Basically, Tolkein liked the invisibility ring bit in Sky Island and decided to rip it off for The Hobbit. Then, when he made a sequel to The Hobbit he threw in a bunch of important-sounding bullshit to paper over the fact that his macguffin needed to do a bunch of completely different things than what it had been established to do earlier.
Basically, Tolkein liked the invisibility ring bit in Sky Island and decided to rip it off for The Hobbit. Then, when he made a sequel to The Hobbit he threw in a bunch of important-sounding bullshit to paper over the fact that his macguffin needed to do a bunch of completely different things than what it had been established to do earlier.
Apparently it worked.
No, I’m pretty sure the One Ring was inspired by the Kalevala — but it’s ok. You don’t have to like Tolkien’s work.