The Fellowship of the Ring (by J. R. R. Tolkien)

This is the series that defined the modern fantasy genre. In this majestic and enchanting tale set in the mythical land of Middle-earth, a small band of adventurers sets out on a perilous quest to destroy a magic ring that, if recovered by its evil creator, will mean the end of all that is fair and beautiful in the world.

With this spectacular tale, Oxford University professor J. R. R. Tolkien invented not only a language and a land in which it was spoken but also -- unintentionally -- a new literary genre. Tolkien was perhaps the first author to create a fully realized, authentic-seeming world. Brimming with various cultures and creatures engaged in an existence that accepted magic, it is as fully realized as our own.

What is it that draws generations of adolescents -- and latecomer adults -- to Middle-earth? Epic battles, yes, but inner turmoil too; Overwhelming forces of evil, but also temptation and greed within oneself; potent sorcery, but perhaps more so the magical spells of friendship and loyalty and devotion. This is the kind of story the word epic seems to have been invented for, but it's also an intimate tale about the bonds among companions and about the human instinct to do the right thing. From these simple features it derives its true power.