The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Dramatised)

By: J. R. R. Tolkien

Narrated by: Ian Holm, Michael Hordern, Robert Stephens, full cast

Length: 4 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

With its first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on March 8th, 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 Worldwide Ltd trading as BBC Studios (P)2018 BBC Worldwide Ltd trading as BBC Studios

A delight.

I had this BBC production on cassette tape. It was so exciting to be able to hear this tale. (I was twelve and LotR was just too difficult...but I loved the Hobbit..) It’s stands the test of time too. I enjoy it now 18 years later in 2019 just as much. 10/10

brief

a very short and sweet version of the classic. great theatrics on par with Graphic Audio

A really fun listen.

I haven’t listened to a lot of audio dramatizations in the past but being the lotr nut I am I gave this a shot and absolutely love it. It’s different from the book and the movie but still a wonderful
adaptation. The performances and acting are great and I was either engrossed in the story or smiling at the way it was being told or performed pretty much the entire time. There’s music, sound effects, Ian Holm, Bill Nighy and the feeling that the creators respected and loved the book. A total joy. Can’t recommend this enough. And it counts on your Goodreads goal. So another win.

Great dramatization, but read the book first!

I read The Lord of the Rings twice as a teenager, and watched the movies more than once. When I found this dramatization I thought it would be nice to experience the story again, but in a new way. I was a bit sceptical as I read the reviews, but decided to buy it anyway. And I'm glad I did! I spent most of yesterday with my headphones on, and the story made my Saturday cleaning and laundry quite enjoyable this week.

I listen to a lot of audiobooks and wasn't sure if I'd enjoy a dramatization, but I really did. My boyfriend listened to the beginning of the story with me and was annoyed with how the story wasn't exactly as it is in the book, but I didn't mind. It's a very short version of the story, and they do skip a lot of things that are hard to fit in the "story-told-by-dialogue-and-sounds" style of a dramatization, and for the same reason you miss a lot of details because you can't see anything and no one is explaining what's going on in the action-sequences (but the result of the action is mentioned after by the characters). I still enjoyed it as I could imagine everything based on my memory of the story from the book. I think they did a great job making this, and the narrators/cast are really good.

DON'T buy this if you want the whole book and the whole detailed story, because then you will be disappointed (there are audiobooks available...). Buy this book if you love the story and want to experience it again, but don't mind if it's a short version or that Tom Bombadil is still missing. I loved it, and have already bought Two Towers:-)

Great to have this producion online

I have had this BBC recording on tape for ten years it is wonderful to be able to have a digital version.I still think it is brilliant sound picture of a superb trilogy, the actor's voices match the spirit of each character. It is a production as good in a spoken word sense as the movies are in a visual sense. I can only recomend the three recodings to people who wish to absorb what tolkien was writing about.

As wonderful as I remember...

I loved it. I listened to it every night as I was going to bed and finished it in less than a week. Starting. The Two Towers tonight. Happy Reading.

Not enough detail

Great job with character's voices and setting the mood, but there was way too much detail left out for my liking. it didn't suck me in and create a world like the book.

good effort, weak on sound production

I won't bother to comment on the story, which everyone will already knows. As far as the sound and effects: I was listening in a car during a long drive.
Sometimes yells and screeches were very loud after long whispering... good jump scare, but for bad driver and passengers listening. I spent the next few hours with my hands at the volume control adjusting to comfort over road noise, then down during load action or singing. There was a good deal of singing, but no real musicality. Sound effects seemed done on a BBC tight budget. We often imagined coconuts being clipclopped together, funny but not great for immersion.

It could be louder

Loved it, great narration and amazing actors, thing is, it was too low for my liking, I listen while I do other things so many times I had to rewind a little to hear it again, but overall, the experience was pretty nice

An epic dramatization

Loved the soundscape and all the different actors and their performances. A very faithful adaptation of a classic.