BOSTON Reading a novel, with some rare exceptions, is a solitary experience. Reading The Lord of the Rings has been bringing fans together almost since the work was published by J.R.R. Tolkien in 1954 but the group experience was shared after the initial journey through Middle-earth. The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar game hopes to bring Tolkien enthusiasts together in real time to experience an immersive version of Tolkiens fictional world as a social experience. Read more here.