The Fireside

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...

The Folio Society's limited-edition of The Lord of the Rings has sold out in about 36 hours after it was announced. Sadly, I didn't get the chance to write about it here, as I often enjoy doing about new Tolkien books/editions. In their catalogue, they've been publishing editions of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings , and The Silmarillion . With the release of the limited-edition of The Lord of the Rings by Alan Lee, there's obviously been requests for matching editions of The Hobbit and The Silmarillion . THE HOBBIT For The Hobbit , they have four artists they could go with to produce a similar edition which would match the recent Lord of the Rings . First up, is John Howe, whose Smaug (above) is among my favourite Tolkien pieces. John Howe has sort-of-but-not-really illustrated The Hobbit before: he did the infamous pop-up book. This would be a wonderful occasion to include some of his newer pieces related to The Hobbit that haven't been published yet (aside ...

  At long last, the product images and description for the forth-coming collector's edition of the illustrated Silmarillion has been revealed! Here's it's ISBN, and description. Remember, this is a HarperCollins edition, and can be obtained the same way as any HarperCollins Tolkien book. Pre-order by Feb latest to ensure you get a copy. ISBN: 9780008433956 Limited to a worldwide first printing of just 4,000 copies, this deluxe edition is printed in two colours and is fully bound in cloth and stamped in gold foil. Housed in a matching custom-built slipcase decorated with stunning wraparound artwork, it also features two full-colour removable posters that are unique to this edition. The Silmarillion is the core of J.R.R. Tolkien’s imaginative writing, a collection of narratives ranging in time from the Elder Days of Middle-earth, through the Second Age and the rise of Sauron, to the end of the War of the Ring. They are set in an age when Morgoth, the firs...

This post will serve as a summary of what I like to call 'The Tolkien Illustrated Collection: Version 2.' Version 1, featured The Hobbit from 1997, The Lord of the Rings boxed set in 2002, and The Silmarillion from 2004. All of those matched one another, in terms of size dimensions and design aesthetics. I will list the following titles in the order that they were originally published. This post is done for convenience and reference purposes for those that are seeking out these editions. This collection is complete, and this post may serve well for any shoppers, due to the time of year.  THE HOBBIT ISBN: 9780008376116 "A great modern classic and the prelude to The Lord of the Rings. Smaug certainly looked fast asleep, almost dead and dark, with scarcely a snore more than a whiff of unseen steam, when Bilbo peeped once more from the entrance. He was just about to step out on to the floor when he caught a sudden thin and piercing ray of red from under the droopin...

The details of the 2021 Tolkien Calendar have been revealed! I had a feeling it would be centered around the upcoming illustrated edition of Unfinished Tales . The cover, 'The Blue Wizards Journeying East' by Ted Nasmith, was previously seen as the cover for a paperback in 2010. Slight speculation: I believe that the image used as the calendar's cover will also be the image used for the cover of the illustrated edition of Unfinished Tales . Oh and for the deluxe, it would appear as the frontispiece. "The official Tolkien calendar, this year containing twelve stunning paintings inspired by the stories collected in UNFINISHED TALES by J.R.R. Tolkien. Three of the world’s finest Tolkien artists present the Three Ages of Middle-earth in breathtaking glory. The official Tolkien calendar has become an established publishing event, eagerly anticipated by Tolkien fans the world over. Previous Tolkien calendars have become much sought after collector’s items, and this...

HarperCollins looks set to re-publish the Tolkien illustrated editions. These have been in print ever since 1997, 2002 and 2004 from Houghton Mifflin (the US Tolkien publisher), though HarperCollins has discontinued these for a bit. Note these are the "UK editions" and as such, should be bought off of a UK-based bookseller: (Amazon UK, Blackwell's Waterstones, etc) to garuntee stock actually arriving to those retailers. There is no official cover art yet, but it looks to be very close to the 1997, 2002 and 2004 publications of the illustrated titles. The price seems to be indicative that that's the case. In that sense, they should all 'match.' I know that's important to some of you - myself included - so I'll be following this until it's published to see what the size dimensions are, and relay the info here. Images used are from the illustrated editions of the '00s. All titles are to be released May 14, 2020. Here are the ISBN #s - a direct ...

Earlier today, this limited-edition, numbered, slipcased signed edition was announced. Only 3,000 will be printed! Official description follows below: Presenting two richly illustrated books in one elegant slipcase, this deluxe, limited edition boxed set celebrates in words and pictures the beautiful work that award-winning artist Alan Lee has created for J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Sumptuously bound in full cloth, with a miniature colour image embossed into the front board, each large-format volume overflows with hundreds of delicate pencil drawings and conceptual sketches, and dozens of haunting watercolour paintings, including many brand-new Hobbit paintings and drawings that take us deeper into the magical world of Bilbo Baggins. This very special set unlocks the secret of how Alan creates his own Middle-earth magic and provides a fascinating insight into the imagination of the man who breathed new life into Tolkien...

Nope, I am not talking about the 'Art of' books by Gary Russell for The Lord of the Rings  film trilogy by Peter Jackson, but Tolkien's own artwork. Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull are doing a follow-up to their Art of The Hobbit, which I do not yet own but Christmas is rapidly approaching....

  It's been a while between posts, I know. I've been reading, watching TV, and doing some writing. Working on a quick, random scene in my head so I won't lose it involving an attack on a shore featuring a chanting offensive. Yes, chanting and singing before the battle.  I want to do a bit of a different post today, this one focusing, and showcasing, some extraordinary fantasy artwork....