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Essential JRR Tolkien books - from beginner to fantasy buff!
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items These are some of my favorite books from J.R.R. Tolkien. I have included the entire legendarium for reference. The books that are listed after The Return of the King are much less well-known, but still worth a read! If you consider yourself a Tolkien...
Sections
3
The Essentials of Tolkien
The Core Legendarium
The Extended Legendarium
The Essentials of Tolkien
These are the tried and true, classic books by Tolkien. If you are just starting out or coming over from the movies, start here! These are the “classics” that got me hooked on Tolkien - a great place to start.
The precursor to the Lord of the Rings trilogy. This is an easier read, great for younger readers.
The Hobbit: Classic Fantasy Novel & Prelude
A great place to start with the LotR series! If you are coming from the movies, I would start here.
The Fellowship Of The Ring: First Part of Lord
The second installment in the LotR trilogy. I would suggest reading Fellowship before this one.
The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, #2)
The third book in the LotR trilogy. Make sure you read Fellowship and Two Towers before this one.
The Return of the King (Lord of the Rings Part 3) by J. R. R. Tolkien, Paperback
The Core Legendarium
If you love the Lord of the Rings series, this book takes an even deeper dive into the lore of the realm. A history book as told by the elves, this book is the foundation of the overarching story.
The Silmarillion by J. R. R. Tolkien, Paperback
Unfinished Tales covers stories from the legendarium in further detail. This one is a bit more advanced.
Unfinished Tales Of Númenor And Middle-Earth
A must-read if you enjoy The Silmarillion! This books takes a deeper dive into the Children of Hurin.
The Children of Hurin: Tolkien, J.R.R. ...
The full story of Beren and Luthien, which is first discussed in the Silmarillion. A great read for those fans of the tale.
Beren And Lúthien by J.R.R. Tolkien
Published by Tolkien's son - Christopher Tolkien, this story is all about the fall of Gondolin.
The Fall Of Gondolin - Christopher Tolkien
This is a great in-depth look into the time before Lord of the Rings. It will really add some color to the history.
The Fall of Númenor & Other Second Age Tales
The Extended Legendarium
These are the backstories, histories, and deeper dives of the Tolkien universe - lovingly names The Legendarium. If you are looking for more history and worldbuilding, try these! They can be a bit dense, but worth a read for sure.
The history of Middle Earth - part 1. The book of lost tales is a great read and adds a bit more depth to the lore.
The Book of Lost Tales 1 (History of Middle-Earth)
The history of Middle Earth - part 2. A continuation of the first book, it will add more depth and color to the history.
The Book of Lost Tales, Part Two (Vol. 2)
The history of Middle Earth - part 3. The final installment in the history series, great to round out the reads.
The Lays of Beleriand (History of Middle-Earth 3)
Part of the history of Middle Earth series. This focuses on the shaping of Middle Earth in the early days.
The Shaping of Middle-Earth: The Quenta
A part of the History of Middle Earth series. This is a collection of stories from the other books, but with more detail.
The Lost Road & Other Writings (Vol. 5)
The history of The Lord of the Rings part 1. This takes a look specifically during the lead up to Lord of the Rings.
The Return of the Shadow: History of LOTR, Part One
The history of the Lord of the Rings part 2. This will add some more detail to the Lord of the Rings series.
The Treason of Isengard: History of LOTR Pt 2
The history of the Lord of the Rings part 3. This is the final installment in the History of Lord of the Rings series.
The War of the Ring: History of LOTR, Part 3