Unfinished Tales (Deluxe Slipcase Edition) - Hardcover

Tolkien, J. R. R.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0007542925 ISBN 13: 9780007542925

Publisher: HarperCollins, 2013

Synopsis

Deluxe collector’s edition featuring the definitive edition text and containing a full-colour reproduction of Tolkien’s painting of the dragon, Glórund. The book is quarterbound, stamped on the front board with a gold motif previously seen only on the first edition hardback, and is presented in a matching slipcase.

Unfinished Tales is a collection of narratives ranging in time from the Elder Days of Middle-earth to the end of the War of the Ring, and provides those who have read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings with a whole collection of background and new stories.

The book concentrates on the realm of Middle-earth and comprises such elements as The Quest of Erebor, Gandalf’s lively account of how it was that he came to send the Dwarves to the celebrated party at Bag-End; the emergence of the sea-god Ulmo before the eyes of Tuor on the coast of Beleriand; and an exact description of the military organization of the Riders of Rohan.

Unfinished Tales also contains the only story about the long ages of Númenor before its downfall, and all that is known about such matters as the Five Wizards, the Palantíri and the legend of Amroth. The tales were edited by Christopher Tolkien, who provides a short commentary on each story, helping the reader to fill in the gaps and put each story into the context of the rest of his father’s writings.

This deluxe collector’s edition includes a full-colour facsimile of Tolkien’s painting, ‘Glórund Sets Forth to Seek Túrin’, which illustrates his narrative ‘The Children of Húrin’, his colour design of a Númenórean tile, and a fold-out reproduction of the definitive map of Middle-earth drawn by Christopher Tolkien. The book is foil stamped with a Númenórean helmet design by J.R.R. Tolkien that appeared on the first edition hardback and is housed in a matching slipcase.

About this title

Review:

‘Moments of mythic grandeur’
Sunday Times

‘Another monument to the incredible imagination of Tolkien’
Sunday Telegraph

From the Back Cover:

J.R.R.Tolkien's 'Unfinished Tales' is a collection ranging from the time of 'The Silmarillion' – the Elder days of Middle-earth – to the end of the War of the Ring in 'The Lord of the Rings'. Its many treasures include Gandalf's lively account of how he came to send the Dwarves to the celebrated party at Bag-End, the emergence of the sea-god Ulmo before the eyes of Tuor on the coast of Beleriand, and a description of the military organisation of the Riders of Rohan.

Lovers of Tolkien's mythology will be fascinated to read the only story from the long ages of Numenor before its downfall, and all that is known of such matters as the Five Wizzards, the Palantiri, and the legend of Amroth.

The collection has been edited by Christopher Tolkien, who provides a commentary placing each of the Tales in the context of his father's work.

"Moments of mythic grandeur"
SUNDAY TIMES

"Another monument to the incredible imagination of Tolkien"
SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

About this edition

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 0007542925
• ISBN 13: 9780007542925
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 470