The Lord of the Rings is an epic fantasy novel written by J.R.R. Tolkien and published in 1954. It tells the story of a hobbit named Frodo Baggins who, along with a fellowship, must destroy the One Ring and defeat the Dark Lord Sauron. The novel was hugely popular and influential, spawning a genre of high fantasy literature and adaptations across film, television, and other media. Tolkien drew from his scholarly knowledge of languages and mythology to craft a deeply detailed imaginary world for the story.