The influence of JRR Tolkien to the works of English Literature can only be rivaled by William Shakespeare. It should be noted that Tolkien, unlike Bill, has no cloud of controversy as to whether he wrote his works or not. The concept of creating a real language for other races (popularly used in Star Trek) was started when he wrote the language of the elves. He created the Ents, commonly called Treefolk in Dungeons and Dragons and Magic: The Gathering. Finally, although brutal beasts have existed for centuries in fantasy and legend, he was the first to call the most powerful ones Orcs. But The Lord of the Rings (LOR) would not have had the influence it does if all he did was invent monsters or fantastic words. LOR is a true work of literature. There are many different layers to the story and something in their depth is bound to appeal to anybody. LOR is first of all a Fantasy Adventure story, filled with mighty heroes, strange monsters, fantastic cultures and powerful magic. It is a series filled with a rich history of unpublished works he had been working on. It is an allegorical history of the fall of the feudal society, the rise of industry and the struggle for human rights. It is a reflection of both world wars. Finally, it is a story of Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular. The series was not originally what Tolkien wanted to write. He had been working on the histories and stories of Middle Earth for decades and wanted to use them as the background for what would be the final, and greatest, story of that mythos. The Hobbit, however, was too popular and he was forced to write "another halfling story". In the end, he compromised and adjusted his own ideas to accept the hobbits as major characters. It is for this reason that The Hobbit, even after being substantially re-written, does not fit as smoothly with LOR as one would expect for a "prequel". His original world can be found in "The Simerillian" and other works published after his death by his son Christopher. The Industrial Revolution destroyed a 1000 year culture. The nobility fell from power (Elves leaving Middle Earth), the influence of the guilds was minimized (Dwarves hiding in their caves) and the Church came under siege (Galadriel refusing to leave Lothlorien). At this time, the industrialists (Sauroman) and dictators (Sauron) enslaved the people (Orcs) and threatened to destroy human rights (the Free Peoples Gondor and Rohan). When Aragorn is crowned King, Tolkien was prophesizing the ultimate victory over oppression that happened in the 1980s with the fall of communism. Marx, Steinbeck, HG Wells and other great authors all wrote about certain aspects of this time, but only Tolkien covered the entire 150+ year period. The series was written during WW II, so it is easy to understand why the fears of the Free Peoples come so alive. Tolkien and the people he worked and lived with were experiencing the very same threat themselves. The Christian references in the story are too numerous to list in the limited space of this forum, but it is easy to point out how Jesus (Gandalf), papal authority (Galadriel), Judas (Boramir) and sin (the ring) are portrayed in the series. The LOR is more than just another fantasy adventure story. It presents nearly 200 years of human struggle for rights in a changing world and emphasizes the importance of spirituality in order to win. John Holland-author of The Necklace of TerrersylvanousRead full review
I had recently listened to Rob Inglis read an unabridged cassette version of J.R.R. Tolkien's THE HOBBIT, having checked it out from the local library. I immediately wanted to hear THE LORD OF THE RINGS - in its entirety - and rather than continually checking the shelves and always having a deadline for it being overdue I decided to purchase each volume. Rob Inglis is a superb narrator. I have listened to "performances" of The Lord of the Rings on cassette, wherein each character is voiced by a different actor, and these are abridged and not as fulfilling as an unabridged reading of the book. Rob Inglis does indeed use different voices for each character - and to be honest sometimes the voice he uses does not reflect my own interpretation of what is written - but overall I am extremely pleased. He sings the songs wonderfully and for me this is a real joy - since when I read the songs I cannot for the life of me attach a decent tune or melody. Since this is an unabridged version I get the full experience of each word JRR Tolkien used to complete the story. I find entire passages filled with added understanding because I can listen to how a professional actor has interpreted the words instead of listening to my own limited internal dialogue. The set is thoughtfully produced with all the cassettes working and with no audio glitches. Very high quality tape has been used. I own dozens of books on tape and this set is among my favorites. I highly recommend this version of THE TWO TOWERS.Read full review
The Lord of the Rings series is a great series, one of the best out there in my opinion, and this recording brings it to audio format perfectly. Rob Inglish's voice is a great match for the story, and he even brings the songs of the Middle Earth folk to life. Plus it's unabridged, and I wouldn't have it any other way. (I mean, seriously. Abridge the Lord of the Rings? I don't think so.) Great audiobook, great story, great performance. Five stars all the way.
No one can narrate this story like Rob Inglis. He is the best! We, as a family, have listened for hours at home and on the road to this book. If you get a chance to listen to this audio book, this is the best place to start. My children were about 9 yo and 13 yo when they first listened to the story and parts were suspenseful but not scary for them. We never tire of good verses evil, with good prevailing.
A Classic!!!!
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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