The Lord of the Rings is an epic fantasy story by J. R. R. Tolkien, a sequel to his earlier work, The Hobbit. It was published in three volumes in 1954 and 1955. Three movie productions have been made: the first, by animator Ralph Bakshi was released in 1978 (as part one of what was originally to be a two-part adaptation of the story); the second being a 1980 television special; and the third being director Peter Jackson’s film trilogy released in 2001, 2002, and 2003. For more information on the fictional universe the story takes place in, including lists of characters and locations, see Middle-earth.
The story’s titular character is the Dark Lord Sauron of Mordor. The primary villain of the work, he created the One Ring to control nineteen other Rings of Power, and is thus the “Lord of the Rings.” Sauron, in turn, was the servant of an earlier Dark Lord, Morgoth (Melkor), who is prominent in Tolkien’s The Silmarillion, the history of Middle-earth.
“Three rings to the eleven kings.”
THE THREE BOOKS OF LORD OF THE RINGS
- FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING
- THE TWO TOWERS
- RETURN OF THE KING
ONCE upon a time there was a poor widow who lived in a little cottage with her only son Jack. 
by Sheila Burnford
