Fourth in a series of hardcover box sets celebrating the literary achievement of Christopher Tolkien, featuring double-sided dust jackets— one side featuring artwork by John Howe, and the original graphic treatment on the other. Set 4 contains Morgoth’ s Ring, The War of the Jewels, The Peoples of Middle-earth (Books 10– 12 of The History of Middle-earth) and The History of Middle-earth Index.
Morgoth’ s Ring is the first of two companion volumes documenting the later writing of The Silmarillion. The text of the Annals of Aman, the “ Blessed Land” in the far West, is given in full; while further writings reveal the nature of the problems that Tolkien explored in his later years, as new and radical ideas, portending upheaval in the old narratives, emerged at the heart of the mythology.
The War of the Jewels continues the account of the later history of The Silmarillion, as the story returns to Middle-earth, and the ruinous conflict of the High Elves and the Men who were their allies with the power of the Dark Lord.
The Peoples of Middle-earth is this capstone to Tolkien’ s history of Middle-earth, presenting a chronology of the later Ages, the Hobbit genealogies, and the Western language or Common Speech. Here too are valuable writings from Tolkien’ s last years: “ The New Shadow, ” in Gondor of the Fourth Age, and “ Tal-elmar, ” the tale of the coming of the Numenorean ships.
The History of Middle-earth Index presents the comprehensive indices of all twelve History of Middle-earth volumes in a single, easily referenced edition, serving as an essential complement to this extraordinary work.
Published together for the first time, these four books collect a fascinating period of Christopher Tolkien’ s forty-year career devoted to presenting his father J. R. R. Tolkien’ s writings on Middle-earth, a unique accomplishment that celebrates the greatest invented world in all of fantasy literature.
