The Best Introduction to the Mountains (2001) by Gene Wolfe

I want to share this fascinating essay on J.R.R. Tolkien by the American writer Gene Wolfe. I am a fan of both writers and I think that this is one of the best essays about Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings I’ve ever read. I will post selected highlights from Wolfe’s essay, but I wholeheartedly recommend that you read the whole essay. There is a link to the essay at the end of this post. I hope you enjoy it and I’d love to hear your thoughts on what Wolfe wrote about Tolkien’s most famous books.

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The Fellowship of the Ring (1954) by J.R.R. Tolkien

Probably my third time to read it and I’ve upped my rating from 4 to 5 stars. It’s a masterpiece by itself, and also the first part of a greater masterpiece! The world-building is unbelievably good and Tolkien was a genius. Enough said!

I also recommend the audiobook version of this book. The version I have is narrated by Rob Inglis. I’ve heard that a new recording by Andy Serkis has recently come out, so I am curious to listen to that one now. The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit are stories that really suit being narrated. I enjoy both reading the books and listening to them.