Ten Supplemental Works That Can Help You Understand The Tolkien Universe

TV & Film

May 2

The world of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth is large and wonderous, so much so that it can sometimes be overwhelming to figure out. There are many different ways to go about understanding the Middle Earth Legendarium. The following are ten works that can help you do just that.

10. The Silmarillion

Many fans consider The Silmarillion to be a sort of Bible when it comes to the Middle-earth Legendarium. The book consists of five parts, The first two, the Ainulindale and Valaquenta, tell the creation story of the world and the war between Middle-earth’s holy beings. The third, the Quenta Silmarillion, tells the story of Middle-earth’s First Age and forms the book’s substance. The fourth and fifth parts of the book, the Akallabeth and Of The Rings of Power and the Third Age, tell the story of the Downfall of Numenor and a summary of the events of The Lord of the Rings, respectively.

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9. An Atlas Of Tolkien

One of several Tolkien-related works written by David Day, An Atlas of Tolkien is a helpful tool for getting around Middle-earth. This book is an atlas of maps, things like significant figures, and periods in Middle-earth history.

8. A Middle-earth Traveller

Authored by John Howe, a Canadian artist most known for illustrating multiple works by J.R.R. Tolkien, A Middle-earth Traveller: Sketches from Bag End to Mordor is a richly illustrated journey through previously-unseen works on Middle-earth. It’s a walking tour of Middle-earth, presenting both places central to Tolkien’s stories and those unseen. Also including concept work produced for the Lord of the Rings movies, this book is a unique journey across Tolkien’s Middle-earth landscape.

7. The Complete Guide To Middle-earth

A starter for many a beginning fan of the Middle-earth Legendarium, The Complete Guide to Middle-earth by Robert Foster is a reference work for most factoids that people find fascinating. The encyclopedia format includes reference entries, an introduction, an abbreviations legend, and two appendices. Christopher Tolkien, J.R.R. Tolkien’s son, commended the book as an excellent reference work.

6. The Battles Of Tolkien

Another of the reference works by David Day, this book covers the different battles that take place in Middle-earth’s struggle between good and evil. It covers battles across thousands of years, from the early battles of the Age of the Valar to the more recent battles of the War of the Ring. The book also includes commentary by the author discussing the different elements that influenced the battles and the real-world sources that inspired Tolkien’s work.

5. The Dark Powers Of Tolkien

The long history of Middle-earth has included a vast assortment of foes and terrors. This book serves as a compendium of them all. It includes timelines of battles, origin details of different creature species, commentary, and illustrations of the many evil entities.

4. The Heroes Of Tolkien

Just as Middle-earth has many foes, so too does it have its many heroes that helped shape Middle-earth’s history. This book examines and analyzes the heroes of Tolkien from the beginning to the current day. It covers the various races and their allies, and each hero’s role in history is discussed at length.

3. The Atlas Of Middle-earth

Created by author Karen Wynn Fonstad, this is an atlas of the various lands in the Middle-earth Legendarium. Intended as a reading companion for some of Tolkien’s works, it includes maps for specific books like The Silmarillion, The Lord of the Rings, and The Hobbit. The maps are drawn as if they are of real landscapes, and take things like history and larger geography into account. Other elements provided include city maps and floor plans. Where information is missing, the author attempts to fill it in with early conceptual work by Tolkien as well as her own imagination.

2. Tolkien Treasures

This book is considered to be an excellent introduction to the world of Tolkien. It uses images and words to give a short biography of the author and the elements in his life that influenced the creation of the Middle-earth Legendarium. It illustrates manuscripts, drawings, paintings, letters, and photos. With surprises like maps of Middle-earth annotated in Tolkien’s hand, the book brings Tolkien and his many skills to life, and how they shaped the fantasy world we all know and love.

1. The Illustrated World of Tolkien

Referred to by Simon & Schuster as “an enchanting reference book for anything Tolkien,” this book contains vivid descriptions and full-colour pages with stunning illustrations that create an enchanting source for descriptions of Middle-earth’s places, creatures, deities, flora, fauna, and more. This book also includes special features like a map, chronology, and multiple indexes that help you relate to Tolkien’s original works.

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