History of Lord of the Rings

Return of the Shadow: History of Lord of the Rings #1
Paperback, 497pp.
Houghton Mifflin
September 2000
Edition 1st Houghton-Mifflin
ISBN: 061808357X
This Book is Also: History of Middle-Earth #6
In this sixth volume of History of Middle-earth the story reaches Lord of the Rings. In Return of the Shadow (an abandoned title for the first volume) Christopher Tolkien describes, with full citation of the earliest notes, outline plans, and narrative drafts, intricate evolution of Fellowship of the Ring and gradual emergence of conceptions that transformed what J.R.R. Tolkien for long believed would be a far shorter book, 'a sequel to The Hobbit'. The enlargement of Bilbo's Baggins 'magic ring' into a supremely potent and dangerous Ruling Ring of Sauron is traced and the precise moment is seen when, in an astonishing and unforeseen leap in earliest narratives, a Black Rider (Ringwraith or Nazgul) first rode into the Shire, his significance still unknown. Character of a hobbit called Trotter (afterwards Strider or Aragorn) is developed while his identity remains an absolute puzzle, and suspicion only very slowly becomes certainty that he must after all be a Man. The hobbits, Frodo's companions, undergo intricate permutations of name and personality, and other major figures appear in strange modes: a sinister Treebeard, in league with the Enemy, a ferocious and malevolent Farmer Maggot. The story in this book ends at point where J.R.R. Tolkien halted in the story for a long time, as Company of the Ring, still lacking Legolas and Gimli, stood before tomb of Balin in the Mines of Moria. Return of the Shadow is illustrated with reproductions of the first maps and notable pages from the earliest manuscripts.

Return of the Shadow: History of Lord of the Rings #1
Hardcover, 512pp.
Houghton Mifflin
ISBN: 0395498635
October 1988

Return of the Shadow: History of Lord of the Rings #1
Softcover
Harper Collins
October 1994

Treason of Isengard - History of Lord of the Rings #2
Paperback, 504pp.
Houghton Mifflin
September 2000
ISBN: 0618083588
This Book is Also: History of Middle-Earth #7
Treason of Isengard continues account of creation of LOTR started in earlier volume, Return of the Shadow. It traces a great expansion of tale into new lands and new peoples south and east of the Misty Mountains: an emergence of Lothlorien, of Ents, of Riders of Rohan, and of Saruman the White in his fortress of Orthanc in Isengard. In brief outlines and penciled drafts dashed down on scraps of paper are seen a first entry of Galadriel of Lothlorien, earliest ideas of history of Gondor, and first meeting of Aragorn and Eowyn of Rohan, its significance destined to be wholly transformed. Edited with meticulous care and many helpful commentaries by Christopher Tolkien, this book also contains a full account of a map which was to be basis of emerging geography; and an appendix examines Runic alphabets and an analysis of Book of Mazarbul found beside Balin's tomb in the Mines of Moria.

Treason of Isengard - History of Lord of the Rings #2
Hardcover, 504pp.
Houghton Mifflin
November 1989
ISBN: 0395515629

War of the Ring - History of Lord of the Rings #3
Paperback
Houghton Mifflin
September 2000
ISBN: 0618083596
This Book is Also: History of Middle-Earth #8
War of the Ring takes up story with Battle of Helm's Deep and drowning of Isengard by Ents of Fangorn, continues with journey of Frodo, Sam and Gollum to the Pass of Cirith Ungol, describes war in Gondor, and ends with parley between Gandalf and ambassador of Sauron before the Black Gates of Mordor. Unforeseen developments that would become central to this narrative are seen at moment of their emergence: a Palantir bursting into fragments on stairs of Orthanc, its nature as unknown to the author as to those who saw it fall, or entry of Faramir of Gondor into story ('I am sure I did not invent him, I did not even want him, though I like him, but there he came walking through the woods of Ithilen'). Edited with meticulous care and many helpful commentaries by Christopher Tolkien, this book also contains plans and drawings of changing conceptions of Orthanc, Dunharrow, Minas Tirith and tunnels of Shelob's Lair.

War of the Ring - History of Lord of the Rings #3
Hardcover, 476pp.
Houghton Mifflin
October 1990
ISBN: 039556008X

Sauron Defeated: End of the Third Age - History of Lord of the Rings #4
Hardcover, 482pp.
Houghton Mifflin
September 1992
ISBN: 0395606497
This Book is Also: History of Middle-Earth #9
In first part of Sauron Defeated, Christopher Tolkien completes his account of writing of the trilogy, beginning with Sam's rescue of Frodo Baggins from Tower of Cirith Ungol, and giving a very different account of Scouring of the Shire. This part ends with versions of previously unpublished Epilogue, an alternate ending to the masterpiece in which Sam Gamgee attempts to answer his children's questions years after departure of Bilbo and Frodo from the Grey Havens. Second part introduces The Notion Club Papers, now published for first time. Written by J. R. R. Tolkien in interval between Two Towers and Return of the King (1945-1946), these mysterious Papers, discovered in early years of twenty-first century, report discussions of a literary club in Oxford in the years 1986-1987. Those familiar with Inklings will see a parallel with this group whose members included J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis. After a discussion of the possibilities of travel in space and time through the medium of 'true dream,' the story turns to the legend of Atlantis, the strange communications received by members of the club out of remote past, and the violent irruption of this legend into northwestern Europe. Closely associated with these Papers is a new version of Numenorean legend, Drowning of Anadune, which constitutes a third part of book. At this time language of the Men of the West, Adunaic, was first devised - Tolkien's fifteenth invented language. This book concludes with an elaborate account of structure of this language by Arundel Lowdham, a member of the Notion Club, who learned it in his dreams. Sauron Defeated is illustrated with changing conceptions of Mordor fortress of Cirith Ungol and Mount Doom, previously unpublished drawings of Orthanc and Dunharrow, and fragments of manuscript written in Numenorean script

End of the Third Age - History of Lord of the Rings #4
Paperback, 159pp.
Houghton Mifflin
September 2000
1ST HOUGHT
ISBN: 0618083561

The History of Middle-Earth

Book of Lost Tales #1 - History of Middle-Earth #1 
Paperback, 245pp.
Houghton Mifflin
August 1986
Book of Lost Tales was first major work of imagination by J.R.R. Tolkien, begun in 1916-17 when he was twenty-five years old and left incomplete several years later. It stands at the beginning of an entire conception of Middle-earth and Valinor, for these tales were first form of the myths and legends that came to be called The Silmarillion. Embedded in English legend, they are set in narrative frame of a great westward voyage over an Ocean by a mariner named Eriol (or AElfwine) to Tol Eressea, the Lonely Isle, where elves dwelt; from him they learned their true history, Lost Tales of Elfinesse. In these Tales are found earliest accounts and initial ideas of Gods and Elves, Dwarves, Balrogs, and Orcs; of Silmarils and Two Trees of Valinor; of Nargothrond and Gondolin; of geography and cosmology of Middle-earth. Volume One contains tales of Music of the Ainur, Building of Valinor, Chaining of Melkor, coming of the Elves and Flight of the Noldoli, among others. Each tale is followed by a short essay by Christopher Tolkien, author's son and literary executor.

Book of Lost Tales #1 - History of Middle-Earth #1 
1st Paperback
Allen & Unwin
August 1985

Book of Lost Tales #2 - History of Middle-Earth #2
Paperback, 400pp.
Houghton Mifflin
August 1986
First trade paperback edition of second volume in Tolkien's Book of Lost Tales series. Book of Lost Tales was first major work of imagination by J.R.R. Tolkien, begun in 1916-17 when he was twenty-five years old and left incomplete several years later. It stands at the beginning of an entire conception of Middle-earth and Valinor, for these tales were first form of the myths and legends that came to be called The Silmarillion. Embedded in English legend, they are set in narrative frame of a great westward voyage over an Ocean by a mariner named Eriol (or AElfwine) to Tol Eressea, the Lonely Isle, where elves dwelt; from him they learned their true history, Lost Tales of Elfinesse. In these Tales are found earliest accounts and initial ideas of Gods and Elves, Dwarves, Balrogs, and Orcs; of Silmarils and Two Trees of Valinor; of Nargothrond and Gondolin; of geography and cosmology of Middle-earth. Volume One contains tales of Music of the Ainur, Building of Valinor, Chaining of Melkor, coming of the Elves and Flight of the Noldoli, among others. Each tale is followed by a short essay by Christopher Tolkien, author's son and literary executor.

Book of Lost Tales #2 - History of Middle-Earth #2
(Right) 1st Paperback
Allen & Unwin
August 1986

Lays of Beleriand - History of Middle-Earth #3
Mass Market Paperback, 465pp.
Ballantine Books, Inc.
August 1994
REPRINT
This is third volume of History of Middle-earth, which comprises here-to-fore unpublished manuscripts that were written over a period of many years before Tolkien's Silmarillion was published. Volumes 1 and 2 were Book of Lost Tales, Part One and Book of Lost Tales, Part Two. Together, these volumes encompass an extraordinarily extensive body of material ornamenting and buttressing what must be the most fully realized world ever to spring from a single author's imagination. "I write alliterative verse with pleasure," wrote J.R.R. Tolkien in 1955, "though I have published little beyond the fragments in Lord of the Rings, except Homecoming of Beorhtnoth." First of the poems in Lays of Beleriand is a previously unpublished Lay of the Children of Hurin, his early but most sustained work in ancient English meter, intended to narrate on a grand scale tragedy of Turin Turambar. It was account of the killing by Turin of his friend Beleg, as well as a unique description of great redoubt of Nargothrond. Lay of the Children of Hurin was supplanted by Lay of Luthien, "Release from Bondage", in which another major legend of Elder Days received poetic form, in this case in rhyme. Chief source of short prose tale of Beren and Luthien is The Silmarillion. This, too, was not completed, but whole Quest of the Silmarils is told, and poem breaks off only after encounter with Morgoth in his subterranean fortress. Many years later, when the trilogy was finished, J.R.R. Tolkien returned to Lay of Luthien and started on a new version, which is also given in this book. Accompanying poems are commentaries on evolution of history of Elder Days, which was much developed during years of composition of the two Lays. Also included is notable criticism in detail of Lay of Luthien by C.S. Lewis, Tolkien's friend and colleague, who read this poem in 1929. By assuming that this poem is actually a fragment from a past lost in history, Lewis underlined a remarkable power of its author's imaginative talents and academic competence.

Lays of Beleriand - History of Middle-Earth #3
(Middle) Mass Market Paperback, 465pp.
Ballantine Books, Inc.
August 1994
REPRINT

Lays of Beleriand - History of Middle-Earth #3
(Right) Paperback, 363pp.
Houghton Mifflin
October 1988

Lays of Beleriand (History of Middle-Earth #3) 
Hardcover, Deluxe Ed.

Pub. Date:

Shaping of Middle-Earth - History of Middle-Earth #4
Mass Market Paperback, 471pp.
Ballantine Books, Inc.
October 1995
REPRINT
This is fourth volume of History of Middle-earth, edited by Christopher Tolkien, the first two comprising The Book of Lost Tales Parts One and Two, and the third Lays of Beleriand. It has been given the title The Shaping of Middle-earth because the writings it includes display a great advance in the chronological and geographical structure of legends of Middle-earth and Valinor. The hitherto wholly unknown "Ambarkanta," or Shape of the World, is only account ever given of nature of his imagined Universe, and it is accompanied by diagrams and maps of world before and after cataclysms of the War of the Gods and Downfall of Numenor. The first map of Beleriand, in North-west of Middle-earth, is also reproduced and discussed. In "Annals of Valinor" and "Annals of Beleriand" a chronology of First Age is given shape; and with these are given fragments of translations into Anglo-Saxon made by Aelfwine, an Englishman who voyaged into the True West and came to Tol Eressea, the Lonely Isle, where he learned ancient history of Elves and Men. Also included are original "Silmarillion," written in 1926, from which all later development proceeded, and "Quenta Noldorinwa" of 1930, the only version of myths and legends of First Age that J.R.R. Tolkien completed to their end. As Christopher Tolkien continues editing these unpublished papers that form bedrock from which Lord of the Rings and Silmarillion were quarried, the vastness of his father's accomplishment becomes even more extraordinary.

Shaping of Middle-Earth - History of Middle-Earth #4
Mass Market Paperback, 471pp.
Ballantine Books, Inc.
October 1995
REPRINT

Shaping of Middle-Earth - History of Middle-Earth #4
Hardcover, 380pp.
Houghton Mifflin
October 1986

Lost Road and Other Writings - History of Middle-Earth #5
Mass Market Paperback
Ballantine Books, Inc.
September 1996
At the end of 1937 J.R.R. Tolkien reluctantly set aside his now greatly elaborated work on myths and heroic legends of Valinor and ME and began Lord of the Rings. This fifth volume of History of Middle-earth, edited by Christopher Tolkien, completes a presentation of entire compass of his writing on those themes up to that time. Later forms of the Annuals of Valinor and Annals of Berleriand had been composed, The Silmarillion was nearing completion in a greatly amplified version, and a new map had been made; myth of the Music of the Ainur had become a separate work; and legend of Downfall of Numenor had already entered in a primitive form, introducing the cardinal ideas of the World Made Round and a Straight Path into a vanished West. Closely associated with this was the abandoned time-travel story, The Lost Road, which was to link world of Numenor and Middle-earth with legends of many other times and peoples. A long essay, The Lhammas, had been written on the ever more complex relations of languages and dialects of Middle-earth; and an etymological dictionary had been undertaken, in which a great number of words and names in Elvish languages were registered and their formation explained - thus providing by far the most extensive account of their vocabularies that has appeared.

Lost Road and Other Writings - History of Middle-Earth #5
Mass Market Paperback
Ballantine Books, Inc.
September 1996

Lost Road and Other Writings - History of Middle-Earth #5
Hardcover, 464pp.
Houghton Mifflin
October 1987

Return of the Shadow - History of Middle-Earth #6
Paperback, 497pp.
Houghton Mifflin
September 2000
1ST HOUGHT
In this sixth volume of History of Middle-earth the story reaches Lord of the Rings. In Return of the Shadow (an abandoned title for first volume) Christopher Tolkien describes, with full citation of earliest notes, outline plans, and narrative drafts, the intricate evolution of Fellowship of the Ring and gradual emergence of conceptions that transformed what J.R.R. Tolkien for long believed would be a far shorter book, 'a sequel to The Hobbit'. Enlargement of Bilbo Baggins 'magic ring' into a supremely potent and dangerous Ruling Ring of Sauron is traced and the precise moment is seen when, in an astonishing and unforeseen leap in earliest narratives, a Black Rider (Ringwraith or Nazgul) first rode into the Shire, his significance still unknown. A character of a hobbit called Trotter (afterwards Strider or Aragorn) is developed while his identity remains an absolute puzzle, and suspicion only very slowly becomes certainty that he must after all be a Man. The hobbits, Frodo's companions, undergo intricate permutations of name and personality, and other major figures appear in strange modes: a sinister Treebeard, in league with the Enemy, a ferocious and malevolent Farmer Maggot. The story in this book ends at a point where J.R.R. Tolkien halted in writing for a long time, as the Company of the Ring, still lacking Legolas and Gimli, stood before tomb of Balin in the Mines of Moria. Return of the Shadow is illustrated with reproductions of first maps and notable pages from earliest manuscripts.

Return of the Shadow - History of Middle-Earth #6
Hardcover, 512pp.
Houghton Mifflin
October 1988

Return of the Shadow - History of Middle-Earth #6
Softcover
Harper Collins
October 1994

Treason of Isengard - History of Middle-Earth #7
Paperback, 504pp.
Houghton Mifflin
September 2000
Treason of Isengard continues account of creation of the trilogy started in earlier volume, Return of the Shadow. It traces a great expansion of the tale into new lands and new peoples south and east of the Misty Mountains: emergence of Lothlorien, of Ents of Fangorn, of Riders of Rohan, and of Saruman the White in his fortress of Orthanc in Isengard. In brief outlines and penciled drafts dashed down on scraps of paper are seen first entries of Galadriel of Lothlorien, earliest ideas of history of Gondor, and first meeting of Aragorn and Eowyn, its significance destined to be wholly transformed. Edited with meticulous care and many helpful commentaries by Christopher Tolkien, this book also contains a full account of a map which was to be basis of emerging geography; and an appendix examines Runic alphabets and an analysis of Book of Mazarbul found beside Balin's tomb in the Mines of Moria.

Treason of Isengard - History of Middle-Earth #7
Hardcover, 504pp.
Houghton Mifflin
November 1989

War of the Ring - History of Middle-Earth #8
Paperback
Houghton Mifflin
September 2000
War of the Ring takes up story with Battle of Helm's Deep and drowning of Isengard by Ents of Fangorn, continues with journey of Frodo, Sam and Gollum to the Pass of Cirith Ungol, describes war in Gondor, and ends with parley between Gandalf and ambassador of Sauron before the Black Gates of Mordor. Unforeseen developments that would become central to this narrative are seen at moment of their emergence: a Palantir bursting into fragments on stairs of Orthanc, its nature as unknown to the author as to those who saw it fall, or entry of Faramir of Gondor into story ('I am sure I did not invent him, I did not even want him, though I like him, but there he came walking through the woods of Ithilen'). Edited with meticulous care and many helpful commentaries by Christopher Tolkien, this book also contains plans and drawings of changing conceptions of Orthanc, Dunharrow, Minas Tirith and tunnels of Shelob's Lair.

War of the Ring - History of Middle-Earth #8
Hardcover, 476pp.
Houghton Mifflin
October 1990

Sauron Defeated: End of the Third Age - History of Middle-Earth #9
Hardcover, 482pp.
Houghton Mifflin
September 1992
In first part of Sauron Defeated, Christopher Tolkien completes his account of writing of the trilogy, beginning with Sam's rescue of Frodo Baggins from Tower of Cirith Ungol, and giving a very different account of Scouring of the Shire. This part ends with versions of previously unpublished Epilogue, an alternate ending to the masterpiece in which Sam Gamgee attempts to answer his children's questions years after departure of Bilbo and Frodo from the Grey Havens. Second part introduces The Notion Club Papers, now published for first time. Written by J. R. R. Tolkien in interval between Two Towers and Return of the King (1945-1946), these mysterious Papers, discovered in early years of twenty-first century, report discussions of a literary club in Oxford in the years 1986-1987. Those familiar with Inklings will see a parallel with this group whose members included J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis. After a discussion of the possibilities of travel in space and time through the medium of 'true dream,' the story turns to the legend of Atlantis, the strange communications received by members of the club out of remote past, and the violent irruption of this legend into northwestern Europe. Closely associated with these Papers is a new version of Numenorean legend, Drowning of Anadune, which constitutes a third part of book. At this time language of the Men of the West, Adunaic, was first devised - Tolkien's fifteenth invented language. This book concludes with an elaborate account of structure of this language by Arundel Lowdham, a member of the Notion Club, who learned it in his dreams. Sauron Defeated is illustrated with changing conceptions of Mordor fortress of Cirith Ungol and Mount Doom, previously unpublished drawings of Orthanc and Dunharrow, and fragments of manuscript written in Numenorean script

Sauron Defeated: End of the Third Age - History of Middle-Earth #9
Hardcover
Harper Collins
1992
1st Edition, thus

Morgoth's Ring: Later Silmarillion #1 - History of Middle-Earth #10
Hardcover, 471pp.
Houghton Mifflin
October 1993
In Morgoth's Ring, tenth volume of History of Middle-earth and first of two companion volumes, Christopher Tolkien describes and documents legends of the Elder Days, as they were evolved and transformed by his father in years after he completed Lord of the Rings. Text of the Annals of Aman, the "Blessed Land" in the far West, is given in full. And in writings never before published, we can see the nature of problems that J.R.R. Tolkien explored in his later years as new and radical ideas, portending upheaval in old narratives, emerged at the heart of his mythology. At this time Tolkien sought to redefine old legends, and wrote of nature and destiny of Elves, idea of Elvish rebirth, origin of Orcs, and Fall of Men. His meditation of mortality and immortality as represented in the lives of Men and Elves led to another major writing at this time, the "Debate of Finrod and Andreth," which is reproduced here in full. "Above all," Christopher Tolkien writes in his foreword, "the power and significance of Melkor-Morgoth ... was enlarged to become the ground and source of the corruption of Arda." This book indeed is all about Morgoth. Incomparably greater than any power of Sauron, concentrated in his One Ring, Morgoth's power (Tolkien wrote) was dispersed into the very matter of Arda: "whole of Middle-earth was Morgoth's Ring."

Morgoth's Ring: Later Silmarillion #1 - History of Middle-Earth #10
No Information Available.

War of the Jewels: Later Silmarillion #2 - History of Middle-Earth #11
Hardcover, 470pp.
Houghton Mifflin
November 1994
In Volumes Ten and Eleven of History of Middle-earth, Christopher Tolkien recounts from initial texts the evolution of his father's work on The Silmarillion, legendary history of Elder Days or First Age, from the completion of Lord of the Rings in 1949 until J.R.R. Tolkien's death. In volume ten, Morgoth's Ring, narratives were taken only as far as a natural dividing point in the work, when Morgoth destroyed Trees of Light and fled from Valinor bearing stolen Silmarils. In War of the Jewels, the story returns to Middle-earth and the ruinous conflict of High Elves and Men who were their allies with the power of Sauron. With publication in this book of all J.R.R. Tolkien's later narrative writings concerned with last centuries of First Age, a long history of The Silmarillion, from its beginnings in Book of Lost Tales, is completed; the enigmatic state of this work at his death can now be understood. A chief element in War of the Jewels is a major story of Middle-earth, now published for first time - a continuation of great "saga" of Turin Turambar and his sister Nienor, children of Hurin the Steadfast. This is the tale of disaster that overtook the forest people of Brethil when Hurin came among them after his release from long years of captivity in Angband, fortress of Morgoth. The uncompleted text of the Grey Annals, primary record of War of the Jewels, is given in full; geography of Beleriand is studied in detail, with redrawing of final state of this map; and a long essay on names and relations of all peoples of Middle-earth shows more clearly than any writing yet published the close connection between language and history in Tolkien's world. Text also provides new information, including some knowledge of the divine powers, the Valar.

War of the Jewels: Later Silmarillion #2 - History of Middle-Earth #11
No Information Available.

Peoples of Middle-Earth - History of Middle-Earth #12 
Hardcover, 482pp.
Houghton Mifflin
August 1996
When in 1937 J. R. R. Tolkien laid aside The Silmarillion, an extension of his mythology into later Ages of the world had scarcely emerged. Tolkien himself noted that he knew nothing of peoples and history of these Ages until he "met them on the way". It was in appendices to Lord of the Rings that there emerged a comprehensive historical structure and chronology of any Second and Third Ages, embracing all diverse strands that came together in War of the Ring. Tolkien's difficulty - bordering on despair - in providing these appendices, leading to delay in publication of Return of the King, is well known. In Peoples of ME, however, Christopher Tolkien shows that his fathers work had in fact been achieved years before, in essays and records differing greatly from published forms. A number of other writings by J. R. R. Tolkien are also included in this book; they derive chiefly from his last years, when new insights and constructions freely arose as he pondered the history that he had created.