The biggest challenge I have faced when writing reviews on books I’ve enjoyed and have included on my list of books I think every Christian should read is writing about books I read years ago. I could re-read them (and some I intend to), but there are so many books on my yet-to-be-read list that I don’t often re-read books. As I have been discovering many other good sites that focus on books, I’ve found some great articles and reviews that have already been published, so I thought “Why re-invent the wheel?” So, this is a “Reblog” of a well-written review (actually series of reviews) of The Lord of the Rings trilogy
by J. R. R. Tolkien.
Related articles
- J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biographical Sketch (www.tolkiensociety.org)
- Being a Tolkien fan is all about the reading experience (mjwrightnz.wordpress.com)
by J. R. R. Tolkien.
It appears at or near the top of every popularly chosen list of the best books of all time. It cast a lasting spell on the fantasy genre, where it set the tropes that would be explored for nearly forty years before darker, more ironic low fantasy, Harry Potter, and contemporary urban fantasy could even begin to put a dent in its armor. If you asked most readers to name a fantasy book, it would be the first words from their lips. Still, some readers and critics insist on taking cheap shots at The Lord of the Rings (hereafter “LOTR”).
Some say that it oversimplifies the struggle between good and evil. Others accuse it of racism because many of the forces of evil are dark-skinned. Some decry the shortage of female characters. Some simply find it too hokey. Some blithely accuse it of being loaded with clichés, but you can’t…
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I'm All Booked 
Lord of the Rings is my favorite book, story, world, tale….it is the most amazing book every written as far as I’m concerned. 🙂 I think it is the Bittersweetness of the story, that the blogger lists, that captivates me, and the friendships. Those two things are just amazing. To this day, my husband and I discuss the magic of Tolkien and the things which make him untouchable by other fantasy/fiction writers. Thanks for the reminder and the honor paid to this beautiful book!
Thanks for your comments, Abby! I know that you love Tolkien and just finished reading through the series again. I love the friendship theme throughout also, as well as these spiritual truths: God calls us to identify, stand up, and sometimes fight against evil, but He never leaves us to do it alone. And He uses people of all types and with different strengths to carry out His purposes in this world!