THE LORD OF THE RINGS 70th Anniversary Edition Revealed

 

Well, this is certainly a surprise! Via the Tolkien Newsletter from HarperCollins, they've announced that later this year there will be a 70th Anniversary Edition of The Lord of the Rings! 

Sometimes, the time window can vary for when a book release is announced to when it's going to be published. I had thought that that 'window' has closed for future editions of The Lord of the Rings, especially considering how packed HarperCollins' Tolkien publishing schedule is. 

I had also thought that should there be another edition of The Lord of the Rings, that it would essentially be the Author Illustrated 1-book standard hardback, divided into 3. I was wrong! It is refreshing to see HarperCollins offer a deluxe release of The Lord of the Rings as 3 books as opposed to 1. 

For those who don't subscribe to the newsletter, here's the portion pertaining to the new edition:


We're thrilled to share an exclusive first look at this deluxe, three-volume slipcased hardback set of The Lord of the Rings, illustrated throughout by renowned Tolkien artist, Alan Lee.

For the first time since its publication in 1992, this illustrated edition has been revised and expanded, with a number of brand-new paintings, more than 50 pencil drawings created exclusively for this edition, three removable art cards, and two foldout maps of Middle-earth drawn by Christopher Tolkien. This beautifully illustrated work has been bound in cloth and leather, is enhanced for the very first time with sprayed edges, and is housed in a custom-built illustrated, clothbound slipcase stamped in silver foil.

As The Lord of the Rings celebrates its 70th anniversary, revisit Tolkien’s timeless tale with this very special edition containing more than 100 separate pieces of art that offer an immersive visual experience like never before.

There is a little bit of difference between what they put into the newsletter, and the product info, which follows: 

Three-volume, deluxe slipcased hardback set of The Lord of the Rings, illustrated throughout by acclaimed Tolkien artist, Alan Lee. Features exclusive new paintings and dozens of pencil drawings appearing for the very first time, together with three removable art cards and two foldout maps.

Since it was first published, The Lord of the Rings has been a book people have treasured. Steeped in unrivalled magic and otherworldliness, this work of sweeping fantasy has touched the hearts of young and old alike. Across its many editions, in the region of 100 million copies have been sold around the world. And no edition has proved more popular than the Centenary edition illustrated by award-winning artist, Alan Lee.

Now, for the first time since its publication in 1992, this illustrated edition has been revised and expanded, with a number of brand-new paintings and more than 50 pencil drawings added by the artist.

Readers will be able to follow the complete story of the Hobbits and their part in the quest of the Ring – beginning with Bilbo’s Long-expected Party and culminating in the dramatic climax between Frodo and Gollum atop Mount Doom – while also enjoying more than fifty full-page colour paintings and numerous illustrations which accompany this epic tale.

This new hardback set of this beautifully illustrated work has been bound in cloth and leather and features brand-new cover designs by the artist. The three volumes are housed in a custom-built illustrated slipcase stamped in silver foil with designs created exclusively by Alan Lee and are accompanied by three removable art cards, and two foldout maps of Middle-earth drawn by Christopher Tolkien.

The publication date is October 10, and the ISBN is 9780008669430. 

This also opens the doors for potential matching editions of The Hobbit (also by Alan Lee?), The Silmarillion (by Ted Nasmith), and Unfinished Tales (Ted Nasmith, Alan Lee and John Howe). This could have further releases by way of The Children of Hurin, Beren and Luthien, The Fall of Gondolin, The Fall of Numenor, The Complete Guide to Middle-earth and possibly Tales From the Perilous Realm.