For over fifty years J.R.R. Tolkien's epic novel The Lord of the Rings has been widely available in libraries and bookstores around the world, and many different translations of the work now exist. Curiously, however, the novel's publishers have never to date produced an electronic text of Tolkien's most famous work. Doubtless this is an effort on their part to discourage any possible piracy. Still, many people on the Internet have been actively seeking e-texts of Tolkien's work for their own (usually unstated) purposes.
Now, however, the people at rec.arts.books.tolkien have begun the arduous task of bringing such epic fantasy as this to the Internet! By working together, drinking too much coffee and typing into the wee hours of the night, distinguished authorities of Tolkien's works have begun the process of creating a downloadable electronic text for this masterwork of epic proportions! Now those who refuse to purchase J.R.R. Tolkien's epic novel The Lord of the Rings in print form, but are seeking an electronic copy to download instead, can get exactly what they deserve!
Feel free to begin reading, or downloading, this epic work as you please! But before you do so, please remember to send your royalty check for thirty-five dollars directly to the authorized Lord of the Rings publisher nearest you.
Volume One: THE FELONSHIP OF THE RING
Foreword - awaiting completionVolume Two: THE TWO TOWELS
Book Three:Volume Three: THE RETURN OF THE KINK
Map of Gondor™ and Mordor - rendered by David SaloMany thanks are due to the noble and erudite Steuard Jensen, and the learned and wise Öjevind Lång, who have both assumed the wild task of administrating this project - a job not unlike herding rabid cats. If you're a rec.arts.books.tolkien poster who is interested in contributing, Mr. Jensen's administrative web-pages will provide you with more information on this ambitious and stalwart undertaking.
As a reference for contributors, the honourable Robert Brady has produced a list of names as given in the E-text, a resource which E-Text transcribers may well find useful. The educated and altogether too clever David Salo has graciously taken the time to contribute maps as well as other forms of fiendish cleverness to keep us thinking. Thanks are due to Mr. Brady and Mr. Salo for these noble uses of their time.
For those who think this is the greatest literary work in all of Western history and want nothing more than to share it with the rest of the world, please read this disclaimer first, and take particular note of the fourth paragraph.
To Those Who Are Concerned: Before reporting this site to the Tolkien Estate as a flagrant violation of copyright, please be sure to read a chapter or two.