Description:

• 1 • Preface (The Lost Road and Other Writings) • essay by Christopher Tolkien
• 11 • The Fall of Númenor • shortfiction by J. R. R. Tolkien
• 36 • The Lost Road • shortfiction by J. R. R. Tolkien
• 98 • The Nameless Land • (1927) • poem by J. R. R. Tolkien
• 100 • The Song of Aelfwine (intermediate version) • poem by J. R. R. Tolkien
• 103 • The Song of Aelfwine (final version) • poem by J. R. R. Tolkien
• 110 • Silmarillion II: Annals of Valinor • shortfiction by J. R. R. Tolkien
• 125 • Silmarillion III: Annals of Beleriand • shortfiction by J. R. R. Tolkien
• 155 • Ainulindalë • [Middle Earth Universe] • (1977) • shortstory by J. R. R. Tolkien
• 167 • The Lhammas • shortfiction by J. R. R. Tolkien
• 199 • Quenta Silmarillion • [Middle Earth Universe] • shortfiction by J. R. R. Tolkien
• 339 • The Etymologies (The Lost Road and Other Writings) • essay by J. R. R. Tolkien

The fifth volume of the History of Middle-earth, containing the early myths and legends which led to the writing of Tolkien's epic tale of war, The Silmarillion. At the end of 1937, J R R Tolkien reluctantly set aside his work on the myths and heroic legends of Valinor and Middle-earth and began The Lord of the Rings. This fifth volume of The History of Middle-earth completes the examination of his writing up to that time. Later forms of The Annals of Valinor and The Annals of Beleriand had been composed, The Silmarillion was nearing completion in a greatly amplified form, and a new Map had been made. The legend of the Downfall of Numenor had entered the work, including those central ideas: the World Made Round and the Straight Path into the vanished West. Closely associated with this was the abandoned 'time-travel' story The Lost Road, linking the world of Numenor and Middle-earth with the legends of many other times and peoples. Also included in this volume is the The Lhammas, as essay on the complex languages and dialects of Middle-earth, and an 'etymological dictionary' containing an extensive account of Elvish vocabularies.

From Library Journal

This is the fifth of six projected volumes on "The History of Middle-Earth." The complex revisions to Quenta Silmarillion , included here, give yet another insight into Tolkien's methods of reworking the rich ore of his linguistic knowledge and imagination, while the etymological dictionary of the Elvish languages reinforces his achievement in creating a self-contained world that yet penetrates our own. Still, only readers steeped in Tolkien's mythology will fully appreciate the discussion of The Lost Road 's relation to The Fall of Numenor. Riches for linguistic scholars and initiates, but casual readers will be much perplexed. Barbara J. Dunlap, City Coll. Lib., CUNY
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

'Christopher Tolkien shows himself to be his father's son! Tolkien devotees will rejoice' The New York Times Book Review