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'''''The Lord of the Rings''''' is an epic fantasy novel by the English author [[J.R.R. Tolkien]], written between 1937 and 1949 and published in 1954 and 1955. Set in the world of [[Middle-earth]] during the [[Third Age]], it tells of the great quest to destroy the [[One Ring]], the master ring forged by the Dark Lord [[Sauron]], and thereby to end his power forever. Though conceived as a single continuous novel, it was published in three volumes: ''[[The Fellowship of the Ring]]'', ''[[The Two Towers]]'', and ''[[The Return of the King]]''.

It is among the most influential and best-selling works of fiction ever written, and it largely defined the modern genre of epic fantasy. It is a sequel of sorts to [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]]'s earlier children's book ''[[The Hobbit (novel)|The Hobbit]]'', drawing the magic ring found there into a far darker and grander story.

== Overview ==
The story begins when the [[hobbit]] [[Frodo Baggins]] inherits a magic ring from his cousin [[Bilbo Baggins]], and the [[wizard]] [[Gandalf]] reveals it to be the [[One Ring]] of [[Sauron]]. Because the Ring cannot be safely used or hidden, the [[Council of Elrond]] resolves that it must be carried into [[Mordor]] and destroyed in the fires of [[Mount Doom]] where it was made. The [[Fellowship of the Ring]], a company of nine, is formed to aid the [[Ring-bearer]] on this quest.

As the Fellowship is divided by peril and treachery, the narrative follows several threads: the war of the free peoples, [[Gondor]] and [[Rohan]] chief among them, against the armies of [[Sauron]] and the corrupted wizard [[Saruman]]; the return of [[Aragorn]] to claim the throne; and the secret, desperate journey of [[Frodo Baggins]] and [[Samwise Gamgee|Sam]] into [[Mordor]], guided by the wretched [[Gollum]]. The Ring is unmade at the last, [[Sauron]] falls, and a new age begins.

== Themes and structure ==
The novel develops [[J.R.R. Tolkien|Tolkien]]'s central themes of the corrupting nature of power, embodied in the [[One Ring]], the value of mercy and pity, the heroism of the small and humble, and the bittersweet passing of older and more beautiful things from the world. It is supported by an immense invented history, including languages, peoples, and the deep past chronicled in ''[[The Silmarillion]]'', and its appendices supply much of this background, spanning the [[First Age]], [[Second Age]], and [[Third Age]].

== Publication and legacy ==
''The Lord of the Rings'' was first published in three volumes in 1954 and 1955. It grew steadily in popularity and became a global phenomenon, selling many millions of copies and inspiring countless later works of fantasy. Its enduring influence has made it one of the foundational texts of the genre.

[[Category:Lord of the Rings]]
[[Category:Books]]