Ready for the epic
Begin with The Fellowship of the Ring and continue through the three volumes without skipping ahead.
Book Series · 3 Books
The Lord of the Rings Books
In order from The Fellowship of the Ring to The Return of the King.
J. R. R. Tolkien's epic quest about Frodo Baggins, the Fellowship, and the struggle to destroy the One Ring before Sauron conquers Middle-earth.
Reviewed by the Bookroo Editors Updated
Reading order
How to Read The Lord of the Rings
Read The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King in that order. Tolkien wrote The Lord of the Rings as one continuous novel, but its size led the publisher to release it in three volumes in 1954 and 1955.
The Hobbit takes place earlier and introduces Bilbo, Gandalf, Gollum, and the Ring. Reading it first adds useful background and is often a gentler entry point, but the three Lord of the Rings volumes provide the context needed to follow their own central story.
Sources: The Tolkien Estate's official publication timeline, The Tolkien Estate on the writing of The Lord of the Rings, The Tolkien Estate on The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
For parents
What Parents Should Know
The story includes large battles, sword and arrow violence, frightening monsters, severe injuries, deaths, grief, torture and imprisonment, despair, and a suicide. The violence is not sexually explicit or described with modern graphic detail, but the danger and losses can be emotionally intense. Dense prose, long descriptions, songs, invented history, and shifting viewpoints make these volumes more demanding than The Hobbit.
Where to start
Where Should My Child Start?
Where the story begins
First Book in the Series
Sale price
$858
Book #1 · Chapter Book · Ages 12–18 · 1954
The Fellowship of the Ring
A hobbit must destroy a powerful ring to stop evil from consuming the world.
458 pages· 177,227 words· Est. 16.5 hour read
$8.99Save 5%
Mass Market Paperbound
Summary: Frodo Baggins, a humble hobbit, inherits a ring with the power to destroy or save Middle-earth. Pursued by dark forces, he and his loyal friend Sam embark on a perilous journey to Mount Doom, the only place where the ring can be destroyed. As they navigate treacherous lands and face unimaginable dangers, the fate of all that is good hangs in the balance. Will Frodo succeed in his quest, or will the dark lord Sauron reclaim his power? The journey tests courage, friendship, and the very essence of good versus evil.
In reading order
The Lord of the Rings Series
3 books · Published 1954–1955
#1
Sale price
$858
The Fellowship of the Ring
Chapter Book · Ages 12–18 · 1954
A hobbit must destroy a powerful ring to stop evil from consuming the world.
#2
Sale price
$858
The Two Towers
Chapter Book · 1954
A perilous journey to destroy the One Ring amidst war and betrayal.
#3
Sale price
$858
The Return of the King
Chapter Book · 1955
Frodo and Sam face impossible odds to destroy the One Ring in Mordor.
Good to know
Common Questions
How many books are in the Lord of the Rings series?
There are 3 books in the Lord of the Rings series. It began with The Fellowship of the Ring in 1954, and the newest book, The Return of the King, was published in 1955.
What order should you read the Lord of the Rings books in?
Start with The Fellowship of the Ring and follow the series order — the books above are numbered #1 through #3.
What ages are the Lord of the Rings books best for?
The series is best for ages 12–18, based on the age ranges of the individual books.
Which Lord of the Rings book is the longest?
The Fellowship of the Ring (Book #1) is the longest book in the series at 177,227 words (458 pages).
Which Lord of the Rings book is the shortest?
The Return of the King (Book #3) is the shortest at 135,297 words (494 pages).
The people
The Creative Behind the Books
The people who bring The Lord of the Rings to life.
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