The Fellowship of the Ring
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them. “A unique, wholly realized other world, evoked from deep in the well of Time, massively detailed, absorbingly entertaining, profound in meaning.”—The New York Times 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, it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell into the hands of Bilbo Baggins, as told in The Hobbit. In a sleepy village in the Shire, young Frodo Baggins finds himself faced with an immense task, as his elderly cousin Bilbo entrusts the Ring to his care. Frodo must leave his home and make a perilous journey across Middle-earth to the Cracks of Doom, there to destroy the Ring and foil the Dark Lord in his evil purpose.
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What you might want to know about The Fellowship of the Ring
The questions readers send us most often, answered without spoilers.
First volume of The Lord of the Rings. Frodo Baggins inherits a magic ring from his uncle Bilbo and learns from the wizard Gandalf that it is the One Ring of the Dark Lord Sauron. He sets out from the Shire to destroy it.
Tolkien's prose is rich and sometimes archaic, with songs, poems, and detailed descriptions of landscape. The opening chapters in the Shire move slowly. Most readers find the second half easier once the journey begins. Patience is rewarded.
Reading The Hobbit first is helpful but not required. The Hobbit introduces Bilbo and the Ring's discovery, providing useful context. The Lord of the Rings reintroduces what you need to know, so you can start with The Fellowship of the Ring if you prefer.
Peter Jackson's 2001 film adapts most of the novel, with some scenes reordered or condensed. The book includes side characters such as Tom Bombadil that the film cuts. The film is widely considered one of the most faithful fantasy adaptations.
Tolkien wrote The Lord of the Rings as a single novel, which his publisher split into three volumes for printing. The Fellowship of the Ring is volume one of three. It does not stand alone narratively.
The Fellowship of the Ring was written by J.R.R. Tolkien, published in 1954 by Ballantine Books.
The Fellowship of the Ring is 1193 pages in standard print editions, though page counts vary slightly between hardcover, paperback, and large-print formats.
At an average reading pace of about 250 words per minute, The Fellowship of the Ring takes most readers 18 to 26 hours to finish.
The Fellowship of the Ring is a standalone novel by J.R.R. Tolkien, not part of a series.
The Fellowship of the Ring is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats from Amazon, Bookshop.org, ThriftBooks, and most major bookstores.