A must for collectors - Rated 
Though there is not a huge amount of additional material in this edition it so beautifully put together as to justify the cost (a high one) - at least it does for me. Slip case and binding are excellent.
One book to rule them all - Rated
Though J.R.R. Tolkien was not the first or most critically-acclaimed fantasy writer, he remains the most beloved and influential, even though "Lord of the Rings" is decades old.
Now with the epic movie trilogy based on this book, new waves of readers are discovering the unique power of the "Lord of the Rings." Tolkien's classic is a timeless tale of good and evil, written in a detailed, powerful style, set in a fictional world of staggering detail and haunting beauty.
Following up on events in "The Hobbit," "The Fellowship of the Ring" opens with the hobbit Bilbo Baggins departing from the Shire, after many years of living as the town eccentric. He reluctantly leaves his treasured ring of invisibility to his adventurous nephew Frodo, and vanishes into the wild with some dwarves.
But Gandalf the wizard, informs Frodo that the Ring is really the Ring of Power, a powerful item that the demonic Dark Lord Sauron has poured his essence and power into. And if Sauron can regain the Ring, he will be able to conquer Middle-Earth. Aghast, Frodo joins a fellowship of Elves, Dwarves, Hobbits, Men and a wizard, to go to the one place where the Ring can be destroyed: Mount Doom.
"The Two Towers" begins directly after "Fellowship," after Frodo Baggins flees with his friend Sam into Mordor, with no one to protect them. His cousins Merry and Pippin are kidnapped by orcs from the renegade wizard Saruman. Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli begin a frenetic search for the hobbits, and receive unexpected help from unlikely allies. Meanwhile, the Ring weighs more heavily on Frodo, as he is forced to get help from one of the people he most despised: the Ring's slave Gollum.
"Return of the King" brings the trilogy to an action-packed, slam-bang and ultimately poignant finale. Sam barely rescues Frodo from Sauron's orcs, and the two resume their journey to Mount Doom, barely escaping Sauron's forces. As Aragorn leads the desperate battle against Sauron's armies at the city of Minas Tirith, Frodo falls increasingly under the seductive spell of the Ring.
"Lord of the Rings" is indeed a powerful book, and its timeless messages and quests have shaped the fantasy genre, and crossed the boundaries of literary fiction. At its core it's about the fight of good versus evil, and how "little people" can have a strength and willpower that the great and mighty can't even begin to understand.
And Middle-Earth is a pretty astounding universe -- not just because Tolkien created a rich back-history for it, but because of the feeling of mystery that hangs around its corners, whether it's dead soldiers or slumbering tree-men. And of course rich cultures of Men, ancient wizards, the stately melancholy elves, and the tough dwarves -- as well as the idyllic Shire, a sort of ancient British countryside which is threatened by corruption.
Tolkien's writing is evocative and descriptive, though not to extremes; an elf rider is simple described as shining like a light behind a veil. The story is wrapped in a wide range of dialogue -- from Sam's folksy chat to the Elves' ethereal, formal songs -- and the pacing is slow and gradual, but kept alive by sudden twists of the plot. The first several chapters are kind of slow-moving, but by the time our heroes get to Bree, the pace picks up.
Frodo Baggins is an everyman hero, who dreams of adventure but begins to treasure the simple, boring life that he had once he is deprived of it. His deteriotation is saddening, all the more so because he is aware of it. The equally vibrant cast also includes Gandalf the crabby grandfatherly wizard, Sam Gamgee the loyal gardener, and a variety of kings, elves, dwarves, and more lovable little hobbits.
Even after all the years, J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" still rules the fantasy genre and has become an integral part of modern literature. It's an epic for all ages, and few books have even come close to equalling it.
For love - Rated
First of all, i have to say that i don't be a fan of Tolkien books, but the love of my life is a very, very huge fan of his books.
I bought this book (and the Hobbit Deluxe Edition too) only for seeing a smile in her face. I have to say that loving her i entered into Tolkien's world and we talked many times about this world and his creator.
The book is so smart and worth its price, she liked so much the illustrations and the maps and also the quality of the paper. For her is a marvelous gift because in Spain this book is not selling in stores yet.
I think that i will love this book like i love right now her. She loves Tolkien's books and i love everything about her.
the lord of books - Rated
the lord of the rings has been hailed as the best book ever written and with this i would have to agree, tolkein sews an amazingly detailed and uncompromsingly addictive work of magic, myth and war. Although at times the story lacks fluidity, the extent of his literary talent and creativity in descriptive content adds up to a world that the reader will often seem part of, so much so that the movies often capture the moment exactly how i pictured it as i read the story. some of the description is so vast that not even the movies themselves compare to the book. a fulfilling read which is on many levels better than the movies.
One of the Best books of our times - Rated 
Lord of the Rings in undoubtedly one of the finest works of fiction to ever have graced the planet. Tolkien creates a world of great depth and wonder, when reading the book we you can see the gardens of the shire, hear the roar of the Balrog and see the wonder of the white city. He masterfully created a world rich in mythology and legend of its own and set the sights for every author who follows him.
BUT.
While Tolkien did in dead give the world this work of art it is not without its flaws, he often places too much influence on the surroundings rather than the story playing out in them. He dedicates chapters to describing the fellowships walk through middle earth but very little time is spent describing their battles. In Return of the King I have always felt that when describing the final battle from several characters viewpoints, this detracts from the story rather than adds to it. And I was never a big fan of the Scourging of the Shire.
The illustrations capture the scenes perfectly and are works of art in their own right, but this remains a difficult book to read. Many people who have seen the films and then watched the book will find them selves a little disappointed I think; the Films not only (mostly) faithfully follow the books, they bind them into a coherent strong story, which was sometimes lacking in the books.
Without a doubt one of the finest works of fiction ever, and it has influenced thousands of works since its publication. Everyone should have read the Lord of the Rings at least once, although it can be quite a struggle at times.
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