The History of Middle-earth Books in Order
A twelve-volume scholarly series edited by Christopher Tolkien that collects and annotates his father J.R.R. Tolkien's drafts, poems, and unpublished writings, tracing the decades-long evolution of the Middle-earth legendarium. Published from 1983 to 1996, it documents the development of works from The Book of Lost Tales through The Lord of the Rings and the later Silmarillion materials.
Publication order
In the order the books were originally released.
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![Cover of The Book of Lost Tales [1/2]](https://covers.openlibrary.org/b/id/9293488-M.jpg)
Buy on Amazon1986 · J.R.R. Tolkien
Eriol arrives on the 'Lonely Island' in mythical prehistoric England and stays at the "Cottage of Lost Play," owned by elves Lindo and Vairë. They…
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![Cover of The Book of Lost Tales [2/2]](https://covers.openlibrary.org/b/id/8220093-M.jpg)
Buy on Amazon1986 · J.R.R. Tolkien
The book continues from "Part I" and follows Eriol, who arrives at the 'Cottage of Lost Play,' a home owned by Lindo and Vairë. While staying there,…
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Buy on Amazon1985 · Christopher Tolkien
This is the third volume of the History of Middle-earth, a series that includes previously unpublished manuscripts written by J.R.R. Tolkien over…
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Buy on Amazon1986 · Christopher Tolkien
This reference traces the development of the early lore of Middle-earth through poems, prose, maps, and chronologies gathered by Christopher Tolkien…
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Buy on AmazonThe lost road and other writings
1987 · Christopher Tolkien
The fifth volume of the twelve-volume series The History of Middle-earth, edited by Christopher Tolkien. At the end of 1937, J.R.R. Tolkien set aside…
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Buy on Amazon1988 · Christopher Tolkien
The Return of the Shadow is the first volume of The History of The Lord of the Rings and the sixth volume of The History of Middle-earth. It details…
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Buy on Amazon1989 · Christopher Tolkien
The Treason of Isengard is the second volume of The History of The Lord of the Rings and the seventh in The History of Middle-earth. It continues the…
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Buy on Amazon1990 · Christopher Tolkien
The War of the Ring is the third volume of The History of The Lord of the Rings and the eighth in The History of Middle-earth. It follows the events…
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Buy on Amazon1992 · Christopher Tolkien
In the first part, Christopher Tolkien completes the account of the writing of The Lord of the Rings, from Sam's rescue of Frodo through a different…
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Buy on Amazon1993 · Christopher Tolkien
In Morgoth's Ring, the tenth volume of The History of Middle-earth, Christopher Tolkien presents and explains the legends of the Elder Days as his…
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Buy on Amazon1994 · Christopher Tolkien
The War of the Jewels (1994) is the 11th volume of Christopher Tolkien's series The History of Middle-earth, analyzing the unpublished manuscripts of…
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Buy on Amazon1996 · J.R.R. Tolkien
The concluding volume of the series collects Tolkien's late writings, many concerning the appendices and framework of The Lord of the Rings. It…
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Frequently asked questions
What order should I read the The History of Middle-earth books in?
Read them in publication order, starting with “The Book of Lost Tales [1/2]”. Start with “The Book of Lost Tales [1/2].”
How many books are in the The History of Middle-earth series?
We list 12 books by Christopher Tolkien , published between 1985–1996.
Where can I buy the The History of Middle-earth books?
Each title above links to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
Reading order compiled from author/publisher guidance and verified bibliographic data. Spotted an error? We continuously correct the catalog.