Roverandom, by J. R. R. Tolkien

Like most fantasy fans, I loved The Lord of the Rings, so I decided to pick up Roverandom the last time I was in Borders. I don't think it'ss ever be viewed as a classic like LOTR or The Hobbit, but it ain't half bad.

Like The Hobbit, Roverandom was written for children. This book was originally a story told by Tolkien to his children to console his middle son over the loss of a prized toy. It was never published in Tolkien's lifetime, and even the version of the manuscript used for this publication wasn't completely finalized (at least that's what I gather from the introduction).

Because of this, the story is a little rough. It's not bad, but I think it could have used a bit more of a polish. It's a very imaginative and entertaining story that children would certainly enjoy. I enjoyed it, and it's been a heck of a long time since I was a kid.

It's a decent book. Tolkien fans should get it, if they don't already have it. Fantasy fans should probably buy it too. I give Roverandom four yo-yos.