At the core of the story in The Lord of the Rings are the cultures that make up Middle-earth: Hobbits, Dwarves, Humans, Elves, Wizards, Trolls, Ents, Orcs, Ringwraiths and Uruk-Hai.
Each culture has its own rich way of life, its own customs, myths, ways of dress and even style of fighting.
Each is fully developed in The Lord of the Rings, creating the essence of a living, breathing world just beyond our own history.
For example, Hobbits are gentle and close to nature, an almost child-like group who live off the land. They love the simple things in life: smoking pipes, eating, and, of course, storytelling. They live to around 100 years old.
Elves, on the other hand, are presented as noble, elegant, magical beings. Elves are immortal, they are not subject to age or disease.
Dwarves are short but very tough, with a strong, ancient sense of justice.
Wizards are supremely powerful but that power can be used for good or for evil, depending on where their hearts lie.
Men in The Lord of the Rings are just a different race coming into their own.
Other creatures are even more fantastical: the leaf-covered Ents, the Orcs fighting for Saruman; and the sinister Ringwraiths, neither living nor dead, they are cursed to live in the twilight world of Sauron.