Special unjacketed hardback edition of the first part of J.R.R. Tolkien's epic masterpiece; The Lord of the Rings. This edition features the complete story with a unique cover design embellished with gold foil and the iconic maps of Middle-earth appearing in red and black as endpapers. Sauron; the Dark Lord; has gathered to him all the Rings of Power - the means by which he intends to rule Middle-earth. All he lacks in his plans for dominion is the One Ring - the ring that rules them all - which has fallen into the hands of the hobbit; Bilbo Baggins. In a sleepy village in the Shire; young Frodo Baggins finds himself faced with an immense task; as his elderly cousin Bilbo entrusts the Ring to his care. Frodo must leave his home and make a perilous journey across Middle-earth to the Cracks of Doom; there to destroy the Ring and foil the Dark Lord in his evil purpose.