Bombadil, what a spin-off that would have been.
The Two Towers
Book 3: This one truly introduces the stakes of the impending battle(s), while stoking narrative tension with the introduction of exciting new characters. In summation, shit gets real.
This book explosively opens with Boromir’s demise, and Merry and Pippin being kidnapped by a gang of orcs. The two hobbits’ propensity for shenanigans do not exactly help them to outsmart the orcs, but they are able to escape when the Riders of Rohan swoop down in a raid. Following escape, the two hobbits come across my favorite race of the series: the Ents. Talking, sentient trees that protect the forest and produce draughts that make you grow in height was everything I ever wanted as a kid. I was a very short nerd.
More so, it was provoking to see these two races often left out of Middle Earth history recount their perspectives of the world and each other. The Ents also (finally) explain why the orcs and Mordor are so inherently evil, beyond them being on the other side of the conflict. The Ents explain that Saruman, ”…has a mind of metal and wheel; and he does not care for growing things, except as far as they serve him for the moment’ (473).
Saruman and the orcs leech the earth of its resources, selfishly taking without renewing. While the Ents are made of the bones of the earth, the orcs create Trolls in mockery of the Ents. To me, this feels like an allegory for climate change, though I’ll be the first to admit it’s super doubtful this was Tolkien’s intension; global warming simply was not the issue of his time. But he did see many of his friends die in the carnage of World War I, a destruction that savaged an otherwise lush, green European landscape. It’s easy to see how Tolkien would compact earthly destruction with “evil” and peaceful sustainability with “good.”
‘…my friends, songs like trees bear fruit only in their own time and their own way: and sometimes they are withered untimely’ – Treebeard (486)
Beyond the forest, we are also introduced to Rohan and my favorite character: Éowyn. If there is one thing I could criticize Tolkien for is that the dude imagined a whole fantasy world, made up a whole language, but still could not think beyond a boring patriarchal social structure. But he does dream up Éowyn, who rebels against systemic oppression with a whole lot of grace. Her disappointment never falls to indignance, and while she’s frustrated with the passive role she must play (not getting to be a warrior) she is still contemplative and mature, grounding her character in an assumed sense of deeper truth.
‘Far over the plain Éowyn saw the glitter of their spears, as she stood still, alone before the doors of the silent house’ (525)
Like the hobbits and the Ents, the women of Middle Earth are also largely omitted from its main stories and history. However, as one of this story’s major themes is the journey of self-discovery, characters push well beyond what people assume and expect of them to become unlikely heroes. None of their stories are over yet; Isengard falls after all.
This book ends with a key victory and reunion, but then that derp Pippin touches the palantíri connecting him to the Eye of Sauron. Gandalf, who returned earlier in this book, then rides off with Pippin towards Minath Tirith, leaving the others behind to rally in Rohan.
Book 4: This one is where things get precious, if you know what I mean. Focusing on Frodo and Sam, we are returned to the action surrounding the Ring bearer(s). Not long into the story, the two happen upon Gollum. After capturing the emaciated, but threatening creature, Frodo and Sam have to make a decision.
‘Many that live deserve death. And some die that deserve life. Can you give that to them? Then be not too eager to deal out death in the name of justice, fearing for your own safety. Even the wise cannot see all ends.’ – Gandalf (615)
Also understanding the pull of the Ring, Frodo heeds Gandalf’s earlier advice and acts with mercy over might. The three then form an unlikely alliance to journey together towards Mordor. Gollum’s duality and inner struggles (which are still outwardly obvious), do not help to smooth over the innately tense situation. Things are further complicated when they are discovered by Faramir.
Having only seen Jackson’s films prior, Faramir’s characterization was thoroughly surprising to read on the page. He’s a truly honorable character and does not have his brother Boromir’s shortcomings when it comes the pull of the Ring. Faramir is a pretty chill dude; he even seems to feel pity for Gollum. This encounter is also intriguing in that as the hobbits recount events from their perspectives, leading Sam to say something revealing while defending Galadriel.
‘It strikes me that folk takes their peril with them into Lorien, and finds it there because they’ve brought it. But perhaps you could call her perilous, because she’s so strong in herself. You, you could dash yourself to pieces on her, like a ship on a rock; or drowned yourself, like a hobbit in a river. But neither rock nor river would be to blame’ – Sam (680)
Sam’s account further serves to explain the underlying mechanisms of moral balance in Middle Earth. Tolkien wants his characters to discover themselves, to do better, but he also wants them to take personal responsibility for these personal journeys. Just because something or someone appears a certain way, an individual is still responsible for how they approach different situations. There is a certain zen in this outlook of understanding the world that echoes Taoism, Buddhism, and even Christianity (e.g. Ecclesiastes). But I digress…
After the trio parts ways from Faramir, they travel further and further into Mordor, even getting to the city of Minas Morgul. After ascending the steep staircase of the Cirith Ungol, rather than getting to indulge in sweet relief at the zenith, they are instead met with Gollum’s deception (not a shocker) and the giant spider Shelob (horrifying). Similar to the queen from Aliens, this creature is truly disturbing. Even with the help of the Phial of Galadriel and Sam’s burst of bravery, the situation is left in dire anguish.
‘Don’t go where I can’t follow! Wake up, Mr. Frodo! O wake up, Frodo, me dear, me dear. Wake up!’ – Sam (730)
I have like five feelings, but Sam’s grief and heartbreak will always get to me. Seemingly dead, Frodo is carried off by a couple of orcs following the conflict. Sam ninja’s behind them, exploiting the stealth of the Ring’s invisibility. The book ends with Sam overhearing that Frodo is paralyzed, not dead. Peak anxiety.
The Return of the King
Book 5: This one is where the action crescendos and climaxes in Gondor. Tolkien has moved his chess pieces into play, and battles transform into what now feels like all-out war. At the start, bad dad Denethor introduces some high stakes political drama, but the best parts of this book are with the characters who are flying under the radar.
‘Too often have I heard of duty… But am I not of the House of Eorl, a shield-maiden and not a dry-nurse? I have waited on faltering feet long enough. Since they falter no longer, it seems, may I not now spend my life as I will?’ – Éowyn (784)
Éowyn is pretty much over it at this point. She wants to honor her position, but she knows she can take care of her people (and business) in a better way. Reclaiming her agency, she stealths into the army undercover as Dernhelm, and secretly takes up Merry to fight alongside her. Both Merry and Éowyn had been overlooked for the fight, so their stubborn determination is pretty solid, even if Merry does not know Dernhelm’s true identity at this point.
This arc meets its height when the two encounter the Lord of the Nazgul on the verge of snuffing out Theoden. Up until this point the Witch-king has been particularly terrifying because “no living man” can hinder or slay him. This is when Éowyn reveals herself in time to have what I would call her “Macduff moment.” In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the titular villain believes himself invincible as prophecy dictates he cannot be killed by any man born of woman. This does not account for Macduff who was, “from his mother’s womb untimely ripped” (aka: born via c-section), therefore technically bypassing the prophecy’s semantics.
‘But no living man am I! You look upon a woman…You stand between me and my lord and kin. Begone, if you be not deathless! For living or dark undead, I will smite you, if you touch him’ – Éowyn (841)
Big bad Nazgul does not heed her warning, so Éowyn and Merry work together to take him out. I enjoyed this fight because it is not especially graceful, but the two are able to utilize their perceived weakness as strength to nonetheless to vanquish their foe. As Merry would later explain, ‘It’s not always a misfortune being overlooked.’
There is a lot that goes on in this and other battles, but what I like the most is that beyond the individual acts of valor, the war is won with unexpected collaboration. Yay teamwork!
Book 6: This one returns us to the hobbits’ final leg of their journey to Mount Doom.
‘If it’s too hard a job, I could share it with you, maybe?’ – Sam (911)
This is also the one where Sam proves himself to be the true hero of this story. Sam is able to save Frodo from the orcs, and from that point onward acts as the main driving force of the mission both physically and emotionally. He puts up with Frodo’s Ring induced moodiness, gives up his food and water rations for Frodo, and even sympathizes with his cantankerous friend and superior. Sam understands that for Frodo, ‘…the growing weight of the Ring, a burden on the body and a torment to his mind”, is weight his friend down. Grounded in empathy, Sam gets it. And he’ll get the damn job done regardless.
‘I’ll get there, if I leave everything but my bones behind. And I’ll carry Mr. Frodo up myself, if it breaks my back and heart. So stop arguing!’ – Sam (939)
As they reach their destination, Gollum resurfaces to cause some last-minute mayhem. Even with their end goal in sight, Sam is still unable to strike down Gollum, because his heart feels for the creature, at this point personally understanding the burden of the Ring. But Gollum didn’t come to learn any lessons, he came to get his fix, and plunges to take the Ring from Frodo, finger and all. His addiction becomes his final destruction as he and the Ring plunge into Mordor’s fiery depths.
In a normal fantasy narrative, this is about where the story would end, but not for Tolkien! He’s a pedantic nerd who still has more than half a book to fill out. It is actually here that I can point out some of Tolkien’s shortcomings as a writer, like with his endless song lyrics. Some are truly great, but then there are others like, ‘Praise them! The Ring-bearers, praise them with great praise!’. Praise be, why?
Tolkien is also laughably bad at writing romance, as seen with Faramir and Éowyn. While they actually do make sense as a couple what with them both being honorable and having daddy issues (so much terrible bonding material), the execution of the courtship isn’t what anyone will remember this series for. ‘And as they stood so, their hands met and clasped, though they did not know it.’ Oh Tolkien, he strikes me as the type of dude who would look away from two people kissing at a wedding ceremony because it would be too intimate for him to bare.
My nitpickings aside, what I like about the final chapters is how they address the realities of ending a war; it’s not a neat, tidy process. The hard part is over, the glory is got, but the hobbits still have to travel back home on their own and free the Shire from some “ruffians” who have invaded in their absence. Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin lead an uprising of hobbits to take their home back, only to come upon Saruman in Bag End. In his defeat, even though Saruman has murdered and destroyed for pointless industrialization, the hobbits still opt to show him mercy.
‘It is useless to meet revenge with revenge: it will heal nothing’ – Frodo (1019)
The four have all grown, and not just from Ent-draughts. It’s easy to destroy, but terribly difficult to forgive and rebuild. Similar to Gollum, Saruman is blinded by shortsighted desires, still does not want any of it (mercy), and taunts Wormtongue into killing him. So ends the true final battle, the Battle of Bywater. All that remains is the tough part – healing and living. The story comes full circle.
My Final Thoughts
I loved this book, plain and simple. There were so many amazing characters including Gandalf as the moral compass, Treebeard standing in for the wisdom of old, and Sam acting as the heart of the story. I also enjoyed looking at The Lord of the Rings as an underrepresented history of the greater world, even if it’s a fictional fantasy one. Most fantasy stories written until this point were told from the perspective of valiant knights, so I’m glad the ones conventionally relegated as b-characters finally got their tale.
‘Still, I wonder if we shall ever be put into songs or tales. We’re in one, of course; but I mean: put into words, you know, told by the fireside, or read out of a great big book with red and black letters, years and years afterwards’ – Sam (712)
Sam and gang are now thoroughly entrenched in the cultural zeitgeist, and I do not see them falling out of favor any time soon. In all seriousness, I could not recommend this book more. I even ended up timing it so that I finished it on March 25th, the day Gondor was freed. It only seemed fitting; a totally normal thing anyone (ahem, any massive nerd) would have done. Anyways, this book is amazing, do yourself a favor and read it at least once.
Finally, I should at this point reveal some bias on my part; The Lord of the Rings was the last present my grandma gave me before she passed. The reason I waited so long to read this series is entirely due to wanting to have something from her to look forward to. It is also why it took me almost a year to finish; I just kept looking for excuses to hold on a bit longer. My grandma was my Gandalf, Sam, and Eowyn all in one person.
But finishing this story doesn’t mean I’m ‘finished’ with it; now I can look forward to reading it to my future kids, nieces, and nephews. Just because you go ‘There and Back Again,’ doesn’t mean the journey is ever truly over.
- Goodreads rating – 4.51
- REVIEW – Francesca Calarco