The Lord of the Rings

was written in 12 years by J.R.R. Tolkien. It is a single novel consisting of six books plus appendices. The Book tells the tale of Frodo Baggins, a Hobbit who suddenly finds himself faced with an immense task: 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 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 always he searched far and wide for the One Ring that would complete his dominion. On Bilbo's eleventy-first birthday, he disappeared, 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. 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.

Lord of the Rings
One Volume Hardcover with Illustrations
by Alan Lee,
and Letter from Peter Jackson

The Lord of the Rings - The Film Trilogy

Three films were made of The Lord of the Rings, representing each book:

The Fellowship of the Ring
The Two Towers
Return of the King

Return of the King will be released December 17th, 2003.
The films were being directed by New Zealander Peter Jackson, who previously directed The Frighteners and Heavenly Creatures. He owns the digital imaging studio WETA and the film company ThreeFootSix.
The three films were made entirely in New Zealand.
The films are a joint production by New Line Cinema and ThreeFootSix.
"In addition to these huge battles, you have these intimate stories, the emotional story, and that's where most of the power of The Return of the King really lies." --Director/co- writer/producer Peter Jackson

Sauron's forces have laid siege to Minas Tirith, the capital of Gondor, in their efforts to eliminate the race of men.

The once-great kingdom, watched over by a fading steward, has never been in more desperate need of its king.

But can Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) answer the call of his heritage and become what he was born to be? In no small measure, the fate of Middle-earth rests on his broad shoulders.

New Line Cinema presents The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, the final chapter in director Peter Jackson's critically acclaimed, Academy Award-winning trilogy.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King opens in theaters December 17, 2003, and follows to an astounding conclusion the epic journey of men, hobbits, elves, dwarves and the rest of Middle-earth's creatures and cultures as they wage the ultimate fight for good against evil.

THE CAST

The Hobbit (Leatherette Collector's Edition)
by J. R. R. Tolkien

This deluxe collector's edition of Tolkien's modern classic is boxed and bound in green leatherette with gold and red foil rune stamping on the spine and cover. The text pages are printed in black with green accents. It includes five full page illustrations in full color and many more in two color in addition to Thror's map -- all prepared by the author. J.R.R. Tolkien's own description for the original edition: "If you care for journeys there and back, out of the comfortable Western world, over the edge of the Wild, and home again, and can take an interest in a humble hero (blessed with a little wisdom and a little courage and considerable good luck), here is a record of such a journey and such a traveler. The period is the ancient time between the age of Faerie and the dominion of men, when the famous forest of Mirkwood was still standing, and the mountains were full of danger. In following the path of this humble adventurer, you will learn by the way (as he did) -- if you do not already know all about these things -- much about trolls, goblins, dwarves, and elves, and get some glimpses into the history and politics of a neglected but important period. For Mr. Bilbo Baggins visited various notable persons; conversed with the dragon, Smaug the Magnificent; and was present, rather unwillingly, at the Battle of the Five Armies. This is all the more remarkable, since he was a hobbit.

The Hobbit (Leatherette Collector's Edition)