The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring

J.R.R. Tolkien

Sep 2007 · BBC Digital Audio · Narrated by Full Cast, Ian Holm, Michael Hordern, and Robert Stephens

About this audiobook

With its first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on March 8, 1981, this dramatised tale of Middle Earth became an instant global classic. It boasts a truly outstanding cast including Ian Holm (as Frodo), Sir Michael Hordern (as Gandalf), Robert Stephens (as Aragorn), Bill Nighy (as Sam Gamgee) and John Le Mesurier (as Bilbo).

Brian Sibley's famous adaptation has been divided into three corresponding parts, with newly-recorded beginning and end narration by Ian Holm, who now stars as Bilbo in the feature films based on The Lord of the Rings.

Part One, The Fellowship of the Ring, introduces us to Frodo Baggins. With his uncle Bilbo having mysteriously disappeared, Frodo finds himself in possession of a simple gold ring that has great and evil power. It is the Ruling Ring, taken long ago from the Dark Lord, Sauron, who now seeks to possess it again. Frodo must do everything he can to prevent this, and with the help of Gandalf the wizard and a band of loyal companions he begins a perilous journey across Middle-earth. Sauron's Black Riders are on their trail as they travel to Rivendell, attempt to cross the snow-swept Misty Mountains and, in desperation, enter the terrifying Mines of Moria.


©2018 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2018 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Ratings and reviews

This is not a reading of the book, this sounds like a mediocre acted out adaptation of the story. There is no indepth descriptions to build environments, locations, characters, or scenes in your minds eye, so it leaves you feeling lost and rushed all at the same time. A story that should take 18 hours to read is smashed together in a fraction of that time by trying to build audio environments jarbled together. Listening only to the audio from the movies would do you better justice.

Not an audiobook, an abridged radio play! I wish I had read the reviews before I bought all three, or even the detailed description. But I was being hasty and just bought them all thinking it would be Ian Holm reading the books outloud. turns out it's a radio play where they act out stuff, with music which I could maybe have gotten used to. but it's not the full text of the book! I gave it 3 stars because ita advertised as an unabridged audio book, but in actuality it's an abridged radio play.

As has been mentioned, this is NOT unabridged which is my main complaint. I wanted the full experience but you do not get that with this version. However, it really is excellently acted and I find it to be very enjoyable to listen to. Ian Holm playing Frodo brings a familiar relevance to the movies and it really does pull you in wanting more. I think I will still download the rest but will still search for a true unabridged version.

About the author

J. R. R. Tolkien was born in 1892 in Bloemfontein, South Africa. From 1925-1959 he was an Oxford Professor, first of Anglo Saxon and then of English Language and Literature, but is best known as the author of the fantasy classic The Lord of the Rings.