The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

Author: J.R.R. Tolkien

Published: 1937
Novel.

Gandalf tricks Bilbo into hosting a party for Thorin and his band of dwarves, who sing of reclaiming the Lonely Mountain and its vast treasure form the dragon Smaug. When the music ends, Gandalf unveils a map showing a secret door into the Mountain and proposes that the dumbfounded Bilbo serve as the expedition's burglar. The dwarves ridicule the idea, but Bilbo, indignant, joins. 

The group travels into the wild, where Gandalf saves the company from trolls and leads them to Rivendell, where Elrond revelas more secrets from the map. Passing over the Misty Mountains, they are caught by goblins and driven deep underground. Although Gandalf rescues them, Bilbo gets separated from the others as they flee the goblins. Lost in the goblin tunnels, he stumbles across a mysterious ring and then enconunters Gollum, who engages him in a game of riddles. As a reward for solving all riddles Gollum will show him the path out of the tunnels, but if Bilbo fails, his life will be forfeit. 

With the help of the ring, which congers invisibility, Bilbo escapes and rejoins the dwarves, improvising his reputation with them. The goblins and Wargs give chase, but the compau are saved by eagles before resting in the house of Beorn. 

The company enters the black forest of Mirkwood without Gandalf. In Mirkwood, Bilbo first saves the dwarves from giant spiders and then from the dungeons of the Wood-elves. Nearing the Lonely Mountain, the travellers are welcomed by the human inhabitants of Lake-town, who hope the dwarves will fulfill prophecies of Samug's demise. The expedition travles to the Lonely Mountain and finds the secret door; Bilbo scouts the dragon's lair, stealing a great cup and learning of a weakness in Smaug's armour. The enraged dragon, deducing that Lake-town has aided the intruder, sets out to destroy the town. A thrush had overheard Bilbo's report of Smaug's vulnerability and reports it to Kale-town defender Bard. His arrow finds the chink and slays the dragon. 

When the dwarves take possession of the mountain, Bilbo finds the Arkenstone, an heirloon of Thorin's dynasty, and hides it away. The Wood-elves and Lake-men besiege the mountain and request compensation for their aid, reparations for Lake-town's destruction, and settlement of old claims of the treasure. Thorin refuses and, having summoned his kin from the Iron Hills, reinforces his position. Bilbo tries to ransom the Arkenstone to head off a war, but Thorin is intransigent. He banishes Bilbo, and battle seems inevitable. 

Characters: 

Bilbo Baggins

Gandalf

Thorin Oakenshield

Smaug the Dragon

Elrond

Gollum

Beorn

The Lord of The Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien

Author: J. R. R. Tolkien

Published: 1954
Novel.
Trilogy.

A sequel to The Hobbit.

Thousands of years before the events of the novel, the Dark Lord Sauron had forged the One Ring to rule the other Rings of Power and corrupt those who wear them: the leaders of Men, Elves and Dwarves. 

Sauron was later vanquised in a battle by an alliance of the Elves and Men, led by Elendil and Gil-galad. 

Isildur, a ruler of Men, cut the One Ring from Sauron's finger, claiming it as an heirloon for his line, and Sauron lost his physical form. When Isildur was later ambushed and killed by the Orcs, the Ring was lost. 

Over two thousand years later, the Ring was found by one of the river-folk called Déagol. His friend, Sméagol immediately fell under the Ring's influence and strangled Déagol to acquire it. Sméagol was banished and hid under the Misty Mountains, where the Ring extended his lifespan and transformed him so much he became the corrupted creature called Gollum. 

He lost the Ring when it was found by Bilbo Baggins (The Hobbit). 

Books: 

The Fellowship of the Ring

The Two Towers

The Return of the King

Characters:

Frodo Baggins

Bilbo Baggins

Samwise Gamgee

Meriadoc (Merry) Brandybuck 

Peregrin (Pippin) Took

Gandalf the Grey, later Gandalf the White

Aragorn, descendant of Isildur

Legolas Greenleaf

Gimli, son of Glóin

Denethor

Boromir

Faramir

Galadriel

Celeborn

Elrond

Arwen Undómiel, daughter of Elrond

Théoden, King of Rohan

Éomer

Éowyn

Treebeard

Sauron, the Dark Lord

The Nazgul or Ringwraiths

Saruman the White

Gollum

Shelob