The Lord of the Rings

Book Description

Three-volume boxed set edition lavishly illustrated in full color by Alan Lee

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them

In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, The Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth still it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell, by chance, into the hands of the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins.

From his fastness in the Dark Tower of Mordor, Sauron's power spread far and wide. He gathered all the Great Rings to him, but ever he searched far and wide for the One Ring that would complete his dominion.

On his eleventy-first birthday, Bilbo dissapeared bequeathing to his young cousin, Frodo, the Ruling Ring, and a perilous quest: to journey across Middle-earth, deep into the shadow of the Dark Lord and destroy the Ring by casting it into the Cracks of Doom.

The Lord of the Rings tells of the great quest undertaken by Frodo and the Fellowship of the Ring: Gandalf the wizard, the hobbits Merry, Pippin and Sam, Gimli the Dwarf, Legolas the Elf, Boromir of Gondor, and a tall, mysterious stranger called Strider.

Customer Reviews:

One of the best editions ever!.......2007-08-01

What else should I say? Alan Lee is t h e perfect illustrator for this epic work of literature!

Wonderful Book... Worth Every Penny.......2007-07-23

I recieved this book and the artwork on the novels in fantastic. It really gives the books a great look and I have had fellow friends and family comment on how wonderful the artwork is too.

The whole Lord of the Rings novel is split into the three parts making it a trilogy, like the movies. This makes for easy handling of the book while reading instead of readind and trying to hold a 1000 or more page novel in your bed or in a chair.

This novel has a great story to it. Anybody looking for a great long novel would definetly enjoy this one. It gives a lot of background into the characters and really helps their image develop in your mind.

This product is an A+ for me and they couldn't have done it any better.

Good, if You Like this Genre.......2007-06-14

You can't say you didn't get what you paid for. These colossal books, filled with adventures, can certainly keep a person occupied, but as a general warning, these aren't those "glove-fits-all" books. You have to be in the mindset for an epic fantasy battle, and though I wasn't, my classmates who read the entire trilogy absolutely adored the stories. I would highly recommend reading The Hobbit before attempting to digest the trilogy, just so the concepts of hobbits, wizards, and Middle Earth, will be old hat.

Lord of the Rings boxed set review........2007-05-14

An mesmerising tale beautifully presented in this illustrated boxed set. The Lord of the Rings is the ultimate tale of good versus evil set in the enchanting landscape created by Tolkien that is Middle Earth.
I would recommend this edition to anyone who wants to embark on this wonderfully exciting quest with Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin.
An excellent edition!

One "Ring" to rule them all.......2007-05-06

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.

The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, Book 2)

Average customer rating:

The Quest continues...
Not Free SF Reader
Slowest of the trilogy, but still a fantastic read
Gold
Brace yourself for the most action-packed installment ...

The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, Book 2)
J.R.R. Tolkien
Manufacturer: Recorded Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 078878983X

Book Description

The second volume of The Lord of the Rings trilogy relates a tale of the eternal battle between good and evil.

Customer Reviews:

The Quest continues..........2007-09-03

'The Two Towers', by JRR Tolkien, tells of the continued adventures of the Fellowship after its breaking. It traces Frodo and Sam's journey as they strive to come closer to Mordor, yet in the hard, barren lands, one must have a guide, mustn't they my precioussss?

Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas trail after the Orcs who have taken Pippin and Merry captive, seeking to over take them and free the prisoners. Many leagues they travel over the fields of Rohan, finding signs that are hopeful, as well as those that fill them with dread and doubt. Yet unknown to them, Ugluk, leader of the Orc troop, has troubles in his ranks, for not only does he have fellow servants of Saruman the White with him, there are also emisaries of Sauron. What will Aragorn and his companions find if and when they overtake the Orc host, and what of the strange forest of Fangorn, feared by so many in these untrusting days. What secrets does its tangled boughs hold, and what of this mysterious white clad stanger that shows up once they are in the forest?

RD Williams, author of 'The Lost Gate'

Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

Greed, betrayal, infighting, and indecision have led the Fellowship of
the Ring to break up. Gandalf has fallen, and Boromir is dead. The rest
of the party is split in two, as Frodo sneaks off with Sam, to go to
Mordor, and Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli pursue the Orcs that have
abducted the other two hobbits.

A lot of breaking stuff, fighting and sneaking to be found here.

It ends in a cliffhanger.

Slowest of the trilogy, but still a fantastic read.......2007-08-22

All three of the shorter novels published as "the Lord of the Rings trilogy" are fantastic novels, but the action taking place in The Two Towers is fantastic! This "trilogy" (originally meant to be published as one book) contains lush imagery, rich and detailed description, heart-pounding action and you can really immerse yourself in the world of Middle Earth.

In The Two Towers, Frodo and Sam continue their solitary journey to Mordor, and are eventually overtaken by Gollum (Sméagol). Gollum agrees to guide them to the Black Gate of Mordor, but their journey is fraught with danger (not the least of which is Gollum's dual-personality dilemma). Tolkien cleverly wrote his master epic in six books - two books for each volume which was eventually published. In The Two Towers, the books show the division between the Frodo/Sam storyline and the remainder of the Fellowship. Pippin and Merry become separated from the rest of the Fellowship and flee into an ancient forest full of strange and wondrous creatures. A fantastic journey filled with Orcs, Ents, a confrontation with Saruman and a reunion, not only with the remainder of the broken Fellowship, but with the reborn Gandalf, this chapter of the adventure is definitely a page-turner. Even if words on a page don't tend to excite you, this will keep you enthralled. The world that Tolkien has created in Middle Earth is so easy to lose yourself in, you might not want to come back!

Gold.......2007-07-23

I just finished reading the book, and now I am listening to it starting with the hobbit straight through the return of the king because I read them that way and I think the hobbit is in a way a part of the lord of the rings. its 60+ hours total but its worth it the narrator is great, I would of course recommend actually reading it before listening to it because as the story is a big journey, so is reading the book, its a very long story and part of appreciating it is working your way through it and for those that say "Oh I saw the movies", There is ALOT that the movies left out and gives the story a new feel. Since I read it long after seeing the movies I was not prepared for what I read, there are so many small parts that either were left out or changed slightly that its like reading a story you don't know entirely. I have to say that I love the movies and if not for them I would never have wanted to read the books. If the only way you are willing to experience the book is audiobook only then I still recommend it because they are wonderful books, my favorite actually. If you do read them first, finishing them does feel great, like a journey complete.

Brace yourself for the most action-packed installment ..........2007-07-17

Anyone who read all of The Fellowship of the Ring and bemoaned its supposed slow start or lack of action (misguided souls ... surely God will correct them im the afterlife) will finally find a home in the second part of The Lord of the Rings. The Two Towers has the benefit of an established world the author no longer needs to set up, and the story moves along from wonder to terror and back again at a most satisfying pace.

When we left Frodo, he had abandoned all the fellowship except his servant Sam, unwilling to share his seemingly certain destruction with them. Thus, Tolkien splits his narrative. Book III is devoted to the adventures of Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli as they learn the fate of the fallen wizard, Gandalf, and seek to rescue the hobbits Merry and Pippin from the clutches of the orcs. Book IV returns us to Frodo and Sam on the hopeless trek to Mordor. Along the way, they enlist the help of a most unlikely guide ...

Epic battles, walking tree-gods, monstrous spiders, and reintroduction of literature's most tragic villain, Gollum, highlight this most worthy second part of the greatest fantasy epic ever written.

(This review has been posted by Marcus Damanda, author of the vampire fantasy, "Teeth.")

Average customer rating:

LOVELY
My review
The bedrock of fantasy
Boring.......
A Timeless Literary Classic

The Lord of the Rings
J. R. R. Tolkien , and Alan Lee
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0395489326

Book Description

The three volumes that make up Tolkien's epic classic The Lord of the Rings are here presented in their standard cloth editions including large format fold-out maps and an extensive appendices. Set contains The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King, with jackets and a box designed by celebrated illustrator Alan Lee.

Customer Reviews:

LOVELY.......2007-07-24

Wonderful set! Reading a hardcover by the original publisher is a must. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful

My review.......2006-11-08

Its divine the books are beautifully bound and reasonably priced, definately a must for Tolkien fanatics.

The bedrock of fantasy.......2005-12-28

Yes folks, this was the book (THE book--it wasn't supposed to be a trilogy originally) that started it all. The roots of modern fantasy begin here. Yes, it's also terribly formulaic writing--but it was written to be mythology. Myths and legends are generally pretty big on formula. Beneath that stiff prose, though, is the rich and complex world of Tolkien's Middle-earth...and what an amazing place it is.

Boring..............2005-12-26

Tired of all the hullaballoo surrounding Tolkien I finally purchased LOtR. I enjoy fantasy and tried to give it a fair shake but put the book down from boredom a quarter of the way through. I found myself rereading pages because my mind wasn't getting into his prose. There are better works out there, IMHO.
Everyone sings the praises of him so YOU might enjoy it, but I much prefer George Martin's series A Song of Ice and Fire.

A Timeless Literary Classic.......2005-08-15

I first read the Lord of the Rings when I was in high school. I thought it was a good story, although a bit lofty when compared to The Hobbit.

A few years later, I picked it up and read it once more. I doscovered things in its pages that I had missed the first time around. Now, I read it every year or two out of simple appreciation for Tolkien's vision and the poetic way he described it.

I highly recommend these books to anyone and everyone.

The Art of The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings)

Average customer rating:

Good, but not as Good as the first
Buy this book or die trying!
Buy it now or die of guilt!
MEDIOCRE
Great collecters books for Rings fans

The Art of The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings)
Gary Russell
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0618331301

Book Description

A companion to The Art of The Fellowship of the Ring, this authoritative and insightful book is packed with more than five hundred full-color images â many exclusive to this volume â and shows the development of the imagery in The Two Towers from concept drawings to wide-screen glory. With illuminating captions telling the story of the images in the words of the artists and designers responsible for the look of the film, including the renowned artists Alan Lee and John Howe, and contributions from Peter Jackson, Richard Taylor, Grant Major, Ngila Dickson, Paul Lasaine, and others, this book is a must for all fans of The Lord of the Rings. In this essential reference to the architecture and costumes of Jackson's onscreen Middle-earth, the stunning large-format art, from sketches to paintings to three-dimensional maquettes and digital art, is lovingly reproduced with lavish production values to create a spectacular keepsake for the film's millions of fans.

Customer Reviews:

Good, but not as Good as the first.......2005-05-05

The second art book of the movie trilogy is not as shockingly good as the fellowship, but still a great book to own, especially for the Tolkien fan. Some of the maquettes pictured are very cool, especially the varied ents. It's always nice to see how differnt artists interpreted the characters and mood of the scene. These books show how much of a difference the art behind the movie plays on the quality of the film. The paintings are great and in general there is more commentary than in the first book. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book but not over the first one simply because the drawing s in The Fellowship art book surpass the Two Towers, and the organization of the first book is better. If The Two Towers is your favorite movie in the trilogy, then this will probably be your favorite book of the three.

Buy this book or die trying!.......2004-03-23

This book is a action pact, drama filled, and a adventures book
that when you start reading it you get caught in it and when you finish the book you start bagging for more.

So you should go get this book right now, and take my advise and order it one you get done reading it.

Buy it now or die of guilt!.......2003-12-07

This was an incredible book! This book proved to be an invaluable resource to me as a costumer. Any costumer or anyone remotely interested in LotR will benefit from this; it made the difference when I was making the Arwen Blood Red Dress. (Mom helped, but the book did more :)

MEDIOCRE.......2003-11-26

MANY OF THE DRAWINGS INCORPORATED IN THIS BOOK DO NOT REALLY FASCINATE ME AS BEING REALLY FLOORED. THE FIRST BOOK IS SOMEWHAT BETTER. DESIGNS OF SUCH CREATURES AS WARG, OLYPHAUNT, AND FELL BEAST ARE NOT IN IT. A WHOLE CHAPTER DEDICATED TO GOLLUM IS SOMEHOW OVERLONG (ALBEIT NECESSARY). MAYBE THE THIRD BOOK WOULD FULFILL MY SATISFACTION.

Great collecters books for Rings fans.......2003-09-29

The sequel to The Art of The Fellowship of the Ring, this coffee-table edition book is simply the same thing for the second of the three movies by New Line Cinema.

Hundreds of paintings, art work, concept sketches, paintings and diagrams from noted artists John Howe and Alan Lee, as well as the costume designs by Ngila Dickson, and computer-images and artwork from Richard Taylor and Weta Workshop.

Accompanying the images are descriptions and explanations by designers and artists, as well as interviews with Andy Serkis, the physical crux of the amazing and ground-breaking character of Gollum as seen in The Two Towers.

Sketches and art work include drawings of settings such as Mordor, Orthanc, Fangorn Forest, Emyn Muil, the Dead Marshes, Rivendell, Helm's Deep, Edoras, and Meduseld.

Also included are character sketches and concept art of Théoden, Éomer, Rohirrim soldiers, Treebeard, Éowyn, Grima Wormtongue, Easterling soldiers, Gondorian Rangers, Faramir, Sharku, Warg Riders, Elves, Orcs, and of course, Gollum.

An amazing behind-the-scenes look at the early concepts that took shape to create the spectacular cinematic journey that reaches its end on December 17th, 2003, and if you don't mind having the movies "spoiled" a little, in that you come to learn that a lot of what you saw on the screen really wasn't there, then you'll enjoy this book immensely.

Book Description

The official, fully authorized full-color guide to the characters, places, and landscapes of J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth as depicted in The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy.

Fully illustrated with almost 300 color photographs, including stunning new images from the extended director's versions of The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers, and exclusive "first-look" shots from The Return of the King, this Complete Visual Companion now tells the whole tale of The Lord of the Rings in sumptuous detail.

The many characters, creatures, and strange lands of Middle-earth encountered by the Fellowship of the Ring in their epic journey are here brought to life: from the magical Elven realms of Rivendell and Lothlorien to the abandoned Dwarven kingdom of Moria; from the wizard Saruman's stronghold at Isengard to the land of the Horse-lords, Rohan; from their last-ditch fortress at Helm's Deep to Minas Tirith, the city-kingdom of the proud Men of Gondor; from the haunted Paths of the Dead to the battlefields of Pelennor and the overrun city of Osgiliath; from Cirith Ungol and the Nazgul's tower of sorcery at Minas Morgul into the very heart of Mordor. Along the way our heroes will encounter Elves and Ents, Uruk-hai and Orcs, Trolls, and Haradrim on their towering war-elephants, the mumakil. The Companion introduces readers to the monstrous Shelob the spider, to the Corsairs of Umbar, and to that pitiful but deadly creature Gollum.

This omnibus edition also includes brand-new sections appearing in print for the first time, which take the story of the quest of the Fellowship beyond Mount Doom, all the way to the hearbreaking finale at the Grey Havens.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Companion for LOTR fans........2007-03-19

I purchased this item for my 8-year old nephew who discovered it at his school library and could not get enough time with it. It is very popular at his school. Even though he has the other three individual visual companions he still wanted this one as it has pictures that are not in the other books. If you or your child are a LOTR fan you will want to add this book to your ccollection.

A good LOTR book but..........2005-06-17

While Jude Fisher's writing is even and sometimes evocative, this compilation of all three visual companions feels a bit superfluous. I mean, Lord of the Rings is great, and I'm happy to see that it hasn't been merchandised to death like the Star Wars prequels. But this isn't one of my favorite LOTR books for three reasons:
1. Not enough images from Return of the King and too Fellowship heavy 2. An unsubstantial feel to the Isengard and Gondor chapters 3.Certain characters don't get wrapped up (Saruman and Denethor) But it's still a good read and a nice addition to anyone's LORD OF THE RINGS collection. Personally though, I prefer the 'ART OF' books.

A Nice Compilation.......2005-01-26

I purchased this book because I had been told that it contained all the photos from Jude Fisher's three previous visual companions: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King, which I had seen, but not purchased. While it does have some of the photos, it doesn't have all of them. Photos in certain sections have been replaced by others, and in my opinion, in some cases, the replacements aren't better pictures. Two things would have made this book worthy of five stars. First, if it had been done as an oversize hardcover like its predecessors, and second, if the three individual visual companions had been entirely reprinted in this one volume, and then additional photos added. Now that I have this trilogy compilation, I won't be buying the other three individual companions, but I am sorry not to have those missing photos.

Great Picture Book.......2005-01-18

good wrap up.......2005-01-06

This is a good summary of the three movies as well as the three other visual companions. As the owner of all three previous companions, I found some of this information old, but still interesting. The pictures as well as the end of this companion, which gives good details, is a comprehensive look at the movies with a couple book tie-ins. Overall, I would say it's a great buy if you don't own the other three, and still interesting if you do.

Gollum: A Behind the Scenes Guide of the Making of Gollum (The Lord of the Rings)

Average customer rating:

Other reviewers have said it all...
I LOVE ANDY
Brief, informative and loaded with incredible images. . .
Gollum and Smeagol and Andy......
A precioussss behind the scenes look at the making of Gollum

Gollum: A Behind the Scenes Guide of the Making of Gollum (The Lord of the Rings)
Andy Serkis
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0618391045

Book Description

Film-making history was made when, in The Two Towers, an actor's performance and digital animation were seamlessly integrated to create the world's first totally lifelike computer-generated character. Now Andy Serkis tells his own story about how a three-week commission to provide a voiceover for Gollum grew into a five-year commitment to breathe life and soul into The Lord of the Rings' most challenging creation.

- Did the voice of Gollum really start with a cat being sick?
- What was it like acting in a bodysuit covered in dots?
- How much was Gollum modeled to look like Andy?
- What surprises does The Return of the King hold in store?

Fully illustrated with more than one hundred exclusive behind-the-scenes photos and drawings, and with contributions from the many designers and animators who brought Gollum to life, this book examines the transition to the big screen of one of literature's most unforgettable creatures. As the filming takes him from London to Wellington, and from the MIsty Mountains to Mount Doom, Andy Serkis explains the methods - and the madness - behind the most amazing five years in this actor's life.

Customer Reviews:

Other reviewers have said it all..........2006-11-25

Just wanted to give five stars.
Oh, yes, and I thought I was the only person to camp with no supplies save a copy of LOTR! You know what they say: great minds think alike.

I LOVE ANDY.......2004-12-29

I love Andy Serkis. I love his book. Go buy it. Love him too. Enough said.

Brief, informative and loaded with incredible images. . . .......2004-11-05

Andy Serkis, the actor behind the character of Gollum in The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, takes us deep into the terrain behind this great epic of our time. Through his experience in creating a close reflection to Tolkien's Gollum, he comes forward in what seems to be a blunt honest story of his time on the set and creates a brief, enjoyable actor's account.
Beginning with a phone call and winding his way through the streets of New Zealand, the highways of character development and the psychological paths of his acting and character experience, we get a great bit of knowledge of what it really feels like to transform yourself into another person for the sake of showing the world a tale - or even a message. You could call it a diary, completely packed with bits and pieces that are extremely informative, but brief. Learn what it takes to be an actor or a psychiatrist, to completely envelope yourself into character and to be immersed in a wonderfully diverse land. With contributions from Gary Russell and others on set, this book has incredible illustrations, sculptures, design plans, photographs and passages from the crew. Hilarious Gollum faces are located on the top outer corner of each page as you read along, making a fun time in itself.
I would definitely recommend this book to fans of the movie trilogy, those who want a better glimpse behind the making of a soon-to-be classic, movie enthusiasts/aspirers, or anyone else if they just want a fun read. This is definitely a kid-friendly book (though some kids may get disgusted or confused at some of the sculptures of Gollum without his little rag around his waist. Ahem. . . :D), though I think it may tend to be slightly boring for younger kids. Definitely PG.
So I will leave you to your browsing and shopping with a song from Gollum,

"Rock and pool
is sweet and cool
so nice for feet,
we only wish
to catch a fish
so juicy sweeeeet!"

Happy Reading!

Gollum and Smeagol and Andy.............2004-09-27

This is a fascinating account of Andy Serkis's experience in creating the CG character, Gollum, as well as his actual "on screen" time as the ring-beguiled Smeagol in the opening scene of The Return of The King.

Andy's tale is engaging and honest, relating the hardships he endured in bringing the character to life and only increases my respect for him as a performer and a human being. It must have been a long, sometimes difficult job for every actor in the films, but Andy put in more hours than any other actor involved, many of them in isolation from the "moral support" of comrades.

Perhaps the most touching part of this book is Andy's dedication, which is to his own children, the Jackson children, the Astin children, and all the other "children of the ring" who were forced to sacrifice so much time with their parents during the making of these epic pictures.

A GREAT bet for some wonderful inside info and some pretty neato pictures!

A precioussss behind the scenes look at the making of Gollum.......2004-05-10

Even casual film fans are now familiar with the character of Gollum and the groundbreaking special effects that turned him into one of the screen's most memorable characters. Now, we get to see Gollum from a different perspective: through the eyes of the man who brought him to life, Andy Serkis. This memoir, written by Serkis (w/help from Gary Russell) is an entertaining and eye-opening look at the production of both the character in general and the films as a whole. Andy had done mostly small roles in films and plays when he received an intriguing casting tip from his agent: Apparently, New Line was making a trilogy of films based on the "Lord of the Rings" series, and needed someone to voice the character of Gollum. Serkis, unfamiliar with the trilogy (though he had read "The Hobbit" in school) initially balked, until his partner (later, wife) Lorraine--who HAD read the books--urged him to try out. Andy agreed, and began to try different voices that might fit the character. He was stuck, having tried many different voices, until inspiration hit in the form of his cat. (His gagging, hairball-infested cat.) Serkis, who had decided to approach Gollum as a character so full of guilt and obsession (he also compares Gollum to a hardcore junkie) that he was literally choking on it, imitated his poor gagging cat in front of Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh...and the rest, as they say, is history.

Andy journeyed to New Zealand for what he though might be a bit of voice work. Instead, the role of Gollum turned into one of the most challenging undertaken to date: Serkis not only supplied the voice of Gollum, but also his movements as well (thanks to innovative motion-capture technology). Serkis would end up filming scenes multiple times: once in a blue suit, accompanied by Elijah Wood and Sean Astin, then again without them, and often again in a suit studded with dots (reference points for computer animators). Though tedious, this process allowed the animators to bring Gollum to living, breathing life, a genuine example of movie magic. (How detailed is the character of Gollum? A deaf man who saw "The Two Towers" was able to read his lips.) Andy studied the character, often referencing the books for little insights into the character and his psychological makeup in order to bring greater depth to Gollum. And perhaps a little bit of Gollum worked its way into Andy...because vegetarian Serkis suddenly found himself enjoying fish again.

Despite the frequent hardships of filming, Andy was able to keep a sense of humor and professionalism about him, and is able to look back at many of the more difficult moments and laugh. Indeed, his sense of humor sustains the book when it bogs down or becomes repetitive; Serkis felt the need to relate the details of motion-capture technology a few too many times, as if he were telling a multi-part story and needed to bring new readers up to date. He grouses a bit about his initial lack of recognition and appreciation, especially when he had to repeat long scenes in the blue suit while the other actors could relax. (The worst one: Repeating a scene that involved splashing in frigid water...and that blue suit was NOT insulated). But he chides himself for those feelings, and finds a great deal of humor in those difficulties now.

Serkis, who claims little knowledge of classical literature, belies it with frequent references to and quotes from Nordic literature, the Bible (Smeagol's murder of Deagol draws comparisons to Cain and Abel), Shakespeare's "The Tempest" (comparing Gollum to Caliban), Jekyll and Hyde, Frankenstein's monster, and more. His writing style is smooth, full of humor and frequent good-natured self-deprecation, especially when relating how he foolishly ventured onto a rapids-filled river with minimal supplies, only to be rescued by four Wellington city councilors. His feelings of unappreciation were greatly assuaged when he learned that he would actually be on-screen, playing the role of young Smeagol in a flashback, as we see how Gollum came into possession of the Ring. Though he would still find himself largely unrecognized: A flight attendant saw him reading the books and innocently asked him if he knew about the films, sighing all the while because Orlando Bloom had been on the plane just a few days before. Serkis resisted a strong urge to crawl on all fours and hiss in his Gollum voice. (I don't know if I could have).

Book Description

For over fifty years, J.R.R. Tolkien's peerless fantasy has accumulated
worldwide acclaim as the greatest adventure tale ever written.
No other writer has created a world as distinct as Middle-earth, complete
with its own geography, history, languages, and legends. And
no one has created characters as endearing as Tolkien's large-hearted,
hairy-footed hobbits. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings continues to
seize the imaginations of readers of all ages, and this new three-volume
paperback edition is designed to appeal to the youngest of them.
In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elvensmiths,
and Sauron, the Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with
his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was
taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, still
it remained lost to him . . .

Customer Reviews:

AWSOME ... AWSOME.......2007-08-07

im sorry but there is nothing i can say about this that hasent been said in the 100000 reviews for this book on amazon! BEST BOOK EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE YOU TOLKIEN !!!

If you are smart you bought all three volumes at once........2007-07-02

This book picks up where "Fellowship of the Ring (Lord of the Rings, Part I)", left off. The fellowship is dispersed. We are lucky in the fact that J. R. R. Tolkien will completely follow each path from beginning to end. All the wars are covered in detail and the progress of the ring bearer is chronicled. New creatures and old vermin reveal themselves.

As with Ramayana by William Buck ISBN: 0520043944, we find that every creature has its function and that there is no black and white in this purpose. Frodo alludes to this when he thinks of Gandalf, Aragorn, and Gollum. Even Gandalf tells not to hurt Gollum as he may play a larger role in the story that one could imagine.

Towering second chapter.......2004-11-12

The second volume of Tolkien's epic trilogy never even wavers. If anything, it seems steadier and more controlled than "Fellowship of the Ring," as several characters become more central and the plot focus widens to envelop all of Middle Earth. It suffers from a bit of sequelitis in places, but the overall book is just as enthralling as the first.

Aragorn finds that Merry and Pippin have been abducted rather than killed -- for what reason, no one knows. Frodo and Sam have left on their own. So Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli race to find the orcs and retrieve the hobbits, but are stopped by the fierce Riders of Rohan, and then by an old and dear friend: Gandalf, who has been resurrected in the new form of a White wizard. Elsewhere, Merry and Pippin must use all of their wits to escape the orcs, and then find a strange band of allies that no one could have hoped for.

Meanwhile, Frodo and Sam head into Mordor -- with an eerily familiar figure, Gollum, following them. Frodo subjugates Gollum, forcing him to swear on "the precious" that he won't harm him. In return, Gollum promises to guide the two hobbits through Mordor, straight to Mount Doom. But the Ring is weighing more heavily than ever on Frodo, and is starting to reassert its old sway on Gollum...

One of the most noticeable changes in this book is the shift of focus. "Fellowship" was Frodo-centric, since the narration revolved around him, as did all the events and thoughts. But with the breaking of the Fellowship, the narration falls into three categories: Frodo and Sam; Merry and Pippin; Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli. This triple style allows individuals to shine more brightly, when they are called on to do more than hike with Frodo.

Tolkien also presented a wider view of Middle-Earth in general. While the slow slog through Mordor doesn't really tell or show readers much -- aside from what a hellhole Sauron is the middle of -- it's shocking to see the the effects of the orcs, Saruman and Sauron on places such as Gondor and Rohan.

Changes can be seen in Frodo even in this book, and which become more pronounced in the third book of the trilogy, "Return of the King." He becomes sadder and more introspective, and the Ring's growing hold on him can be glimpsed at times. Aragorn is also changing. He is no longer merely the rugged outcast Ranger, but displays the hints of a future great king, if he can only get to his throne.
Merry and Pippin also change: these two innocent young hobbits have to suddenly Sam is more promiment in this book, as Frodo's friend and personal pillar of strength.

But where Tolkien really outdid himself is Gollum. Gollum returns, in a substantially different state. Oh, he's still addled and addicted to the Ring, but he displays a dual love/loathing for the Ring, a weird affection for Frodo (who, from his point of view, is probably the only person who has been kind to him), and displays a Ring-induced multiple-personality syndrome. Very rarely can bad guys elicit the sort of loathing and pity from the reader that Gollum does.

One noticeable aspect of this book is friendship. When the Fellowship sets out from Rivendell, virtually everyone is a stranger, with the exception of the hobbits. However, in this book we get our view of how much Sam loves Frodo and wants to help him. Sam is fully aware of how much Frodo needs emotional support, and he's quite willing to be a pillar of strength for his friend. We see Gimli and Legolas's affection for Merry and Pippin; and Legolas's willingness to kill Eomer if Eomer hurts Gimli shows how far this Elf and Dwarf have come.

This book is substantially darker than "Fellowship." Frodo is starting to stumble under the weight of the Ring, and other characters die or are seriously hurt. The scene where Pippin's mind is trapped by Sauron is a very disturbing one, as is a violent and saddening scene late in the book. But there is also some wry humor: Gandalf's joke as he hears Saruman throttling Grima Wormtongue, Legolas's snippy comments about pipeweed as Gimli and the hobbits smoke up a storm, and Sam's debate with Gollum about whether they should cook the rabbits.

Tolkien's second "Lord of the Rings" novel is a thrilling fantasy adventure, exploring more of his invented world than "Fellowship of the Ring" did. "The Two Towers" starts heading into darker territory, and will leave readers panting for more.

The Two Towers Movie Soundtrack Piano, Vocal, and Chords (The Lord of the Rings)

Average customer rating:

great music
Great Music for Intermediate Piano Players
good, but not worth $12.71
Excellent soundtrack-to-piano music...Rohan is to die for
Beautiful pieces!

The Two Towers Movie Soundtrack Piano, Vocal, and Chords (The Lord of the Rings)
Howard Shore
Manufacturer: Alfred Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0757912052

Product Description

Featuring the music of Academy Award-winning composer Howard Shore, this new Two Towers folio includes eight pages of magnificent full-color photos from the motion picture and P/V/C arrangements of the soaring soundtrack -- all printed on high-quality antique paper stock. Titles are: Gollum's Song * Evenstar * Isengard Unleashed * Breath of Life * Forth Eorlingas * Rohan.

Customer Reviews:

great music.......2007-01-20

I love the LOTR music, and these books (I have all 3) are great. The music is above beginner level, but not impossible to play.

Great Music for Intermediate Piano Players.......2006-03-18

The Two Towers Music score is wonderful and will be enjoyed by people who love to listen to the LOTR soundtracks. The music for Gollum's song is wonderful, and not too hard once you get it down. Evenstar is very beautiful and also very easy. "Isengard Unleashed" features "The March of the Ents", one of my favorite parts of this book. "Breath of Life" is not exceptional if you ask me, but it's there. "Forth Eorlings" is wonderful, especially the ending! And finally, If you've been trying really hard to figure out how that Rohan theme goes, wait no more. Here it is, and it's really fun! So if your at least an intermediate piano player and love Lord of the Rings music this is for you.

good, but not worth $12.71.......2005-01-18

When I first looked at the music, my impression was "This is it?" I must admit I expected more, but after playing it my opinion changed. It definitely takes intermediate skills to play as written, but with a few minor adjustments (like leaving out a roll or slowing down the tempo) late beginners can enjoy this music too.
While playing, I find the constant page turning annoying. The music could have been condensed into a smaller amount of pages without omitting any of the notes thus making playing easier.
Overall, it is beautiful. All of the well-known melodies are there. Played with the right emotion and expression, "Gollum's Song" is heartbreaking; "Evenstar" is beautiful; and "Rohan" is powerful. The music is not as complex as I had hoped, but it sticks to the notes played in the original score.
Is this a good arrangement? Yes. Is the arrangement worth $12.71? No, but I guess the higher price is for the pictures included.

Excellent soundtrack-to-piano music...Rohan is to die for.......2004-07-05

It's books like this that made me wish I had the natural talent for music, or had at least studied and practiced hard enough to develop talent. The motion picture score that Howard Shore composed for The Lord of the Rings trilogy is absolutely brilliant, and while nothing can match his magnificent orchestra, there is something unique and incredible about hearing the same music played on a simple piano -- coming from your very own fingers.

The front cover is one of the promotional posters (NOT the DVD cover as was the case with the other two piano books from the trilogy) showing Saruman from the back commanding his 10,000 Uruk-hai. If you look on the right, although it is geographically incorrect, you can see Edoras in Rohan in the distance. Inside the book are forty pages, eight of which are movie pictures. Once again, there are some gruesome orcs pictured inside, in case you have little hobbits around the house that might get scared.

The music includes:

- Gollum's Song, the end-credits song of the movie. Not very enjoyable to play, I'd say...it's a rather mournful and melancholy song.

- Evenstar, which is all-Elvish, but surprisingly doesn't provide the translation. Shouldn't be too hard to dig one up on the internet, however. The tune is pretty, the background for Aragorn's dream/vision of Arwen in The Two Towers.

- Isengard Unleashed, which begins as the soundtrack score does, with the lament for Haldir upon his untimely death in the battle for Helm's Deep. Then it moves on to the score for the Ents as they march to war. This is probably the longest in the book, maybe of all three books. Afterwards, they give the translation of the war song of the Ents.

- Breath of Life, the quiet but stirring tune/song that you hear when Aragorn lies wounded after a battle, and receives another vision/dream of Arwen that gives him a (let's all say it together now) "breath of life". Elvish lyrics, English translation at the end.

- Forth Eorlingas, my favorite one (at least to HEAR), the tune that shows the rousing of the remaining soldiers at Helm's Deep, their death plunge out the causeway, and Gandalf's near-biblical arrival to the rescue. The second-best in this book, in my opinion.

- Rohan, which was an absolutely necessary piece to include in this book. It's short, *almost* simple enough for a beginner like me to pick my way through, and beyond gorgeous. It begins with the noble theme for Éowyn, and peaks into the majestic score for the kingdom of Rohan. This one alone is worth getting the book for.

This book makes an excellent addition to your piano library, or an excellent gift for your musically-inclined hobbit-heads. Go for it.

Beautiful pieces!.......2004-02-18

This book contains some of the best music ever written! I play this stuff over and over, because not only is it awesome, it's fun. "Gollum's Song" is a haunting, beautiful song - one that really makes you feel sorry for Gollum. "Evenstar" is also a beautifully flowing piece. It's easy to put a lot of expression in it when you play it. "Isengard Unleashed" is a more complicated piece, once you get about half way through it, and it's rather hard to figure out in the beginning. "Breath of Life" and "Forth Eorlingas" are pretty simple, but redundant at times. "Rohan" is an absolutely amazing song that just makes me want to cry when I play it. That also lends itself to expression while playing. All together, this book is an absolute masterpiece, and while harder than the book for The Fellowship of the Ring, in my opinion, it is still pretty simple, and the arrangments are much better. I highly recommend this book. It's beautiful!!

The Making of the Movie Trilogy (The Lord of the Rings)

Average customer rating:

Few nice pictures and that's all
lots of behind the scenes info and photos
trepel 0 7 spy kid 3spys
Great Book!
Ten Thousand More?

The Making of the Movie Trilogy (The Lord of the Rings)
Brian Sibley
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0618260226

Book Description

The official inside story on the making of the award-winning movie trilogy

The Lord of the Rings: The Making of the Movie Trilogy is a lavishly illustrated, behind-the-scenes, definitive account of the creation of an epic film experience. Hailed by critics worldwide, part one of the movie trilogy was a box-office smash, one of the most successful films of the decade. Peter Jackson's "fierce, imaginative movie takes high-flying risks and inspires with its power and scale," wrote Newsweek. "In every way this is moviemaking on a grand scale," wrote the San Francisco Chronicle, while Time proclaimed the "grandeur, moral heft and emotional depth" of the film, which received thirteen Academy Award(R) nominations.
Including more than 300 photographs from all three films, most unique to this book, and exclusive interviews with all the cast and crew, Brian Sibley's fascinating book takes every fan inside the process of adapting J.R.R. Tolkien's masterwork for the screen. For the first time in history, three major movies were made at the same time, a triumphant and monumental undertaking that took the world by storm. Here can be found details about the hundreds of dedicated artists, craftspeople and cast and crew members who labored for years -- adding authenticity at every stage -- to bring one of the greatest stories ever told to an eager film audience. Sibley takes us inside the process of filmmaking to show us how the magic is made -- from the director, writers and actors to wardrobe, makeup, miniatures, music and digital special effects, it's all here.

"It was tiring, physically and mentally, but never dull. Three movies, one big story, and so much variety: one day shooting scenes of intimate heart-wrenching drama, the next, vast battle scenes involving hundreds of extras. Every day brought an opportunity to create something new on this enormous canvas that is The Lord of the Rings." -- Peter Jackson

Customer Reviews:

Few nice pictures and that's all.......2007-01-10

I bought this book and I was interested but it really disappointed me! It doesn't give you any information neither details about the making of the movie rather than the author's babbling (honestly)! The only good thing is some nice pictures and they are not many.

lots of behind the scenes info and photos.......2006-12-10

This contains much of the behind-the-scenes information that the "special feature" of the DVD versions contain. There is significant new material, however. I enjoyed the book very much as it describes the amazing job of the team that produced the movies that we love.

trepel 0 7 spy kid 3spys.......2006-07-05

there was 3 yung spys andthey spy,ed on Alie andthe way they spy,ed on her was they sneak acros the house & in side and they went in the vent and put the camra on and spy,ed ontel tomor,o &then they left be for she got up THE END

Great Book!.......2006-03-10

If your a fan of behind the scenes stuff and movie making, this is the book for you. These movies are unlike any other, so seeing what when on during their 18 month filming, premires, etc. is great! Highly recommended!

Ten Thousand More?.......2006-03-06

I loved the movie, but what I am curious about the most is why Lord Aragon allowed the "Ghost Army" to leave when they were facing another Ten Thousand plus army as they did the first? That didn't make any sense!!!!!

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (Omnibus): The Fellowship of the Ring, the Two Towers, The Return of the King

Average customer rating:

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (Omnibus)

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (Omnibus): The Fellowship of the Ring, the Two Towers, The Return of the King

Manufacturer: SFBC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0739408259

Customer Reviews:

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (Omnibus).......2007-06-03

The book arrived quickly and in excellent condition. I am completely satisfied.

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