The Sword of Shannara
by Terry Brooks
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (12 July, 1983)
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Reviews (472)

Super Cool
This is the thrilling story of two brothers, Flick and Shea Ohmsford who must go on a journey to save the Forelands. Shea, who was adopted by the Ohmsfords is now the last of the House of Shannara and the only one who can wield the sword that will stop the evil Warlord Broana, the Sword of Shannara. The Sword of Shannara is the only weapon equal to the power of Broana. When Shea finally confronts Brona one on one Shea learns the truth of the power of the sword. Will he buckle under lack of faith, of will he defeat Broana and save the forelands?
The Sword of Shannara is a very excellent fantasy book. It is easily one of my most favorite books. "The Sword of Shannara" is just the first in the epic Shannara series.
When I bought this book at Barns & Noble the man at the counter said that "The Sword of Shannara" was one of the best books he had ever read. After reading this book I would have to agree. This has to be Terry Brooks' best writing. Her style is stunning. The way it pulls you into the story will keep you turning pages. If you like "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy or the "Harry Potter" series this is the book for you.

An unimpressive start to a great series
OK, I know a lot of the reviewers have banged on Brooks for his lack of originality so I will spare the long diatribe on this topic.But it does bear mentioning that this is the least original book of the series, which makes sense, since this was the first book Brooks ever wrote, and he was obviously feeling his way, especially in the first half of the book, and he naturally used what has been written before as a crutch.

Does that make Brooks a terrible author?No, and I think his book sales and subsequent track record defends this.But it does make this book trying to read at times, especially if you are familiar with Tolkein.A lot of the initial characters do resemble the beloved protagonists (and infamous antagonists) from the LOTR series.But a funny thing happens around the middle of the book: the plot begins to twist away from the familiar and begins going a (slightly) new direction.New characters are introduced, with only a slight resemblance to LOTR characters.You begins to see glimpses of Brooks' future brilliance in his writing.Panamon Creel is a great character, quite unlike anything Tolkein ever used.The great troll Keltset is a mysterious figure, and keeps you guessing until near the end.When Flick crept through the army of the Warlock Lord trying to rescue the captured elven king you are on the edge of your seat. The pages flash by.Yes, a lot of it is leaning heavily on Tolkein, but you see enough distinctive writing to keep those pages turning.

This is clearly the weakest book of the first three, but it is neccessary to start here to fully appreciate future books.Don't let the first third bore you and scare you away: better stuff will show up before you reach the end, and the next book in particular is well worth the "trials" of completing this book.

The Sword of Shannara--one of the best books of all time
If all you people do not know your history this book was the second fantasy series ever written. It is not in any way a copy of lord of the rings, I have read both series. This is one of the greatest books of all time. There is so much energy in Brooks writting from his first book than he has in all of his books put together. I have to say take my word for it I have read more than 200 fantasy novels in my 30 years and this is on my top ten list best written books of all time. It is a must read. I could not put it down I read it in about 4 days. ... Read more

Isbn: 0345314255
Sales Rank: 9993
Subjects:  1. Fantastic fiction    2. Fantasy    3. Fantasy - Series    4. Fiction - Fantasy    5. Fiction / Fantasy / General   

The Elfstones of Shannara (Sword of Shannara)
by Terry Brooks
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Paperback (12 December, 1983)
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Reviews (176)

A rare true 5-star book!!!
In this sequel to the Sword of Shannara, Brooks swings for the fences, and connects in a big way.This grand epic tale picks up some 50 years after the end of the Sword.The Druid Allanon again walks the earth, for evil magic threatens the inhabitants of the Four Lands.He turns again to the Ohmsford faimily to help him defeat this evil, this time in the person of Shea's grandson, Wil.Once again we see elves, gnomes, dwarves, trolls, and mankind joined in a struggle for their very existance, but with a twist: this time they are all fighting together against the evil Demons who threaten to break free of their mystical prison of eons.The story becomes one of two parts: a heroic struggle of the combined armies of Elves, man, dwarves, and trolls against the Demon hoards, and the frantic flight of Wil Ohmsford as he guides the elven girl Amberle to the mystic place where the seed of the Ellcrys can be reborn, once again trapping the demons in their hated prison.

This tale is so much better than the first book that it often is hard to believe that they were written by the same author.But Brooks' brilliant prose, inspired story lines, and wonderful characters - only observed in flashes in the Sword of Shannara - are on full display throughout the Elfstones of Shannara.The reader is drawn into this book almost instantly, and before 50 pages are gone there is no way you can put this book down.Written in flashes of headlong action and peaceful interludes, one can scarcely catch their breath before the action carries them forward again.Once again Brooks presents us some wonderfully real characters: the old king Eventine, seeing his health and his people slip away as the enemy draws near, seemingly unstoppable.The saucy Rover girl who fancies Wil, yet still risks her life several times to save Amberele. The indomitable Stee Jans and his Free Corps, a kind of French Foreign Legion.The Elven Prince Ander, so unsure of himself or his place with his people, rising to become a crafty and trusted leader.The book literally crawls with great characters, making the reading of this such a joy.

The seige of Arborlon ranks right up there with some of the classic seiges in fantasy literature: Minas Tirath in the Return of the King.Revelstone in The Power That Preseves.With this book Terry Brooks serves notice that he is not just another derivitive author hanging onto Tolkein's coattails, but a powerufl and compelling author in his own right.I don't give out many 5-star ratings, but this book richly deserves it.

Wow.Even better than the Sword of Shannara.
Having gotten used to mediocre sequels from authors who know that their books will sell after writing one big hit, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Brooks actually elevated his writing in this book.While both books were great and consist of epic themes with end-of-the-world consequences, Elfstones had a lot more heart-pounding, gut-wrenching action.I mean this book is exciting.

The reluctant hero of Amberle initially doesn't understand the full importance of the quest imposed upon her.It doesn't really matter though because she darn sure understands the terrible consequences of refusing to go on (with the Reaper breathing down her neck throughout the book).All of the characters in this book are so vividly described as to be almost tangible.Honest to God, the reader feels a real connection to these heros and a real disgust/fear of the demons.This is one of a very few (maybe the only one ever) that actually brought tears to my eyes so real were the feelings.

Seriously one of the most beautifully written books i've ever come across.Strongly reccomended.

The Best of All The Shannara Books, In My Opinion
A little known fact that some may not know is that Elfstones may have never been.After the success of Sword, Del Rey told Terry Brooks to start on a sequel to Sword, even though he never had intentions on doing so (and look where he has taken us since).So he set about doing just that.But he didn't write Elfstones.He wrote a completely different novel.It had no Ohmsfords in it and was about Menion Leah's grandson.It concerned him and a young woman whose magic was singing, like a siren (which he later borrowed from to write Wishsong).After finishing it and sending it to Del Rey, he waited.It was sent back and Lester Del Rey said it was horrid and start over.So he did and he wrote Elfstones.

What he wrote, in my mind set him apart from Tolkien and a completely different story than Sword.Once again he picked up with the Ohmsfords.The Ellcrys, the tree that the Elves made thousands of years before is dying.And with her is the ability to keep the barrier between the Four Lands and The Forbidding still strong.Without the barrier the demons (who were pushed into the Forbidding years ago by the elves) will begin to issue their dominance on the world.So the druid Allanon summons Wil Ohmsford to first help him convince the elfgirl Amberle to take a seed from the Ellcrys to the Bloodfire.He then must protect her on this perilous journey with only the Elfstones to protect her and him.Elfstones that he can barely use.Tailing them is The Reaper a most feared demon.

The aspects I like in this book are even though he is an Ohmsford, Wil can barely use the magic that Allanon gives him.We also meet the Rovers for the first time.They become very important in later books.Eretria is one of Brooks' most endearing characters.The battle between Allanon and the Dagda Moor is probably one of the best battle scenes in all his books (and the one that would look the best on screen, if it is ever a movie).And even though the ending is very heart-wrenching and leaves you kind of blah, but it sets up Wishsong, to me this is his best Shannara book.

... Read more

Isbn: 0345285549
Sales Rank: 13095
Subjects:  1. Fantastic fiction    2. Fantasy    3. Fantasy - Epic    4. Fantasy - General    5. Fantasy - Series    6. Fiction    7. Fiction - Fantasy    8. Fiction / Fantasy / General   

The Wishsong of Shannara
by Terry Brooks
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (12 July, 1988)
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Reviews (68)

A solid third installment in the Shannara series
The final part of the original Shannara series, Wishsong continues the story of the Ohmsfords and their relationship with Allanon.Once again evil magic threatens the Four Lands and Allanon appears to do battle with it.This time he seeks the services of Brin Ohmsford, the daughter of Wil and Eretria.Wil's use of the Elfstones during his defense of Amberle in the Elfstones of Shannara have left their mark in him: by passing on the elven magic to his children.Now the magic is not contained within an object, but inside Wil's children: older sister Brin and younger brother Jair.It takes the form of "the Wishsong" (so termed by Brin), a magical ability that can make anything Brin sings for happen.Jair has this ability too, but to a lesser extent: for him, the power is one of illusion only.Allanon needs Brin's help to defeat the Illdatch, a book of ineffable damnation and long the source of evil magic in the Four Lands.Allanon intends to find this book and destroy it once and for all, but he needs Brin's strange magic Wishsong to succeed.

This effort by Brooks comes on the heels of his best book in the Shannara series, and seems a bit flat in the very beginning, with old, familiar scenes: a dark and stormy night, evil shadows slipping around, the appearance of Allanon, evil in the land-oh, my!But the story line quickly picks up as Brin and Allanon set out on their epic journey in the company of Rone Leah, a descendent of the Menion Leah from the first book.Left behind, Jair quickly runs afoul of the forces conspiring against his sister and realizes that the danger is more than either of them realize.And off he goes to try and find his sister and Allanon to warn them of their danger.Before long he is caught up in his own quest to save his sister from the evil allure of the dark magic and to cleanse the land of the evil taint.

Wishsong delivers the old Brooks standards of a racing storyline, poignant self-discoveries by the protagonists, and of course, a great supporting cast.Slanter, the gnome who seems to be an outcast from all the races of the lands, finds hope through Jair's sacrifices.We meet Cogline, an irrascible old coot living in the middle of nowhere with strange powers and ancient knowledge that belie his wild mannerisms and appearance.But the best of all these characters is Garet Jax, the Weapons Master.A mysterious figure misunderstood by almost all the other characters, Jax represents the ultimate single warrior.He has never lost a fight no matter what the odds.He appears to flat through most combats in the book, dealing out indiscriminate death almost effortlessly.But in true Brooks fashion, the Weapons Master is not the hard unfeeling character he seems: he feels empty, unchallanged, and agrees to help Jair reach his destination only becuase he is promised in a vision a chance to win the ultimate combat.

At times this book seems to drag a bit, although nowhere near as much as the Sword of Shannara.Despite an obvious decline from his second book, the Elfstones of Shannara, Brooks proves that he can still deliver a solid storyline with interesting characters even when he's not exactly on his A-game.This book is a great read, and as one would expect, sets the table for future Shannara series while delivering a definite end to the first trilogy.Terry Brooks has shown that he is one of the premier fantasy writers of the last 20 years, and with this book finishes his first trilogy with a resounding crescendo.I highly recommend all of these books, the frequent clunky parts of Book 1 are well worth the pain, thanks to Books 2 and 3.

The Third Novel, Setting Up Everything Afterwards
Borrowing from a failed second Shannara novel, never published, Brooks wrote Wishsong.Allanon is back and this time calls upon Brin Ohmsford to help him.The Illdatch, ancient book of dark magic is sending forth the evil Mord Wraiths to take over and destroy the Four Lands.The Eastland is being poisoned by it's evil power.Only Brin, who has the power of the wishsong (a consequence of her father, Wil using the elfstones).Only the wishsong can get them into the Illdatch's lair and it is the only way to destroy it.On the journey to the Eastland also is Rone Leah, Brin's friend.They set off leaving Brin's brother Jair behind.But after an attack he is also on the run.And after a warning from the King of the Silver River, he also starts a journey east hell bent on saving his sister from a fate worse than death.Along the way with both journey's we meet new charcters like Garett Jax.We also meet Cogline (a failed Druid) who is a center piece in the next tales and his grand daughter Kimber Boh.And the moor cats are introduced too.And the gnomes have a bigger part too.

Really this book is about family and the power a bond between sibling can achieve.Brin and Jair are really the centerpiece and their love is the most powerful magic of all.For a interesting epilogue to Wishsong read "Indomitable" which is in the Legends II collection.

Revised reviews needed
Now I was just reading some of the reviews for this book, and there was one that caught my attention. There was one kid who reviewed the novel who sounded like he really knew what he wanted in a fantasy novel. I appreciated this because it showed that people have standards that need to be met, but it was throughly unneccesary for him to continually slag the writings of Terry with utter disregard for the authors devoute fans. There are some things that this reviwer must first learn before they critique. One there are very basic guidelines for an author to follow, among them is a sort of repitition. Not a carbon copy of their previous works but a general guideline for them to follow. Also if you read Terry's other works they are quite different than the first three books of his Shannara series. I have read every book that Terry Brooks has ever written. The Wishsong standing among my all time favorites. There is a sense of desperation in Allanon as he goes headlong into another quest for the salvation fo the Four Lands without gratitude. Brin and Jair set some of the building blocks for many of Terry's novels to follow, Cogline is intruduced as a Woodsman with countless years behind him, and there is also the return of familiar characters, and allusions to past characters. This book easily captivates the attention of the reader and will leave you pondering and re-reading the book over and over. I see it as a MUST for any avid reader. A definite 5/5 from me. Check it out and see for yourself why so many other than myself love this book. ... Read more

Isbn: 0345356365
Sales Rank: 24587
Subjects:  1. Fantastic fiction    2. Fantasy - Series    3. Fiction - Fantasy    4. Science Fiction    5. Fiction / Fantasy / General   

First King of Shannara
by Terry Brooks
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (29 January, 1997)
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Editorial Review

Dark forces are on the move from the Northlands, and Bremen, an outcast Druid, learns of the huge Troll armies on the march and the Skull Bearers who act as their spies.To save the Druids, Bremen must convince the people of the Four Lands that their only hope lies in uniting -- and in using themagic they fear above all else. ... Read more

Reviews (133)

The True Story Is Told
First King of Shannara is a prequel to the Sword of Shannara.Even though Terry said many times he wouldn't go backwards he did with this book (and will again in 2006).It answers questions people had about the Sword and the destruction of Paranor.The main character is Bremen, an outcast Druid that knows that the Brona, a druid thought dead and gone from the Four Lands, is now returned as the Warlock Lord.Is because of these views that he is an outcast.This book unlike other Shannara books is split into sections."The Fall of Paranor" tells of Bremen trying to warn the Druids that the Warlock Lord is going to lay seige to the keep.But it is to late and the keep is destroyed and all the Druids are killed save Bremen.The second part "The Search for the Black Elfstone" continues the story with Jerle Shannara searching for the Black Elfstone so that the Warlock Lord can not use it himself."The Forging of the Sword" tells of Bremen asking the dead Druids for a way to destroy Brona.He then forges the Sword, which he gives Jerle Shannara, who doesn't want the burden.The last part "The Battle for the Rhenn" concludes the story and tells of the final fight against the Warlock Lord and his minions and the ultimate failure of Jerle Shannara.We also meet Allanon when he is just a boy.Bremen trains him.

Great prequal to a great series.
Terry Brooks does a great job of putting you into a fictional realm and making you believe it could be possible!
This installment is a prequal to the Sword of Shannara trilogy, which I also highly recommend. If you have or haven't read any of the Shannara books, I say you should definatley pick this one up, because it adds to the flair of the series and it spoils nothing of the earlier books. Also, it is a good stand alone book; since it is not one of his first books he has sharpened his skills as a writer and this book shows his real potential.

A big disappointment
I must say that I found this book a real disappointment, given the standard of the rest of the series.

The plotting is thin, the action weak and the characters predictable. It reads like it was written using a fantasy-by-numbers manual and the cliché meter turned to the `on' position. Chunks of it are dull and full of padding.

It is only worth reading for completeness and, to be frank, even then it doesn't add anything really significant to the canon.

If it was a book other than in the Shannara series then I would only have given it one star.

steve
... Read more

Isbn: 0345396537
Subjects:  1. Fantasy - Series    2. Fantasy fiction    3. Fiction    4. Fiction - Fantasy    5. General    6. Fiction / Fantasy / General   

J.R.R. Tolkien Boxed Set (The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings)
by J.R.R. Tolkien
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 January, 2001)
list price: $29.96 -- our price: $19.77
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Editorial Review

Hobbits and wizards and Sauron--oh, my! Mild-mannered Oxford scholar John Ronald Reuel Tolkien had little inkling when he published The Hobbit; Or, There and Back Again in 1937 that, once hobbits were unleashed upon the world, there would be no turning back. Hobbits are, of course, small, furry creatures who love nothing better than a leisurely life quite free from adventure. But in that first novel and the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the hobbits Bilbo and Frodo and their elfish friends get swept up into a mighty conflict with the dragon Smaug, the dark lord Sauron (who owes much to proud Satan in Paradise Lost), the monstrous Gollum, the Cracks of Doom, and the awful power of the magical Ring.The four books' characters--good and evil--are recognizably human, and the realism is deepened by the magnificent detail of the vast parallel world Tolkien devised, inspired partly by his influential Anglo-Saxon scholarship and his Christian beliefs. (He disapproved of the relative sparseness of detail in the comparable allegorical fantasy his friend C.S. Lewis dreamed up in The Chronicles of Narnia, though he knew Lewis had spun a page-turning yarn.) It has been estimated that one-tenth of all paperbacks sold can trace their ancestry to J.R.R. Tolkien. But even if we had never gotten Robert Jordan's The Path of Daggers and the whole fantasy genre Tolkien inadvertently created by bringing the hobbits so richly to life, Tolkien's epic about the Ring would have left our world enhanced by enchantment. --Tim Appelo ... Read more

Features

• Box set

Reviews (1185)

Overrated!
I read through these 4 volumes 33 years ago when I came to England because many of my fellow students raved about them.

The Hobbit is mildly amusing story suitable for children.

The LOTR is rather dreary boring tale which requires a lot of perseverence to complete. I have not re-read it since unlike other novels that I have re-read multiple times purely because a good work of literature improves on re-reading.

If you want to read a true epic with complicated human characters try reading a retelling of the Mahabharata.

Check this out !!
The Lord of the Rings series is about 2 hobbits named Frodo and Sam who take the challenge of taking an evil ring to destroy it inn Mount Doom, the MOuntian of Fire.

While Frodo and Sam are being led to Mount Doom by Golem, the Fellowship tries to keep the Eye of Sauran off of them. The Fellowship tries to keep the Eye of Sauran off of them by fending off Orc armies.

I like the Lord of the Rings series because of all of the action and adventure...!

Submitted by: Onikage<---not real name

Hobbits, Dwarves, and Elves.
J.R.R Tolkien is an awesome fantasy writer. The whole series is really long , but it's worth it.The way Tolkien discribes his scenery is awesome. When you read the book it's like you're you are right smack dab in the middle.
The imagery was awesome throughout the whole book. You could see everything. An example of this is the battle of Minas Tirith, and th battle at the black gates. Tolkien uses major to describe the weapons, the smells, the scenery and everything else. You could see the battles.
A perfect example of dialogue is how the elves talk, which is way different from the way the dwarves talk. The elves are more refined then most other kinds of people. They are more polite. For the time and the kind of characters the dialogue was correct. J.R.R Tolkien is the best fantasy writer ever.
... Read more

Isbn: 0345340426
Subjects:  1. Classics    2. Fantasy    3. Fantasy - Epic    4. Fantasy - Series    5. Literature - Classics / Criticism   

The Silmarillion
by J.R.R. Tolkien
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (12 January, 1985)
list price: $7.99 -- our price: $7.19
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Editorial Review

The Silmarillion is J.R.R. Tolkien's tragic, operatic history of the First Age of Middle-Earth, essential background material for serious readers of the classic Lord of the Rings saga. Tolkien's work sets the standard for fantasy, and this audio version of the "Bible of Middle-Earth" does The Silmarillion justice. Martin Shaw's reading is grave and resonant, conveying all the powerful events and emotions that shaped elven and human history long before Bilbo, Frodo, Gandalf and all the rest embarked on their quests. Beginning with the Music of the Ainur, The Silmarillion tells a tale of the Elder Days, when Elves and Men became estranged by the Dark Lord Morgoth's lust for the Silmarils, pure and powerful magic jewels. Even the love between a human warrior and the daughter of the Elven king cannot defeat Morgoth, but the War of Wrath finally brings down the Dark Lord. Peace reigns until the evil Sauron recovers the Rings of Power and sets the stage for the events told in the Lord of the Rings. This is epic fantasy at its finest, thrillingly read and gloriously unabridged. (Running time: 14 hours, 6 CDs) ... Read more

Reviews (538)

A mythical history book
If you expect another Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit... don't.It's a rather slow book, in my opinion, though it is otherwise well written and quite interesting, which is why I would give it 3 3/4 stars.This is probably great for those with a bit of patience and well, I don't know how else to put it, but those that like this kind of book.It's beautiful in its own right, and many passages are great.But the book overall wasn't my favorite.

It is definitely a must-have for anyone who wants to dig deeper into the world in which Middle Earth puts itself, and events surrounding its history.

Tolkien Equals Thousands of Writers and Thousands of Years
The Silmarillion volume is for Tolkien experts, or those with at least an intermediate knowledge of Middle Earth, who are looking for the weighty building blocks of the vast Tolkien mythology. This is more of reference work that JRR Tolkien created slowly over much of his career, as background for his other more structured works. This volume is constructed as a list of mythical fables, which are mostly self-contained with only minor threads of continuity throughout the book. Here Tolkien writes as a historian of folklore who has uncovered an intensive mythological history, and that's what makes this book so unique. But of course, Tolkien created this huge body of myths himself, approximating a cultural tradition that would take most societies thousands of years with thousands of storytellers. If anything, Tolkien's lifetime of work is astonishingly enormous, with an entire universe of characters, legends, and settings upon which his famous epics are built.

With so many self-contained myths and stories that were apparently created as background and support for other works, there are readability issues with this book. A fiction volume that reads like a cultural history is surely a unique and fascinating concept, but here the reader will suffer from information overload. This can be partially attributed to Christopher Tolkien's hands-off editing (which is actually more like compiling and organizing here), as all but JRR completists would appreciate some brevity and condensing of the huge world of the Silmarillion. This can be seen in Christopher's index of places and character names in this volume, which is certainly helpful. But at more than forty pages in small font, the index illustrates the sheer intellectually imposing breadth of the mythology. Those who have built or are building an encyclopedic knowledge of Middle Earth will find this volume to be an invaluable compendium, but fans of an exciting read may want to stick with The Hobbit and The Lord of The Rings trilogy. [~doomsdayer520~]

A world of it's own
Bieng a large fan of History ranging from Japanese, Chinese, Norse, English, German, etc.I have thoroughly enjoyed this masterpiece.Not a large fan of Fantasy books however I do prefer Historic Fiction.Being a fan of Lord of the Rings (both of book and movie), I bought this for more thirst of Middle-Earth, Elves, Men, and other names and places I had read though did not know.My first read with this book left be utterly speechless at the depth and richness.I soon began a journey of exploring more into Tolkein's works but I was always drawn back to The Silmarillion.It has become a yearly traditry for 5 years now to read it three times a year along with the Lord of the Rings Trilogy for.

This book has everything from romance to heroic deeds to despair and saddness to mythology.People complain it's to long and lengthy and thier are to many names to remember which is true but that adds to the rich experience of the storyline.For me, it's like diving into another world that I get engrossed with each time reading the story.Everytime I can feel the love between Beren and Lúthien, I can feel the saddness of the cursed love between Túrin and Níniel, and the despair of the Elves and thier wars with Morgoth.This is a deffinent must read for fans who love History, love Lord of the Rings and Tolkein's works, and can endure reading a heifty, dense literary work. ... Read more

Isbn: 0345325818
Subjects:  1. Fantasy    2. Fantasy - Epic    3. Fiction - Fantasy    4. Fiction / Fantasy / General   

Unfinished tales of Numenor and Middle-earth
by J. R. R Tolkien
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (1980)
list price: $15.00
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Reviews (65)

Amazing
Tolkien is an amazing writer. I enjoyed reading his books, especially The Hobbit, the Lord of the Rings, and the Silmarillion. If you are a Tolkien fan, then, you should read this at least once. Even though it does not flow and hold your interest like The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings, it still is a good read. This book is a collection of short stories as well as some of Tolkien's notes from the Battle of Unnumbered Tears until the destruction of the Ring. True this book is not like his previous novels, but you will certainly love it. You will want to read it more than once.THE USURPER AND OTHER STORIES, THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY, THE END OF THE THIRD AGE are other fascinating and insightful stories with peculiar story lines.

A wonderful book to any Tolkein reader
I found Unfinished Tales to be a pretty good book. It is more piecemeal than the completed novels, The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion, which was in progress when J.R.R. Tolkien died. The Silmarillion was pulled together and edited by his son Christopher.

The book is separated into four sections. The first section is the First Age and contains stories on the coming of Tuor to Gondolin and the tale of Hurin's Children. The Tale of Hurin's children in touched on in the Silmarillion but this story is much more in-depth and while fans of the Tolkien mythologies know is a tragic tale this version is most complete.

The second section of the book is the Second Age and focuses much on the Numenor. There is a description of the island of Numenor. This section contains the tale of the Mariner's Wife, which is another great and tragic story among the tales of Middle-Earth. There is a section on various kings of Numenor and a History of Galadriel and Celeborn. I found the history of Galadriel very interesting, and full of information that made events in later tales more meaningful

The third section of Unfinished Tales is the Third Age. This portion of the book contains: The Disaster on the Gladden Fields, a history on the relationship between Gondor and Rohan, The Quest for Erebor, a portion on the hunt for the One Ring, And the Battles of the Rods of Isen, which ultimately lead to the death of Theodred, the son of King Thoden. This section of the book had lots of additional information for fans of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbits to consume and make their enjoyment of the stories that much fuller.

The fourth and final section of the book contains sections on the Druedain (or Wild Men), the Istari (or Wizards) and the palantiri (or seeing stones). This section was also very valuable in adding information to the Lord of the Rings. I was very fond of the story The Faithful Stone and found the history of the Wild Men more colorful than expected. My suspicions about the origin of the Istari were validated in this section of the book as well. And my understanding of the palantiri went up substantially from near zero.

Overall I would suggest this book to any Tolkien fan after reading at least the Lord of the Rings but better to have read the Hobbit and Silmarillion to get the most out of the tales and told in Unfinished Tales. Unfortunately, the stories are unfinished and in a few cases I found myself really wanting more but that's just the way it goes.

Best blend of stories!
Christopher Tolkien, JRR Tolkien's son, took over after his father died.When Tolkien died he'd left behind all these background stories or things left out from Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit.So Christopher went and made them into a series of books.This is just on of them, but it's one of my favorites.It really helps you see Lord of the Rings in a new light.Why Saurman acted the way he did toward Gandalf, the Rings themselves, and even though it's more like reading short stories, which can be boring at times, this will keep you interested, and you'll never want to put the book down! ... Read more

Isbn: 0395299179
Sales Rank: 668940
Subjects:  1. Fantasy - Epic    2. Fantasy - Series    3. Fiction - Fantasy   

Histories of Middle Earth, Volumes 1-5
by J.R.R. Tolkien
Average Customer Review:
Mass Market Paperback (01 August, 2003)
list price: $32.97 -- our price: $21.76
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Features

• Box set

Reviews (10)

Not for the casual fan, a tall glass of limpe for devotees
I first feel the need to level a good-natured attack at the reviewer who claimed that Christopher Tolkien spent uncounted exhausted hours reviewing and annotating his father's mountains of notes and manuscripts to "line his pockets."The very notion is ludicrous.The publication of the Histories was a labor of love, nothing more, and I for one appreciate it immensely.

"The Histories of Middle-Earth" is an invaluable collection for anyone who would know the process behind the creation of a literary world as vast as Tolkien's.For someone who has read "The Lord of the Rings," "The Hobbit," and "The Silmarillion" (I recommend also reading "The Unfinished Tales" first) and is interested in knowing more about the origins of Middle-Earth and Valinor, these volumes are fascinating.For someone who simply loves the story of LOTR and sees the greater history of Middle Earth as nothing more than a setting, these books probably aren't for you.Hence the four stars rather than five.

Unfinished drafts and scrapped notes
First off let me say that i absolutely love The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and The Silmarillion. They are easily my favorite books and i have read them all more times then i can count...

But i utterly despise The History books.
These books are nothing but Tolkiens first rough drafts and his scrapped ideas. He scrapped them for a reason. And i dont think that reason was so his son can milk the franchise into the stratosphere...

And another thing about these books is that they are definitely not for everyone. These books are only for the true diehard Tolkien fans and will NOT be enjoyed by anyone else. They are an extremely tough read with footnotes and headers galore.

So if you truly live, breath, and sleep Middle-earth then these books might be for you. But i would rather not line Christopher Tolkiens pockets with his late great fathers draft pages and scrapped ideas.

For the serious student and avid lover of Middle-earth
With this compilation of the mammoth HISTORY OF MIDDLE-EARTH, we get the literary backstory, so to say, of J. R. R. Tolkien's turmoil and travails of the composition of one of the most complex fantasies every constructed.Admittedly difficult reading, you must have a deep, abiding interest in mythology and Tolkien's desire to create one to get through this, and you need a working knowledge of Tolkien's work to really understand the HISTORY.Do not buy this expecting anything as nearly accessible THE LORD OF THE RINGS or THE HOBBIT.The real meat, to literary historians who are not specialized in Tolkien and to the causal fan, is the volumes VI-IX, which deal with the creation of THE LORD OF THE RINGS, one of the most significant volumes ever released the world, online with Homer, Virgil, and Dante.This is a graduate level look at what goes in the making of a literary masterpiece.These four volumes are THE RETURN OF THE SHADOW, THE TREASON OF ISENGARD, THE WAR OF THE RING, and SAURON DEFEATED, also available in its own set.The HISTORY operates as a chronicle of the evolutionary processes of one of the most ambitious literary projects of the 20th century.

Gathering the first five volumes, this box set covers Tolkien's mythology from the earliest written texts (the first two volumes) to the mid 1930s, before Tolkien set aside THE SILMARILLION to begin work on his epic novel, THE LORD OF THE RINGS.

The first two volumes deal with the earliest form of THE SILMARILLION.In many ways, startlingly different than the forms the legends finally found themselves in the published work.The prose is work-man-like, and a far cry from the more accomplished writings of the later volumes.Most interesting is in the original form Beren was an elf, which totally changes a massive strand in the mythology.The next are the epic LAYS that were never completed, and showing Tolkien was a poet of very accomplished calibre.THE SHAPING deals with the geography and physical history and includes some historical Annals.THE LOST ROAD shows us an unfinished novel and several other unearthed treasures, including invaluable philological material that shows how inseperable Tolkien's linguistics was from his creative writing.

This publication is for the serious student and lover of J. R. R. Tolkien's work.The causal fan will find this much too expensive and much too expansive.For those only marginally interested the volumes dealing with THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy novel should be looked at.But those who love Middle-earth and want to marvel at Tolkien's work, this is a must-have purchase.It's a very rare opportunity to see the creation of a work of such massive import to our international societies.Tolkien's commitment to this birthing process of a beautiful work of art truly stands out as one of the great efforts of Man to give homage to his God, as Tolkien saw it (read his essay on Faerie Stories), and I see it as well.Get it and become immersed - though beware this detailing the construction of this elaborate universe, which means these are rough drafts and various other things that didn't make it into publication in Tolkien's time, adding a huge amount of material to Tolkien's fandom to consider.Christopher's editorial notes are a must have.Thanks to the Tolkien family and to Christopher for their support of their father (who died in 1973) and of his son for the publication of this work.A very unique moment in literary history indeed. ... Read more

Isbn: 0345466454
Sales Rank: 13990
Subjects:  1. Fantasy    2. Fantasy - General    3. Fiction - Fantasy   

The Atlas of Middle-Earth (Revised Edition)
by Karen Wynn Fonstad
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (10 April, 2001)
list price: $24.00 -- our price: $16.32
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Editorial Review

The publishing world is full of Tolkien spinoff products, some trivial and ephemeral--but some, like this thoroughly researched atlas, are genuinely classy. Karen Wynn Fonstad is a qualified geographer and cartographer who first mapped Middle-Earth in 1981 and has since added much new detail based on those endless volumes of drafts, abandoned passages, alternative versions, and laundry lists published since Tolkien's death. She fills in gaps and details in the familiar Third Age maps from The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, goes back in time to map Middle-Earth's First and Second Ages, and reconstructs the route and timescale of every important journey in the stories. There are local maps of key places like the Mines of Moria, Lothlorien, Isengard, Minas Tirth, the Tower of Cirith Ungol, and the volcanic Mount Doom. War maps cover the saga's notable battles, up to the hopeless last stand at Mordor gate and the tiny later skirmish known in Shire records as the Battle of Bywater. Thematic maps show Middle-Earth's distribution of climate, geological features, vegetation, people, and (most importantly to Tolkien) languages.... It's all done tremendously seriously and would make a fine gift for enthusiastic Tolkien fans, except that they'll have bought it already. --David Langford, Amazon.co.uk ... Read more

Reviews (72)

THE BEST OUT THERE!
This book is amazing.It is like taking one of the original maps of Middle Earth and zooming way into it.There is a map of the shire, enemy paths in war.It also includes maps of the FIRST AGE, SECOND AGE, THIRD AGE.As well, it includes maps from the THE HOBBIT, THE LORD OF THE RINGS, and THE SILMARILLION.THE ATLAS OF MIDDLE EARTH incudes REGIONAL MAPS and THEMATIC MAPS
Yet this book is not for everyone.If the movies are the things your crazy about, this book is not for you(it just matches to the books, so you might not get everything).You have to love the books and love the setting to get the most out of THE ATLAS OF MIDDLE EARTH.
ENJOY!!!!

The most detailed atlas i have ever seen
I got this book wanting to see the lands of Rhun, Far Harad, Beleriand, Valinor, and the other lands not really mapped out in detail in the books.What I found was the entire history of Lord of the Rings in atlas form.Every chapter in the Silmarillion, Hobbit, and LoTR is mapped in detail and explained.Landscape, movements of the servants of Morgoth and Sauron, wars, settlements of elves and men and dwarves, to the world of Tolkien in its entirety from the void, to valinor, to middle earth, to the lands beyond throughout the ages.This is an amazingly detailed atlas of Tolkiens world that any fan would enjoy.

A Worthy addition to a Tolkein library
If your interest is in the Mythology of Middle Earth, this book with its extensive illustrations and commentary increase your understanding of the story.If you are only passing through the Tolkein universe through the guidance of the films by Peter Jackson, you can be brought further understanding of the depth of Dr. Tolkein'smasterwork.I hope you purchase the book, and enjoy it as much a I. ... Read more

Isbn: 0618126996
Subjects:  1. (John Ronald Reuel),    2. 1892-1973    3. Atlases    4. English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh    5. Fantasy - General    6. Literature - Classics / Criticism    7. Maps    8. Middle Earth (Imaginary place)    9. Reference    10. Science Fiction & Fantasy    11. Science Fiction And Fantasy    12. Settings    13. Tolkien, J. R. R.    14. Fiction / Fantasy / General   

The Complete Guide to Middle-Earth
by Robert Foster
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (04 December, 2001)
list price: $13.95 -- our price: $11.16
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Reviews (61)

5 Stars for The Complete Guide to Middle-Earth!
Robert Foster has done a great job indeed for this is truly "The Complete Guide to Middle-Earth!" Literary includes ALL names (characters, regions, mountains, rivers & etc.) that are found in the Silmarillion, the Hobbit, and the Lord of the Rings!

Now, I would like to address to all Tolkien fans who struggle with finding the meanings and origins of the unknown names - get this book and your problem will be solved! You will find history and explanations of every term that Tolkien used. For example, who was Elendil? According to the book, ELENDIL - Dunadan of Numenor, son of Amandil of Andunie and the leader of the Faithful, the noblest of the Dunedain to survive the fall of Numenor. And so on...

As you can see the book is very useful and it is organized like a dictionary, so there is no problem in fining the necessary information.

A Must-Have for all Tolkien Fans!

The Greatest!
This is a must have for all Tolkien Fans. It has everything you need to know about characters and places to make you a Middle Earth expert!

A treasure trove of fascinating information
My thirteen-year-old daughter has become a solid Tolkien fan, and picked up this book for further study. Organized into dictionary form, this wonderful book contains all of the information on people, places and things found in J.R.R. Tolkien's books on Middle-Earth. Do you want to know more about Elrond or the great Wizards? What about the Grey Havens or the Rings of Power? Well, it's all here!

The information is nicely organized, including translations (where necessary) and source reference. Now, the one thing I must say is that if you have not read the Silmarillion, then a good deal of the information here will not mean much to you. If you have read it, then this book will be a great resource for you. If you haven't read the Silmarillion (like my daughter), then you will still find this a treasure trove of fascinating information. My daughter and I both highly recommend this book to you! ... Read more

Isbn: 0345449762
Sales Rank: 29183
Subjects:  1. Dictionaries    2. English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh    3. Fantasy - Epic    4. Fantasy fiction    5. Fantasy fiction, English    6. Fiction    7. Literature - Classics / Criticism    8. Middle Earth (Imaginary place)    9. Science Fiction & Fantasy    10. Fiction / Fantasy / Epic   

There's more to Middle-earth than meets the eye, argue Kurt Bruner andJim Ware in Finding God in The Lord of the Rings. J.R.R. Tolkien, adevout Christian, helped bring C.S. Lewis into the faith and met weekly withLewis and Charles Williams at an Oxford pub for heated religious and literarydiscussions that informed The Lord of the Rings. Although Bruner and Wareavoid any simplistic claim that Tolkien's saga is "a covert allegory of theGospel," the authors assert that the books have evangelistic power because they"can open the heart's back door when the front door is locked." Twenty-one shortchapters describe various scenes and themes from Tolkien's work in order toillustrate truths of Christian life. For instance, Frodo and Sam's awarenessthat their adventures are part of a larger story "reflects the Christianunderstanding of providence, that we are all part of a story being written bythe creator of all that is." Finding God successfully clarifies the waysthat Tolkien's Christian worldview influenced the creation of his fantasy world,while respecting the artistic integrity of his achievement. --Michael JosephGross ... Read more

Isbn: 084238555X
Subjects:  1. Christianity - Christian Life - Pop Culture Issues    2. Christianity - Literature    3. English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh    4. Inspirational - General    5. Religion    6. Religion - Christian Living   

Bradbury's quiet exploration of a future that looks so much like the past is sprinkled with lighter material.In "The Silent Towns," the last man on Mars hears the phone ring and ends up on a comical blind date.But in most of these stories, Bradbury holds up a mirror to humanity that reflects a shameful treatment of "the other," yielding, time after time, a harvest of loneliness and isolation. Yet the collection ends with hope for renewal, as a colonist family turns away from the demise of the Earth towards a new future on Mars. Bradbury is a master fantasist and The Martian Chronicles are an unforgettable work of art. --Blaise Selby ... Read more

Isbn: 0553278223
Subjects:  1. Classics    2. Fiction    3. Literature - Classics / Criticism    4. Science Fiction    5. Science Fiction - General    6. Fiction / Science Fiction / General   

That The Illustrated Man has remained in print since beingpublished in 1951 is fair testimony to the universal appeal of Ray Bradbury's work. Only his second collection (the first was Dark Carnival, later reworked into The October Country), it is a marvelous, if mostly dark, quilt of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. In an ingenious framework to open and close the book, Bradbury presents himself as a nameless narrator who meets the Illustrated Man--a wanderer whose entire body is a living canvas of exotic tattoos. What's even more remarkable, and increasingly disturbing, is that the illustrations are themselves magically alive, and each proceeds to unfold its own story, such as "The Veldt," wherein rowdy children take a game of virtual reality way over the edge. Or "Kaleidoscope," a heartbreaking portrait of stranded astronauts about to reenter our atmosphere--without the benefit of a spaceship. Or "Zero Hour," in which invading aliens have discovered a most logical ally--our own children. Even though most were written in the 1940s and 1950s, these 18 classic stories will be just as chillingly effective 50 years from now. --Stanley Wiater ... Read more

Isbn: 055327449X
Subjects:  1. Classics    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - Science Fiction    4. Science Fiction    5. Science Fiction - General    6. Fiction / Science Fiction / General   

Dandelion Wine takes us into the summer of 1928, and to all the wondrous and magical events in the life of a 12-year-old Midwestern boy named Douglas Spaulding.This tender, openly affectionate story of a young man's voyage of discovery is certainly more mainstream than exotic. No walking dead or spaceships to Mars here. Yet those who wish to experience the unique magic of early Bradbury as a prose stylist should find Dandelion Winemost refreshing. --Stanley Wiater ... Read more

Isbn: 0553277537
Subjects:  1. Classics    2. Fiction - Science Fiction    3. Science Fiction    4. Science Fiction - General    5. Fiction / Science Fiction / General   

Bradbury--the author of more than 500 short stories, novels, plays, and poems, including The Martian Chronicles and The Illustrated Man--is the winner of many awards, including the Grand Master Award from the Science Fiction Writers of America. Readers ages 13 to 93 will be swept up in the harrowing suspense of Fahrenheit 451, and no doubt will join the hordes of Bradbury fans worldwide. --Neil Roseman ... Read more

Isbn: 0345342968
Subjects:  1. Books and reading    2. Classics    3. Fiction    4. Literature - Classics / Criticism    5. Science Fiction    6. Science Fiction - General    7. Short stories    8. Book burning    9. Censorship    10. Fiction / Science Fiction / General    11. Science fiction, American   

Newspeak, doublethink, thoughtcrime--in 1984, George Orwell created a whole vocabulary of words concerning totalitarian control that have since passed into our common vocabulary. More importantly, he has portrayed a chillingly credible dystopia. In our deeply anxious world, the seeds of unthinking conformity are everywhere in evidence; and Big Brother is always looking for his chance. --DanielHintzsche ... Read more

Isbn: 0451524934
Subjects:  1. Classics    2. Fiction    3. Literature - Classics / Criticism    4. Literature: Classics    5. Science Fiction - General   

The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis, is one of the very few sets of books that should be read three times: in childhood, early adulthood, and late in life. In brief, four children travel repeatedly to a world in which they are far more than mere children and everything is far more than it seems. Richly told, populated with fascinating characters, perfectly realized in detail of world and pacing of plot, and profoundly allegorical, the story is infused throughout with the timeless issues of good and evil, faith and hope. This boxed set edition includes all seven volumes. ... Read more

Isbn: 0066238501
Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Literature - Classics / Contemporary    2. Children: Grades 4-6    3. Classics    4. Fantasy    5. Fantasy fiction    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    8. Fiction / Classics    9. Reading Group Guide