The Silmarillion - Hardcover

Tolkien, J. R. R.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0261103660 ISBN 13: 9780261103665

Publisher: HarperCollins, 1998

Synopsis

A beautifully presented edition of The Silmarillion, illustrated by Ted Nasmith, to celebrate the 21st year of publication.

J R R Tolkien’s SILMARILLION is the core work of the Middle-earth canon. It is in this dense and often neglected masterpiece that the entire cosmology for the background for THE HOBBIT and, particularly, THE LORD OF THE RINGS is documented.

The volume contains fabulous tales of heroes and monsters, and the history of the Elves and of the Silmarils – the magical jewels produced by the Children of Iluvatar, or Elves (humans being the Younger Children of Iluvatar); it tells of the creation of Middle-earth, and the coming of Men into the world; it chronicles the early battles between good and evil, forces of light and dark, which foreshadow the great conflict with Sauron, the Dark Lord, in LORD OF THE RINGS.

1998 marks the coming of age of these tales of Middle-earth, published posthumously in 1977. Tolkien worked on THE SILMARILLION all his life – long before THE HOBBIT or LORD OF THE RINGS – and his son and literary executor Christopher Tolkien edited the material he left behind into its current form. Now in its 21st year of publication, THE SILMARILLION comes of age with 20 sumptuous illustrations by Ted Nasmith, perhaps the finest of Tolkien artists.

About this title

Review:

JRR Tolkien is best known for The Hobbit and The Lord Of The Rings but those who thought these two wonderful adventures marked the height of his imagination have many more delights to come. The Silmarillion represents the source of Tolkien's later work and follows the events of the First Age of Middle Earth. For information, The Lord Of The Rings concerns the end of the Third Age.

The Silmarillion is a gloriously realised story of rebellion, exile, war and the heroism of elves and men. But to gain an insight into the staggering complexity of Tolkien's world, however, the shorter works also included are must-reads. Dealing with the myth of creation, the nature of the Gods, the fall of Númenor and the Rings of Power, they paint a vivid picture not only of Middle Earth but also of the author's soaring imagination.

Tolkien was born of English parents in Bloemfontein, South Africa, in 1892 and died in England in 1973. He worked on The Silmarillion from as early as 1917 but the work was not published until after his death. This edition, richly illustrated by Ted Nasmith, is both collector's item and source of reference and fascination for every follower of Tolkien. --James Barclay

Review:

‘How, given little over half a century of work, did one man become the creative equivalent of a people?’
The Guardian

‘Demanding to be compared with English mythologies... at times rises to the greatness of true myth’
Financial Times

‘A creation of singular beauty... magnificent in its best moments’
Washington Post

‘A grim, tragic, brooding and beautiful book, shot through with heroism and hope... its power is almost that of mysticism’
Toronto Globe & Mail

About this edition

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0261103660
• ISBN 13: 9780261103665
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 364
• Illustrator: Nasmith Ted