The Fellowship of the Ring is the first installment in Tolkien’s beloved Lord of the Rings fantasy novel. First published in 1954, amazing storytelling, memorable characters, epic adventures, and fantastical worlds have rightfully given The Fellowship of the Ring staying power.

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I read The Fellowship of the Ring as part of the 2023 Thoughtful Reading Challenge. September’s challenge was to read a book written by J. R. R. Tolkien to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of Tolkien’s death.

The Fellowship of the Ring revisits parts of The Hobbit, in particular how Bilbo Baggins came to possess the darkly magical ring. Bilbo is much older now and ready to wander the land, but before he disappears, he leaves everything, including the ring, to his nephew, Frodo.

Evil things are brewing across the land and Gandalf the wizard reveals to Frodo that dark forces are coming for the ring, prompting Frodo and his faithful companions to embark on a journey across Middle Earth in order to destroy the ring. Harrowing adventures ensue!

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6 things you might not know about The Fellowship of the Ring and The Lord of the Rings

It would be foolish of me to attempt to review this classic of fantasy fiction. For those who haven’t read it, you will be delighted, even if the fantasy genre isn’t your thing. And for those of you familiar with The Fellowship of the Ring, here are some facts you might find interesting.

• Not an allegory. Much speculation has gone into figuring out a hidden meaning behind the fantasy series. Is it an allegory for World War I? Or maybe the atomic age? In Tolkien’s words, “As for any inner meaning or ‘message,’ it has in the intention of the author none. It is neither allegorical nor topical.”
• Received mixed reviews. While a New York Times critic had this to say about the book, “No fiction I have read in the last five years has given me more joy than The Fellowship of the Ring,” not all reviews were as positive. For example, in a now infamous review titled “Oo, Those Awful Orcs!” critic Edmund Wilson said, “Dr. Tolkien has little skill at narrative and no instinct for literary form.” and, “These characters who are no characters are involved in interminable adventures the poverty of invention displayed in which is, it seems to me, almost pathetic.” Daaang! History, of course, has proven him wrong.

• Not a trilogy. The Lord of the Rings is often referred to as a trilogy, but it’s actually a single novel consisting of six books in three separate volumes. For example, The Fellowship of the Ring is composed of books one and two.
• Started small. The original print run for the novel was for 3,000 copies. Since then, it’s been translated into 38 languages and sold 150 million copies worldwide. And those first editions can be very valuable. For example, Abe Books currently has a first edition, Lord of the Rings three volume set listed for $135,000. Check your attics, everyone!
• Took a looong time to write and get published. Tolkien began writing The Lord of the Rings in 1937, the same year The Hobbit was published. The Fellowship of the Ring was published in 1954, so it was 17 years in the making. Part of the reason for the slow process was that Tolkien was writing part-time. His full-time job at Oxford was evidently eating into his writing time.
• One word: philology. Yeah, I had to look it up, too. Tolkien was a philologist, which means he studied “the branch of knowledge that deals with the structure, historical development, and relationships of a language or languages.” His love of languages is reflected in his books, which are filled with poems, songs, and fictional languages.

I could go on and on because Tolkien and his works have been studied in great detail. It’s good to see that such powerful storytelling has stood the test of time and is still popular today. Cheers to J. R. R. Tolkien and The Fellowship of the Ring!

Did you read a book by Tolkien last month? Tell us about it in the comments section!