Here are some of my favorite moments from the books with accompanying quotes.
The images have been cropped to fit a 1920x1080 pixel screen. I used ImageMagick (jump to script ) to crop and modify all of the images.
The (old) theme song for The Lord of the Rings Online (MMORPG), by Chance Thomas, is pretty amazing. Have a listen:
By Elbereth and Lúthien the Fair... you shall have neither the Ring nor me!
But always I have let my horn cry at setting forth, and though thereafter we may walk in the shadows, I will not go forth as a thief in the night.
In The Song of Roland—a Medieval Frankish ballad about the epic hero Roland—and in The Lord of the Rings the protaganists possess horns or trumpets that are legendary. In The Song of Roland the horn is called an olifant, while in The Lord of Rings it is known as The Horn of Gondor.
I would have followed you, my brother... my captain... my king.
Be at peace, Son of Gondor... I do not know what strength is in my blood, but I swear to you I will not let the White City fall, nor our people fail.
Boromir's death, like Roland from The Song of Roland, occurs after a glorious last stand, and the blowing of the legendary horn.
Arise now, arise, Riders of Théoden!
Dire deeds awake: dark is it eastward.
Let horse be bridled, horn be sounded!
Forth Eorlingas!
Arise, arise, Riders of Théoden!
Fell deeds awake: fire and slaughter!
Spear shall be shaken, shield be splintered,
a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises!
Ride now, ride now! Ride to Gondor!
Thus came Aragorn son of Arathorn, Elessar, Isildur's heir, out of the Paths of the Dead, borne upon a wind from the Sea to the kingdom of Gondor; and the mirth of the Rohirrim was a torrent of laughter and a flashing of swords, and the joy and wonder of the City was a music of trumpets and a ringing of bells. But the hosts of Mordor were seized with bewilderment, and a great wizardry it seemed to them that their own ships should be filled with their foes; and a black dread fell on them, knowing that the tides of fate had turned against them and their doom was at hand.