The Fellowship of the Ring Audiobook By J. R. R. Tolkien cover art

The Fellowship of the Ring

Book One in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

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The Fellowship of the Ring

By: J. R. R. Tolkien
Narrated by: Rob Inglis
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Inspired by The Hobbit and begun in 1937, The Lord of the Rings is a trilogy that J.R.R. Tolkien created to provide "the necessary background of history for Elvish tongues". From these academic aspirations was born one of the most popular and imaginative works in English literature.

The Fellowship of the Ring, the first volume in the trilogy, tells of the fateful power of the One Ring. It begins a magnificent tale of adventure that will plunge the members of the Fellowship of the Ring into a perilous quest and set the stage for the ultimate clash between the powers of good and evil.

In this splendid, unabridged audio production of Tolkien's great work, all the inhabitants of a magical universe – hobbits, elves, and wizards – step colorfully into life. Rob Inglis' narration has been praised as a masterpiece of audio.

©1983 Christopher R. Tolkien, Michael H.R.Tolkien, John F.R. Tolkien, and Priscilla M.A.R.Tolkien (P)1990 Recorded Books

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Rich World-building • Detailed Character Development • Immersive Adventure • Timeless Themes • Additional Content

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The last time I "read" The Fellowship of the Ring, I read it out loud to my daughter at bed time. Took several months, reading a handful of pages each night. That was about a dozen years ago. Prior to that, I read the entire trilogy about a dozen times, but that was back in my youth in the 60s and 70s, when I re-read it every summer (yeah, yeah, go ahead and mock me, I'd do the same). So no surprise that I jumped at listening to the audiobook when I got the chance.

So who are you and what can I tell you about Tolkien's classic fantasy trilogy? Chances are, you already know all about The Lord of the Rings, in which case there's not much I can add other than critique the narration (see below). If you've never heard of LOTR, you've either been living under a rock for the past half century, or you're too young to read, in which case, all I can say is, READ IT (as soon as you can get out from under your rock, or when you're old enough to read big boy books).

Perhaps you've seen the movie trilogy and are wondering whether it's worth your time to read (listen to) the books, no small consideration given the total length of The Hobbit and LOTR tops 65 hours. I would strongly recommend that you at least read The Fellowship. I always loved it the best because it takes place at more of a, uh, I can't say human level because they're mostly not human, but you get more of a feel for individual characters and specific settings, the remaining books operating on a more epic scale.

And a lot of that character development and scene/mood setting occurs in passages (entire chapters, actually) left out of the movie. The film version of The Hobbit, a trilogy, contains far more material than the book (including some sections originally in The Fellowship). The movie versions of The Two Towers and The Return of the King may be structured in a different manner than the books, but the events are pretty much all there.

By contrast, there are substantial portions of The Fellowship completely omitted by the movie, including four consecutive chapters in Book 1 along with most of a fifth -- when the hobbits approach Buckland with the Black Riders in pursuit, meet Old Man Willow and Tom Bombadil in the Old Forest, and encounter the barrow-wight on the Barrow Downs. To keep the movie length manageable, it was determined that these adventures did not further the story of the ring. I don't disagree with the decision, despite my disappointment especially with the loss of the magical Tom Bombadil and his companion Goldberry.

Here then is your main reason to read The Fellowship if you've only seen the movie. There are also major scenes omitted from the fellowship's journey through Moria, Lothlorien, and down the Anduin from Book 2, as well as major passages of lore from The Council of Elrond and other similar discussions. And then there are the many Tolkien songs sung a capella by narrator Rob Inglis to tunes he and his producer wrote. Personally, I found the songs tedious and the recording (done a quarter century ago) crude by today's audiobook standards, so I took a star off Inglis's otherwise legendary recitation.

For Tolkien fans looking for a new way to enjoy his best work, or for others willing or desiring to see what the fuss is all about, this audiobook is a perfect way to follow the adventures of Frodo and his hobbit friends as they make their way across the Shire, through the Old Forest to Bree, on to the magical valley of Rivendell, into the mines of Moria and the enchanated woodland of Lothlorien, and down the Great River toward Gondor and Mordor, along the way meeting Tolkien's version of wizards, elves, dwarves, trolls, wraiths, wights, orcs, balrogs, wargs, and all sorts of men, strange, heroic, devious, and jolly.

One Ring to Rule Them All...

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The story repeats to the beginning 2 hours into the listening. I would hope the next book doesn't have the same error.

interesting error

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Tolkien does not disappoint. The story may be slow to start but that is it's real charm, that it is a fantasy story that feels like real life. It's story can reach each of us in whatever stage we are in life, and it can give us content and wisdom to reflect on. The reader was excellent and entertaining and brings a real warmth to the world of Middle Earth. I highly recommend it.

Amazing

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I re-read LOTR every 10 years or so, and each time, I'm reminded of why it's one of my favorites. While some of the characterizations are stiff, and there is a noted absence of women (with the brief exceptions of Arwyn and Galadriel), the story itself is truly an epic, and draws me in each time. The rich world-building Tolkien engaged in is a marvel, especially given that this was one of the first such fantasy epics. The narrator is perfect for this role, and only enhances the book.

Still one of my favorites

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Tolkein's Lord of the Rings trilogy needs no review from me. I first found his books at age 13, and have read them numerous times since (I'm 51 now). An amazing story which resonates on many levels at once: adventure, myth, journey, struggle, history, spirit. The surprise for me was that anything could add to Tolkein's work. But Rob Inglis' narration is a pure pleasure. His voice is rich, with a very fitting British accent, and distinctive variations for each of the characters. He was even able to sing the chants and songs in a skillfully understated manner which was somehow neutral enough to bring the verses to auditory life without sounding overdone or contrived. I am looking forward to listening to the rest of the trilogy, and anything else I find by Mr. Inglis.

Marvelous narration an unexpected treat!

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