A Fellowship of Courage

By Makayla S.

Taking place in a mythical land of magic, monsters, and mayhem, The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien is a captivating story. As the First book of the trilogy, the setting starts in the Shire. Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf the Grey are familiar characters from Tolkien's previous award winning novel, The Hobbit. The Fellowship of the Ring introduces several more diverse characters and creatures, as well as an even more exciting new plot full of adventure. When a hobbit - named Frodo - is put in the middle of a highly unlikely situation, his courage is put to the ultimate test. Once in possession of an evil ring, he is responsible for the fate of the world against the dark lord Sauron of Mordor. He begins his long perilous journey to destroy the ring with his best friend Sam, and the help of several other unique companions.

Tolkien began writing in 1937, finishing around 1949. His outstanding work made this one of the best-selling novels ever written, with over 150 million copies sold. A map is included with the book, and the author went as far as developing an entire elvish language used in the trilogy. The book becomes every fantasy lovers dream - showcasing wizards, elves, dwarves, orcs, ogres, and talking trees among many other creatures. You feel as if you are on the journey beside Frodo, and you are eager for him to succeed each battle. Tolkien writes with vivid details and imagery, developing characters to their full extent. The dialog is exceptionally written for a fantasy novel like this, and every conversation is enjoyable to read. Tolkien goes into great depths to make this thrilling tale a reality.

It is already well known that the Lord of the Rings is an all time classic. The story has been turned into a set of three films, with another three films for the Hobbit. The Fellowship of the ring never gets old for me, and I could read this book again and again. Tolkien excels at fantasy and adventure, which create some of the most exciting and interesting reads out there. If you have never had the chance to read this tale of friendship, courage, and magic then I highly recommend you pick up this book, and continue with the trilogy for the most rewarding experience.