-1 star for racism and sexism. Tolkien's era doesn't change that, he had many contemporaries that were way better on this stuff. Come on, dude. 

The things I like about these books became some foundational parts of the ways I relate to storytelling, and on my outlook on the world. The things I dislike about these books ended up being the most foundational influences on our media environment.

If you liked the movies, I strongly suggest reading the books. Approach them with an open mind, but don't cut Tolkien too much slack either. Also, don't skip the poems and songs! Reading them aloud is also quite rewarding

In the end, this series for me will always be about being sad while hanging out in nature. I wish there were more people out there who liked what I liked in this 

The narration was fantastic! 

Andy Serkis is a great narrator, he strikes a good balance between dramatic and conversational, making the audiobook a more compelling read than just the text alone.

In my opinion, this is the way these books were meant to be experienced: read aloud in dramatic fashion, just as Bilbo did at his birthday party in the movie.