The Lord of the Rings
by J.R.R Tolkien
Reviewed by Shravan
May 11, 2024
This is a legendary series written by a legendary author. This, of course, is J.R.R Tolkien. This series is about the travels and adventures of The Fellowship of The Ring. Their task is to destroy the Ring of Power, in the fiery heart of Mount Doom. However, Mount Doom is in the middle of Sauron’s territory, and protected by thousands of his soldiers. Together, they must destroy the Ring, and stop Sauron. Sauron’s only goal is to conquer the entire Earth, and he seems unstoppable. Can the Fellowship stop Sauron?
Let me get this out of the way. The books were somewhat complicated, and the language, slang, etc, were all different from most recent books. This made it hard for me to understand, and that really made my experience while reading a lot worse. Watching the movies really cleared everything up, and I really like them. I still recommend this series though, because the story was excellent, with incredible detail and description, suspense and excitement. In the end, I would rate this book 4 Stars. However, this series can be incredibly hard to read and understand for younger readers, which really ruins the experience for them. Because of that, I would rate it for ages 10+.
Similar Series
See all →
Harry Potter
J.K Rowling
The Chronicles of Narnia
C.S Lewis
The Inheritance Cycle
Christopher Paolini
The Kane Chronicles
Rick Riordan
Books in this Series
Common Questions About The Lord of the Rings
What age is The Lord of the Rings appropriate for?
The Lord of the Rings is best for ages 10-14 (Grades 5th-8th). I'll be honest — Tolkien uses a lot of old-fashioned words and spends a long time describing landscapes, which can be slow going for younger readers. A lot of kids start with The Hobbit around age 8-9 since it's shorter and way easier to get through. If your kid handles The Hobbit well, they're ready for LOTR.
Should I read The Hobbit before Lord of the Rings?
I'd recommend reading The Hobbit first — it introduces Middle-earth, Bilbo, and the Ring in a much shorter and more accessible story. It's not required, but most readers enjoy Lord of the Rings more when they have that foundation. The Hobbit also works as a test — if your kid can handle that, they're ready for LOTR.
Should my child watch the Lord of the Rings movies or read the books first?
I'd recommend reading at least The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring before watching the films. Kids who read Tolkien first get to picture Middle-earth and the Shire in their own imagination — every reader builds a different version, which is part of the magic. Peter Jackson's trilogy (2001-2003) is amazing though, and can help if the writing feels hard to follow. Read each book first, then watch the movie together.
How many Lord of the Rings books are there?
The Lord of the Rings is published as 3 volumes — The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King — though Tolkien actually wrote it as one continuous story. Including The Hobbit, there are 4 books in the core saga. It's a legendary series by a legendary author.
The Lord of the Rings is recommended for ages 10 - 14 (Grades 5th - 9th) with Lexile scores ranging from 860L to 860L.