In this epic novel, there’s one ring to . Welcome to WatchMojo.com and in this of MojoNotes, we’ll be exploring ten things you should know about J. R. R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings.”

#10: About the .
Born in South Africa in 1892, J. R. R. Tolkien was taught to read by his mother. After studying English at Oxford, Tolkien served in World War I and took on various jobs while writing his own material. Thanks to his books’ popularity, he in 1959. He in 1971.

#9: Influences and Inspirations
Many different sources influenced Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings.” This included British , European , historical languages, and Richard Wagner’s Ring Cycle of . His childhood in England and his time in the War also inspired multiple locations and themes in the , high series.

#8: Settings and era.
Serving as a to Tolkien’s “The Hobbit,” “The Lord of the Rings” is split into three books. The story is in the magical made-up lands called where men live alongside like hobbits, orcs, trolls, and wizards. Book 1 begins in Shire, and from there, the three books follow the characters across the many locations of middle earth, all the way to the fiery lands of Mordor at the end of book 3.

#7: Plot.
Narrated by an all-knowing , “The Lord of the Rings” follows a hobbit named Frodo and his with Sam, Aragorn, Gandalf, Gimli, Legolas and others. As the of the Ring, they must the Dark Lord Sauron and wizard Saruman from taking over their land. This can only be if the Sauron-forged ring is destroyed in a in Mordor. During their Quest for , they attack Isengard, and Frodo and Sam are separated after a creature called Gollum them. Sauron then launches an attack that the War of the Ring. After being rescued by Sam, Frodo is overtaken by the ring’s power, which leads to a fight with Gollum and the ring’s destruction in the fire. Following the victory, takes his rightful place as King. Saruman tries to the Shire but he’s and the war ends for good.

#6: Frodo Baggins, Sam Gamgee and Gollum. Because of his purity, Frodo is the hobbit chosen by his relative Bilbo Baggins to as he’s most likely to resist its temptations. He leads the mission for the ring’s destruction and ultimately saves Middle Earth thanks to his and intelligence. Sam is a curious and pleasant hobbit whose , and compassion give him the courage to rescue Frodo. Formerly a hobbit named Smeagol, Gollum gets corrupted by the Ring’s power. His new name represents his evil side. He is driven by the desire to get his “Precious” ring back.

#5: Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli.
Gandalf is a and powerful angelic wizard who helps Middle-earth fight Sauron. Also called Strider and Elessar, Aragorn joins the hobbits and transforms from a into a strong leader during the journey. He eventually becomes King of the . Legolas the Elf and the Gimli are two other notable Fellowship members.

#4: Sauron and Saruman.
Also known as the Lord of the Rings, Sauron is the one who made the Rings of Power with the Elves. He lives in Mordor and wants the One Ring to rule over Middle-earth. He sends his servants to it but loses all his power when Gollum and the ring fall into the volcano fire. Originally sent to defeat Sauron, Saruman is a wizard like Gandalf. He with the Dark Lord when he becomes obsessed with the desire for power but meets his end following Sauron’s .

#3: Values and .
Two of the book’s main themes include the fight between and how power . Tolkien also makes contrasts between , death and eternal life, and , while exploring the of addiction and technology.

#2: Modern Popularity.
The Lord of the Rings was so successful that Tolkien is considered the father of modern and . His saga has and much literature, music, and multiple multimedia formats.

#1: Adaptations.
Aside from and radio versions, Tolkien’s books have also been adapted for film. Following the 1978 , there was the 21st century movie trilogy.
Do you agree with our list? What’s your favorite piece of “The Lord of the Rings” trivia? With new top 10s published daily, be sure to to WatchMojo.com.