The Lord of the Rings

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien follows Frodo Baggins and his fellowship on a quest to destroy the Ring of Power and thwart Sauron, birthing modern fantasy across books, TV, and games with unparalleled world-building and developed languages. Iconic characters like Gandalf, Bilbo, and Frodo remain beloved 70 years later, defining epic scope—it's the reason 'epic' exists in literature. I compare all fantasy to this classic, which changed the literary landscape forever. I recommend it for the imagination like no other; if you haven't read it, you're missing a timeless story that dismisses outdated claims—it's essential and unbeatable.