This is a companion for any serious tolkien reader. After I got it, I read "The Hobbit" for the second time and the Guide threw new light on many of the characters, places and events that I found obcure at first. Page references to several common paperback editions of Tolkien's best books are included. It is intended to be a lightweight, handy, quick reference; so if you expect drawings and pictures you'll have to get another book.

This Guide contains the two things most necessary for any serious study of Tolkien's works: clarity and correctness. Foster clearly did a lot of homework when creating this Guide, because it covers all the Ages of Middle-earth and so can be used both by those who have only read 'The Hobbit' as readily as those who, like myself, own and have read almost everything Tolkien has ever written.

When I need to know some fact about Middle-earth and don't feel like hauling out the appropriate book, I turn to Foster's Guide -- you should, too.

I feel a bit of nostalgia whenever I open this book because it takes me back more than twenty years to when I was first beginning to study Tolkien's world. Robert Foster's glossary is now sadly outdated because so many informative books have been published by Christopher Tolkien, but none of the tertiary sources written by other Tolkien researchers even come close to Foster's dedicated achievement.

Unlike some early Tolkien indexers, Foster usually refrains from mixing his opinions with the facts he is reporting. His occasional guesses and interpretations may be wrong but given the information available when the book was written they are solid and well-considered. Many more recent books have contained unforgivably egregious errors because those later authors had access to material Foster didn't.

The sources that Foster covers include some of Tolkien's private correspondence, and the research has been vindicated by Humphrey Carpenter's Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien. Foster's other sources include The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, Pauline Baynes' 1969 map of Middle-earth (on which she was advised by Tolkien himself), and the first edition of The Road Goes Ever On.

The most impressive section, however, is Foster's attempt to devise a chronology of the First Age. Such a chronology could be achieved with any hope of accuracy only after Christopher Tolkien published The War of the Jewels in 1994, 16 years after Foster published the Complete Guide. Foster's guesswork was off by no more than a few years. I still glance through his chronology for a quick reference when I just need to be reminded of critical dates.

My only regret is that this book was never updated, although I heard a rumor that HarperCollins was looking for someone to revise it. It would be good to see a much fuller guide published, but only if Foster's impeccable standard was adhered to.

.R.R. Tolkien continues The Lord of the Rings with triumph and imagination once again. Sheer brilliance mixed with an epic storyline. Middle-Earth is once again filled with enchanting landscapes, an assortment of creatures and a sense of danger and evil all around. But the second part of LOTR is still not perfect. The Two Towers continues right where the first part left off. Hobbits Frodo and Sam leave the Fellowship and trek to Mordor alone, being followed by a creepy critter. Merry and Pippin have been caught by Uruk-Hai warriors and Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli travel to Rohan to speak to the King Theoden. After Gandalf makes a stunning return, the four adventurers convince the troubled King of Rohan to prepare for war, as Saruman is ready to attack with his army of Uruk-Hai. The people of Rohan head to the fortress of Helm's Deep, confronting the evil Uruk-Hai. ... The Two Towers has it's many moments, but the same problem of FotR plagues the second part: Tolkien has a bit too many unessesary sub-plots and dialogue. Of what could be the perfect novels, they are sometimes clogged with un-needed elements that would've just made the story flow smoother. However, I'd say that The Two Towers has a sharper narrative than the more episodic Fellowship of the Ring did. With all of it's glorious mountains, fields, rivers and forests, and the different varieties of creatures running around, the main reason these books are so great are because of the characters. Gandalf's booming directing or Sam's hearty nature, the characters are the most memorable elements of Lord of the Rings. It only is better with the more three-dimension Gollum. The Two Towers succeeds where Fellowship of the Ring somewhat lacked, even though they sometimes contain the same problem. However, this is a fantastic adventure book, filled with action and suspense, imagination and flair. The climactic battle is unforgettable. And do please check out Peter Jackson's 'The Two Towers' film that's now in theaters. Fantastic.

The magnificence of Rob Inglis' dramatization, both with respect to its place in the Tolkien Legend and in comparision to the present state of the spoken theatre, is quite simply ineffible. Here presented is THE ONLY completely unabriged reading of the Lord of the Rings to be found, and to commuters like me, it represents a long awaited opportunity to become aquianted with the work of a genius without fear of losing precious shards of his masterpiece to the whim of an editor. Worth every moment of the 20 hour listening time, from the endearing character voices to the hearty singing of songs and chanting of poetry that is sure to linger in your mind throughout the day. A purely wonderful experience for both Tolkien Veterans and the uninitiated alike.

What happens when destiny breaks up the fellowship?

You will find out when you read the Two Towers.
In this second part, the deeds of all the members of the company after the Fellowship was broken, are told.

Frodo and his inseperable Sam sneak away towards Mordor, while Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas have to change their plans when they discover that Pippin and Merry have been kidnapped by orcs. These decisions that they make, take each character on its own path and the events that take place in this book really help in developing the complete tale.

The whole story really takes shape in it. Loads of things start happening, and many different characters take center stage. There is a lot more action, and the plot takes a few unexpected twists.

Unlike the first part (The Fellowship of the Ring), this second book actually does have a season finale ending! so make sure you have the Return of the King (3rd part) close by, because you will want to start reading it straight away!

When Tom Shippey's publisher suggested he update his Road To Middle-earth in anticipation of the upcoming Peter Jackson movies, he is reported to have said, "I cannot possibly think of anything more to say."

Well, he managed to squeeze out a new book nonetheless. Much of the material will seem very familiar to anyone who has read The Road To Middle-earth. Shippey doesn't cover any new theoretical ground. He still hammers away at the Anglo-Saxonist point-of-view, either disregarding Tolkien's non-Anglo-Saxon influences (such as the Bible, Homer, and some of the Greek dramas) or downplaying their significance.

On the other hand, no one seems better qualified to explore the world of Tolkien's Anglo-Saxon and Medieval influences than Tom Shippey. If you didn't get enough of the Old English and northern European roots in the first book, he brings out the tweezers and really digs for miniscule and obscure references in this work.

But there is an imbalance, in my opinion. For all their genius, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are really just stories that Tolkien set out to tell as amusements. There are complexities to be found in The Lord of the Rings which are lacking in The Hobbit. And yet, The Silmarillion is "the work of [Tolkien's] heart", as Shippey himself puts it. Even so, Shippey barely examines The Silmarillion. Perhaps that is because The Silmarillion doesn't offer as much to mine in the Anglo-Saxon arena as The Lord of the Rings. Whereas Tolkien borrowed many English place-names for Third Age Middle-earth, Beleriand depends upon a mostly Sindarin nomenclature. At best, Shippey only strikes out to "drive some shafts" into The Silmarillion, and he focuses on the other two books.

Unfortunately, the haste with which Shippey turned out the analysis is revealed in a number of erroneous references. Many first-year Tolkien students would easily pick out the gaffes. Coming from one of the world's leading Tolkien scholars, they are a bit embarrassing. The book, though longer than The Road to Middle-earth, therefore looks almost as unfinished as Tolkien's mythology. There are still far worse books out there, but Shippey has done better. Perhaps he is getting a little burned out and really didn't have much more to say after all.

Seldom does a writer produce a work of scholarship that is actually enjoyable enough to read twice, yet in "Author of the Century" Shippey has done precisely that. This book is fascinating, insightful, pithy and at times quite funny. Not only does Dr. Shippey transport the reader into Middle Earth, he familiarizes us with Tolkien's professional world, a world in which he has travelled personally as Tolkien's professional heir.

Shippey illustrates brilliantly the ways in which "The Lord of the Rings" is truly a product of the 20th century and should be viewed as one of the seminal works of our time. He does this while at the same time demonstrating the ways in which Tolkien drew from the hoard of literary and mythical traditions with which he was so familiar. The many influences and reflections of the languages, histories, literatures and myths of medieval and pre-medieval Europe are discussed in a manner that is appealing to both literary scholars and those who simply love Tolkien's fiction for the pure joy of story.

Shippey's understanding of Middle Earth is matched by few and his understanding of both Middle Earth AND Tolkien's professional life may be matched by none.

I give this book my whole-hearted endorsement to anyone who enjoys Tolkien, heroic literature, fantasy fiction or medieval studies. I suggest you, as a potential reader, consider the reviews written on this site alone and listen to their advice. It is worth noting that only two of 18 reviewers to date have given Shippey's book less than 4 stars, and I would point out that one particular reviewer has written his own book (which is complete drivel) on Middle Earth and thus is biased. This is definitely a 4+ star work of scholarship.

In this excellent volume of criticism on Tolkien's work, Tom Shippey seeks to explain just what made Tolkien tick, and what made his stories the way they are. Tolkien shunned the idea of a biography, but I think this book is probably more along the lines of what he would have agreed to, since he believed that the best way to get a look inside an author's life was to examine his works. This book does just this.

The bulk of this book, of course, centers around Tolkien's stories of Middle-Earth: The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion. Shippey attempts to explain why Tolkien wrote these stories the way he did, and the result is very insightful. Shippey explains why he wrote archaically, how the more modern hobbit society, with its postal system and manners, fits in with the rest of Middle-Earth, and how to classify the various cultures and nations (like Rohan and Gondor) appearing in the works, to name a few. The rest of the book deals with Tolkien's other, lesser-known works, including the two semi-autobiographical ones. For true fans of Tolkien, the criticisms of these shorter works are an invaluable resource.

All in all, this book is very insightful--there is definitely a great deal to be learned about Tolkien's works from a man who succeeded him to his Oxford chair, and who understands Tolkien's professional field as well. If you want to truly understand Tolkien, this is a book worth reading.

Again, this review is addressed to LOTR fans who have wandered onto this page and are wondering whether this book is worth their hard-earned money.

Karen Fonstad brought the eye of a scientist to the art of Tolkien to produce one of the must useful supplements to LOTR and especially the Silmarillion that I've ever found.

Fonstad fills in many of the details of Tolkien's world, using her skills as a cartographer to make incredibly detailed maps and drawings (many taken from Tolkien's own maps and drawings that never made it into LOTR) of the locations in the books. You will now know exactly where everything in the novel is located and what it looks like.

However, this book is not really that much of a complement to LOTR. Tolkein described everything in that story in fairly explicit detail. The REAL strength of this book are the maps and detailed decription of the events BEFORE the journey of the hobbits. It includes many many detailed maps of the world during the first three ages, as well as summations of the history. You will finally know where the wainriders came from, how the war of the Last Alliance was fought, where numenor was, how the War of the Jewels was fought. The section on the Lord of the Rings is actually the least interesting part of the book (which is praising with faint damnation -- the only way you could know more about the journey of Frodo is if he'd been on CNN).

This book gives us the geography of the stories set in Tolkien's Middle Earth, from the Elder Days to the end of the Third Age. The author, a cartographer, has drawn dozens of three-colored maps, accompanying them with informative texts based on written descriptions and sketches. Her sources include Christopher Tolkien's The History as well as the Silmarillion, the Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings. This is fascinating stuff, carefully done. It meets a need for Tolkien fans frustrated by the inadequate maps that have accompanied some editions of the trilogy.

"The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" are only a small story inside the world of the Ring developed by J.R.R. Tolkien over all those years... A world with its own languages, maps, religion and cultures. No wonder it was great time that an atlas of this imaginary world should be published one day.

Karen W. Fonstad did a great job. The maps are detailed, giving more information in the shaping of Middle Earth, the politics and history of the continent and the detailed description of the journey of the "Fellowship of the Ring" adds an additional touch of realism. Now we get an idea of what the trip must have been, as a distance, and in what kind of environment...

This book offers a great orientation in everyone wanting to know more about Middle-Earth.

The NASB Study Bible is simply the NIV Study Bible adapted for those who prefer the translation of the NASB to the NIV. It therefore includes all the strengths of the NIV study Bible: copious notes, cross-references, concordances, and maps, et al. Few would dispute that in a world of competitive Study Bibles, the NIV Study Bible is perhaps the finest produced by evangelicals.

Why then am I less enthusiastic about the NASB Study Bible? One simple reason: The NIV Study Bible works because the translators of the NIV produced all the notes. Many of the comments focus on the translation of the NIV itself and provide justification for difficult decisions in translation made by the translators. Adapting the notes for another translation almost seems pointless.

Admittedly, Kenneth Boa has admirably adapted the new edition for use with the NASB. Yet doubts remain. Why use notes principally designed for use with another translation? I suppose the obvious answer is that the market lacked a critical study Bible that uses the text of the NASB and that this was the cheapest route. But that raises another question: Must a Study Bible be made available in every translation to cater to everyone's diverse tastes?

Bottom line: If you want the NIV Study Bible, I recommend the NIV edition. If you absolutely must have the NASB then this compromise is certainly acceptable, even excellent, but not ideal. The NASB is one of the few translations that actually works well on its own, without an accompanying study notes because the footnotes and additional readings are so extensive.

If you love the NASB, and are a serious student of the Word, this is the bible for you. It has the award-winning study notes of the NIV Study Bible plus the reliable New American Standard Bible translation with the 1995 update, hailed the most accurate word-for-word (while extremely readable) bible on the market. It has exhaustive center-column references. Charts on almost every bible subject possible are included. Introductions to every book of the bible are extensive and include information on the following: Style, Date, Author, Subject Matter, Cultural Information, and very indepth outlines. There are hundreds of intext maps and a very extensive chronology of the bible included at the beginning of the bible. The best thing about the study notes is that they are not biased to any particular denomination. When more than one view exists on a subject, generally at least three views are presented. Information from all kinds of archaeological and historical sources offers much needed insight to difficult passages. This is your one-stop for cultural, historical and theological information for almost every verse in scripture. I'm a youth minister and this bible is my main source of study and lesson preparation. I find that I don't need much more than this. If you're a minister or just a student of the Word, then you can't go wrong with the NASB Study Bible.

This is the bible for which I've been waiting. I have always been fond of the study tools in the NIV Study Bible, but I have never been satisfied with the NIV translation. The NASB is credited as the most accurate and literal translation. With the 1995 update it's even more readable. The study notes cover historical, archeological, and devotional information. The center-column references are exhaustive. There are very detailed in-text maps and charts that provide supplemental informtation. The book introductions provide extensive information on the background of each book as well as providing a detailed outline. In the back of the bible there are three indexes. There is a subject index, an index to the study notes and the NASB concordance/dictionary. In the front of the bible there is a very detailed chronological timeline. There are also several essays on selected subjects. This is a very useful study tool and by far the most complete study bible in the New American Standard that I've ever seen.

I am not one who usually buys books-on-tape (or CD as in this case) but I have long wanted to obtain the Lord of the Rings so as to hear this incredible story over and over. After having read it several times, my book is in tatters and so I searched for an unabridged audio recording. Many of those that I have seen claim to be "unabridged" but the fact is that they are not complete! They give parts of the books in full but leave out many sections or chapters. This set by Rob Inglis is COMPLETE!!! It is very well read with no drastic voicing of characters. Characters are easily distinguished and thoroughly enjoyable. This set is not full of sound effects and music, so if you are looking for that this is not for you. However, I personally prefer the fact that this is not an over-production and is rather quite focussed on what I wanted in the first place, the characters and the story. Inglis does a marvelous job and I am very happy with this set. Again, not to harp on it but, this is a "complete" package well worth the money!!!

This book is a true classic,and it`s popularity is enormous.
And why,you could easily understand when you read it. I would be surprised if there exists any person who hasn`t heard of "The Lord of the Rings" or J.R.R.Tolkien.
The plot is a true classic,which has inspired a huge number of other books and movies (among them Star Wars and The Wheel of Time). 19 rings were once made. Nine for the mortal men,seven for the dwarf kings,and three for the elven kings. But the Dark Lord Sauron also created his own ring - The Lord of the Rings,whose power will make good into evil because of temptation!
The nine mortal men where once mighty kings,but became Sauron`s servants by temptation.
Sauron was finally defeated by a human named Isildur(though his spirit continued living in the shadows),but then he also became evil when he took the ring. Later,the ring took his own life and he dropped it into the river,where it remained undiscovered for 3000 years.
Thousands of years later,the hobbits (a kind of small people) wants to live in peace,and having nothing to worry about. One of the older hobbits,Bilbo Baggins,cheated himself the almighty ring from a creature named Gollum,and suddenly,the servants of the dark lord finds out where the ring is. Bilbo leaves the ring to his relative Frodo. The wizard Gandalf decides that the ring has to be destroyed - that`s the only way to defeat Sauron forever. Frodo later becomes the leader for The Fellowship of the Ring,which consists of four hobbits (Frodo,Sam,Merry and Pippin),the wizard Gandalf,the two humans Aragorn (or Strider)and Boromir,the elve Legolas and the dwarf Gimli.
And I think most of you recognize those characters,so I don`t have to explain in detail who they are. The fellowship is now thrown into a fantastic adventure,where they have to meet a thousand dangers on their way to Mount Doom.
What amazes me mostly with this book is how complex the world is. And imagine Tolkien has found out all of it himself!He really must have had a lot of fantasies!But this isn`t just some wild imaginations - because the world feels so complex,it is so real you can believe it really has existed. He creates detailed cultures for each of the people in his Middle Earth,like comparisons between different religions today. Over all,the world is similar to the medieval Europe,but with fantasy creatures like dragons as well.
As Tolkien was an expert of Nordic mythology,he also figured out the names like Frodo,Bilbo and Gandalf very easily. And The Middle Earth is actually an english translation from the Swedish Midgard,which was the place where the humans lived in the nordic mythology. That could be interesing to know.
Many people claims the book is too short - and sometimes,I do agree. A hundred pages more would not have been a bad idea.
Over all,this is a difficult book to review,because there is always something that remains incomplete.
Now the book has been made into a film,which is one of the most popular today,but before you see the film,I recommend you to read the book. It`s not enough having seen just the film and skip the book. You have to read it to really understand the whole complexity of Tolkien`s world.
The three books are all in all like one great adventure,but this is my favorite,because it is the most classical and introduces us to the Middle Earth.

Lord of the Rings is truly monumental fiction. I've read fantasy from many, many different authors, including Terry Brooks, Piers Anthony, Stephen R. Donaldson, Terry Goodkind, Robert Jordan, to name only a few, and I have come to the conclusion that every fantasy author in the last fifty years has borrowed from Tolkein to one extent or another.

The basic plot of the book is fairly simple. Frodo Baggins is a hobbit who inherits a Ring of Power form his uncle Bilbo Baggins. At first glance, the Ring seems to be a good thing, posessing the power to turn its wearer invisible (a power which saved uncle Bilbo several times during his own adventure, chronicled in The Hobbit). However, the wizard Gandalf learns that the Ring is in fact the One Ring, created millenia ago by the evil Dark Lord Sauron, and removed from his posession by thr forces of good. Sauron was weakened by his loss, but now he has recovered strength and wants his Ring back. Once he gets it, he will have the power to conquer the world. The only way to keep the Ring from his grasp is to destroy it, and this can only be done by casting the Ring into the fires of Mount Doom, where it was originally created. Naturally, Mount Doom lies in the very heart of Sauron's realm in Mordor, so the quest is fraught with peril. Frodo and his faithful servant Sam, along with others, take on the task of the destruction of the Ring and the salvation of Middle-Earth. Fellowship of the Ring chronicles the first part of this story, which concludes with The Two Towers and Return of the King.

If that was all there was to this book, it would be mo more than a first-rate work of fantasy. But, what lifts this book out of the realm of "fantasy" and into the realm of classic literature is the backstory. Lord of the Rings is essentially the conclusion of an incredible mythology that stretches back for over 7,000 Years of the Sun, and for who knows how many millenia before that. Tolkein worked on this mythology for several decades before Lord of the Rings was published, and references to it are sprinkled liberally throughout. The language and songs of the Elves are the best example of this, but there are many others.

The pace of the book does slow a little in places, but that is only becuase several long expository sections are essential to give the reader the full story behind the Ring and how it made its journey from the hand of Sauron to the posession of Frodo. But, the book nevertheless has the power to draw you in. I've read this book over 20 times since I first discovered it in the early 1980's, and I still have not gotten tired of the wonder of this book.

I do want to make one comment on the latest version of the book, however. I've noticed that many people have criticized the maps in the book as too difficult to read. I've looked at some of the newer copies, and I have to agree with this. I would like to point out that the map in these new copies is NOT the original map drawn by Tolkein himself, nor is it the revised map drawn by his son. The older maps are much better drawn, though the text is a little small. Frankly, if the new maps (drawn by Shelly Shapiro) bother you, I would suggest that you prowl through a local used bookstore and pick up an older copy of the trilogy, preferably the beautifully done Ballantine paperbacks of the early-to-mid 1980's. In addition to much better maps, the cover art on those books is beautiful. The one-volume red hardback version is also very nice, and you should be able to find a nice copy of it new.

Books like the Harry Potter series are OK. They are light and enjoyable reading, but 100 years from now, they will be forgotten. Not The Lord of the Rings. It's a major classic of English literature, and it is THE classic of fantasy fiction.

"The Silmarillion" is a coda to author J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings," and a fascinating one at that. The story describes Tolkien's world in ancient times, before there were hobbits, rings of power, or even elves. Think of it as the Genesis of Middle-earth, the creation of Tolkien's world. For those who have not yet read the Lord of the Rings, the names and places may be a bit puzzling. But the stories are engrossing as fantasy on their own. For Tolkien fans, The Silmarillion sets out to explain many of the tales and legends that were mentioned but not fully revealed in the Rings' trilogy. There's the story of the unchaining of Melkor; the coming of the high elves and men to Middle-earth; the courtship of Beren and Luthien, the fairest to ever walk in Middle-earth; and the fall of Gondolin. Perhaps most interesting is a chapter on the rings of power that describes Sauron's rise and his forging of the omnipotent One Ring. A fan of fantasy or curious about some of the legends of old that are mentioned in the main books? Then I say: "Read on!"

The Silmarillion is not the easiest book to read, but it contains a wealth of information about Middle Earth and the ancestors of those characters we have grown to love in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. One gets a sense of reading an actual history and not a work of fiction. The scope of this book is astonishing. Anyone who loves The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, will appreciate the depth that Tolkien has gone to in writing The Silmarillion.

My approach to reading this book was to treat it as an actual history, rather than a work of fiction; in doing so I found it totally believable and enlightening. I feel I know so much more about the world that Tolkien created, and the wonderful (and sometimes terrible) beings that enhabited it.

If you've wandered onto this page, you've probably already read either the Hobbit or Lord of the Rings or both and are hungry for more. The Silmarillion will deliver that --- sort of.

The Silmarillion is not a tale in the tradition of LOTR. It is a compilation of the historical stories Tolkien wrote as the background for that magnificent work. It fleshes out the details of the stories only hinted at in the poems and appendices of the Lord of the Rings. Here you will find out how Middle Earth was created, how the elves fell from grace, about the War of the Jewels between Morgoth -- to whom Sauron was but a servant -- and the sons of Feanor -- the fiercest and most powerful elf ever born. It even includes one appendix on Ahkallabeth -- the downfall of Numenor and one on the Rings of Power. You will be able to read all about the treachery of Sauron the Deceiver and his war with men and elves.

HOWEVER --- the story is not told like LOTR. It's more like a history book. The characters mostly exist as historical figures. The first story especially -- Music of Ainur -- does not fare well in the leadoff spot.

On the other hand, there are some stories that are simply amazing. The tale of Beren and Luthien Tinuviel is one of the most touching and epic love stories ever penned (Tolkein, in fact, had his wife's tombstone engraved to "Tinuviel"). The story of Turin Turambar is a heartbreaking Greek-style tragedy. The confrontation between Fingolfin and Morgoth is amazing. Reading the Similarilion is like reading a history book and finding an epic poem in the middle of it.

If you, like me, read the appendices to LOTR in rapture, you'll love this book. Buy it in hardback and treasure every word. On the other hand, if you found those boring, then you should probably buy the paperback and flip foward to the best stories. Otherwise, you'll probably put it on your shelf, forget about it, and deprive yourself of some of the best stuff to ever come out of the golden pen of Tolkien.

I've seen the movie twice in the first week it was released and have read LOTR several times including once aloud to my teenage sons. Pick this book up along with your own copy of LOTR and begin reading Tolkein aloud to your children. Parents make the best visual companions! Turn off the TV this week and read aloud to your kids. If you've taken them to see "The Fellowship of the Rings" (I would advise children over the age of 10), then read Tolkein to them. Keep Fisher's resource handy as an occasional companion as you read. Most volumes of Tolkein come with maps. This Tolkein visual companion is no different, with the map keyed to the movie. There is a danger in all this though. Your children's imagination sparked by Tolkein's genius descriptive writing will create an even more detailed and wonderful Middle Earth than the blockbuster movie was able to create. Use this visual companion sparingly with your children. Encourage their imagination to fill the big screen of their minds with Tolkein's epic tale. Parents play a key role in all this.

For two books with many more creative ideas for parents, look into "The Family Cloister" and "The Christian Family Toolbox", both by David Robinson and available on Amazon.com.

This is a beautiful visual companion to The Fellowship of the Ring, the first movie in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

All of the major races and many of the major characters are profiled with gorgeous color photographs...many of which I haven't seen in my 2+ years of collecting these photo's on a daily basis.

The first chapter deals with history of the rings and the last alliance of elves and men. Hobbits, Men, Elves, Dwarves, Istari, Orcs, Uruk-Hai, and the Nazgul follow with each profiling major figures and/or locations associated with that particular race.

The book is just what is says, a visual companion. There is very little in the way of textual information...you should buy the Official Movie Guide for that.

All in all, well worth purchasing.

The "Lord of the Rings" movie recently was probably the best movie I've seen, and Jude Fisher's accompanying visual companion is a good piece of work.

It gives a concise, good summary of people, places and different races in Middle-Earth. It'll tell moviegoers background tidbits not in the movie: why Sam is fascinated by Elves, what happened to Frodo's parents, that Legolas is a prince, what Elrond's ancestry is, and Gandalf's true nature.

We are filled in less so on places: Lothlorien itself gets only four paragraphs. Individual species get more space: We hear about the history of the human Men of Middle-Earth, about the habits of the hobbits, and the "leaving these shores" comment about the Elves.

I would like to remind some of the other reviewers that many people -- adults and children -- have not read the books and this book is probably for them. So to give away massive spoilers concerning Moria would be very bad news. (Just as this book doesn't let us know what happens to certain characters) So it's inevitable that some parts of the plot, especially those that hinge the plot, will not be revealed. Some clues about events in "Two Towers" are given -- look carefully. The pictures are very good, very well chosen -- the ones of Frodo and Sam in particular.

Overall, if you have never read the LOTR trilogy (or "Hobbit") then this is definitely the book to pick up. It won't clue you in on every exquisite detail, but it will get rid of much of your confusion.

This book has its share of shortcomings, but overall, it is probably the best and most complete reference on DSP. Unfortunately, it does skip a few important topics. For example, the second edition threw out the section on designing IIR bandpass and highpass filters from lowpass prototypes. This section used to be in the first edition and is VERY important, so I don't see how Oppenheim & Schafer could have justified throwing it out. They also conspicuously left out filter design based on the frequency sampling method. But in spite of these omissions, it's hard to recommend another book over this one. The one that comes closest is Mitra's.

In the end, if you want to learn DSP and work in the field, you have to have this book, as well as the ones by Mitra, Proakis & Manolakis, Jackson, and, of course, Rabiner & Gold. If you get all those, you'll have the complete reference of CORE DSP texts.

This is probably the most complete reference in DSP. It's full of examples covering the whole stuff in DSP. However this is certainly not fur use as an introductory book because the aim is not the explanation of fundamental concepts in DSP (for that go to Lyons "Understanding Digital Signal Processing"). Maybe it is possible to learn DSP with this book but then as a companion of a good undergrad course, not for self-study.

As stated by another reviewer, this book is over-crowded with developments, details and examples that could be overwhelming to the newcomer. This is probably its biggest drawback, in that its completeness hinders on its readability. So be aware that this is not an easy DSP book, it's THE DSP book.

I found this book to be an excellent fundamental text about DSP. But is it a good introductory book for beginners? Well, it depends... The book covers the essential topics in great depth and that means every one of its 800+ pages is packed with concepts and details and examples. The style is clear, but the amount of information can be a little overwhelming when you read it for the first time. If you have time, patience, a good maths background, the desire to master the subject, and someone to clarify your doubts, this can be the best first book on DSP you could ever buy. If you just want to learn the basics, and don't have much time or patience you should probably look elsewhere.

The NIV Study Bible has many excellent features. The notes provide historical context, helpful cross-references, and personal application suggestions. There are also numerous color maps and an abridged concordance at the back that comes in handy in looking up scriptures you can generally remember but can't place.

All contributors to the NIV are Christians who confess the Bible as the inerrant Word of God. They are very good at what they do, and their lack of scepticism is refreshing in comparison with more liberal study bibles, such as the Harper-Collins. The overall approach, however, is awfully conservative, sometimes at the risk of intellectual credibility. For example, traditional attributions of authorship are invariably accepted, including Moses as the author of Genesis through Deuteronomy--a view uniformly rejected by more moderate scholars. [Even the NIV gives a grudging concession that other writers in addition to Moses seem to have been involved in at least limited additions to the text inasmuch as these books relate Moses' death and describe Moses as "more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth" (Nu. 12:3)--an unlikely self-description by the world's most humble person!] To me, it is easier and more intellectually honest to simply admit that these books were the work of many inspired hands and that we don't know who wrote them.

The doctrinal notes are similarly traditional and conservative. For instance, in 1 Ti. 4:10, the author proclaims that "God is the Savior of all Men, and especially of those who believe." The note pours theological cold water on the optimism expressed in this verse by sternly observing, "Obviously, this does not mean that God saves every person from eternal punishment...." To the contrary, I hope and believe that's exactly what it means--but I guess God will be the judge.

To my admittedly liberal way of thinking, the notes tend to take the Bible literally where it fits in with a conservative view point, but, as in 1 Ti.4:10, they brush aside the plain meaning when it does not suit them. Because I found myself fighting with the notes too often, I have moved on to the less dogmatic NRSV Access Bible, published by Oxford University Press. But for conservative evangelicals who hold fast to the doctrine of Biblical inerrancy, this is an excellent resource.

I own a first edition of The NIV Study Bible. The Bible was a gift from my grandparents on my 25th birthday. It is the best Bible I have ever owned. The study notes are outstanding and send me on a journey of discovery everytime I follow a cross reference (no pun intended). I find it impossible not to follow the references on any subject throughout my NIV Study Bible. The New International Version translation makes scripture understandable to the lay person. Each book of the Bible is preceded by an introduction and outline. There are many maps and outlines throughout the NIV Study Bible. Most verses have a study note listed at the bottom of the page and references are listed down between columns. At the end of The NIV Study Bible are indexes to subjects, maps and color maps as well as an extensive concordance. I have left out many features of this excellent scriptural resource. The best recommendation I can give is that I am at this writing ordering copies of The NIV Study Bible for two of my sunday school students.

I think many evangelicals know the Bible only in terms of life application. They don't know the difference between God and God the one and Only (see John 1:18 NIV), nor concern themselves with theological or historical aspects of the Bible. The NIV study Bible should help change this. Its notes are concise, numerous, and very informative. When I got this Bible, it opened up a whole new area of fascinating biblical study that perviously I had overlooked. The translation of the NIV is readable and for the most part accurate (though they sacrifice literalness for the sake of readability a lot). The notes represent the conservative side of theology and I agree with most of what they say, though I always have other versions on hand to broaden the depth of study. My only real big complaint is the lack of the deuterocanon. Though I do not consider the books to be 'inspired' scripture, I do believe for a complete study of the Bible they should be consulted. Maybe in a future addition they will be included. If people ask me which Bible to buy, I usually say this one.