The Lord of the Rings Series

An epic fantasy series that follows the journey of Frodo and his companions as they seek to destroy the One Ring and save Middle-earth. The story is filled with adventure, friendship, and the battle between good and evil.

Unfinished tales of Númenor and Middle-earth

The Lord of the Rings 3. The Return of the King

The Lord of the Rings 1. The Fellowship of the Ring

Recommended Reading Order

1
The Lord of the Rings 1. The Fellowship of the Ring
J. R. R. Tolkien
536 pages
19 hours of reading
4.7(46489)Add rating
The Fellowship of the Ring is the first part of J.R.R. Tolkien's great work of imaginative fiction The Lord of the Rings. It is impossible to convey to the new reader all the book's qualities, and the range of its creation. By turns comic, homely, epic, monstrous and diabolic, the narrative moves through countless changes of scenes and character in an imaginary world which is totally convincing in its detail. In the words of the novelist Richard Hughes 'For width of imagination it almost beggars parallel, and it is nearly as remarkable for its vividness and narrative skills which carries the reader on enthralled for page after page'. Tolkien created in The Lord of the Rings a new mythology in an invented world which has proved timeless in its appeal.
2
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
J. R. R. Tolkien
4.5(636017)Add rating
The Fellowship was scattered. Some were bracing hopelessly for war against the ancient evil of Sauron. Some were contending with the treachery of the wizard Saruman. Only Frodo and Sam were left to take the accursed Ring of Power to be destroyed in Mordor, the dark Kingdom where Sauron was supreme. Their guide was Gollum, deceitful and lust-filled, slave to the corruption of the Ring.
3
The Lord of the Rings 3. The Return of the King
J. R. R. Tolkien
432 pages
16 hours of reading
4.7(9306)Add rating
The armies of the Dark Lord are massing as his evil shadow spreads ever wider. Men, dwarves, elves and ents unite forces to do battle against the Dark. Meanwhile, Frodo and Sam struggle further into Mordor in their heroic quest to destroy the One Ring.
The Children of Húrin
Alan Lee
4.1(68622)Add rating
"The great tale of The children of Húrin, set during the legendary time before the Lord of the Rings. Morgoth, the first Dark Lord, dwells in the vast fortress of Angband in the North; and within the shadow of the fear of Angband, and the war waged by Morgoth against the Elves, the fates of Túrin and his sister Nienor will be tragically entwined. Their brief and passionate lives are dominated by the elemental hatred that Morgoth bears them as the children of Húrin, the man who dared to defy him to his face. Against them Morgoth sends his most formidable servant, Glaurung, a powerful spirit in the form of a huge wingless dragon of fire, in an attempt to fulfil the curse of Morgoth and destroy the children of Húrin."--Cover verso.
Unfinished tales of Númenor and Middle-earth
J. R. R. Tolkien
512 pages
18 hours of reading
4.0(29895)Add rating
An extraordinary discovery is waiting for you on these pages. Mythic lore and forgotten legends unearthed by Christopher Tolkien from his father's archives unveil never-before-told stories of the three ages of ancient Middle-earth. THE FIRST AGE Young lord Turin fled from Morgoth’s forces, wandering in disguise as an outlaw until he could avenge his people against the evil that had razed his home. But Turin lived under the curse of a hateful dragon—and the lord’s secret identity hid more than he knew. THE SECOND AGE Prince Aldarion’s heart belonged to Erendis, but his passion lay with the ocean, and the great ships that sailed beyond the sight of the land. But no man could serve two mistresses—and no mortal’s love could withstand the lure of the sea. THE THIRD AGE The great warrior Isildur escaped with the One Ring, cut from the Dark Lord Sauron’s hand, to hide it from Evil’s grasp. But Isildur would learn the burden of a ringbearer—and of its temptation and despair.
The Hobbit
J. R. R. Tolkien
4.6(76140)Add rating
The Hobbit is a tale of high adventure, undertaken by a company of dwarves in search of dragon-guarded gold. A reluctant partner in this perilous quest is Bilbo Baggins, a comfort-loving unambitious hobbit, who surprises even himself by his resourcefulness and skill as a burglar. Encounters with trolls, goblins, dwarves, elves and giant spiders, conversations with the dragon, Smaug, and a rather unwilling presence at the Battle of Five Armies are just some of the adventures that befall Bilbo. Bilbo Baggins has taken his place among the ranks of the immortals of children's fiction. Written by Professor Tolkien for his own children, The Hobbit met with instant critical acclaim when published.
The Fall of Numenor
J. R. R. Tolkien
4.3(3812)Add rating
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-kingdom of Númenor, the Men of the West become mighty, building great ships to increase their influence throughout Middle-earth. But as their power grows, the seed of their downfall is sown. Only by uniting in alliance with the Elves can they hope to overcome Sauron.
Tales from the Perilous Realm
J. R. R. Tolkien
4.1(4469)Add rating
This is the definitive collection of Tolkien's five acclaimed modern classic 'fairie' tales in the vein of The Hobbit, fully corrected and reset for this edition and all beautifully illustrated in pencil by the award-winning artist, Alan Lee.
The Silmarillion
J. R. R. Tolkien
4.0(246414)Add rating
The tales of The Silmarillion are set in an age when Morgoth, the first Dark Lord, dwelt in Middle-Earth, and the High Elves made war upon him for the recovery of the Silmarils, the jewels containing the pure light of Valinor.
The Fall of Gondolin
J. R. R. Tolkien
304 pages
11 hours of reading
4.1(10501)Add rating
In the Tale of The Fall of Gondolin are two of the greatest powers in the world. There is Morgoth of the uttermost evil, unseen in this story but ruling over a vast military power from his fortress of Angband. Deeply opposed to Morgoth is Ulmo, second in might only to Manwë, chief of the Valar.
The Book of Lost Tales. Part I
J. R. R. Tolkien
3.9(12785)Add rating
Before The Silmarillion, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, the earliest myths and legends of Middle-earth and Valinor were laid down in The Book of Lost Tales, written by J.R.R. Tolkien between 1916 and 1920, and compiled by Christopher Tolkien for publication in 1983. The Book of Lost Tales stands at the beginning of the entire conception of Middle-earth and Valinor, for the Tales were the first form of the myths and legends that came to be called The Silmarillion. Embedded in English legend, they are set in the narrative frame of a great westward voyage over the Ocean by a mariner named Eriol to the lonely Isle where the Elves dwelt; from them he learned their true history, the Lost Tales of Elfinesse. In the Tales are found the earliest accounts of Gods and Elves, Dwarves, Balrogs and Orcs; of the Silmarils and the Two Trees of Valinor; of the geography and cosmology of Tolkien's invented world. This first volume in Christopher Tolkien's epic History of Middle-earth series is the perfect gateway for anyone wanting to tread deeper into the rich tapestry of Tolkien's world and discover the evolution of the Middle-earth stories.
Beren and Lúthien
J. R. R. Tolkien
4.2(722)Add rating
Painstakingly restored from Tolkien's manuscripts, this epic tale presents the story of Beren and Lúthien as a continuous and standalone narrative, reuniting fans with the rich landscape of Middle-earth, populated by Elves, Men, Dwarves, and Orcs. This tale is essential to the evolution of The Silmarillion, reflecting the myths and legends of the First Age conceived by J.R.R. Tolkien. Written after his return from the battle of the Somme in 1916, the story centers on the love between Beren, a mortal man, and Lúthien, an immortal Elf. Their love is shadowed by the opposition of Lúthien's father, a powerful Elvish lord, who imposes an impossible task on Beren before he can wed her. This sets the stage for their heroic quest to confront Morgoth, the greatest evil being, in an attempt to steal a Silmaril. Christopher Tolkien endeavors to extract this story from its larger context, illustrating its evolution through various forms, including prose and verse from later texts. By presenting these elements together for the first time, he reveals aspects of the narrative that were lost over time, showcasing the development of this legendary tale within Middle-earth.