I first heard of The Lord of the Rings when it came out in the cinema. I saw The Fellowship and decided to read it but looking at the size of it (and considering I was only 11) I decided better of it.
Three years on and I have read and been enthralled by Tolkien's masterpiece. The content is different to the movie in some ways and we are introduced to other fascinating characters like Tom Bombadil.
The book starts with an unexpected party and an unexpected end to all who attended. Bilbo Baggins (known from The Hobbit) is convinced by Gandalf to leave his precious ring with Frodo, his cousin, and go to Rivendale.
Poor Frodo in now left with an immensly important task to destroy the ring of power, the one thing stopping the dark lord Sauron from taking over Middle-Earth.
What continues is an introduction of many characters both good and ill, meeting great elven lords and evil orcs and an ending that starts The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

I have read the lotr at least 12 times. LOTR is what gor me through my teens, and as an adult it still helps me escape. I'm even reading, it to my children. Although Felloship can seem long winded, the long expected party still feels like sitting through a dry sermon, it helps build the characters and will make the reader care later when Sam, Frodo and the rest are up to their eyeballs in Orc poo!
Don't stop with the first story, it's like saying you don't like cookies because you once ate the dough before the sugar was added.
It is important to remember that Fellowship is only the first part of a much larger and more wonderful story.

This is a wonderfully imaginative novel. The characters are well written. Their personalities are believable.

Yet I found Tolkien to be slightly long-winded for my taste. I think that his overdescription gives his novel a slower pace than appropriate. However, I think that if there is any book worth reading, it would be this one.