The Book of Lost Tales 1(The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 1) [Mass Market Paperback]

J.R.R. Tolkien (Author), Christopher Tolkien (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 22, 1992

THE BOOK OF LOST TALES, I, stands at the beginning of the entire conception of Middle-earth and Valinor. Here is the whole, glorious history of Middle-earth that J.R.R. Tolkien brought to mythic and dramatic life with his classic fantasy novels of the Ring Cycle.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Affords us an almost over the shoulder view into the evolving creative process and genius of J.R.R. Tolkien in a new, exciting aspect... the superb, sensitive and extremely helpful commentary by Christopher Tolkien makes all this possible." -- Mythlore

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From the Inside Flap

THE BOOK OF LOST TALES, I, stands at the beginning of the entire conception of Middle-earth and Valinor. Here is the whole, glorious history of Middle-earth that J.R.R. Tolkien brought to mythic and dramatic life with his classic fantasy novels of the Ring Cycle.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 344 pages
• Publisher: Del Ray/Balantine Books (April 22, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345375211
• ISBN-13: 978-0345375216
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (48 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #450,285 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

J.R.R. Tolkien (1892.1973), beloved throughout the world as the creator of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, 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 even as he studied these classics he was creating a set of his own.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

99 of 101 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars For Tolkein fans...wonderful!, June 17, 2003

By 

Dave (Lexington, Kentucky) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Book of Lost Tales, Part One (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 1) (Hardcover)

It takes great strength of mind to be able to stick through this book, but if you're a true Tolkien fan, you'll love every minute of it. The Book of Lost Tales Part I tells the story of Eriol, a great mariner who finds his way to the lost island of Tol Eressëa, The Lonely Isle, where dwell a lost tribe of Elves. He finds himself in the company of Lindo and Vairë, who grant him shelter. He becomes a part of their lives, eagerly drinking in the stories they have to tell him of the origin of the world, and the ancient times, of Valinor, the origin of evil, the great works and deeds of the gods, and the creation of the world as it exists now.

For readers of the Silmarillion, many of the stories are familiar. They are told, however, in greater detail than that which is set down in the Silmarillion, and contain several interesting literary differences. (Nearly all of which are expounded on by Christopher Tolkien, who is, of course, the son of John Ronald Reuel Tolkien.) Some are as small as name changes, some are opposing details about the events surrounding a character. (Such as Dwarves were originally an evil race by nature, and Beren was an ELF!)

Christopher Tolkien pored through the scribbles and snatches that his father composed in his lifetime, and somehow managed to put it all together in this published form. He even offers commentary on each tale once it is finished. I often found that these commentaries are of little interest; I enjoyed the tales themselves more. Still, there are unique facts to be gleaned, such as such-and-such a page containing differences between this tale and that that Tolkien wrote, and a few interesting facts about his father.

The book contains the very beginning of Middle-Earth, as told to Eriol by Lindo. The Music of the Ainur, he learns of, and the coming of the gods down to Valinor. He learns of the dark deeds of Melko, the coming of the Elves, the darkening of Valinor, the creation of the sun and moon, the flight of the Noldili. The book ends with a tale told by an Elf named Gilfanon about the travail of the Noldili, who fled Valinor after the theft of Melko. Following the end of tales is an index on names, the etymologies, the development of names, etc.

Reading this book really gives you a feeling for how much work and effort went into the creation of the books we all enjoy, The Lord of the Rings. But little do we realize that there was a good three thousand years of history prior to that story - and Tolkien wrote it all.

If you have an enthusiasm for the works of Tolkien, the tales prior to the Rings trilogy, and the history of Middle-Earth, than you should read this book if you can. I'd recommend reading the Silmarillion first, even if you have already read it once; Christopher Tolkien compares the two many, many times. Also be forewarned that this book can be a little dry and long-winded. But for true Tolkien aficionados, it's worth every minute.

34 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Who was Iluvatar? Was he of the Gods?", November 6, 2002

By 

Larry Bridges "thebachelor" (Arlington, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Book of Lost Tales, Part One (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 1) (Paperback)

"The Book of Lost Tales, Part 1" is the first of two volumes containing the very first versions J.R.R. Tolkien wrote of the legends that ultimately formed "The Silmarillion". He began writing these stories during World War I, and his quest for perfection in their form and presentation was so rigorous that he was unable to publish any version of "The Silmarillion" before his death in 1973. His son Christopher edited "The Silmarillion" for publication and followed it up with thirteen more volumes of his father's writings on Middle-earth and Valinor: "Unfinished Tales" and the mammoth twelve-volume series "The History of Middle-earth," of which "The Book of Lost Tales" comprises the first two volumes.

"The Silmarillion" itself fails to appeal to many readers of "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings," and the thirteen tomes that followed it will have even less appeal to such readers (except perhaps for the four volumes that show how Tolkien went about writing LotR). However, for Tolkien aficionados the History series (affectionately abbreviated HoMe) is essential reading, and "The Book of Lost Tales, Part 1" is not only its beginning but one of its most important volumes. In it are found versions of the early stories of "The Silmarillion" (the birth of the Two Trees, the coming of the Elves to Valinor, the flight of the Noldoli or Gnomes, later renamed the Noldor by Tolkien, into exile, and the making of the Sun and Moon) which are far fuller than any later versions written by Tolkien, but the plots and nomenclature of which are still far from evolving into their final forms. Reading these stories is necessary to gain a full appreciation of the beauty of Valinor and of the Trees, the Elves' longing for which underlies all of Tolkien's work.

Even those readers who dislike "The Silmarillion" should seek out this book in their local libraries for the sake of the first few pages of Christopher Tolkien's introduction, in which he explains the peculiar nature of "The Silmarillion" and why it inevitably has a different sort of appeal than that of "The Lord of the Rings," and thus may put off readers who enjoy the latter work. For Tolkien fans, "The Book of Lost Tales, Part 1" is highly recommended reading.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "The Book of Lost Tales", a second "Silmarillion"?, July 3, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The Book of Lost Tales 1(The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 1) (Mass Market Paperback)

This book gives great insight to Tolkiens first ideas of Middle-Earth, the first ideas of Orcs, Elves, Balrogs, Valar and Ents. The seafarer Ælfwine (or Eriol, his name given by the Elves), comes upon the Elven island Tol Eressea, where he finds the city of Kortirion and the friendly elves Vaire and Lindo, who gives him a place to sleep and rest for several days. On the island his great lust for seafaring ceases, and he starts to learn the true story of the World from the Elves. He is told about the great Valar, the terrible Morgoth, the glory of the Early Days, and of the highest himself: Eru Iluvatar. This is a magnificent work which combines Tolkien's magic of writing with a anazing mytology, simply a masterwork, yes i would say a second Silmarillion