The Lord of the Rings trilogy is widely regarded as a masterpiece of high fantasy fiction. It has been highly influential in shaping the modern fantasy genre. Author J.R.R. Tolkien dedicated decades to developing every aspect of the universe he created, including various species, intricately detailed settings, and multiple languages, ensuring that his world-building was thorough and the final product was masterful. The first book in the trilogy, The Fellowship of the Ring, was published on July 29, 1954.

The reception of The Fellowship of the Ring was mixed upon its release. While some critics praised its detailed world-building and storytelling, others were less impressed. Some critics and readers considered the story to be over-the-top and even ridiculous, leading to initial dismissals of the work as not being “true literature.” However, over time, the story gained widespread acclaim, particularly during the counter-culture movement, as it resonated with those who sought to reject mainstream norms. Despite the mixed initial reviews, *The Lord of the Rings* trilogy has become one of the most influential and popular book series of all time, selling over 150 million copies and being translated into numerous languages.

Fun Facts about J.R.R. Tolkien:

• J.R.R. Tolkien was a talented linguist, fluent in over 16 languages, including Latin, Greek, and Gothic. He also invented and developed multiple languages for the characters of The Lord of the Rings trilogy. 
• He worked as a professor of literature at the distinguished University of Oxford in England.
• He originally published The Hobbit in 1937, a story he had written for his own children.
• It has been said that he considered his own fans of The Lord of the Rings trilogy to be “lunatics.” Tolkien considered himself to be a scholar and was highly critical of his own work, so much so that he didn’t really feel the final product to be as epic as he intended. Therefore, he felt the fans of the work couldn’t actually appreciate its intended level of storytelling. 
• Tolkien had a close and complicated relationship with fellow author C.S. Lewis.