Kirkus Review
The Lord of the Rings is one of the most wonderful and significant tales published in English since the Second World War,"" concludes the author in his introduction and at least the reader has no doubt about the UCLA professor's point of view. Tolkien is great because he rediscovered the value, indeed necessity, of myth and particularly of Radical Evil. While Helms sees The Hobbitt as little more than children's literature and a tale of growing up, in Rings Tolkien comes into his own. Instead of just a quest for maturity there is something greater: the renunciation of power. This slim volume probably would have lost little by being condensed into an article for a scholarly journal, but nevertheless it is sure to do well on the campus. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
