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The Fellowship of the Ring
- Book One in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
- Narrated by: Rob Inglis
- Length: 19 hrs and 7 mins
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The Silmarillion
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- Length: 14 hrs and 49 mins
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The complete unabridged audiobook of J.R.R Tolkien's The Silmarillion. The Silmarillion is an account of the Elder Days, of the First Age of Tolkien’s world. It is the ancient drama to which the characters in The Lord of the Rings look back, and in whose events some of them such as Elrond and Galadriel took part.
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A truly epic tale, just not good as an audiobook
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The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and the complete seven-audiobook set of the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis plus The Screwtape Letters and Screwtape Proposes a Toast. This edition collects the entirety of C.S. Lewis's most celebrated fictional series, The Chronicles of Narnia, together in a single tome. The series transports the listener to Narnia, an original world created from ancient legends, child-like fancies, and adult reflections. The resulting stories appeal to adults and children alike.
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So Shrill, no chapter titles
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The second instalment of Tolkien's epic tale, adapted from the original BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation. Having fled the Shire in their escape from Sauron's Dark Riders, Frodo and the Fellowship of the Ring have journeyed to Rivendell and beyond
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Brilliant handling of complex material
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Solid Gold
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Harry Potter has never even heard of Hogwarts when the letters start dropping on the doormat at number four, Privet Drive. Addressed in green ink on yellowish parchment with a purple seal, they are swiftly confiscated by his grisly aunt and uncle. Then, on Harry's eleventh birthday, a great beetle-eyed giant of a man called Rubeus Hagrid bursts in with some astonishing news: Harry Potter is a wizard, and he has a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. An incredible adventure is about to begin!
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Brilliant, as expected!
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The complete unabridged audiobook of J.R.R Tolkien's The Silmarillion. The Silmarillion is an account of the Elder Days, of the First Age of Tolkien’s world. It is the ancient drama to which the characters in The Lord of the Rings look back, and in whose events some of them such as Elrond and Galadriel took part.
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A truly epic tale, just not good as an audiobook
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So Shrill, no chapter titles
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Solid Gold
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Brilliant, as expected!
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For over 60 years, readers of all ages have been enchanted by the magical realms, the epic battles between good and evil, and the unforgettable creatures of Narnia. This box set includes all seven titles in The Chronicles of Narnia - The Magician's Nephew; The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; The Horse and His Boy; Prince Caspian; The Voyage of the Dawn Treader; The Silver Chair; and The Last Battle.
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There are tales of Middle-earth from times long before The Lord of the Rings. The story told in this book is set in the great country that lay beyond the Grey Havens in the West: lands where Treebeard once walked, but which were drowned in the great cataclysm that ended the First Age of the World.
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Poorly organized
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An astonishing technique for recovering and cloning dinosaur DNA has been discovered. Now humankind’s most thrilling fantasies have come true. Creatures extinct for eons roam Jurassic Park with their awesome presence and profound mystery, and all the world can visit them - for a price.
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You will love it
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Part One, The Fellowship of the Ring, introduces us to Frodo Baggins. With his uncle Bilbo having mysteriously disappeared, Frodo finds himself in possession of a simple gold ring that has great and evil power. It is the Ruling Ring, taken long ago from the Dark Lord, Sauron, who now seeks to possess it again. Frodo must do everything he can to prevent this, and with the help of Gandalf the wizard and a band of loyal companions he begins a perilous journey across Middle-earth.
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This is NOT a reading of the book.
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Genovese, Gambino, Bonnano, Colombo, and Lucchese. For decades these Five Families ruled New York and built the American Mafia (or Cosa Nostra) into an underworld empire. Today, the Mafia is an endangered species, battered and beleaguered by aggressive investigators, incompetent leadership, betrayals, and generational changes that produced violent, unreliable leaders and recruits.
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very long and great history but boring at times
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The evil Saruman has been defeated by Gandalf, but in Mordor the battle for the Ruling Ring continues. Wounded by the giant spider, Shelob, Frodo has been captured by the dreaded orcs
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Radio Drama Style, not a true reading, still love it!
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An overall fantastic listen
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This audiobook includes unabridged recordings of all George Orwell's greatest works: six novels, three books of non-fiction, a collection of his most well-renowned essays and the complete collection of his poetry.
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Creeeeepy
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Excellent
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Brilliant start to my favourite series
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Beren was a mortal man, but Lúthien was an immortal Elf. Her father, a great Elvish lord, was deeply opposed to Beren, and imposed on him an impossible task that he must perform before he might wed Lúthien. Undaunted by Lord Thingol’s challenge, Beren and Lúthien embark on the supremely heroic attempt to rob Morgoth, the greatest of all evil beings, of a Silmaril, one of the hallowed jewels that adorn the Black Enemy’s crown.
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Good Text, Strange Format.
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Publisher's Summary
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.
Featured Article: The Best Audiobook Trilogies of All Time
There is something about the format of a trilogy that seems to be the golden number for a story series. Whether movie trilogies, epic novels, or audiobook series, the magic three instalments seem to package a story in the ideal way - when done right. Here we've composed a list of some of the best trilogies of the book world for audiobook listeners to enjoy.
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What listeners say about The Fellowship of the Ring
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Connor
- 2017-10-31
unreal!
This is the first time that ive partaken in this novel. never saw the movie or read the book. This audiobook is beyond well-narrated. The way it was narrated was perfect in terms of tones and intensity when it came to those parts. The story itself is legendary and its a shame that I waited this long to finally listen to a nearly century old book. I will be buying the following two books. I would highly recommend getting this version. I had no idea that this was unabridged until after i listened to it. It doesnt need any fluff. The author is extremely descriptive making it easy to follow and he paints a very vivid picture with each scene. There is no need to dramatize a book that is nearly perfect.
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28 people found this helpful
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- Mike
- 2019-01-02
Nightshift
I listened to this one on night shift. I couldn't wait to get to work! My boss thought I had been kicked out or something because I was at work early every night ready to listen!
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26 people found this helpful
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- DC
- 2020-05-10
Rob Inglis is a God among narrators
I've been a fan of LOTR since I first watched the movies. This is my first time listening to the book and I really wish I had done it sooner! I missed out on so much content! Lol
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6 people found this helpful
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- Angus Mackay
- 2018-09-19
One narrator to rule them all
Rob Inglis is the Gandalf of narrators. A wizard of words. Tolkien's masterpiece has never been better interpreted than by the genius of Rob Inglis. Think this is a long listen ? Think again. It simply flew by. In fact too fast, and was over all too soon, when all I wanted was to stay in Middle Earth with Mr. Inglis for a guide and mentor. Incredible. #Audible1.
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5 people found this helpful
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- Mosin Mochaccino
- 2018-11-17
Legendary
The Lord of the Rings is a legendary tale of high fantasy and adventure. Tolkien’s opus has been well regarded by many, and it has stood the test of time as an innovative work of fiction as the blueprint for the modern medieval fantasy story.
But more than that the book is filled with engaging characters and stunning detailed descriptions. The world is so vividly rich with detail that it’s recommended to also read its sister tome The Silmarillion to fully grasp it.
But more than that what made it so memorable was how well Tolkien captured its central characters. Each of the main characters changes over the course of their adventure. By the time you reach the end of the story you distinctly feel how well each character’s arc comes to a close. When the book reaches its epilogue I was genuinely very sad as I was so invested in the story. If that isn’t the mark of a great writer I don’t know what is.
Overall you owe it to yourself to read The Lord of the RIngs. Reading the book will make you dislike the Peter Jackson film trilogy due to all of the things he left out. It also helps Robert Inglis’s narration has stood the test of time. He gives very good voices to all of the characters from Frodo to Gandalf and even a stunning portrayal of Gollum. After this book every other fantasy story feels amateurish in comparison.
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4 people found this helpful
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- jennnnnnn
- 2020-12-09
Eh.
I honestly forgot just how many songs are there in this book. This is probably why I always skipped rereading The Fellowship and just jumped straight into Two Towers.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Langer MD
- 2023-03-08
If You Liked The Maturity Of The Films..
..but are iffy on the kid-friendly aspects of the book - stick to the Serkis-narrated version.
There are many, many Audiobook iterations of this book (including a couple of abridged BBC performances available on the Internet & some free YouTube readings) - but here on Audible, the Andy Serkis-read series most closely matches Peter Jackson's interpretation in approach (dramatic/epic/mature).
As for me: this reading from Playwright/Stage Actor Rob Inglis better approximates J.R.R Tolkien's somewhat whimsical intention for (at least) the first book in the series. The 'Lord Of The Rings' trilogy eventually turns into the dark and serious battle-infused Fantasy saga that we all know & love
..but starts off "charming".. and clearly aimed at children.
'The Fellowship Of The Ring' is full of songs & poems, G-rated (minimized) threats, and silly little encounters (e.g. Tom Bombadil & Goldberry; Bill the Pony; etc). Jackson obviously edited those aspects out of the story intentionally for his action-adventure film treatment.
Rob Inglis was hired by Recorded Books on the strength of a series of one-man LOTR stage readings in the late 80s.. and it was a wise move. Inglis's reading is by no means flawless (he frequently takes injudicious deep breaths, for example.. he's clearly not a professional reader) - but his voice-acting repertoire is both cinematic & impressive (excepting a genuinely weak 'Gollum' interpretation), his pitch-perfect storyteller tone ensures frequently renewed listener interest, and he actually composes music for where Tolkien put ditties into the text (the enthusiasm is commendable).
My recommendation for Audible subscribers: Download this Inglis reading for Book One, and the Serkis versions for Books Two & Three.
This more family-friendly 9/10-star unabridged reading immerses readers/listeners - especially young ones - into Tolkien's Middle Earth beautifully. Mesmerized fans can get into the more serious aspects of the mythology as they get older.
[Note: this particular version is IDEAL if you're listening with pre-teens - underlining the book's status as something intermediate between C.S. Lewis and Robert Jordan - while avoiding the hormonal "I-want-to-be-an-adult" longings of conventional YA and the "I-wish-I-was-powerful" pubescent daydreams of LitRPG.
Listen to this one with any kids that you simply want to inspire with a love of the "High Fantasy" genre]
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1 person found this helpful
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- Christine Picard
- 2022-12-28
Such a performance !!
I have read this book at least 5 times and seen the movies at least 3 times… and this audio book was the best of all!! Rob Inglis’ reading and performance of all the voices, stories, songs and sounds are extraordinary!! I loved listening so much!! Thank you for this lifetime gem!
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1 person found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 2022-11-23
I can’t believe you needed to read the review
It’s very obviously a good old fashion adventure series, with rich lore and long songs.
Good luck
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1 person found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 2021-05-25
The songs killed me
I wanted to love this book and was really excited for it, but after about six hours I just gave up in frustration over the amount of singing. I understand that there are songs for the story, but the narrator's singing just took me out of it completely.
There are a lot of songs.
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1 person found this helpful
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- L. N.
- 2012-10-10
At last - The Definitive Recording!
There are a number of Lord of the Rings recordings out there, including a superb dramatization by the BBC. But there is only ONE set of unabridged recordings of the trilogy -- from Recorded Books and read by Rob Inglis. For many years, I've treasured the set of these recordings I have on compact disc. But never before now have I been able to find them for audio download -- until now!!! Words cannot express how thrilled I am to listen to the Lord of the Rings on my iPod (and on my Kindle too!) Audible members who have never yet heard the saga read in its entirety, you are in for a very special treat indeed! In a whole new way will you enjoy the story you've read years ago and have seen transformed into the motion pictures. It'll be almost as if you're experiencing the story for the very first time.
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472 people found this helpful
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- Orson
- 2012-11-05
Greatest Book, with the finest reading
What made the experience of listening to The Fellowship of the Ring the most enjoyable?
The audiobook doesn't let you skip or skim the songs (or the whole Tom Bombadil section); the result is that you experience the book as Tolkien intended it.
What does Rob Inglis bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
Rob Inglis's reading is superb on general principles - he distinguishes characters well and interprets them beautifully. But the best surprise is the authenticity and quality of his rendering of Tolkien's many songs. Heroic when that's appropriate; funny or moving or spiritual by turns, this is an effect you can't produce for yourself in a silent reading. (And Tolkien heard and authorized some of Inglis's tunes.)
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- James W.
- 2018-10-31
Audiobook version better than I had hoped
I have read and re-read the LoTR books many times, and this was my first time listening to them as an audiobook. I was prepared to be disappointed but was instead very pleasantly surprised. It seemed to me that the plot moved much faster when listening to the books than when I read them. In any case, these are among my very favorite, if not my favorite, books ever. The story is great, but there is so much more to these books than just a great story. There is a tremendous amount of wisdom that infuses these books. If you’ve read these books, you know what I mean. If you haven’t, you really must read them. Before I finish, I will say that the narrator is excellent. He infuses the different characters with personality and full credit to how he handles all the songs. I found that listening at 1.25x speed was just right.
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- Jim "The Impatient"
- 2017-04-29
YOU SHOULDN'T LISTEN TO ALL YOU HEAR
IT'S DANGEROUS BUSINESS GOING OUT YOUR DOOR.
I read the hard back, I have listened all the way through, and I have given up twice. It is weird when a book so loved, does nothing for you. You wonder, is it me? The quotes from the book are great, I could write down quotes all day. The movie was fantastic. I can't get interested in the characters or the story. It would be sacrilege, I know, but I would love to have this story rewritten by someone who is good at bringing characters to life, such as Robin Hobb or Brandon Sanderson. If your like me and don't like this, don't worry, you are not alone, but you might not want to repeat it or write a review to be read by fanatics.
IT IS SAID "YOU DO NOT GO TO THE ELVES FOR ADVICE, FOR THE WILL SAY BOTH YES AND NO."
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- Sammicatcat
- 2012-10-17
A Classic Done Right
This book marks the beginning of Frodo the Hobbit's quest to resolve the question of the Ring of Power which hangs over the fate of Middle Earth like a menacing cloud. I read this book over 40 years ago and it has headed up (together with the others in the trilogy) my list of books to be stranded on a desert island with ever since.
Although the fantasy genre predates The Lord of the Rings, it is no exaggeration to say that Tolkien's books inspired the tsunami of fantasy fiction which is with us even today. More than once, I have read some particularly dreadful specimen of the same and thought to myself that J.R.R. Tolkien has a lot to answer for (tongue-in-cheek) but his genius speaks for itself and is recognized today. When I was in college, stating that The Lord of the Rings was a great work of fiction elicited (from my English professors) stares of incomprehension from some and mild contempt from others. As Norman Cantor has remarked, however, it is the reading public that determines whether a work is great or not and by that standard The Lord of the Rings is now a classic.
Rob Inglis is able to do the series full justice. Not only is he a superb narrator, but he can sing which is important in a work with such an emphasis on songs and music (not always the case.. sometimes I've cringed in sympathetic embarrassment as a narrator, competent in other respects, attempted to sing or chant his/her way through a song with dismal results).
In short, you can't go wrong with this series, particularly if you like stories about quests or knightly adventures. There's very little in the way of boy-girl romance however and no sex so readers who like plenty of that in their fiction may want to look elsewhere.
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- Dubi
- 2014-10-25
One Ring to Rule Them All...
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.
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- David Costa
- 2013-07-12
Perhaps my favorite narrator ever
Would you listen to The Fellowship of the Ring again? Why?
Yes, for sure. It was just a pleasure to listen to it. The narrator made it so captivating... Even though the book is of course from The Lord of The Rings series and wouldn't need further reasons to listen to.
What was one of the most memorable moments of The Fellowship of the Ring?
Surprisingly the songs. I loved that the narrator managed to put into melody the songs on the book and actually sing them.
Which character – as performed by Rob Inglis – was your favorite?
Elrond. Perhaps because of the contrast with the Elrond from the movies. Rob's voice for this character was lighter and melodious.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
If I could, I would, but it's a bit too long for me to listen in one sitting :)
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- Boyd Tschaggeny
- 2017-01-26
Will the poems and songs ever end?! Please, end!
Middle Earth is a fantastic world to get lost in and I loved all the time spent with world-building. What I didn't like is how longwinded the poems are. You have forgotten you are listening to the book, you've become one of the fellowship, then suddenly you realize that Gandolf has been reciting the same sonnet for, what feels like, the last million years. Tolkien must have been a talker because most of his characters can't shut up. It's a wonder that Sauron needed spies because the Fellowship is LOUD!
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- Brad
- 2012-10-09
Finally. The Hobbit and LOTR Unabridged on Audible
Well, first, I would like to both thank Audible for finally making this available, and alternately curse them for doing so at a time when they're making so many other great books available (Gardens of the Moon, for one). Needless to say, all others will have to wait until I'm done listening to these.
Second, I have to admit that I've just started listening to it, but so far, I must say that I'm entirely impressed by Mr. Inglis' reading. Nice, clear voice, good differentiation of the different characters.
Third, like many others, I read "The Hobbit" and this trilogy as a pre-teenager about 30 years ago. I loved it. I honestly don't think you can consider yourself a fantasy fan if you haven't read these books. They are, simply put, amazing. I eagerly watched all the movies and was very impressed with those as well. Except for "The Hobbit", of course. Now, I finally have a chance to listen to them in audio, and unabridged!
Again, thank you Audible... now, if you could just get "Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn" by Tad Williams, I'd be even happier!
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- Mr. A
- 2017-11-13
Masterclass in Tolkien
Inglis ‘s reading of the fellowship of the ring and the rest of the lord of the rings is classic. Do yourself a favor and don’t miss it!
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