Why you should read Lord of the Rings by Harry Kirk (10G) 

I presume you are aware of the most typical fantasy tropes. We know elves are angelic and immortal, dwarves are stout and gruff, and orcs are foul and evil. Surely, these tropes come from somewhere? Of course, many fantasy works, myths and legends permeate through our history, but there is one tale to rule them all, one tale which created ‘the king in disguise’, decided ‘the world is doomed unless the heroes can save it’ and turned dwarfs into dwarves. It was The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien.

To summarise, a group of hobbits (3-foot humanoids with a strong liking of breakfast), including one Frodo Baggins, from the small town of Hobbiton, must venture forth, on an unexpected journey, to destroy Sauron’s one ring in the fires of Mount Doom. From the abandoned Mines of Moria to the gleaming battlements of Minas Tirith, their tale is sculpted by Tolkien into such a lifelike picture; Gandalf, Gollum, Gimli and Galadriel are meticulously painted with the words you read.

I would note, the story starts with more time leant to crafting the setting than describing action, but the pace soon picks up, building the perfect adventure for all fans of fantasy, surprises and heroic endeavours. With a trilogy of Oscar-winning, record-breaking movies to enjoy (after finishing the book, I must add), there is simply no excuse not to delve into the deep lore and gripping adventure of Tolkien’s Middle-Earth masterpiece.

Lord of the Rings is available to all students in the school library and on the SORA app.