Kirkus Review of The Fellowship of the Ring

The Fellowship of the Ring, by J. R. R. Tolkien

            Frodo Baggins receives a seemingly plain and gold ring from his uncle, Bilbo Baggins, on his uncle’s birthday. However, he soon realizes that the ring is dangerous and tied to the fate of his world, Middle-Earth, and travels on a quest with companions to dispose of it.

            Frodo Baggins is an ordinary hobbit, a being shorter than a dwarf that lives within the hills, and lives peacefully in the hobbits' land of the Shire. That time of peace is shattered when Frodo receives a gold ring from his uncle, Bilbo Baggins, on his uncle’s 111st birthday. A mood of mystery and danger arises in the novel after Frodo is commanded by the wizard, Gandalf, to keep the ring secret and secure from anyone. When Gandalf returns from a trip to learn more about Frodo’s ring, he reveals that the ring contains the power of the dark lord Sauron, a long-deceased tyrant of Middle-Earth. The Nazgûl, ancient servants of Sauron, have recently discovered that the ring still exists and are seeking the one ring in order to revive their master. Frodo leaves the Shire immediately for the safe haven of Rivendell, home of the western Elves, and obtains the companionship of Sam, Pippin, and Merry during the journey. The band travels through the Old Forest and to The Prancing Pony Inn, where the band meets Aragorn, who is a ranger called Strider and the hidden king of men. During their travels, the band encounters the Nazgûl on more than one occasion and narrowly escapes to Rivendell with Frodo’s life from the encounters. At Rivendell, the band meets with a great assortment of characters, including Boromir, son of the steward of Gondor, the kingdom of men, Gimli, a dwarf, and Legolas, an elf. A fellowship is established to escort Sauron’s ring to Mount Doom in Mordor, where it will be destroyed in the mountain’s fire. The fellowship departs for Mordor, although they encounter trouble during their journey to the Mountains of Moria and lose Gandalf from the assault of a Balrog, a demonic being, in the mountains. The fellowship rests at Lothlórien, a community of elves, and then departs to the hills of Amon Hen, where the fellowship is shattered by Frodo’s decision to leave for Mordor on his own. However, Sam finds Frodo, and they leave the fellowship together to destroy the ring.  

            This novel is an excellent and classic entry in the fantasy genre. It is highly memorable and almost flawless in the presentation of its narrative by containing a mysterious, dark atmosphere with a diverse, descriptive, and sensibly written prose.