The History of Middle-earth Box Set #1 : The Silmarillion / Unfinished Tales / Book of Lost Tales, Part One / Book of Lost Tales, Part Two

First in a series of hardcover box sets celebrating the literary achievement of Christopher Tolkien, featuring double-sided dustjacketsone side featuring artwork by John Howe, and the original graphic treatment on the other. Set 1 contains special editions of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales reproducing the first edition text, together with the two volumes of The Book of Lost Tales.

The Silmarillionis an account of the Elder Days, of the First Age of Tolkiens World. It is the ancient drama to which the characters inThe Lord of the Ringslook back, and in whose events some of them, such as Elrond and Galadriel, took part. The tales ofThe Silmarillionare 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.

Unfinished Talesis a collection of narratives ranging in time from the Elder Days of Middle-earth and the rise of Nmenor in the Second Age to the end of the War of the Ring, and provides those who have readThe HobbitandThe Lord of the Ringswith a whole collection of background and new stories from the twentieth centurys most acclaimed popular author.

The Book of Lost Talesstands at the beginning of the entire conception of Middle-earth and Valinor for theTaleswere the first form of the myths and legends that came to be calledThe Silmarillion. Embedded in English legend and English association, 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 two volumes of theTalesare 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 Tolkiens invented world.

Published together for the first time, these four books collect the beginning of Christopher Tolkiens forty-year career devoted to presenting his father J.R.R. Tolkiens writings on Middle-earth, a unique accomplishment that celebrates the greatest invented world in all of fantasy literature.