J.R.R. Tolkien was not the first or most critically-acclaimed fantasy writer, but he remains the most beloved and influential. 
 The source of that influence: "The Lord of the Rings," the classic trilogy that quietly created the fantasy genre as we know it. It's a complicated, powerful story that stretches across a whole fantasy world, interwoven with tragedy and humour, and peopled with memorable characters. 
 The quiet, good-natured hobbit Frodo Baggins has inherited a golden Ring that allows its user to become invisible. But his wizard friend Gandalf informs Frodo that the Ring is really the One Ring, a tiny invulnerable token that the demonic Sauron has poured his essence and power into. If Sauron can regain the Ring, he will be able to conquer Middle-Earth. 
 So Frodo begins a perilous journey across Middle-Earth, accompanied by a fellowship of Men, Hobbits, Gandalf, an Elf and a Dwarf. Their destination is Mount Doom, the one place where the Ring can be destroyed. 
 "The Two Towers" begins directly after "Fellowship," after Frodo Baggins flees with his friend Sam into Mordor, with no one to protect them. His cousins Merry and Pippin are kidnapped by orcs from the renegade wizard Saruman. Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli begin a frenetic search for the hobbits, and receive unexpected help from unlikely allies. Meanwhile, the Ring weighs more heavily on Frodo, as he is forced to get help from one of the people he most despised: the Ring's slave Gollum. 
 "Return of the King" brings the trilogy to an action-packed, slam-bang and ultimately poignant finale. Sam barely rescues Frodo from Sauron's orcs, and the two resume their journey to Mount Doom, barely escaping Sauron's forces. As Aragorn leads the desperate battle against Sauron's armies at the city of Minas Tirith, Frodo falls increasingly under the seductive spell of the Ring. 
 "Lord of the Rings" is a book that both draws on myth and inspires like a legend itself -- dark lords, kings-in-waiting, medieval fantasy worlds, elves and dwarves, and so forth. Almost every book that features any of those has drawn on Tolkien in some fashion, even if they're reacting against him. 
 But the most powerful part of Tolkien's book is how it speaks right from the soul -- his love of language, mythology, the British country folk, his Catholic beliefs and peace. Though there are no direct linkages or lessons in the trilogy, Tolkien probably drew on his experiences in World War I for the ravaged battlefields and breakneck action sequences. 
 And there is a streak of intense nobility through the story, fueling great courage and strength even in the most unlikely characters (Samwise Gamgee, a humble gardener). At the same time, Tolkien's characters walk the fine line of constant temptation by power, which can corrupt even the best people into becoming evil, hollow shells. 
 Furthermore, Tolkien's prose has the same feeling of richness that his fantasy world does -- it feels slightly old-fashioned now, but it has a lot of raw power and beautiful descriptions (as well as some funny moments from Pippin). And he fills it with brilliantly iconic moments that stick in your memory, like Eowyn facing down the Witch-King. 
 Frodo Baggins is an everyman hero, who dreams of adventure but begins to treasure the simple, boring life that he had once he is deprived of it. At first it seems like he'll be a plucky hero in the mold of his uncle Bilbo, but he soon becomes a tragic figure who deteriorates under the Ring's influence. His only support comes from Sam, a solid, sensible gardener who is able to fend off the Ring's temptation. 
 The rest of the cast is memorable as well -- the crabby grandfatherly Gandalf, the noble future king Aragorn, the perky sidekicks Merry and Pippin, the kindly Faramir, troubled warrior-woman Eowyn, and the repellent Saruman. Of particular note are the dwarf Gimli and elf Legolas, total opposites who become the best of friends (and have an orc-slaying contest!). 
 Even after all the years, J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" still rules the fantasy genre and has become an integral part of modern literature. Rich, beautiful and powerful.