Borderline Thoughts

The Lord of the Rings Series by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Hobbit

The revered tale by J.R.R. Tolkien. This novel was one I’d intended to read for a decade or more and finally did it. I’m so glad I did.

It documents the journey of Bilbo Baggins with an unexpected crew of 13 dwarves. Together, with the orchestration of the wizard, Gandalf, they journey to reclaim a lost dwarfish treasure.

This book is enthralling and brought me to tears at the end. A story of good values that we don’t find in this world, one will revel in the excitement of adventure and true friendship.

Things I liked about this book

Tolkien’s style of storytelling is quite fun. I found myself chuckling at both the contents of the story and the accompanying commentary from the author. He has such a wonderful way of making you feel like you’re having a conversation with the storyteller and it is an absolute blast.

Tolkien excels at creating genuine, kind friendships in this novel. On top of its whimsical nature, the Dwarves and Bilbo create relationships that my generation doesn't get to see anymore. True friendship without any selfish motives. Sacrifice for others. Altruism. It's very refreshing.

The Fellowship of the Ring

Years after the hobbit, Frodo Baggins, the nephew of the Hobbit's Bilbo Baggins, finds himself in possession of the ring. Now, many forces are frantically looking for this ring. Under the instruction of Gandalf, Frodo must find a team to help him decide what to do with the ring.

Things I liked about this book

Similar to The Hobbit, this book relies on the fact that Frodo cannot accomplish his task alone. He relies heavily on the support of others; a theme that will reoccur over the rest of the series. On top of that, many of the friends he meets have to forgive, and challenge their beliefs about the differences they see in others. Very uplifting and inspiring.

This is an ensemble cast. Each character is very fun. Some may say that some of the characters are too similar or there's not enough diversity, but I disagree. I think the cast is very fun.

Each character has it's own strengths and weaknesses that play out critically to the story.

The Two Towers

Frodo and his team have been split up due to overwhelming enemy forces. They now all have parallel quests that they must complete in order to facilitate the larger mission at hand.

Things I liked about this book

There are some battles here that are absolutely amazing. High stakes and amazing fight sequences. A thrill to read.

I feel like the Fellowship of the Ring had to dive into the issue at hand. The Two Towers really enthralled me in world that Tolkien has invented for the journey. I really started to grasp how deep the lore of Tolkien's world has been thought out in this book. It was definitely not written on a whim. There's whole histories to his world that weren't just gimmicks and luck from the Hobbit and the Fellowship.

The Return of the King

The final installment of the Lord of the Rings series. The group's quest hits it's final stride. Every person in the group has an essential role to play in defeating evil and if they don't play that role perfectly, facilitated by some luck, things will not be ok.

Things I liked about this book

The ending of this book feels full. I loved it. Cried a bit, I must admit.

One of the main themes that I gathered from this book and the entire series is that no one can do hard things alone. We all need help, even the most capable of us.

There are times when, if I hadn't seen the movie, I genuinely would've doubted success. Pretty intense stuff.

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