The Fireside

  The latest Tolkien book (by or about) to join the Signature Paperback Collection is Tom Shippey's Author of the Century . The ISBN on it is 9780261104013.  A slightly surprising title, as I had thought and hoped that other titles would make it into this style first. And speaking of this, style, I've added it to my Master Listing of these editions:  https://insurrbution.blogspot.com/2024/05/the-tolkien-signature-paperback.html   Please note that some titles have 'rotated' around the Collection Numbers. 

  This fall, a 90 th Anniversary Edition of The Hobbit will be published. It will be the first edition to have illustrations by Tove Jansson – accompanied by the text in English. The anniversary portion of the book reads: “Landmark new 90th anniversary edition featuring a wealth of charming illustrations from Tove Jansson, creator of the Moomins, published in English for the first time.” However, that’s this fall. Next fall is the actual 90 th Anniversary, as The Hobbit was published in September of 1937. So….what edition will come out next fall?? I have a speculation on that: I believe, knowing the publishers’ lately, that it’ll be the same book…but in a deluxe tier. So, expect it to come out next year in a slipcased edition, with a ribbon-marker, possibly a frontispiece (in colour, perhaps?) and one or two other things. But I expect the book to be the same – just ‘presented’ differently.  The edition coming this fall will have one cover design. It’s poss...

With The Fall of Numenor  revitalizing the Special Edition format in November, it would be interesting to see what other Tolkien titles could make it to that format.  One of the ones I could see appearing, would be Letters From Father Christmas .  I'll go into speculating and imagining.  The 'basis' for how it could look would be the 2004/2005 editions, published by both Houghton Mifflin (at the time: now William Morrow) and HarperCollins. At least, for the dustjacket. I can see it being red, with the image of Father Christmas above being used. These Special Editions feature the image in a circle, so it could look like that rather than a square. Tolkien's name would of course be in 'signature form.'  The foil used for the font could be in silver rather than gold, an homage to HarperCollins' deluxe edition. The contents of the interior of the book itself would be what was present in the 2020 Centenary Edition, and the current hardbacks. The ribbon marker coul...

  S omething interesting is on the way.  A new edition of The Fall of Numenor  has been spotted, and it's a.....different edition/format.  The publisher, HarperCollins, has some terminology that they use for various editions: "Collector's Edition", "Deluxe Edition" and "Special Edition" and the like.  With most Tolkien hardcovers, you usually have the normal version that features a dustjacket, and then you have a higher-tiered deluxe edition.  However, this November, a 'Special Edition' is on the way.  Here is the info: " A special edition of J.R.R. Tolkien’s writings on the Second Age of Middle-earth collected in one volume, illustrated by Alan Lee. Guided by the Dark Lord Sauron, the Elves of Eregion forge the Rings of Power. Yet in secret he has begun building the Barad-dûr in Mordor, and here, in the fires of Mount Doom, he makes the One Ring. Seeking to rule Middle-earth, Sauron begins to wage terrible war upon them. On the island...

  In the 'new blue' illustrated deluxe editions (of which The Hobbit  and The Lord of the Rings  belong to) William Morrow and HarperCollins will both be offering a deluxe illustrated edition of The Great Tales Trilogy ( The Children of Hurin, Beren and Luthien and The Fall of Gondolin ).  This appears to be a deluxe version of the boxed set that came out last year. I'm also really glad that they were grouping this books together, rather than individually. Perhaps they'll do a Signature Paperback Collection boxed set some day....?  The HarperCollins version arrives in June and the William Morrow one in July. For anyone wondering, The Silmarillion  turns 50 next year. I think this year (2026) will be 'quiet' for Middle-earth books, so the publishers likely issued this one out now, saving The Silmarillion for next year. After that, I can see Unfinished Tales  in 2028, The Fall of Numenor  in 2029, and then Tales From the Perilous Realm  in 2030...

  Typically, these come out the same day as the standard edition. Here's the info!  ISBN   9780008815134 "Deluxe slipcased edition of this previously unknown short satirical fantasy by J.R.R. Tolkien edited by his son, Christopher Tolkien, accompanied by illustrations from the author together with an essay, 'The Origin of Bovadium', by Richard Ovenden OBE, and featuring an exclusive foldout colour frontispiece. As Christopher Tolkien notes in his Introduction,  The Bovadium Fragments  was a ‘satirical fantasy’ written by his father, which grew out of a planning controversy that erupted in Oxford in the late 1940s, when J.R.R. Tolkien was the Merton Professor of English Language and Literature. Written initially for his own amusement, Tolkien’s tale was a private academic jest that poked gentle fun at such things as 'the pomposities of archaeologists' and 'the hideousness of college crockery'. However, it was at the same time expressing a barbed  cri de...

  This boxed set was announced over the Holidays (or just  before) so I didn't have time to break the news here. So I apologize for being late to the party, but here's the details for Myths & Legends: Boxed Set II! It is arriving in May from HarperCollins (and close to around the same time by William Morrow), and here are the details. "A stunning hardcover boxed set celebrating J.R.R. Tolkien’s work inspired by the myths and legends of Europe, featuring double-sided dustjackets. This unique set contains Finn and Hengest, The Story of Kullervo, The Lay of Aotrou and Itroun, and The Battle of Maldon along with The Old English Exodus, reprinted for the first time in 50 years. For the first time since it was published in the 1980s, this boxed set includes The Old English Exodus, a translation of the Old English poem telling the story of the Israelites fleeing Egypt. Tolkien’s aim with this translation was to interpret the poem, reconstruct what the original may have looked...

  I've always found 'Christmas' (or 'winter' in general) and 'fantasy' go hand-in-hand for a few reasons I could write an entire post (perhaps someday I'll do that....), so that means it's about time for my annual Christmas ideas for you  - for yourself, for shopping for others....this isn't neccessarily stuff I  want....but stuff I recommend .  It's not just Tolkien, however, Tolkien is on this list, and I'll start there.  TOLKIEN Paperbacks: The Hobbit  (paperback edition) ISBN  9780007458424 Description: " The Hobbit is the unforgettable story of Bilbo, a peace-loving hobbit, who embarks on a strange and magical adventure. A timeless classic. Bilbo Baggins enjoys a quiet and contented life, with no desire to travel far from the comforts of home; then one day the wizard Gandalf and a band of dwarves arrive unexpectedly and enlist his services - as a burglar - on a dangerous expedition to raid the treasure-hoard of Smaug the dragon....

  Today marks 70 years since The Lord of the Rings  was published in full, by way of The Return of the King  being published.  Since that The Lord of the Rings  is one novel (not a series of  them), I always choose to recognize its significant anniversaries when The Return of the King was published, not The Fellowship of the Ring .  There are a bevy of editions to choose from, however, the appropriate 70th Anniversary Edition should be showcased in this post.  The description reads: " 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 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 t...

  More details have come through for the upcoming Lord of the Rings  70th Anniversary Limited Edition. Info follows below: "Since it was first published seventy years ago,  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. 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, it has been revised and expanded with new paintings and illustrations, and is presented in a stunning three-volume boxed edition, numbered and signed by the artist and with many unique and exclusive features. This very special three-volume edition of The Lord of the Rings has been printed by Graphicom S.p.A. in Vicenza, Italy, on Munken L...

  I've updated the Master Listing for the Tolkien Signature Paperback Collection for a few items: https://insurrbution.blogspot.com/2024/05/the-tolkien-signature-paperback.html I've added Finn and Hengest  and The Monsters and the Critics .  Of the Tolkien books that currently exist in paperback, not many of them exist that aren't available in the Signature format.  This next bit is going on assumptions, though once/if these titles make it to the style, expect it as such: Collection VII: The Fall of Numenor  and The History of The Hobbit .  There may be a few more titles to make a Collection XII out of, and also once all Tolkien paperbacks by HarperCollins are out in the Signature Collection, I may re-organize some of the Collections (specifically, Collections XI & IX, for instance.  We'll see what titles continue to come out, that is. 

  I’d like to take a moment of appreciation for this edition of LotR , from back in 2014 (ISBN 9780007525546). This edition is now out of print, and is no longer sold new from the likes of Waterstones, Blackwell’s, Amazon directly, etc . Description: “A sumptuous new one-volume edition of Tolkien’s classic masterpiece that is fully illustrated throughout in watercolour by the acclaimed and award-winning artist, Alan Lee, and housed in a special transparent slipcase. Since it was first published in 1954, The Lord of the Rings has been a book people have treasured. Steeped in unrivalled magic and otherworldliness, its sweeping fantasy has touched the hearts of young and old alike. Well over 100 million copies of its many editions have been sold around the world, and occasional collectors’ editions become prized and valuable items of publishing. With the epic trilogy now an acclaimed, award-winning and billion-dollar success, images of the characters and landscapes have become iconic...

Earlier today, it was announced that there would be a clamshell boxed set of The Lord of the Rings , celebrating its 70th Anniversary.  It will be limited edition and if interested, sign up for notices here:  https://signup.harpercollins.co.uk/join/6n7/signup-tolkien-clamshell-waitinglist?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwMAh-tleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHjE92MmKi9w2wE0ikk89jkv8bpFPpvB1lByU9w1ur2LxJac8plJQ7CKf7Y9X_aem_e7NcBW1HPC2vAHv9A31reQ More details will come through this blog (via follow-up posts), hopefully in a timely manner. But, to get the most up-to-date info, please check out the above link as opposed to relying on me!  It will be a 'more deluxe' edition of the deluxe edition that was published in 2024, and definitely  for the most ardent of fans. As of this writing, the 202 set is the best overall, wit regards to quality and cost. The higher these tiers go, the more they cost - but is that cost justified? That comes down to individual preference and taste. What I meant earlier is, you...

  Coming this November is a deluxe edition of The Hobbit, illustrated by Alan Lee. This edition will match the 70th Anniversary Deluxe Edition of The Lord of the Rings . It's great that this edition will exist, as it'll mean that the recent edition of LotR  won't be "alone." Perhaps in the near future a Ted Nasmith illustrated deluxe edition of The Silmarillion  - in this style , that is - will exist....?   The ISBN for this (for the HarperCollins edition) is  9780008779900  . Note that it will also be available in the States from William Morrow.  Deluxe slipcased hardback edition of The Hobbit, illustrated throughout by acclaimed Tolkien artist, Alan Lee. Features exclusive new paintings and black & white designs appearing for the very first time, together with a removable art card and two foldout maps. Whisked away from his comfortable, unambitious life in his hobbit-hole in Bag End by Gandalf the wizard and a band of dwarves, Bilbo Ba...

 Just wanted to quickly let you know that this post has been updated a few times: https://insurrbution.blogspot.com/2024/05/the-tolkien-signature-paperback.html Some new titles have been added that will be coming out in the new style within a few months. 

  A new Tolkien book has been announced for publication in the fall: The Bovadium Fragments . It's certainly one that I haven't heard of before, and as such, was not expecting. Off the bat, it is not  Middle-earth related. I know there's some readers that only care for the Middle-earth material, so I wanted to make that distinction. It would fit more in line with material such as Mr. Bliss  and Tales From the Perilous Realm . It has been announced as both hardback and eBook, from both publishers. As such, ISBNs won't be needed, as finding it should be simple enough at this stage. I'm undecided as to which format I'd want: hardback (I understand the appeal of a new Tolkien book in hardback, though I'm looking forward to unboxing/'look inside' type videos), eBook (to have  and read, without taking up physical space) or to wait for the paperback edition. As time draws near and I see  more of the book....I'll reach a decision. But I will get it!  To ...

  The 'Tolkien Signature Collection' has now had quite a few titles added to it, as you can see from my Master Post, found here: https://insurrbution.blogspot.com/2024/05/the-tolkien-signature-paperback.html There are, however, a few titles here and there yet to make it to that precise format, which paperback editions do  exist. I'll outline what exists in paperback, but is not yet in The Signature Collection. I'm sourcing an older post, with updates where necessary. ~ Letters From Father Christmas . I can picture how this could look in my head: it would feature the image which has adorned the front covers in shape or form of various editions over recent years; and the book's colour would be red. HarperCollins could use a new ISBN for it, or merely use the one of the previous paperback edition:  9780007280490. Perhaps the foil stamping would be silver rather than gold for this one instance - much like the deluxe edition. This is also worthy of mention, due to the fa...