Ten of the best bows and arrows in literature

At the Guardian, John Mullan named ten of the best bows and arrows in literature.

One title on the list:

The Lord of the Rings, by JRR Tolkien

The archer is the leg-spin bowler of any fictional company. In Tolkien's narrative it is the elf, Legolas. His longbow has been given him by Galadriel, its bowstring made of elvish hair, and with his extra-sharp eyesight he is a deadly marksman. His top achievement is shooting one of the Nazgûl out of the sky – at night.

Read about the other entries on the list.

The Lord of the Rings also made Charlie Jane Anders and Michael Ann Dobbs' list of ten classic SF books that were originally considered failures, Lev Grossman's list of the six greatest fantasy books of all time, and appears on John Mullan's lists of ten of the best beards in literature, ten of the best towers in literature, ten of the best volcanoes in literature, ten of the best chases in literature, and ten of the best monsters in literature. It is one of Salman Rushdie's five best fantasy novels for all ages. It is a book that made a difference to Pat Conroy.

--Marshal Zeringue