The Lord of the Rings is an epic fantasy novel written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien’s 1937 fantasy novel The Hobbit, but eventually developed into a much larger work. Written in stages between 1937 and 1949, with much of it being written during World War II, it was originally published in three volumes in 1954 and 1955. It has since been reprinted numerous times and translated into at least 38 languages, becoming one of the best-selling novels ever written.
The story is set in Middle-earth, an ancient land that is home to a variety of creatures, including hobbits, elves, dwarves, orcs, and men. The story follows the journey of the hobbit Frodo Baggins as he travels to Mount Doom in the land of Mordor to destroy the One Ring, an evil artifact created by the Dark Lord Sauron. Along the way, he is joined by a fellowship of eight companions, including the wizard Gandalf, the elf Legolas, the dwarf Gimli, and the human Boromir. The fellowship must face many challenges and dangers on their journey, but they are ultimately successful in destroying the One Ring and defeating Sauron.
