The Lord of the Rings is a series which comprises of three main books, The Fellowship of the Rings, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King published by John Ronald Reuel Tolkien otherwise known as J R. R. Tolkien.
Through these three books you get to follow Bilbo Baggins on an extraordinary journey through middle earth with a ring that tempts his will along the way.
First published in 1954, The Lord of the Rings could truly live on for centuries.
Right now let's briefly answer the question is it worth to read "Lord of the Rings" .
Reading "Lord of the Rings" is beneficial for almost everyone. It shows a fight between evil and good, it's easy to read and gives you a butterfly effect.
7 Amazing Reasons you have to read Lord of the Rings.
1. Through a number of books you get to engage with an unraveling story
You simply cannot read one of these books and think that you will be able to understand the Lord of the Rings story. That is simply not how it works.
To understand Bilbo's story you need to travel with him. Beginning at the shire, where he is most comfortable. Out into the world where he faces threats he has never even thought of. Realistically, all of us can see a little bit of Bilbo Baggins in ourselves.
There are numerous times when he can go off course but inevitable he perseveres and pushes through against the odds.
At no point can you predict the story, and that's the magic of it. You simply have to read it to understand.
2. Middle earth is a great universe
Many authors would do anything to have the skill to be able to create a universe like Tolkien.
The description, imagery, and atmosphere built up in the book made it easy for set designers and scriptwriters to recreate the world on screen.
What makes the world so amazing is how different it is to our own. Nowhere is middle earth to you come across a Rupert Murdoch figure, or a Trump.
There is collaboration and lots of friendly relationships between people who grew up in completely different circumstances. These people manage to find a common goal and work towards it. All to the benefit of middle earth.
Middle earth in some aspects seems to be what Earth is not.
3. It's a genre classic!
Tolkien single handedly managed to craft one of the best classics of all times when he drafted the Lord of the Rings. Today it is still pushed as a novel young people and adults alike should read.
On a yearly basis, it is on bestseller lists. And, it has gone on to be one of the hallmarks of the fantasy genre. Tolkien brought together numerous mythical beats in the Lord of the Rings in a highly successful manner.
Even Hogwarts, seems amateur in comparison to near puzzle perfect fit the mythical creatures bring to middle earth. Everything has a purpose.
Lord of the Rings is an example of literary craftsmanship.
4. A great fight between good and evil
Humans seem to love moral codes and, good versus evil fights. It's one of the main plotlines of a Hollywood movie, and it likely always will be.
But it Lord of the Rings you get a more complex good versus evil story.
When the people of middle earth fight for freedom, it aligns with the value systems of most modern systems. We also believe we should live free. Without the infringement of others.
Published just post World War 2, this good versus evil fight was more than appropriate for those who had just defeated the Nazis.
5. You'll learn about military combat as your read
Tolkien was a lecturer. This is probably one of the reasons why his novels are built up so well.
When you see the battles play out on screen, they look realistic. That's because Tolkien's military knowledge went into the devising of those fictional narratives.
Tolkien himself actually did have military experience which may be why his descriptions of wars are so vivid. They are realistic, because they are based on real events.
He was studying his last year at Oxford when World War 1 broke out.
Tolkien served the British military at the Battle of Somme. He joined the army after university and by 1916 was stationed in France. Whilst on the Frontline, his unit suffered heavy casualties. He then fell ill with trench fever, was sent to a military hospital, and then back to Britain.
He was in hospital it seems for just over a year before taking on an administrative role within the army. He was discharged in 1919. He did not serve in World War 2 but his sons did.
Throughout Lord of the Rings, Tolkien's military background exudes itself. Orcs push against defense lines, people dig underground and make tunnels for attacks, horses are used by those higher up, there is a strong acceptance of order. Yes, it was surely written by a military man.
After World War War 1 he served as a reader at the University of Leeds.
6. There will be more movies
The Lord of the Rings movies are amazing. The hobbit movies were also so good. But guess what, there are more Lord of the Ring pieces of art in the work.
The new Amazon series will film in New Zealand, which means a whole load of people are going to be reading the books. And whole lot more middle earth fandom for current fans to look forward to.
This is a great reason to reread not only The Lord of The Rings but all of the middle earth books. Remember that after his death, his sons continued to publish his work. Typically after completing Lord of the Rings, people tend to pick up the Silmarillion which is a collection of stories.
Remember middle earth is large. If you like games, there will be a new Golum game out this year.
7. The butterfly effect
The smallest thing really can change the entire world, and that's one thing you come to terms with once you become engrossed in the Lord of the Rings. Look at how one hobbits journey changed time.
If Frodo had not made that journey, everything would have changed. But then think of Golum, and 'my preciousssssss.'
No one knows where the ring is that whole time and it was one small blip in history which led to the ring even being found.
Is it hard to read the Lord of the Rings?
No, the books was never supposed to be overly complicated. Tolkien actually sat down to try and write a compelling story and end up with a great narrative. It was written over time so was probably simplified and sharpened overtime.
Is it better to read or watch the Lord of the Rings?
Well, you can do both. Both literature and movies are two different art forms, and one piece of work can be portrayed differently through both.
Having watched the movies will not take away from the experience of actually reading the books. As there will be imagery that the movie left out, whilst the movie will include conversations which are not in the book.
Does it take long to read the Lord of the Rings?
It may not be very quick to read the entire Lord of the Rings, as it comprises of three books, which total more than 1000 pages. If you get lost in the story you may complete it very quickly. That is normal.
Along the way you may overextend yourself so remember that the story is supposed to be enjoyable and take it at a good pace. There are extra middle earth books you can read after if you feel you must continue!
There is really no use rushing the good stuff.
Why Lord of the Rings is so popular?
Simply, you go on one of the best literary stories. Tolkien left no devices out, some points you feel warm in the comradery shared amongst friends. Other times you can feel the angst build in the air as the men prepare for battle.
You won't know until you engage with the story which is why so many people recommend it.
For nearly two decades the movies captivated young people and now a series is coming. It is likely the middle earth fandom will go wild, there will be many great battles, and many more books will sell.
Conclusion
The Lord of the Rings is a classic book and always will be. For decades it has sparked the mind of children and adults and it will continue to do so. Tolkien's own experience influenced him writing the book which is why it has such a realistic touch to it.
It doesn't hurt to read the Lord of the Rings, so why not give it a go? There is a new series coming out and it could be hugely successful. There may even be new movies in the future.
Let us know in the comments section whether you are now pushed to read the Lord of the Rings, and if you have a
