History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Average customer rating:

One of the best editions ever!
Wonderful Book... Worth Every Penny
Good, if You Like this Genre
Lord of the Rings boxed set review.
One "Ring" to rule them all

The Lord of the Rings
J.R.R. Tolkien
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0618260587

Book Description

Three-volume boxed set edition lavishly illustrated in full color by Alan Lee

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them

In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, The Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth still it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell, by chance, into the hands of the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins.

From his fastness in the Dark Tower of Mordor, Sauron's power spread far and wide. He gathered all the Great Rings to him, but ever he searched far and wide for the One Ring that would complete his dominion.

On his eleventy-first birthday, Bilbo dissapeared bequeathing to his young cousin, Frodo, the Ruling Ring, and a perilous quest: to journey across Middle-earth, deep into the shadow of the Dark Lord and destroy the Ring by casting it into the Cracks of Doom.

The Lord of the Rings tells of the great quest undertaken by Frodo and the Fellowship of the Ring: Gandalf the wizard, the hobbits Merry, Pippin and Sam, Gimli the Dwarf, Legolas the Elf, Boromir of Gondor, and a tall, mysterious stranger called Strider.

Customer Reviews:

One of the best editions ever!.......2007-08-01

What else should I say? Alan Lee is t h e perfect illustrator for this epic work of literature!

Wonderful Book... Worth Every Penny.......2007-07-23

I recieved this book and the artwork on the novels in fantastic. It really gives the books a great look and I have had fellow friends and family comment on how wonderful the artwork is too.

The whole Lord of the Rings novel is split into the three parts making it a trilogy, like the movies. This makes for easy handling of the book while reading instead of readind and trying to hold a 1000 or more page novel in your bed or in a chair.

This novel has a great story to it. Anybody looking for a great long novel would definetly enjoy this one. It gives a lot of background into the characters and really helps their image develop in your mind.

This product is an A+ for me and they couldn't have done it any better.

Good, if You Like this Genre.......2007-06-14

You can't say you didn't get what you paid for. These colossal books, filled with adventures, can certainly keep a person occupied, but as a general warning, these aren't those "glove-fits-all" books. You have to be in the mindset for an epic fantasy battle, and though I wasn't, my classmates who read the entire trilogy absolutely adored the stories. I would highly recommend reading The Hobbit before attempting to digest the trilogy, just so the concepts of hobbits, wizards, and Middle Earth, will be old hat.

Lord of the Rings boxed set review........2007-05-14

An mesmerising tale beautifully presented in this illustrated boxed set. The Lord of the Rings is the ultimate tale of good versus evil set in the enchanting landscape created by Tolkien that is Middle Earth.
I would recommend this edition to anyone who wants to embark on this wonderfully exciting quest with Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin.
An excellent edition!

One "Ring" to rule them all.......2007-05-06

Though J.R.R. Tolkien was not the first or most critically-acclaimed fantasy writer, he remains the most beloved and influential, even though "Lord of the Rings" is decades old.

Now with the epic movie trilogy based on this book, new waves of readers are discovering the unique power of the "Lord of the Rings." Tolkien's classic is a timeless tale of good and evil, written in a detailed, powerful style, set in a fictional world of staggering detail and haunting beauty.

Following up on events in "The Hobbit," "The Fellowship of the Ring" opens with the hobbit Bilbo Baggins departing from the Shire, after many years of living as the town eccentric. He reluctantly leaves his treasured ring of invisibility to his adventurous nephew Frodo, and vanishes into the wild with some dwarves.

But Gandalf the wizard, informs Frodo that the Ring is really the Ring of Power, a powerful item that the demonic Dark Lord Sauron has poured his essence and power into. And if Sauron can regain the Ring, he will be able to conquer Middle-Earth. Aghast, Frodo joins a fellowship of Elves, Dwarves, Hobbits, Men and a wizard, to go to the one place where the Ring can be destroyed: Mount Doom.

"The Two Towers" begins directly after "Fellowship," after Frodo Baggins flees with his friend Sam into Mordor, with no one to protect them. His cousins Merry and Pippin are kidnapped by orcs from the renegade wizard Saruman. Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli begin a frenetic search for the hobbits, and receive unexpected help from unlikely allies. Meanwhile, the Ring weighs more heavily on Frodo, as he is forced to get help from one of the people he most despised: the Ring's slave Gollum.

"Return of the King" brings the trilogy to an action-packed, slam-bang and ultimately poignant finale. Sam barely rescues Frodo from Sauron's orcs, and the two resume their journey to Mount Doom, barely escaping Sauron's forces. As Aragorn leads the desperate battle against Sauron's armies at the city of Minas Tirith, Frodo falls increasingly under the seductive spell of the Ring.

"Lord of the Rings" is indeed a powerful book, and its timeless messages and quests have shaped the fantasy genre, and crossed the boundaries of literary fiction. At its core it's about the fight of good versus evil, and how "little people" can have a strength and willpower that the great and mighty can't even begin to understand.

And Middle-Earth is a pretty astounding universe -- not just because Tolkien created a rich back-history for it, but because of the feeling of mystery that hangs around its corners, whether it's dead soldiers or slumbering tree-men. And of course rich cultures of Men, ancient wizards, the stately melancholy elves, and the tough dwarves -- as well as the idyllic Shire, a sort of ancient British countryside which is threatened by corruption.

Tolkien's writing is evocative and descriptive, though not to extremes; an elf rider is simple described as shining like a light behind a veil. The story is wrapped in a wide range of dialogue -- from Sam's folksy chat to the Elves' ethereal, formal songs -- and the pacing is slow and gradual, but kept alive by sudden twists of the plot. The first several chapters are kind of slow-moving, but by the time our heroes get to Bree, the pace picks up.

Frodo Baggins is an everyman hero, who dreams of adventure but begins to treasure the simple, boring life that he had once he is deprived of it. His deteriotation is saddening, all the more so because he is aware of it. The equally vibrant cast also includes Gandalf the crabby grandfatherly wizard, Sam Gamgee the loyal gardener, and a variety of kings, elves, dwarves, and more lovable little hobbits.

Even after all the years, J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" still rules the fantasy genre and has become an integral part of modern literature. It's an epic for all ages, and few books have even come close to equalling it.

The Lord of the Rings (Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

After having reading this book for the 4th time...
Centenary Edition (LoTR)
Beautiful
21st Century Ahistorical Bibliophilia: Almost without peer, and the flaws have been been exaggerated in number and degree
Not overly satisfied

The Lord of the Rings (Collector's Edition)
J.R.R. Tolkien
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Imitation Leather

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ASIN: 0395193958

Amazon.com

A Christian can almost be forgiven for not reading the Bible, but there's no salvation for a fantasy fan who hasn't read the gospel of the genre, J.R.R. Tolkien's definitive three-book epic, the Lord of the Rings (encompassing The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King), and its charming precursor, The Hobbit. That many (if not most) fantasy works are in some way derivative of Tolkien is understood, but the influence of the Lord of the Rings is so universal that everybody from George Lucas to Led Zeppelin has appropriated it for one purpose or another.

Not just revolutionary because it was groundbreaking, the Lord of the Rings is timeless because it's the product of a truly top-shelf mind. Tolkien was a distinguished linguist and Oxford scholar of dead languages, with strong ideas about the importance of myth and story and a deep appreciation of nature. His epic, 10 years in the making, recounts the Great War of the Ring and the closing of Middle-Earth's Third Age, a time when magic begins to fade from the world and men rise to dominance. Tolkien carefully details this transition with tremendous skill and love, creating in the Lord of the Rings a universal and all-embracing tale, a justly celebrated classic. --Paul Hughes

Book Description

A one-volume collector's edition boxed and bound in handsome red leatherette with gold, green, and blue foil stamping, two-color text setting, and large format fold-out maps containing the complete texts of The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King, and six appendices. One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them. In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, The Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell, by chance, into the hands of the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins. From his fastness in the Dark Tower of Mordor, Sauron's power spread far and wide. He gathered all the Great Rings to him, but ever he searched far and wide for the One Ring that would complete his dominion. On his eleventy-first birthday Bilbo disappeared, bequeathing to his young cousin Frodo the Ruling Ring and a perilous quest -- to journey across Middle-earth, deep into the shadow of the Dark Lord, and destroy the Ring by casting it into the Cracks of Doom. The Lord of the Rings tells of the great quest undertaken by Frodo and the Fellowship of the Ring: Gandalf the Wizard, Merry, Pippin, and Sam, Gimli the Dwarf, Legolas the Elf, Boromir of Gondor, and a tall, mysterious stranger called Strider.

Customer Reviews:

After having reading this book for the 4th time..........2007-09-22

I didn't like Fellowship of the Ring the first time I read it, but plowed on to the end and gave up on the other two "books" (it's really just one long book). I think I now know why. The first reason is that I had just read and loved The Hobbit, and was expecting another book along the same lines.
LOTR starts off with Bilbo and the wizard Gandalf in Hobbition, and mentions of Gollum. What a great opener! The problem was, for me, that these familiar elements were all moved into the background. The only times I felt hey this is cool, is when they jumped back into the story for a moment, and these were few and far between. When are we going to get to the good stuff, huh?
The other thing is that this is, except for the first chapter or two, in a completely different style than The Hobbit. It's pure fantasy in the sense of looking around at all the wonder. (often times of very not magic things eg, trees and grass and hills in the shire.) Indeed, the later books focuses on humans. (In the recent movies they injected Elves in places where there were none before in the story, I expect to increase general interest in the atmosphere)
The result is that I did not enjoy LOTR until I took a very leisurely attitude towards it, rather than an adventurous one, notwithstanding that there are adventurous moments. Every time I read it I find some facet of the world that I did not notice before, or that I forgot. That is now when I most enjoy the book. For others to enjoy this book I think you must enjoy the moment, and not be in a hurry for the plot to advance.

Centenary Edition (LoTR).......2007-09-08

This is not a critique of Profesor Tolkien's works: I defer to others more qualified than I to judge his writing.

This is merely a review and description of a specific version of The Lord of The Rings. A number of reviews and comments have prompted me to point out some sought-after features of this edition.

First, this is only about the edition known as "The Centenary (1892-1992)." It was published in a single volume by Houghton Mifflin in 1991 to celebrate 100 years since the birth of Professor Tolkien in 1892. To easily identify this book look for, on the back of the dust jacket, a special centenary medallion and ISBN-10: 0-395-59511-8.

Alan Lee, reknowned Tolkien artist, was specially commissioned to paint 50 illustrations for this "Illustrated Edition." They are beautifully rendered on glossy, high-quality paper and interspersed throughout the book.

The book is set in large type, with the typeface clear and easy to read. The paper is good quality, bright white and shows little print "bleed-through" from following pages. On a personal note, special attention was obviously paid to this edition, as compared to some of the other poorly printed editions. The cover boards are in brown cloth with a simple gilded imprint of the professor's trademark signature. Nothing very fancy, but elegant nonetheless.

What should be great news to many readers, this edition is CONTINUOUS from page one to the end. The table of contents lists the SIX books, as Prof. Tolkien intended! Page numbering does not start over after each book:
Books 1-2 (Fellowship) = pp. 33 - 428
Books 3-4 (Two Towers) = pp. 429 - 772
Books 5-6 (Return) = pp. 773 - 1069
Appendix A-F = pp.1070 - 1172

Six maps of middle-earth are bound in at the end of the book. They are of various aspects of middle-earth, in black and white, and are not fold-out style. They're of medium quality and nothing to write home about.

This is a wonderful edition, identified by its special Centenary medallion on the back of the dust jacket, quality printing and beautiful artwork by Alan Lee. If your wrists are strong enough to heft a single-volume LoTR, this makes a great reading copy for your library.

Beautiful.......2007-09-03

This is a wonderful edition to our book collection. It's leather, hard cover, fat, & comes in a nice matching sleeve. The pages are gold edged. There is artwork as well. I know there are probably nicer & more expensive books out there, but come on! This is a great book for the price! It's a future heirloom sitting pretty on your book shelf!

21st Century Ahistorical Bibliophilia: Almost without peer, and the flaws have been been exaggerated in number and degree.......2007-08-12

Two points to clarify about the most popular single-volume LOTR editions:

1) The 1991 single-volume Alan Lee-illustrated edition is the "centenary" edition, commemorating Tolkien's 100th birthday (cf. "centenarian") . The "centennial" edition won't be published until 2054, which will be the 100th anniversary of the original publication of Lord of the Rings. This is a very well designed and well printed/bound edition, built to last and beatufil. Its only fault is the absence of fold-out maps (it has the black and white maps printed in sections, often seen in paperback editions).

2) The reason for the broken type in the 1974 red leatherette "Collector's Edition" (and the occurrences of this number on the order of 1 or 2 characters on every 50th page or so) is more likely that the source text from which the negatives/plates were made and this edition printed was itself flawed and originally was some form of letterpress metal type, probably Monotype [a more 'modern' version of the old LinoType system], though depending on the date of that setting [up to mid-'60s, or even later] it may have been hand-composed. All metal type gets re-used, and becomes worn and some of it cracked/chipped over time. There were many books reprinted in this way through the early '80s (and a few publishers, such as Lindsay Books, of long out-of-print, mostly public-domain or 'gray rights' titles, still do this).

The problem is unlikely to have been caused by faults in photo-typesetting strips or process-camera negs in 1973 or so (when this LOTR Collector's Edition was first printed) since that process was a fully mature, climax technology by then, and quality control was simply outstanding (this was due to that extinct beast, the unionized master-printer, especially at Houghton Mifflin, a publisher with a very large academic textbook list, and an industry reputation for quality production; just look at any ten trade hardbacks circa 1973 and earlier, and compare any element of quality to any ten current titles and it's clear the the technology and practice of printing and book binding peaked long ago, and nothing of newer technology, especially computer technology has served the interest of producing better made books, quite the opposite. 2007 tech only makes it faster and cheaper, nothing else.

Remember also that it was the Allen & Unwin type-compositors who introduced virtually all the spelling and diction errors in both the 1st and 2nd editions, some of which have only finally been fixed in the 2004-05 50th Anniversary edition; and these were errors mostly such as 'dwarves' being "corrected" to 'dwarfs', 'elven' to 'elfin', and many others, primarily linguistic, along those lines; these would have been proper corrections with any author other than Tolkien, of course.)

As for the notion that photo-reproduction is at all like printing a Word document on a laser printer, then scanning it back into a computer as a JPEG or GIF image file, and finally printing it again, that is a facile and plainly inaccurate comparison. In short, unless one starts with a bitmap or similar low quality computer 'font', prints on low-brightness ( <70) recycled paper via a cheap ink-jet printer, scans using a 75-by-75 dpi setting via low-end scanning hardware and software, and repeats printing as above, the result will certainly be nothing so poor as Jeff Sun describes in his review. Photo-reproduction via PC and peripherals or via process-camera, strips, and offset printing, can easily and does commonly achieve excellent results, provided the equipment is of first quality and the operator is skilled.

If anyone is obsessed enough to try this (as I clearly am), one fairly reliable way to tell whether a book is printed (at some stage) from some form of metal type is to use at least a 20x loupe and examine the vertical straight edges (particularly of upper N's, T's, L's, and E's) for irregularity. Metal type degrades in miniscule degrees after the first few hundred impressions, and will show this by cracking/splitting/chipping/warbling/bending and otherwise appearing NOT straight, sharp, and crisp (especially machine-set monotype/linotype which was all lead/tin, since it was melted down repeatedly; hand-set type has antimony and sometimes manganese in it, which makes it much harder to start and also casts more sharply; parts of letters break off but usually don't deform). It's a challenge to tell these apart, since photo-reproduction of letterpress can be hard to distinguish from original letterpress printing, if the latter is done by a highly skilled compositor and press operator. Some letterpress books show the impression of the type on the page, like a light embossing, from the force of the type striking the stock. Really good printing avoids this. So, if you have a book without this feature that does show feathering, breaks, waviness, etc. it may be either letterpress or photo-repro of LP, but if these traits are present it is almost certain metal type was used at some point in the life of the typesetting.

Two caveats to even to this: feathering alone does not definitely mean deformed metal type. Feathering,, or little veins and stream-like projects away from the character is often caused by excessive inking and watery ink, and also by cheap papers that are unsized (meaning a starch like substance is added during the paper's manufacture to prevent feathering and bleedthrough; newsprint is unsized and you can see how feathering works buy lightly touching a fountain pen to a piece of it for a minute or so). The other caveat is that some computer fonts, especially some high end ones for MAC typesetting systems, have been photographically captured/reproduced from books printed mostly before 1800, and their designers often deliberately retain some of the source type's imperfections (which are due mostly to the more primitive metallurgy of that era) to achieve a particular design effect. You might be surprised how much theory and psychology underlies type-design and typography; there is a lot. Need a dissertation topic?

This has become, I see now, a rant, and a really long one. First as a reader, then as a writer, then as apprentice in a letterpress print shop and bindery, I've always held the book as art-object or craft-work in very nearly as high esteem as the words contained within. I do think these issues are worth some ink, and I expect (or hope) that those interested in fine editions such as this so-called "Collector's " (Ugh! I so hate that term, it's like "deluxe" or "premier" and is mildly patronizing to the reader/buyer) edition of LOTR might also find at least some of the above ramble of interest and use. I do regard this red leatherette slipcased edition (ISBN 0-39-519395-8) as my favorite. It was this edition in which I first read LOTR, and though the Centenary hardcover and the HC 50th Anniversary editions (slipcased US and UK, different designs, both excellent) are on the whole and in most particulars better printed and bound, this edition is a nostalgia item for me. I also very much like the red binding, evocative as it is of the "Red Book of Westmarch," the foil-stamping on the spine, of the White Tree of Gondor, (which must be by either Pauline Baynes or by Tolkien himself) is a delight, and the two color printing, in spite of the ocassional bad character and slightly inconsistent inking, makes me feel like I'm reading an incunabulum. All of these speak across from the old world, though perhaps very long after the Third Age had concluded. I recommend it, highly and without reservation, even to a casual collector, especially now since it has recently gone out of print(ca. 2003-2005, around the time the slipcased, black bonded-leather, US 50th Anniversary edition [ISBN 0-618-51765-0] was published), and is very unlikely to be reissued. It (the Red) listed for $75, and Amazon last sold new copies for $47.50 last January. Now however, fine, used copies are nearing the original list price for the new, and new copies are nearing $100, and very hard to find. Buy one now, as soon as you find one available fine or better.

Not overly satisfied.......2007-08-02

The stories make a great novel, I'm a huge LoTR fan. Alas, when I attempted to purchase this product I found myself waiting nearly a month just to get an email telling me that Amazon was unable to obtain and ship me a copy of it. I opted for a different variation of this collectors edition, I would have been more impressed with this one.

The Lord of the Rings (50th Anniversary Edition)

Average customer rating:

Excellent!
Water in a dry place
An Awe-Inspiring Masterpiece
A beautiful, supple, savory edition
Can't wait to posess it....

The Lord of the Rings (50th Anniversary Edition)
J.R.R. Tolkien
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound

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Similar Items:

The Hobbit
The Children of Húrin
The Silmarillion
Unfinished Tales: The Lost Lore of Middle-earth
The Atlas of Middle-Earth (Revised Edition)

ASIN: 0618517650
Release Date: 2004-10-21

Book Description

The Fellowship of the Ring, part one of J.R.R. Tolkien's epic masterpiece, ﬁrst reached these shores on October 21, 1954, arriving, as C. S. Lewis proclaimed, "like lightning from a clear sky." Fifty years and nearly one hundred million American readers later comes a beautiful new one-volume collector's edition beﬁtting the stature of this crown jewel of our list. With a text fully corrected under the supervision of Christopher Tolkien to meet the author's exacting wishes, two large-format fold-out maps, a ribbon placemarker, gilded page edges, a color insert depicting Tolkien's own paintings of the Book of Mazarbul and exceptionally elegant and sturdy overall packaging housed within an attractive slipcase, this edition is the ﬁnest we've ever produced.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent!.......2007-10-05

This book is a must have for LOTR fans. It looks simple too great. It has very genuine leather cover and has really authentic maps inside. It is a good collector's item.

Water in a dry place.......2007-10-02

Over the past several decades, THE LORD OF THE RINGS has sold millions of copies and is commonly regarded as one of the most influential fantasy novels ever published. Many first time readers have began their trek into Middle-earth with Frodo and the Company of the Ring in recent years. What they will encounter there has been loved by millions of readers before them, and if they allow themselves to respond to Tolkien and his Myth will doubtless become a loyal and ardent fan of Tolkien and those furry-footed hobbits. What's also notable about THE LORD OF THE RINGS is, for a book as long as it is, many of its readers reread the novel many times over. Yet despite its enduring popularity, Tolkien is often held in complete disregard by the literary establishment.

The real question is why? In the literary climate that is characterized by modernism and post-modernism where the twentieth and twenty first century is a wasteland why does a "series" of fantasy novels become one of the most beloved works in modern times?

It's because the power of myth over the human imagination works wonders, creating a longing and a hunger that, Tolkien argues, is met by the Christian religion. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis are the flip-sides of the same coin, with Lewis giving us accounts of the longing and Tolkien providing the books that would create that longing. And what about the longing? It's that longing for Myth, that love for those beauties which Tolkien shows us in THE LORD OF THE RINGS. It's that longing that sets man apart from all other creatures in the universe: a craving for beauty and for joy. The German word for this longing is "senhsucht". In a time characterized by fast-food, cell-phones, materialism, superficiality, the account of a Hobbit working against all odds in a mythic landscape so captures the human imagination (and this is NOT hype) that an entire genre is created. It is because of how Tolkien so masterfully handles Myth that he has been so highly treasured by such a large fan base.

Still, there are a few things to consider when reading Tolkien nowadays. Looking over the reviews, it proved rather shocking to me that people have been complaining that, although it was original when it was published, much of what Tolkien has done has become cliche and that other writers are much better working with these cliches and making them more exciting than Tolkien. They complain about his "endless descriptions" of the natural world, very detailed accounts of geography and not enough "characterization." The characters are unrealistic: the "human drama" required by the book's very nature is beyond Tolkien's scope as a writer. THE FELLOWSHIP is both uneven and very weak in pacing, with so much invested in the world and its history Tolkien forgets to make us care about the characters themselves. Another fault oft cited against Tolkien is the lack of "female characters," and there have been accusations that Tolkien is racist; one of my favorite misconceptions is that Frodo and Sam are homosexuals.

Academia has no time for Tolkien, and many of our key critics have denounced Tolkien as ill-written or escapist (Harold Bloom said that THE LORD OF THE RINGS is a period piece which will simply not die but just keeps lingering on long after its relevance. This is the stance taken by a lot of professional critics with a grudge against Tolkien, and wonderfully have been proven wrong). To this day, while not nearly as openly hostile as previous decades, academia in general harbors resentment against Tolkien and everything he's done. As far as they're concerned, he's done something that is actually popular and therefore unworthy of study. It's one of those "high-brow vs. low-brow" situations, and instead of producing "worthwhile" academic research, Tolkien instead writes a "series" of novels which become one of the most established authors of this century. In recent years, academic support has grown tremendously for Tolkien, but he is still a very hotly contested modern writer, unlike some other "academically undeniable" classics such as James Joyce. Unlike the academic favorites, Tolkien highly polarizes the professional literary establishment. Fortunately he has gained some ground here though.

Much of the complaints voiced against THE LORD OF THE RINGS are both unimportant and irrelevant. Tolkien is working with literary traditions not in-tune with the modern mind, but is instead handling narrative threads of Myth. Tolkien gives us solid archetypes to work with, bringing out the very qualities of masculinity and the beauties and stark wonders of femininty, but all expressed in mythological terminology. The idea of Sam and Frodo as homosexual is both ridiculous and totally unfounded. In Myth, good is characterized and seen as "White," and the evil is dark and perverted. Those who say Tolkien is racist approach him from the wrong standpoint.

As for the modern fantasy reader, those who complain about Tolkien's originality (while acknowledging it, but that later writers do a much better job with it) is like saying Shakespeare, while a good dramatist, is not that good because other people take his principals and make them more exciting, etc. I heard a story once about a person who went to see a Shakespeare play and went away complaining there were too many quotes in the play to make it any good. Shakespeare is the source of these quotes and he did not even realise it.

Most people know that Tolkien founded modern fantasy. Tolkien laid down the template for the fantasy genre in general, and anyone who reads fantasy has been touched, directly or indirectly, by Tolkien's work. Almost all of the major fantasy authors have acknowledge their debt to Tolkien, and the shadow Tolkien casts over fantasy literature is very long indeed. Because there is fifty years separating us from the original publication, it is much harder to approach THE LORD OF THE RINGS as those first reviewers, for those who have grown up reading fantasy literature are now accustomed to Dwarves and Elves and Dark Lords and Epic Quests, but when it was issued THE LORD OF THE RINGS transformed and invented an entire new genre. It is not Tolkien's fault that his vision of a mythology was so successful that everyone else decided they would try their hand at fantasy and work within Tolkien's templates. The main problem with fantasy authors in general are they are more interested in emulation than they are in true "myth-making." Much like early rock and roll, which, because rock was not an established form of music, the early musicians relied on other forms to create a new genre, Tolkien did not have this tradition to fall back on so instead he used various literatures and epic poems to create his own vision of myth. A lot of fantasy writers do not work in the context of myth any more, but rather rely on genre stereotypes which are generally found in Tolkien. Many readers who are interested in "pulp" fantasy get bogged down in Tolkien because he takes the time to fully explain his world and its cultures, because his goal is different. There is plenty of action in LORD OF THE RINGS, but those raised on the pulp fantasy will not care for it.

Ultimately, THE LORD OF THE RINGS's criticism has shown itself to be of little importance on its durability as a major text. Ever since its publication in 1954, 1955, and 1956, LOTR has become one of the most important literary works our era has produced, highly regarded and passionately loved by an enormous amount of people. Despite the very vocal minority who despise Tolkien and his work, THE LORD OF THE RINGS has consistently topped the polls for the best book of the last one hundred years. Whatever the critics say, THE LORD OF THE RINGS is here to stay because popular imagination has grabbed hold of Tolkien's vision and ran with it. Tolkien and Lewis have been wonderfully vindicated in their belief that there is an enormous adult appetite for Myth and fantasy literature.

Tolkien's work is water in a dry place.

An Awe-Inspiring Masterpiece.......2007-09-14

Finally, 50 years later, Houghton Mifflin is able to assemble the Masterpiece that Tolkien dreamed of so many years ago. This leather bound edition is complete with all 6 books, gilded pages, it's own cloth bookmark, as well as appendices full of additional information. It allows for Tolkien's story to become a tale, his dream a reality. Such a work of art is a must have for Tolkien enthusiasts and book collectors alike. At $53 dollars, it was money well spent.
The only con i see is that it is so beautiful, you don't even want to open it! More seriously, be careful with the fold-out maps. They take a little coaxing to unfold as they are glued at the corners. The cover of the book does seem a little thin considering the weight and amount of pages, but it has held up fine for me. Despite these small "problems", this IS a five star book in every way possible. Thank you for your time

-Matt

A beautiful, supple, savory edition.......2007-08-24

Whatever problems might have been with this book before, they seem to have been solved - the pages are sewn in, the leather is gorgeous and feels wonderful, and it is a solid, beautiful, wonderful book.

The Lord of the Rings is also, of course, a five star story, but I am five starring this review solely on the physical characteristics of this leather edition.

Mmmmmmmm.... s'wonderful!

Sit in your highback reading chair in front of the fire with a glass of Cognac reading this one. Very Alistair Cook.

It's pricey, but well worth it.

Can't wait to posess it...........2007-08-06

I feel sorry for the people who wrote reviews anything under five stars for this. I saw this at my boss's place and all I can tell you is that I cannot wait to possess this edition. I have been engaged with Tolkien literature for past 5 years...it's an age in itself. But let me not get there, because ths review would be exceding it's purpose and prescribed bounds then.

Let me jus say that I LOVED the presentaion of this book. The maps, the additional work...just loved it. It is a treat for Tolkien lovers - collector's delight. I can hardly wait to have this added to my library...

The Return of the Shadow: The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part One (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 6)

Average customer rating:

Great Look behind the scenes. Far better than earlier volumes
I hate to give this only 4 stars, but too much repitition.
For Hard Core Tolkien Fans Only!!!
Vital exploration of Tolkien's work, but for fans only
Warning-not a novel....but a great resource

The Return of the Shadow: The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part One (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 6)
J.R.R. Tolkien
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Treason of Isengard: The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part Two (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 7)
The War of the Ring: The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part Three (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 8)
Sauron Defeated: The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part Four (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 9)
The Peoples of Middle-Earth (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 12)
The War of the Jewels: The Later Silmarillion, Part Two (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 11)

ASIN: 0395498635

Book Description

In this sixth volume of The History of Middle-earth the story reaches The Lord of the Rings. In The 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, the intricate evolution of The Fellowship of the Ring and the gradual emergence of the 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 'magic ring' into the supremely potent and dangerous Ruling Ring of the Dark Lord is traced and the precise moment is seen when, in an astonishing and unforeseen leap in the earliest narrative, a Black Rider first rode into the Shire, his significance still unknown. The character of the hobbit called Trotter (afterwards Strider or Aragorn) is developed while his indentity remains an absolute puzzle, and the 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 the point where J.R.R. Tolkien halted in the story for a long time, as the Company of the Ring, still lacking Legolas and Gimli, stood before the tomb of Balin in the Mines of Moria. The Return of the Shadow is illustrated with reproductions of the first maps and notable pages from the earliest manuscripts.

Customer Reviews:

Great Look behind the scenes. Far better than earlier volumes.......2007-02-20

`The Return of the Shadow' is the first of a four volume series (`The History of the Lord of the Rings') within a series, (volume VI of `The History of Middle Earth') edited by Christopher Tolkien, from the unpublished writings of his father, J. R. R. Tolkien, most famous as the author of `The Hobbit' and `The Lord of the Rings'.

For those who have been slogging through the previous three volumes dealing with fragments from the composition of `The Silmarillion', this volume is a great pleasure, as it deals entirely with early drafts of what becomes the first two-thirds of `The Fellowship of the Ring' (FR), the first volume of the great `The Lord of the Rings' (LotR). It begins at the beginning of FR and ends as the fellowship stand in the mines of Moria over the grave marked `Balin Son of Burin, Lord of Moria' (The dramatic encounter between Gandalf and the Balrog will have to wait until the next volume).

For those of you who may have read `The Lord of the Rings' only once or twice, this and the next three volumes in this series are an enormous treat, as reading this is far more rewarding than a second or third reading of LotR, and will make that second or third reading even more interesting. For those of us who have read LotR for ten or twelve times, and have seen Peter Jackson's films of same more times than I care to count, the interest tends to wane just a bit, as the percentage of entirely new material is small compared to early versions of text which appeared in the final volumes.

What I really looked forward to in these volumes was some insight into my second most favorite character, after Gandalf, and this would be the perpetual Middle Earth hippie, Tom Bombadil and his consort, Goldberry. Unfortunately, this book does not through a lot of light on Bombadil's origins. Thankfully, it also does not violate any of my lengthily speculations on where Bombadil fits into the history of Middle Earth and the cosmology of the world in which Middle Earth is set. The heart of the matter is that Bombadil is one of the very few true natives of Middle Earth. The elves are clearly immigrants from the Far West. Dwarves and men seem to be creations of the Valar, and orcs and trolls are perversions of elves, men, and dwarves made by Melkor or Sauron. He is certainly not one of the Valar, as nothing said about his lack of interest in The Ring would be true of a Valar. Similarly, he is certainly not a wizard, one of Gandalf's clan, the Istari. The fact is, Tolkien senior simply added him in as a `deux ex machina', pinch hitting for Gandalf in a way, to get the wandering hobbits out of two jams with powers far greater than their own, so that they can safely reach Bree and the assistance of Strider. And, it turns out Tolkien simply wanted to include Bombadil and Goldberry since he had written of them in earlier publications!

One thing that does come out is the fact that the minor character, Farmer Maggot is potentially a far more interesting character than may appear on the surface. For example, Tom Bombadil seems to get most of his information about the outside world from Farmer Maggot and there is a suspicion in this narrative that Maggot is not entirely `hobbit' bred. This is not too unusual, as there has always been a suspicion that the three strains of hobbits are a result of a bit on interbreeding with elves and dwarves (but you didn't hear that from me!). One thing about Maggot which tickles my fancy is that his physical description here is a strong image of the Pennsylvania Amish and Mennonite farmers, which fits perfectly into the land around the Brandywine and the cultivation of mushrooms, both features of southeastern Pennsylvania, the home of the very same Pennsylvania Dutch. And yet, editor Christopher seems to make no mention of this obvious connection.

Being a true fanatic, even little things about these books will please me to no end. One thing, among others, which makes me think that Peter Jackson used these books in his writing the screenplay for the movies is the similarity between the picture of Bag End and the surrounding Shire and Bag End as it appeared in FR. I'm also thrilled by the additional original Tolkien maps, as well as the usually excellent index to the volume. I look forward to a composite index covering the whole four volumes of the `History of the Lord of the Rings' series.

The greatest impact of this volume comes from the smallest note in the beginning. After all the preparation done on the history of Middle Earth, Tolkien senior still had no notion of what he will find in Bree, who or what was Strider, or any notion of the design of Moria until he actually reached these characters and events in his writing.

I hate to give this only 4 stars, but too much repitition........2006-03-14

I was hoping that this would give like amny differnent versions of these books, but it tends just to show you the evolution and showing you the rewritings of early chapters of the lord and some of them like the council of elrond show you like 6 different versions. Every version a new character will show up, somebody will turn from good to evil, or maybe their words will be given to some one else.

I guess I was just hoping that this would be more like the previous 5 books and give us new stuff like they did of the silmarillion. But it did provide me with enough new info and some pretty exciting evolutions in this.

For Hard Core Tolkien Fans Only!!!.......2005-07-13

I got the book thinking it was part of Tolkien's unfinished sequel to the LOTR "The Return of the Shadow", but the shadow here is Sauron's return to middle earth after the end of the second age.

This is a volume in the previously unpublished letters and papers of J.R.R. Tolkien. In this volume we follow the evolution of the different parts of the LOTR the Fellowship of the Ring over time. From its beginning as a sequel to the Hobbit to the final epic product of mythic proportions.

Its interesting to see all the various drafts of the original chapters and the progression of Bingo Baggins into Frodo and the Hobbit Trotter into the Human King Strider/Aragorn. But this is the main drawback also, how many variations of "A Long Expected Party" can one read without being bored?

For Tolkien enthusiatists and English Majors only.

Vital exploration of Tolkien's work, but for fans only.......2004-05-09

If you're not a Tolkien fan, you need not apply to the sprawling History of Middle Earth series. But if you're interested in seeing how the Professor developed the rich creation of Middle Earth, warts and all, this is a treasure trove of material.

The 12 volumes of the History of Middle Earth take a close look at the creation of Tolkien's greatest achievement - Middle Earth itself - through early drafts, unpublished texts, and dead end writings. For ardent Tolkien readers it is a fascinating look at one of the great literary creations of the 20th Century. For more casual fans, it's text better left unread.

"The Return of the Shadow" marks the first in the four volumes dealing with the history of the writing of "The Lord of the Rings." Like the other volumes in the series, it features unpublished writings by Tolkien, supplemented, explained, footnoted, annotated and expounded upon by his son, Christopher Tolkien.

Here we have the earliest versions of what would later become the most beloved fantasy epic in the world, detailing the extraordinary and convoluted history of the earliest chapters of "The Lord of the Rings." Some readers might be surprised to know just how different a book this was in its earliest stages, and just how much Tolkien was making it up as he went along in those early days.

The wealth of information is fantastic, and Christopher Tolkien goes to great lengths to examine each text, putting them in the context of the larger puzzle of his father's writings. The exploration of how "The Lord of the Rings" came about is fantastic - for those interested. Otherwise, it will bore. This is, after all, a series of unfinished draft chapters and essays on the text. I enjoyed it, but many won't.

Those looking for fresh new tales about hobbits and heroes, however, will be disappointed. This isn't new fiction, nor does it even feature finished works. Seek elsewhere if you are looking for more tales in the way of "The Lord of the Rings."

Warning-not a novel....but a great resource.......2003-01-10

Of the thrilling and informative History of Middle-Earth series, this is perhaps the most interesting part. Normal Tolkien fans will get the rare chance to see how the germ of an idea can explode into the most complex cosmology ever created. Although it may seem boring, as it is not a novel per se, it is an insightful analysis of a very beloved book. The Lord of the Rings was initially conceived as a sequel to the Hobbit, growing into something incomparably more vast. We see Bingo in the character of Frodo, the name Frodo applied to another character. Aragorn is named Trotter and the idea emerges that he might be a long lost Hobbit who has had many experiences on the road. Somehow, with many footnotes and comments in the margin, we see the evolution of these ideas into what we know today as LOTR. Fascinating and useful for the Tolkien scholar, the devoted Tolkien reader, or even an aspiring writer.

The Lord of the Rings: 50th Anniversary, One Vol. Edition

Average customer rating:

Truly Magnificient
Pure genius
Beautiful and Scary
excellent item
Awesome

The Lord of the Rings: 50th Anniversary, One Vol. Edition
J.R.R. Tolkien
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Epic | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

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The Hobbit
The Silmarillion
The Atlas of Middle-Earth (Revised Edition)
Unfinished Tales: The Lost Lore of Middle-earth
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien

ASIN: 0618640150

Book Description

One Ring to rule them all,
One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all
and in the darkness bind them

In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, the Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell by chance into the hands of the hobbit Bilbo Baggins.

From Sauron's fastness in the Dark Tower of Mordor, his power spread far and wide. Sauron gathered all the Great Rings to him, but always he searched for the One Ring that would complete his dominion.

When Bilbo reached his eleventy-first birthday he disappeared, bequeathing to his young cousin Frodo the Ruling Ring and a perilous quest: to journey across Middle-earth, deep into the shadow of the Dark Lord, and destroy the Ring by casting it into the Cracks of Doom.

The Lord of the Rings tells of the great quest undertaken by Frodo and the Fellowship of the Ring: Gandalf the Wizard; the hobbits Merry, Pippin, and Sam; Gimli the Dwarf; Legolas the Elf; Boromir of Gondor; and a tall, mysterious stranger called Strider.

This new edition includes the fiftieth-anniversary fully corrected text setting and, for the first time, an extensive new index.

J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973), beloved throughout the world as the creator of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion, was a professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford, a fellow of Pembroke College, and a fellow of Merton College until his retirement in 1959. His chief interest was the linguistic aspects of the early English written tradition, but while he studied classic works of the past, he was creating a set of his own.

Customer Reviews:

Truly Magnificient.......2007-10-08

Tolkien has amazed me with his language and literature. The Lord of the Rings is just one of many examples of his superb ability as an author. The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, as well as The Histories of Middle Earth are all great books, but none can compare with the characterization, plot, and setting of the Lord of the Rings.

In this book, the use of characters and their roles in the overall effect of the book is outstanding. Not only the protagonists, but also the antagonists, make up the foundation of Tolkien's land known as Middle Earth. I was amazed at the characterization and the depth at which Tolkien displays each and every character. The book portrays the ideal story of good versus evil, the story of an innocent character shaped and developed by the trials of reality and the unknown world.

I am not one who usually gives five stars to a book, but this novel deserves more than five. I recommend this book to any reader in search for a story of adventure, action, and magic. Five stars, well earned.

Pure genius.......2007-09-24

This is of course one of the best series ever written. J.R.R Tolkien is by far my faverate auther. his books take u places u wouldnt have ever been able to dream up. this written so poetically that it's a crime this book isnt recognized by all, as one of the top 100 books. his story plot and charactorization is unbeatable. and of course it dosent stop at Lord of the rings he has many other books on middle earth. by far best book in a long long time!!!

Beautiful and Scary.......2007-09-17

this book was one of the two best stories i have ever read. the characters and some of the scenes are magically beautiful, but also darkly sinister. i can't help think that Tolkien (the author), was trying to catch the reality of this life... that there is an almighty struggle between the forces of good and evil. there are agents of darkness as well as agents of light. i believe, that in writing this book he must have felt a great anxiety about finishing such an epic. this would have been with the knowledge that it had to be written. he is not only telling a brilliant story, but he is also pointing towards the real situation. not only is this world involved, but also whole galxies and perhaps universes in an almighty war between the forces of good and evil. there are magical devices, scientific machines, mysterious races and perhaps even rings of magical power in this battle... you can loose your soul. you can become a deceived minion of evil. beware and watch and pray... the road is slippery, and yet along the way you will have moments of joy and happiness.

it is through recognising the dualisms of good and evil and understanding them in all their substance and power that we can aspire to understand and appreciate the 'true' good. to deny the existence of evil or good is sometimes to be overtaken by the forces of darkness. this is since that evil can only be resisted if it is understood to exist. the teaching of non-dualism found in some eastern religions denies the existence of evil, and in a sense it is right (there is nothing purely evil), but it is also wrong... i say wrong since without acknowledging the existence of evil one will never aspire to be good, nor perhaps be able to resist his assimilation into it.

perhaps one of the greatest storys ever told. i find the symbolism in this book akin to that in the 'never ending story', by michael ende.

do take care, love, flakey xxx.

excellent item.......2007-07-27

okay now i really like the lord of the rings and this edition is pretty dang good for the price. is faithful to the original, buy if you're on a budget and want a quality product for a affordable cost.

Awesome.......2007-07-23

I loved this book, it took me a while to read (two weeks I think) I am glad I did though, I actually started it like 5 minutes after finishing The Hobbit. Thats the way to read it too, because The Hobbit sheds so much light on LOTR that it feels like its part of LOTR and in my opinion it really is since the events of the LOTR are directly caused by certain events in The Hobbit. Read them both...

The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion

Average customer rating:

Wow! This is FANTASTIC!
Wow, amazing wealth of info for LOTR readers!
Essential Guide to Tolkien's masterpiece, remarkable scholarship
A Superb Reference for the Dedicated Tolkien Student
A true Readers Companion

The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion
Wayne G. Hammond , and Christina Scull
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Epic | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0618642676

Book Description

In The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion internationally acclaimed scholars Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull examine Tolkien's masterpiece chapter by chapter, offering expert insights into its evolution, structure, and meaning. They discuss in close detail important literary and historical influences on the development of The Lord of the Rings, connections between that work and other writings by Tolkien, errors and inconsistencies, significant changes to the text during its fifty years of publication, archaic and unusual words used by Tolkien, and words and passages in his invented languages of Middle-earth. Thousands of notes, keyed to standard editions of The Lord of the Rings but universally accessible, reveal the richness and complexity of one of the most popular works of fiction in our time. In addition to their own expertise and that of other scholars and critics, Hammond and Scull frequently draw upon comments by Tolkien himself, made in letters to family, friends, and enthusiasts, in draft texts of The Lord of the Rings, and in works written in later years which amplify or illuminate characters and events in the story. Extensive reference is made also to writings by Tolkien not previously or widely published, including elaborate time-schemes, an unfinished manuscript index to The Lord of the Rings, and most notably, the important Nomenclature or guide to names in The Lord of the Rings prepared for the use of translators, long out of print and now newly transcribed and printed in its entirety. With these resources at hand, even the most seasoned reader of The Lord of the Rings will come to a greater enjoyment and appreciation of Tolkien's magnificent achievement.

Customer Reviews:

Wow! This is FANTASTIC!.......2007-08-24

I read the Lord of the Rings about once a year, and have for a while. Even so, there is much that I don't know and a lot of background that I wish I knew.

I just bought this book, and am reading it while I re-read the LOTR. I'm reading a chapter of LOTR and then read the chapter's notes in this book. THe world of Lord of the Rings is expanding hugely for me because of the vast amounts of background information this book provides.

Highly recommended!!

Wow, amazing wealth of info for LOTR readers!.......2007-06-18

This extensively researched and painstakingly organized reader's companion to Tolkien's Lord of the Rings is itself a masterpiece, as time will show. In over 400 pages, it contains a wealth of information for both new and seasoned readers, going far beyond just the characters, plot, and language used by the author (reflecting not only the English at the time but also the language as imagined by the author befitting of the book's characters).

Reading this companion, I realized just how much thought Tolkien put into his work, writing, rewriting, and editing parts over years of dedication. When reading a work of fiction, it's easy to be taken hostage by the plot and rush through the story just to see what happens next. Little things, like words that may not make sense, or titles whose significance is not entirely understood, may not get a second thought. And names, of which Tolkien's story contains so many, from characters to places, may appear as names only, but this book reveals the meanings and reasons behind chosen names. Not to mention all the folklores and other literature that Tolkien referenced in his story and expected his readers to know. Which is why I find this book so helpful -- it deliberately slows me down, making me understand the meaning and symbolism contained in the chapter's title and a place's name as much as it helps me fully appreciate the culture of the book's characters. The Shire and elvish country, for example, just come to life with the researchers' analysis.

It's no summer beach reading, but if you're fascinated by the world of Lord of the Rings, you know it's not enough just to know the plot or Heaven forbid, only watch the movies. This will help you get to a new level with Tolkien's masterpiece. Go chapter by chapter and page by page with this companion, and there's also a convenient index to help you with names you may have forgotten. Do you remember Belfalas, Dwarrowdelf, or Caradock of Llancarfan? Want to know more about Celeborn the Elf, Boromir, or the effects of elvish song on humans? Did you spot the proverbs that Tolkiens quoted in his work? Read this companion to the Lord of the Rings and find out.

Essential Guide to Tolkien's masterpiece, remarkable scholarship.......2007-04-22

Two of the foremost Tolkien scholars, Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull have managed to produce in this volume one of the most essential books in any Tolkien library. A READER'S COMPANION carefully annotates, line by line, chapter by chapter, Tolkien's great masterpiece.

When the revised version of THE ANNOTATED HOBBIT came out in 2002 with Douglas A. Anderson's annotations, I was thrilled, as the original from 1988 was out of print. The way they handled THE HOBBIT was a large, oversized hardback, with the main text printed on wide sheets but only taking up the half closet to the binding, with the annotations on the outer edges of the sheets. The book is beautiful to hold, and it was very enlightening during rereadings of THE HOBBIT. It also noted all revisions, and gave original readings, including the original version of "Riddles in the Dark" chapter, which has been out of print for over fifty years. The natural question, of course, was when would LOTR get similar treatment? After all, LOTR had been in print for over fifty years, and such a publication has been long overdue.

Although the method described above worked well with THE HOBBIT, it proved unfeasible for LOTR. For one, LOTR is a much, much longer book than its prequel. So Hammond and his wife opted for a separate volume, and what a volume it is.

Due to the size of LOTR, the way READER'S COMPANION is broken up to cover each chapter in the book. Each annotation is proceeded by the first few words of whatever paragraph the two scholars are analysing at that point. This makes A READER'S COMPANION very easy to use, and to locate in your copy of LOTR the passage in which they are discussing.

As with THE ANNOTATED HOBBIT, there have been a very concentrated effort on the part of the Tolkien Estate to publish the more accurate version of LOTR as possible. Scull and Hammond, along with Christopher Tolkien, spearheaded this enterprise. READER'S COMPANION gives extensive details on how Hammond and Scull, with cooperation from C. Tolkien, set about making the definitive text on LOTR in 2004 and 2005 for the fifthieth anniversary edition. All future subsequent editions will be based on this edition, and is considered the most accurate text now available of Tolkien's work LOTR.

The book annotates all major changes made to LOTR's text in its fifty years of publication. It gives extensive details on how Hammond and Scull, with cooperation with Christopher Tolkien, set about making the definitive text on LOTR in 2004 and 2005 for the fifthieth anniversary edition. All future subsequent editions will be based on this edition, and is considered the most accurate text now available of Tolkien's work LOTR. It examines rare and archaic words and gives information on Elvish linguistics. Hammond and Scull deftly analyse different plot elements, elaborate and clarify obscure points in the text, and bring to light both real inconsistencies within LOTR and perceived contradictions. Tolkien very carefully organized and created precise chronologies and time tables, including the cycles of the moon, and every time the text mentions a new day had arrived, or said something of the moon, the book tells you the precise day this event is occurring.

The companion gives extensive information on time frames and maps. It covers and annotates the forward to the second edition as well as the prologue. There is information about the original 1955 dust jacks, how the title pages were handled, and a number of other publishing matters.

As far as rare and otherwise unpublished original material by Tolkien, A READER'S COMPANION is notable for its inclusion of three pieces.

1. It contains the original forward to LOTR, which was published in the first edition in 1955 and was deleted in 1965 by Tolkien himself, who replaced it with a much longer forward. Tolkien said of the original forward that it confused "personal matters with the machinery of the Tale" and was a "serious mistake". Tolkien was only too happy to delete it. Still, it makes for interesting reading.

2. The second highlight is the previously unpublished summary of LOTR that Tolkien wrote in his letter to Milton Waldman in 1951. This letter was first published in LETTERS OF TOLKIEN, and likewise appears in new editions of THE SILMARILLION. However, the LOTR summary was omitted from these publications, and is published here for the first time.

3. Thankfully, A READER'S COMPANION includes Tolkien's essential, and rarely published before now, "Nomenclature of The Lord of the Rings." Previously published n 1975 in Jared Lobell's A TOLKIEN COMPASS, Tolkien prepared this document for his publishers, Allen & Unwin, to send to any translators who were translating LOTR into another language. As LOTR is largely a linguistic work in both foundation and inspiration, this gives a lot of insight into Tolkien and how he felt his work should (as well as emphatically should not) be translated, and what Tolkien considers fair treatment of the material. Essential stuff.

Ultimately, A READER'S COMPANION succeeds in being one of the essential reference works for Tolkien studies and fans. The dust jacket is beautiful, the binding (sewn!) is top notch, and, as any reference work must, you can easily locate any passage or annotation you are looking for. All the annotations are pertinent and enlightening, all textual changes and revisions to the text are accounted for, and with the previously unpublished or rare Tolkien material included, Hammond and Scull have produced the single best resource now available to us on Tolkien's masterpiece. They have proven themselves as two of the foremost Tolkien scholars in the world.

For those looking for additional resources to Tolkien's hobbit cycle, the best way to study them is to have THE ANNOTATED HOBBIT revised and republished in 2002 (the definitive version of that work), buy the fully corrected 50th anniversary text of LOTR, which is the most accurate typographical version ever published, and buy this volume.

Bottom line: If you are a casual fan or very much into Tolkien, buy this book. You will not be disappointed.

A Superb Reference for the Dedicated Tolkien Student.......2007-02-26

This is not a book for the casual reader, or even for those enthusiastic readers of Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" who are not interested in that work as a literary creation or in its sources. I suspect that most readers of this volume are persons who have Christopher Tolkien's "The Making of Middle Earth" series of books. In the present volume, Hammond and Scull discuss and correct hundreds of errors that have crept into "The Lord of the Rings" as printed over the decades; most of these errors are minor (one word inadvertently substituted for another or perhaps capitalization changed), occasionally a sentence was omitted from the manuscript. In addition, obscure word origins are examined for their roots in Middle Earth languages. This is an excellent, even necessary, reference book for the student of Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" who wishes to delve deep into its development.

A true Readers Companion.......2006-03-09

For the LoTR afficiando, this book is a must read. It goes through the books chapter by chapter, paragraph by paragraph, explaining many things that to the first time reader can be a bit perplexing. Archaic words are defined. Construction of some of the Elvish languages seen in the books is discussed in easy to understand language. Insights into Tolkien's thinking are explored through letters written by him. It is just rich, rich, rich with information that any Tolkien student would like to know.

Walking With Frodo: A Devotional Journey Through the Lord of the Rings

Average customer rating:

Thank You Sarah
Doesn't always hold up...
Walking With Frodo- a teenager's review
Excellent and make a place on your keeper shelf!
Terrific novel...

Walking With Frodo: A Devotional Journey Through the Lord of the Rings
Sarah Arthur
Manufacturer: Tyndale House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Walking With Bilbo: A Devotional Adventure Through The Hobbit
Finding God in The Lord of the Rings
The Gospel According to Tolkien: Visions of the Kingdom in Middle-Earth
Following Gandalf: Epic Battles and Moral Victory in The Lord of the Rings
Walking through the Wardrobe: A Devotional Quest into The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe

ASIN: 0842385541

Book Description

Tolkien's Lord of the Rings epic tale has long captivated readers with its parallels to biblical truth. And now, a new addition to the thirsty(?) line, Walking with Frodo looks at the biblical themes found in the classic Lord of the Rings trilogy. The 18 devotions pair vices and virtues (deception vs. honesty, light vs. darkness, good vs. evil) displayed by characters in The Lord of the Rings and bring to light what the Bible has to say. A must-have for longtime and new series fans.

Customer Reviews:

Thank You Sarah.......2006-07-30

Sarah Arthur has become one of my favorite authors with her two devotionals based on the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit. Walking with Frodo, was a tremendous help to me, when I read it I was very angry with a lot of people for a lot of reasons, but as I read it I began to lose my anger, and feel free from that burden. This book helped change my life, and it can do the same for you. The two best ones from my point of view were the devotions writen about Sam and Aragorn. It's a must for any Tolkien fan.

Doesn't always hold up..........2005-08-25

This is a very enjoyable devotional book, or just a book to sit down with on a rainy day. I didn't really get much out of it, though, either about Lord of the Rings or Christianity. Some of the "parallels" the author draws between characters in LotR and real life are flimsy and don't make much sense--she compares Faramir, for example, to someone you see at a party one night, having a great old time, and leading a Bible study the next. Huh? It maybe could have benefited from some more in-depth looks at certain things.

But it's good, especially for Lord of the Rings-obsessed Christians.

Walking With Frodo- a teenager's review.......2004-11-10

I got this book just because I like Lord of the Rings and I thought it sounded cool. I never knew how good it would really be! The author does a really good job of getting into the character's minds and motives and applying their situations and choices to real-life situations. This book was written for high school and college students, but I would reccomend it to adults too. How much spiritual truth can you learn from a pop culture phenomenon? You will be very surprised!

Excellent and make a place on your keeper shelf!.......2004-08-26

You don't have to be a LOTR fan to enjoy this book. This book can appeal and speak to teenagers and adults alike. In fact, I recommend it for everyone! Sarah Arthur does of marvelous job of using the lush backdrop of Tolkien's fairy tale to speak truth of character from a Christ-like perspective with scriptures as support. It's an easy read, yet deep - leading to thought provoking questions for discussions at the end of each chapter. I love the chapter on Integrity! Hats off and well done Sarah Arthur - truth in character without ever sounding trite!

Terrific novel..........2004-08-06

**** For decades, Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and all things Middle Earth have captured the hearts and imaginations of young and old alike. Despite J.R.R. Tolkien's insistance that it was not an allegory, millions of Christians see the greatest story ever told just beneath the surface, as if runic words inscribed its pages. Whether or not you read that into this modern mythos, it can not be denied that Aragorn, Gandalf, and the rest of the Fellowship captured the meaning of virtue in their lives. From wisdom to loyalty to graciousness, they were examples of what we should be. Likewise, in Denethor, Grima, Sauron, etc, we see what we should strive not to be. In this book, the author takes these traits two by two, the good and the evil, and shows us how it played out in Middle Earth, in the Bible, and how to carry it into life. Given the popularity of this saga, it works with great efficiency. It would be a wonderful cross generational Bible study, especially since she takes the time to clue readers in on the teen jargon's meaning. For that alone, parents should invest in this book. It's a book designed to be read over several weeks, but you will have to exercise restraint not to sail through it in one sitting, so readable is it. ****

Reviewed by Amanda Killgore for Huntress Reviews.

The War of the Ring: The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part Three (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 8)

Average customer rating:

Notes from Isengard to Mordor's Gates. Fabulous
I almost feel like giving this a 3, but it's tolkien for god's sake
Not for the faint of heart...
Another study in Rings' creation
Another masterful contribution to an excellent series

The War of the Ring: The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part Three (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 8)
J.R.R. Tolkien
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Epic | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

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Treason of Isengard: The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part Two (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 7)
The Return of the Shadow: The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part One (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 6)
Sauron Defeated: The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part Four (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 9)
The Peoples of Middle-Earth (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 12)
The War of the Jewels: The Later Silmarillion, Part Two (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 11)

ASIN: 0618083596

Book Description

In The War of the Ring Christopher Tolkien takes up the story of the writing of The Lord of the Rings with the Battle of Helm's Deep and the drowning of Isengard by the Ents. This is followed by an account of how Frodo, Sam and Gollum were finally brought to the Pass of Kirith Ungol, at which point J.R.R. Tolkien wrote at the time: 'I have got the hero into such a fix that not even an author will be able to extricate him without labour and difficulty'. Then comes the war in Gondor, and the book ends with the parley between Gandalf and the ambassador of the Dark Lord before the Black Gate of Mordor.

In describing his intentions for The Return of the King J.R.R. Tolkien said that 'It will probably work out very differently from this plan when it really gets written, as the thing seems to write itself once it gets going'; and in The War of the Ring totally unforeseen developmenst that would become central to the narrative are seen at the moment of their emergence: the palantir bursting into fragments on the stairs of Orthanc, its nature as unknown to the author as to those who saw it fall, or the entry of Faramir into the story ('I am sure I did not invent him, though I like him, but there he came walking into the woods of Ithilien').

The book is illustrated with plans and drawings of the changing conceptions of Orthanc, Dunharrow, Minas Tirith and the tunnels of Shelob's Lair.

Customer Reviews:

Notes from Isengard to Mordor's Gates. Fabulous.......2007-02-25

`The War of the Ring' is the third of a four volume series (`The History of the Lord of the Rings') within a series, (volume VIII of `The History of Middle Earth') edited by Christopher Tolkien, from the unpublished writings of his father, J. R. R. Tolkien, most famous as the author of `The Hobbit' and `The Lord of the Rings' (LotR).

This thick volume, larger than `The Return of the King' begins with the destruction of Isengard by the Ents and Saruman's downfall (sort of) at the hands of Gandalf. The editor brings us at the end of this volume to the climax of the conflict between the forces of the West and Sauron, over the fate of the `One Ring'. Thus, it spans the last third of `The Two Towers and the first three-fourths of `The Return of the King'.

Being an inveterate lover of maps, this volume is especially interesting, as it has lots of original maps penned by J.R.R. Tolkien himself, plus line drawings of important locations in the story, primarily Minas Tirith and Cirith Ungol. The largest map is of Mordor and Gondor, with a very nice `legend' explaining all the major features of the lands, especially those south of the White mountains which get very little mention in the LotR itself.

One sidelight of this review of the drafts is to see how the names and characteristics of minor characters changed from Tolkien's original conception to their appearance in the final work. The Huorns, the semi-senescent trees `herded' by the ents appear under the name of `Galbedirs'.

If you have found your way through the first two volumes of this `The History of the Lord of the Rings', you can't stop now. This volume contains notes on what certainly the most important part of the narrative.

I almost feel like giving this a 3, but it's tolkien for god's sake.......2006-03-14

I knew what to expect after reading the first 2, but this one I though picked it up a little bit and wa more informative. This book differs a little bit from part 1, it doesn't just givre you like all 10 versions of a certain chapter, maybe it is judt that tolkien quit writing so many drafts when he was getting close, or maybe christopher realized he was trying to put all this info into 3 books. So this one REALLY progresses unlike the last two.

If you made it through the first 2, you will be pleasantly surprised.

One thing that I though was very interesting is that peter jackson went the same way in making these movies as tolkien did with his books. Of course jackson had all the info already in front of him, but just like tolkien does in the lord's evolution, jackson will take lines spoken by say aragorn and give them to gandalf or faramir.

Another thing I found interesting is that I had a problem with the way jackson had denethor just show up at the end with the palantir in hands with no explanation, well THIS IS THE WAY TOLKIEN ACTUALLY FIRST WROTE IT. Obviously setting it up a little bit, and letting us know that he uses it sometimes in the book is a much better way of writing this part of the book. But it still shows you that even if peter didn't read all the history books, and say him and jrr directed the movie together, I think that tolkien would have found it very acceptable, and I guarantee it would exceed his expectations.

So a must have if you read the previous 2 parts in this series, but maybe only for tolkien die hards.

Not for the faint of heart..........2005-10-08

This is a great book for the hard core Tolkien fan, but I would only recommend it to those who want to find out more about the development and genesis of LOTR.

Another study in Rings' creation.......2004-05-09

"The War of the Ring" - Tolkien's preferred title for "The Return of the King" - is the third of four volumes dealing with the history of the writing of "The Lord of the Rings." Like the other volumes in the series, it features unpublished writings by Tolkien, supplemented, explained, footnoted, annotated and expounded upon by his son, Christopher Tolkien.

If you're not a Tolkien fan, you need not apply. These incomplete and unfinished texts will only bore you. But if you're interested in seeing how the Professor developed the rich creation of Middle Earth, warts and all, this is a treasure trove of material.

This book is part of the larger, 12-part History of Middle Earth series, which takes a close look at the creation of Tolkien's greatest achievement - Middle Earth itself - through early drafts, unpublished texts, and dead end writings.

For ardent Tolkien readers, the series is a fascinating look at one of the great literary creations of the 20th Century, full of rich detail, writings never before seen, and stories only now being told. For more casual fans, it's text better left unread.

Like the volumes that came before ("The Return of the Shadow" and "The Treason of Isengard"), we have the earliest versions of what would later become "The Lord of the Rings." Tolkien's troubles in bringing the story to a close, abandoned storylines, and alternate endings are all presented in incomplete prose. (Take a peak at the original end of Eowyn's character arc).

Anybody wishing to do a study of Tolkien's craft, into "behind the scenes" writings, or just interested in finding a few snatches of new Middle Earth material (even if in unfinished form, there are some scattered throughout the series) will certainly find what they are looking for here. Christopher Tolkien's work here is appreciated by scores of ardent Tolkien fans. Those looking for fresh new tales about hobbits and heroes, however, will be disappointed. This isn't new fiction, nor does it even feature finished works. Seek elsewhere if you are looking for more tales in the way of "The Lord of the Rings."

Another masterful contribution to an excellent series.......2004-04-19

I've already written more detailed reviews of "The Return of the Shadow" and "The Treason of Isengard" so I won't rehash what I wrote earlier. All I will say is that if you are as much interested in J. R. R. Tolkien's creation of Middle Earth as in "The Lord of the Rings" as finished product you must read the works in Christopher Tolkien's "History of the Lord of the Rings" series. Kudos to Mr. Tolkien for taking the time and effort to help us understand the magnitude of his father's creative effort.

Treason of Isengard: The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part Two (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 7)

Average customer rating:

Excellent Examination of early drafts for Lord of the Rings.
I'm gonna be honest here, this book is not for EVERY fan of lord of the rings.
Essential reading for the Tolkien scholar
Great continuation of a great series
Important for Tolkien Scholars, not for movie fans

Treason of Isengard: The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part Two (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 7)
J.R.R. Tolkien
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Epic | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

The Return of the Shadow: The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part One (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 6)
The War of the Ring: The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part Three (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 8)
Sauron Defeated: The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part Four (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 9)
The Peoples of Middle-Earth (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 12)
The War of the Jewels: The Later Silmarillion, Part Two (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 11)

ASIN: 0618083588

Book Description

The Treason of Isengard is the seventh volume in Christopher Tolkien's History of Middle-earth and the second in his account of the evolution of The Lord of the Rings. In this book, following the long halt in the darkness of the Mines of Moria with which The Return of the Shadow ended, is traced the great expansion of the tale into new lands and new peoples south and east of the Misty Mountains; the emergence of Lothlorien, of Ents, of the Riders of Rohan, and of Saruman the White in the fortress of Isengard.

In brief outlines and pencilled drafts dashed down on scraps of paper are seen the first entry of Galadriel, the earliest ideas of the history of Gondor, the original meeting of Aragorn and Eowyn, its significance destined to be wholly transformed. Conceptions of what lay ahead are seen dissolving as the story took its own paths, as in the account of the capture of Frodo and his rescue by Sam Gmgee from Minas Morgul, written long before J.R.R. Tolkien actually came to that point in the writing of The Lord of the Rings. A chief feature of the book is a full account of the original Map, with re-drawings of successive phases, which was long the basis and accompaniment of the emerging geography of Middle-earth. An appendix to the book describes the Runic alphabets as they were at that time, with illustrations of the forms and an analysis of the Runes used in the Book of Mazarbul found beside Balin's Tomb in Moria.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Examination of early drafts for Lord of the Rings........2007-02-24

`The Treason of Isengard' is the second of a four volume series (`The History of the Lord of the Rings') within a series, (volume VII of `The History of Middle Earth') edited by Christopher Tolkien, from the unpublished writings of his father, J. R. R. Tolkien, most famous as the author of `The Hobbit' and `The Lord of the Rings' (LotR).

While the first of this series within a series ended with the Fellowship standing over the tomb of Balin in Moria, this volume returns to drafts which go all the way back to the conversation between Gandalf and Bilbo in Bag End, following the great birthday party and Bilbo's disappearance following his final speech to his gathered celebrants. As such, for the part of the story between Bag End and Moria, the book contains a more tabular and `analytical' information on the various threads of the story, spending much time on the events which delayed Gandalf from returning to the Shire, explaining the title of the volume, since this circumstance was caused by Gandalf's imprisonment by Saruman. There is correspondingly less information on the events surrounding the encounter with Tom Bombadil, and, it seems, no new information on this very mysterious character.

Next to Bombadil, the most mysterious and ill-explained character in LotR, I think, is the Balrog, a massively evil being in Moria who seems to be controlled by neither Saruman nor Sauron, an evil spirit, probably older than either Shelob or Smaug, probably some evil creation of Melkor going back at least to the first or second age. And yet, there is little back-story on the Balrog. The only thing we can infer from the text is that it's power is just barely exceeded by a wizard (power augmented as it is by one of the elven rings). Even Peter Jackson's excellent depiction of the Fellowship's encounter with the Balrog contributes nothing to our insights on this spirit (except to provide the clear high point of the film, `The Fellowship of the Ring'.

This volume ends with the arrival of Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli at the halls of Edoras, the capitol of the Riders of Rohan. Therefore, it includes the escape from Moria, the encounter with Galadrial in Lorien, and the trip down the Great River, the Uruk-hai, the encounter with Treebeard, and the reuniting of Gandalf and `the three walkers'.

The second volume is every bit as good as the first of this series of early drafts, with its many chronological tables and early maps.

While this does overlap the first volume, I find nothing lost in reading `The Return of the Shadow' from front to back before starting `The Treason of Isengard'.

Note that the lag between this series and the final LotR text is resolved by the early drafts occupying four rather than three volumes.

I'm gonna be honest here, this book is not for EVERY fan of lord of the rings. .......2006-03-14

If you like the movie, the books, even if you like the first 5 books in the history of mi series, you still may not enjoy this. This I believe is only for the die hard tolkien fans. those of us trying to figure out exactly what he was thinking of each page he wrote, we won't get all his thoughts, but will be able to rea da lot of them.

I would suggest that you go to like barnes and noble and read the first 20 pages or so to see if it interests you. If it doesn't th is ok, you will still need to buy book 9, which you will be overpaying for becuase it's about 40 % the lord and only 60 % numenor and other stuff.

Though still essential for tolkien fans, this book is mainly for die hards.

Essential reading for the Tolkien scholar.......2004-05-09

"The Treason of Isengard" marks the second of four volumes dealing with the history of the writing of "The Lord of the Rings." Like the other volumes in the series, it features unpublished writings by Tolkien, supplemented, explained, footnoted, annotated and expounded upon by his son, Christopher Tolkien.

This book is also part of the larger, 12-part History of Middle Earth series, which takes a close look at the creation of Tolkien's greatest achievement - Middle Earth itself - through early drafts, unpublished texts, and dead end writings. For ardent Tolkien readers it is a fascinating look at one of the great literary creations of the 20th Century. For more casual fans, it's text better left unread.

If you're not a Tolkien fan, you need not apply to this sprawling series. But if you're interested in seeing how the Professor developed the rich creation of Middle Earth, warts and all, this is a treasure trove of material.

Here, like the first volume, we have the earliest versions of what would later become the most beloved fantasy epic in the world, detailing the extraordinary and convoluted history of the middle chapters of "The Lord of the Rings." The early versions of Treebeard, some fascinating ideas Tolkien abandoned regarding Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli, and other dead end plot threads will fascinate readers interesting in knowing about the epic's creation.

Great continuation of a great series.......2004-04-19

I never realized how interesting it would be to read a detailed, almost blow-by-blow, account of the creation of a masterpiece. Christopher Tolkien has done all Tolkien scholars, both professional and amateur, a great service by detailing his father's often tortuous development of Middle Earth especially Rohan, Saruman and Isengard, and the creation of Treebeard and the wonderful Ents. Also versions of Frodo and Sam's further journey that are very different from what makes it into "The Two Towers" are fascinating. Those who think that Mr. Tolkien has only done this for the money should look again at these works (if indeed they even looked at them at all). No person in his or her right mind would go through this amount of detailed work just for money. No amount of money would be enough to pay for work of this magnitude.

Important for Tolkien Scholars, not for movie fans.......2003-11-18

The History series are mostly about the evolution of the people, places, and history of the world of Arda. A lot of the stories are "rabbit trails;" stories that changed or conflict with other information. It has helped Tolkien Scholars (and can help amatuer Tolkien Scholars) to form more complete understandings of the world. The appendix on runes is a good example.

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