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Unfinished Tales Of Númenor And Middle-Earth Paperback – October 7, 2014

by J.R.R. Tolkien (Author)
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 2,222 ratings
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"The tone is heroic, both the heroes and the villains greater than life-size." -- New York Times Book Review

Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth concentrates on the lands of Middle-earth and comprises Gandalf's lively account of how he came to send the Dwarves to the celebrated party at Bag-End, the story of the emergence of the sea god Ulmo before the eyes of Tuor on the coast of Beleriand, and an exact description of the military organization of the Riders of Rohan and the journey of the Black Riders during the hunt for the Ring. It also contains the only surviving story about the long ages of Númenor before its downfall, and all that is known about the Five Wizards sent to Middle-earth as emissaries of the Valar, about the Seeing Stones known as palantíri, and about the legend of Amroth.

Edited and with an introduction, commentary, index, and maps by Christopher Tolkien.

"An indispensable volume illuminating many unknown stories and details of Middle-earth unavailable elsewhere." -- Douglas A. Anderson, author of The Annotated Hobbit
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  1. Print length
    480 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    William Morrow Paperbacks
  4. Publication date
    October 7, 2014
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 1.25 x 8.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0544337999
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0544337992
  8. See all details
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From the Publisher

Image of The Hobbit by J R.R. Tolkien The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings Boxed Set
The Hobbit The Fellowship of the Ring The Two Towers The Return of the King The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings Boxed Set
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Discover more from J.R.R. Tolkien A great modern classic and the prelude to The Lord of the Rings. The first volume in J.R.R. Tolkien's epic fantasy adventure The Lord of the Rings The second volume in J.R.R. Tolkien's epic fantasy adventure The Lord of the Rings The third volume in J.R.R. Tolkien's epic fantasy adventure The Lord of the Rings J.R.R. Tolkien's epic masterworks The Hobbit and the three volumes of The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings Illustrated Edition The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien Unfinished Tales of Numenor and Middle-earth by J.R.R. Tolkien The History of Middle Earth boxed set by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Lord of the Rings Illustrated Edition The Silmarillion Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth The History of Middle-earth
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Discover more from J.R.R. Tolkien J.R.R. Tolkien’s grand masterwork in a new hardcover illustrated with the art created by Tolkien himself as he envisioned Middle-earth The story of the creation of the world explored in The Lord of the Rings and the happenings of The First Age Untold stories related to the events of The Lord of the Rings This very special collector’s edition brings together over 5,000 pages of fascinating Middle-earth history.
The Fall of Gondolin by J.R.R. Tolkien The Nature of Middle-earth by J.R.R. Tolkien Tales from the Perilous Realm Beowulf translated by J.R.R. Tolkien Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Fall of Gondolin The Nature of Middle-earth Tales from the Perilous Realm Beowulf Letters From Father Christmas
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Discover more from J.R.R. Tolkien A great tale of the Elder Days of Middle-earth The first-ever publication of J.R.R. Tolkien’s final writings on Middle-earth, covering a wide range of subjects The definitive collection of J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic “fairie” tales, in the vein of The Hobbit, illustrated by Alan Lee. J.R.R. Tolkien translates the classic poem, with commentary. A gorgeous, festive gift featuring a wealth of letters that J.R.R. Tolkien created for his children

Editorial Reviews

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"The nature and state of this material gives us a rare glimpse of how Tolkien developed his fantasy world over the years." Publishers Weekly

"Another monument to the incredible imagination of Tolkien" -- Sunday Telegraph —

From the Back Cover

“The tone is heroic, both the heroes and the villains greater than life-size.” — New York Times Book Review

Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth concentrates on the lands of Middle-earth and comprises Gandalf’s lively account of how he came to send the Dwarves to the celebrated party at Bag-End, the story of the emergence of the sea god Ulmo before the eyes of Tuor on the coast of Beleriand, and an exact description of the military organization of the Riders of Rohan and the journey of the Black Riders during the hunt for the Ring. It also contains the only surviving story about the long ages of Númenor before its downfall, and all that is known about the Five Wizards sent to Middle-earth as emissaries of the Valar, about the Seeing Stones known as palantíri, and about the legend of Amroth.

Edited and with an introduction, commentary, index, and maps by Christopher Tolkien.

“An indispensable volume illuminating many unknown stories and details of Middle-earth unavailable elsewhere.” — Douglas A. Anderson, author of The Annotated Hobbit

J.R.R. TOLKIEN (1892–1973) is the creator of Middle-earth and the author of such classic and extraordinary works of fiction as The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and Unfinished Tales. His books have been translated into more than fifty languages and have sold many millions of copies worldwide.
CHRISTOPHER TOLKIEN is the third son of J.R.R. Tolkien. Appointed by Tolkien to be his literary executor, he has devoted himself to the editing and publication of unpub

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ William Morrow Paperbacks; Reissue edition (October 7, 2014)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 480 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0544337999
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0544337992
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.3 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1.25 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 2,222 ratings

About the author

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J. R. R. Tolkien

J. R. R. Tolkien

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J.R.R. Tolkien was born on 3rd January 1892. After serving in the First World War, he became best known for The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, selling 150 million copies in more than 40 languages worldwide. Awarded the CBE and an honorary Doctorate of Letters from Oxford University, he died in 1973 at the age of 81.

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
2,222 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book to be a good and enjoyable read. They describe the story as riveting and interesting. Readers appreciate the information content, saying it provides fascinating insight into the Middle-earth subcreation. They say it's a great addition to any fan's collection. Opinions differ on the writing style, with some finding it masterfully written and elegant, while others say it's hard to read and different.

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ReadabilityStory qualityInformation contentAdditionWriting styleFemale characters
56 customers mention "Readability"52 positive4 negative

Customers find the book good, fascinating, and enjoyable. They say it's a great resource for any Tolkien fan and expounds upon many tales.

"...are glimpses into the world of Middle Earth and Numenor that are rich and rewarding...." Read more

"...I found it worth reading and will no doubt re-read it in future...." Read more

"Great book, but there was a small amount of wear on the spine...." Read more

"...It was good, but I admit that I was expecting something a bit different." Read more

38 customers mention "Story quality"28 positive10 negative

Customers find the story quality interesting, riveting, and fascinating. They say it gives Middle-Earth more depth and context to the stories Tolkien told. Readers also mention the book is very novel-like and presented in a compelling manner. They appreciate the great new details and wealth of new material.

"...The stories provide some fascinating background material, but it's important for readers to realize that not all of these stories fit comfortably..." Read more

"...I'd argue that they are presented in a far more compelling manner than The Silmarillion, having more development and storytelling than appears in..." Read more

"...Some parts of this are very novel-like and other parts are more documentary...." Read more

"...The Lord of the Rings, and The Hobbit, these tales are not presented as an unbroken narrative...." Read more

26 customers mention "Information content"26 positive0 negative

Customers find the book provides fascinating insight into the Middle-earth subcreation. They say it's great for diving into further details of the fantastic world of Tolkien. Readers mention the book helps explain things and fills in holes. In addition, they say it's extensive in detail and expounds upon many tales.

"...Nevertheless, it provides fascinating insight into the Middle-earth subcreation and shows why Tolkien was such a master at fantasy literature...." Read more

"...compiled and edited by his son, Christopher, it gives you a glimpse of the vast world of middle-earth that Tolkien created...." Read more

"...This book is extensive in detail, with a myriad of names and places to try and remember and make sense of, and at the same time apply it to several..." Read more

"I'm giving this book 4/5 stars - there is a lot of info to be gleaned from reading this book if you are curious about the history and back-story..." Read more

10 customers mention "Addition"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the book a great addition to their Tolkien collection. They say it's a wonderful supplement to The Hobbit, LOTR, and The Silmarillion. Readers also mention it deepens Tolkien's world and shows exactly how much effort he put into it.

"...All in all, this is a welcome piece to any Tolkien collection and an enjoyable group of stories and essays to read about Tolkien and his work...." Read more

"...] A great companion for LoTR and Tolkien fans...." Read more

"...seen the extended editions of all the saga, this is a great addition to any fans collection!" Read more

"a great addition to your tolkien collection. really deepens tolkien's world and shows exactly how much effort he put into the legendarium" Read more

10 customers mention "Writing style"6 positive4 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the writing style. Some mention it's masterfully written, elegant, and fantastic. Others say the Kindle version is hard to read, different, and difficult to separate the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien and the commentary.

"...I started U.T. In the mass market paperback, but it was far easy to read through with this copy and the larger maps!" Read more

"...Reading it wasn't difficult, but (like another book I recently purchased by Tolkien for the Kindle applications through iOS and Androird) things..." Read more

"Tolkien is one of the greatest authors of all time in my opinion...." Read more

"...this book fall short of 5/5 stars is that I find it difficult to separate the writings of J.R.R. and the commentary from his son Christopher...." Read more

6 customers mention "Female characters"4 positive2 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the female characters in the book. Some mention they're captivating and a great resource for Tolkien fans. Others say they're one-dimensional and dry.

"...There is also captivating new characters and stories from the first two ages that you will enjoy...." Read more

"...and redeemed in some way or become useful, the female characters flaws are unresolved, wreak havoc for other characters, and then left behind in the..." Read more

"...Still, a great resource for the rabid Tolkien fan." Read more

"...condition, got great reviews before mine, and is filled with the words of JRR Tolkien. So what more could I have asked for?..." Read more

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A. Nekut
5.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2024
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Arnold
5.0 out of 5 stars Great backstory for Tolkien's Middle-earth
Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2015
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Ever wonder why Gandalf chose Bilbo to join Thorin's quest in The Hobbit? Or what Aragorn was talking about when he mentioned the "Kings of Númenor"?

The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings frequently mention events or characters from earlier periods of Middle-earth history. It turns out that those references actually referred to stories J.R.R. Tolkien had written but not published. In 1977, his son Christopher Tolkien published The Silmarillion, a collection of tales set during the First and Second Ages. However, Tolkien wrote many versions of these stories, some longer and more detailed than what appeared in The Silmarillion. To appreciate the full scope of Tolkien's subcreation, we need to look at his rough drafts as collected in Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth.

To call the Unfinished Tales a collection of rough drafts is misleading. Tolkien's rough drafts are more polished and engaging than the final works of most fantasy authors. Nevertheless, the stories in this volume were never completed, much less publishable. Christopher Tolkien provides helpful commentary situating these stories within Tolkien's legendarium. The stories provide some fascinating background material, but it's important for readers to realize that not all of these stories fit comfortably within the Middle-earth canon. Some details contradict Tolkien's published works. As such, the best way to appreciate the Unfinished Tales is to view it as an exploration of Tolkien's storytelling.

The section on the First Age contains the stories of Tuor and Túrin. Tuor is a human tasked with delivering a message to the Elven King Turgon of Gondolin. The story in Unfinished Tales primarily covers Tuor's journey to Gondolin. Tolkien is a master at describing geography and conveying the arduous nature of travel in a premodern setting. He never completed this more detailed version, which is a shame because the fall of Gondolin is one of the most epic battles in Tolkien's works. Morgoth, the dark lord of the First Age, had multiple dragons and Balrogs in his army!

The "The Children of Húrin" story is one of my favorites not just in this book, but in all of Tolkien's works. Morgoth curses Húrin's family, including his son Túrin. Túrin finds himself in a Shakespearean struggle against fate. Yet, in Tolkien's world, men have free will, so the story sets up a subtle tension between Túrin's doom and Túrin's choices. In addition, the story has dragons, incest, brigands, and even talking swords. Although the Unfinished Tales version of the story is not complete, it provides much more detail than the Silmarillion version. Fortunately, Christopher Tolkien adapted this version into a complete novel in 2007, so I would recommend readers read The Children of Húrin to get the best experience.

The Second Age focuses on the Kingdom of Númenor. The Silmarillion contains more information about the fall of Númenor, a story that echoes the myth of Atlantis. Unfinished Tales focuses on the earlier kings. "Aldarion and Erendis" is an fascinating romance, especially compared to Tolkien's more famous Beren and Lúthien story. Aldarion, heir to the Númenórean throne, falls in love with Erendis. However, Aldarion also loves the sea and sailing. Naturally, this creates tension in their marriage. This is the only love story I can recall that does not follow the pattern of Beren and Lúthien, and indeed almost comes across as the polar opposite of their relationship. Aldarion serves as yet another example that not all of Tolkien's heros are idealized archetypes.

There have never been - and likely will never be - any authorized film adaptations of these stories. However, artists have been depicting these stories for decades. In particular, I recommend Ted Nasmith's portfolio, which was featured in the companion book Tolkien's World and influenced my images of the characters and landscapes.

The Slaying of Glaurung, by Ted Nasmith

The Third Age will probably be of most interest to fans of The Lord of the Rings. It explains the fate of Isildur, last king of Gondor, and origins of Kingdom of Rohan. Perhaps the most fascinating part is "The Quest of Erebor," essentially an attempt to retcon The Hobbit with LOTR. As written, the former book is simply a light-hearted adventure story, whereas the latter is a serious epic. The two stories don't always fit seamlessly. Why, for example, did Gandalf waste his time with Thorin's quest for gold when he was also concerned with Sauron's return to power? In "The Quest of Erebor," Gandalf explains that he wanted to prevent Smaug from allying with Sauron and attacking Rivendell. Thus, he used the Dwarves to strike a covert blow against the enemy.

Like many fans of The Hobbit, I have mixed feelings about "The Quest of Erebor." It has a tendency to minimize the joy and serendipity in Bilbo's journey as told in the original novel. I'm not quite convinced that Gandalf was really that foresighted, especially as in The Hobbit he doesn't appear to connect Thorin's quest with the larger struggle against Sauron. However, Peter Jackson apparently saw this story as a missing link between the two stories and used it to bridge his Hobbit and LOTR trilogies. The Hobbit films are heavily influenced by Gandalf's account and reflect the tone of this version more than anything found in the book. Indeed, one of the tracks on the Desolation of Smaug soundtrack is titled "The Quest for Erebor."

The final section of Unfinished Tales contains a mix of background material on the wizards and palantír, among other things. The section on wizards is particularly interesting. Not only do we learn more about Radagast, we also learn more about Saruman's fall. Again, parts of it contradict Tolkien's published works, as well as his later letters (for example, Tolkien later concluded that perhaps Radagast hadn't quite failed in his mission).

Unfinished Tales isn't for casual Tolkien fans. Nevertheless, it provides fascinating insight into the Middle-earth subcreation and shows why Tolkien was such a master at fantasy literature.

Next week, I cover The Book of Lost Tales, Part I, which includes more of Tolkien's early writing.
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Ted
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect Description
Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2024
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Exactly as described
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Bryan Desmond
4.0 out of 5 stars Deeper down the rabbit-hole of Eä
Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2022
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What Christopher Tolkien did for his father's legacy is nothing short of remarkable. Without him we would not have The Silmarillion. We would not have the Great Tales of Middle-earth. We would not have much and more that further enlivens the world of J.R.R. Tolkien, and we would not have these Unfinished Tales. By his own admission, Christopher notes that his father would likely be mortified at these fragments seeing the light of day (some more fragmentary than others), but Christopher thought their recovery and release worthwhile; even necessary. I agree with him.

Unlike The Silmarillion, The Lord of the Rings, and The Hobbit, these tales are not presented as an unbroken narrative. The reason for that being that Christopher Tolkien was never interested in invention when it came to his father's works and world, he was interested only in preservation, illumination, and, when necessary, elucidation of the stories of Eä. This, I believe, is why his efforts were so effective, and why they are so respected by Tolkien fans the world over.

Now, seeing as how the stories herein are by their very nature unfinished, one has to understand what they're getting here. And frankly, you have to be very interested in the minutiae of Middle-earth. Simply put, Unfinished Tales is for the Tolkien nerd. You don't pick this up without having read much of his other work. This is for those who have read the big three I mentioned above and crave more. Because for each of the longer narratives within (Tuor's coming to the Seven Gates of Gondolin; The Children of Hurin), and for each of the extremely interesting gap-filling pieces (The Quest of Erebor; The Hunt for the Ring) there are just as many pieces that dive deep 'into the weeds' so to speak. Christopher presents to the reader all of the behind-the-scenes knowledge of what Tolkien was trying to achieve during his life spent working on these stories; the earliest conceptions, the revisions, the changed-intentions.

I guess what I'm saying is: some might find it boring. I do not. Dense, sure. But not boring. Because at the end of the day, there is simply no world like the one Tolkien created. None as deep; none as inviting; none as mysterious. This is the work of a man who spent a literal lifetime crafting a world as fully-realized and lived-in as our own, and you can't help but respect it. And thanks to Christopher, one can become further and further immersed in it. It's just a matter of how deep you want to go.
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Sirene Morgan
5.0 out of 5 stars A must to grow in Tolkien's lore
Reviewed in Mexico on April 11, 2023
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Anyone wanting to follow on the knowledge offered by the Silmarillion MUST read this book. It is probably the most fruitful book on Tolkien's lore. It expands so much on everything that is left untold in The Lord of the Rings, that it actually enhances the original material.

Every page of this book is worth what it costs.
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Katharina Kersting
1.0 out of 5 stars Kam leider kaputt bei mir an
Reviewed in Germany on October 23, 2021
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Das Buch an sich ist bestimmt toll. Leider kam es kaputt bei mir an. Es war auch nicht in Folie oder Papier oder so eingepackt, sodass das nicht verwundert.
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Katharina Kersting
1.0 out of 5 stars Kam leider kaputt bei mir an
Reviewed in Germany on October 23, 2021
Das Buch an sich ist bestimmt toll. Leider kam es kaputt bei mir an. Es war auch nicht in Folie oder Papier oder so eingepackt, sodass das nicht verwundert.
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JMC
5.0 out of 5 stars Listo
Reviewed in Mexico on July 17, 2023
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Justo lo que se esperaba.
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Jules
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 25, 2015
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Came really quick, adds so much background to the Lord of the rings books
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Ricardo
5.0 out of 5 stars Edicion de pasta blanda Houghton Mifflin
Reviewed in Mexico on December 9, 2021
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Me gusta la ilustracion de la portada,me recuerda las portadas tan bonitas con que presentaban los libros de Tolkien antes de la locura de las peliculas de Peter J.,y al igual que muchos de los libros de Tolkien este no deja de ser muy divertido e interesante para quien gusta de esta mitologia fantastica,incluye cuentos relacionados con los titulos mas famosos.Amazon lo envio a tiempo y bien empacado.
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