Lord of the Rings

If you love science fiction and fantasy then Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien will fast become one of your favorite stories. For a fantasy fiction lover, there is no excuse for not reading and rereading this book! The actual story begins many years before with Bilbo Baggins ( of course from the book The Hobbit) - the hesitant hobbit who is asked to go on a mission to retrieve the hobbits stolen treasure from the dragon Smaug. The opening of The Lord of the Rings shows an older Bilbo Baggins and his cousin Frodo. It is Bilbo’s eleventy-first birthday and he has gone missing. Frodo is bequeathed Bilbo’s magical ring as well as the task of destroying it for if it ever falls into the wrong hands, the world as the hobbits knew it would be over forever. The saying goes “One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.” It has been put on the shoulders of young Frodo to ensure that this will not be the fate for the hobbits and the rest of the world and so begins the adventure of a lifetime for Fordo and his best friend Sam who accompanies him on this death defying mission of unimaginable danger and adventure beyond compare. The journey begins with Frodo and Sam facing one obstacle after another, their biggest problem being the original ring bearer, Gollum, who is hot on their heels as he wishes to reclaim the ring for himself. It soon becomes apparent that Gollum is more of a sad character than anything else and that he is somewhat bewitched by the ring. At times it becomes very hard to dislike him as there are two sides to this creature; Gollum is the relentless hound that will stop at nothing to have the ring in his clutches again, and Sméagol is the nice, yet odd, looking creature who simply wishes to be free and happy. When he originally took possession of the ring, it cursed him, turning him into his evil counter personality and causing him to have a long and unnatural life full of pain and misery. Of course, since this is a story, the evil side overpowers the good side and Gollum remains a thorn in the side of Frodo throughout the story. This epic tale is not one solely of adventure and tribulations. As with every great story, there are lessons to be garnered and life skills to be learned. The Lord of the Rings is filled with a powerful lesson about friendship and loyalty. It is a story of truth and love. It is a story that teaches what it truly means to be selfless and become a hero or heroine no matter how unwittingly. Two words that best describe this amazing story are thrilling and magnificent. This is a must read for anyone who appreciates the works of J.R.R Tolkien and for anyone who simply wants to find themselves pulled into a tale filled with such excitement that they will feel as if they have actually traveled to a different world.