Suggested Tolkien Editions For Christmas

It's that time of year for me to suggest and feature some particular editions of Tolkien's works. I think this typically happens, because the films were released right around Christmas time. So, I've come to associate that time of the year with Tolkien (and fantasy overall, when there hasn't been much happening, Tolkien-wise).

So let's get into it!

First we have what I like to call the 'landscape' paperback covers. These are pretty basic, though are the 'footprint' for pretty much all editions and settings of the text. Also, the covers are different then what we typically see for a Tolkien book. Some think in a bad way, others in a good way. I believe it's due to many stating that they resemble general or average fantasy books, self-help books etc, as opposed to what we typically see for a Tolkien cover. 

Boxed set ISBN: 9780008387754
The Hobbit ISBN: 9780008376055
The Fellowship of the Ring ISBN: 9780008376062
The Two Towers ISBN: 9780008376079
The Return of the King ISBN:  9780008376086

Those editions also exist as unjacketed hardbacks. These initially existed in 2013 as the clothbound 'collector's editions.' They have been reissued (The Lord of the Rings books got brand new ISBNs, whereas The Hobbit's remained the same, however the matching changes took place as of the 15th printing) with a few changes here and there from the original 2013 set. The changes are:

- the original editions were the same height as 'typical' Tolkien hardbacks. These reissues are a bit shorter.

- the original editions were clothbound, the reissues are not.

- the reissues are cheaper than a standard Tolkien hardback (by approx $5-$10)

- For The Lord of the Rings titles, the maps of Middle-earth appeared at the front endpapers, and Rohan/Gondor/Mordor appeared at the rear endpaper for all three. For the reissues, Middle-earth is front and back for The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers, whereas The Return of the King features Middle-earth at the front, and Rohan/Gondor/Mordor at the rear.

- The Hobbit no longer includes Chapter 1 of The Lord of the Rings at the back, making the book a bit slimmer.

- The Hobbit finally features the 'all new reproductions of Tolkien's art' as initially described. What that means, is that all the artwork is in black and white - including the artwork that is typically seen in colour (such as 'Conversation With Smaug.'). The list of illustrations features the black and white versions of colour artwork with a star reading 'Black and White reproduction of J.R.R. Tolkien's colour plate by Nicollette Cavern (copyright logo) The Tolkien Estate Limited 2020.' This would be for "Rivendell", "Bilbo woke early with the sun in his eyes", "Bilbo comes to the Huts of the Raft-elves", and "Conversation with Smaug."

- the appearance for all 4 in this style has been updated slightly. They all have foiling on them: gold for The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring, copper for The Two Towers and silver for The Return of the King.

The text setting is the exact same as the paperbacks above. These are nicer than paperbacks (due to the hardback format) however, while nicer and more extravagant hardbacks, these are very budget-friendly. They are a bit cheaper than a typical, non-Tolkien hardback, and a bit more than a paperback. So, that makes these great 'starter editions' or gifts. Of course, if you like the look of them, they can also be extra copies. But don't expect too much from them. Worthy of note: their height dimensions are shorter than that of a 'usual' Tolkien hardback. 

The Hobbit ISBN: 9780007487301
The Fellowship of the Ring ISBN: 9780008567125
The Two Towers ISBN: 9780008567132
The Return of the King ISBN: 9780008567149
[no boxed set]

Next, we have the illustrated by the author trinity. All three primary titles are now out, and it's very unlikely that other titles will be released into this style. Of course, never say never, but it's unlikely. These are offered in both standard hardback and deluxe slipcased formats. 

The Hobbit ISBN: 9780008627782
The Lord of the Rings ISBN: 9780008471286
The Silmarillion ISBN: 9780008537890

Lastly, there's the illustrated hardbacks. It's personal choice if one prefers these, or the illustrated by the author editions in instances where the same title exists in both styles. This style has more titles that match, so that is worth mentioning. 

Hobbit + Lord of the Rings Boxed Set ISBN: 9780008376109

....and of course, special mention goes to the Alan Lee 1-book edition of The Lord of the Rings from 2014. (ISBN: 9780007525546) While it 100% doesn't match other Tolkien books, it can be seen as - despite some minor aesthetic and size differences - a 1-book alternative to the above editions of The Lord of the Rings. It's a nice enough edition considering the price tag.

So that's it for the recommended editions! While I may not own all of them, I can still endorse them, as I've frequently encountered them at the bookstore, and many other fans have great things to say about them. It really comes down to personal taste, of course. It's great that so many editions exist, though I wanted to highlight certain ones in case one felt overwhelmed or stuck.