Tolkien For Christmas



Everybody knows someone who likes Tolkien.

About 13 years ago, I saw The Fellowship of the Ring in cinemas, and received The Lord of the Rings (single volume hardback edition) for Christmas that year. That, and other things have made me associate fall and winter with fantasy. Essentially, since then I have become a fan of Tolkien.

That said, here are some suggestions worth checking out for gifts to others...or perhaps yourself.

First of all, there's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. I definitely recommend starting with those if you (or person buying for) have never read Tolkien before. 

But what if you (or the person you're buying for) has already those??

I also suggest picking up The Children of Hurin. Especially for those who have read and enjoyed The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. This Tolkien's equal to a Greek tragedy, and is set in the First Age - so hundreds of hundreds of years before The Hobbit. It is also quite darker than The Lord of The Rings. 

 Also, if you or the person you are shopping for likes ancient epic poetry, then I definitely recommend picking up one of Tolkien's best publications (which is not part of the Middle-earth Legends) which is The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun. It is a narrative poem composed in alliterative verse. 

 Finally, if you enjoy something more whimsical or were a big fan of the style of The Hobbit, be sure not to miss out on Tales From the Perilous Realm, written with the same charm and style as The Hobbit. Just like The Hobbit, Tales will appeal to both the young and old; and of course completists. This title is essentially a short story collection, and most of the titles can be purchased separately.  

 Various editions of these can be found on http://www.bookdepository.com/  , http://www.tolkien.co.uk and of course bookstores such as Chapters Indigo, Barnes & Noble and Waterstones. 

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