I read this book in the third grade, and have read it some 5 or six times since. It is simply THE best fantasy book that has ever been written. C.S. Lewis and J.K. Rowling just lack the ingenuity or the skill to weave a tale of such depth and magic. We pass through the spectrum of human character, through greed, hate, lust, friendship, loyalty, courage, and evil, but most importantly hope. In a world that grows darker daily, with the world of men outmumbered and surrounded, the elves sundered, and the dwarves dispersed, it is the heroic tale of small people who change the world, and mercy which in the end saves it. Gandalf, alone defying the witch-king of Angmar, alone holding the gates, Eowyn, protecting the dying body of her king and father with her own life, pitted against a foe she knows is much more powerful then her, and in the foreground, Frodo, fighting against the consuming power of the ring, and Sam helping him. And the characters also are marvelously well developed: Denethor, driven mad with hopelessness from his visions in the Palantir, Gollum, torn between his lust for the ring and his promise to protect his master, and Frodo, slowly weakening under the power of the ring, supported only by Sam. This is, to put it mildly, a must-read for every single person on the face of the globe over the age of 8.

You've got to be insane! I read The Hobbit and LOTR when I was 7! It has been my absolute favorate series since! Seriously, how can this scare anyone? There's no graphics! If you haven't read it, YOU HAVE TO!

this is a great book in itself and also a totally perfect ending to the trilogy!!! im so glad it wasnt one of those disappointing "last books" but it was great and kept me hooked!!! tolkien of course adds more the flavor of the story by mixing the elements already there with new characters, and of course new adventures! i warn you tho, the ending is kinda bitter-sweet, but for me that only makes the book better! its a truly real story and a classic! i love it!!

Don't be deterred that The Lord of the Rings--unlike The Hobbit--is typically found in the adult section; that is mainly based on reading level or the age of characters, not the content. I recommend LotR for 12 and up. If they have been able to understand the first two volumes, this will be a worthy reward (and please, read before you see the movies). Mainly, the only things that could be considered an issue here is the use of "ass" (only once, I think), which Pippin uses (ironically) to refer to a foolish Merry. Also, there is some love between Eowyn and Faramir and Aragorn, but there are no references to anything beyond wedding, etc. The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen in the Appendicies is also of similar nature. There is also plenty of violence, but nother gory or disgusting is depicted in detail. And I must warn you: have some tissues ready for the end.