The Return of the Shadow
The first part of The History of The Lord of the Rings, an enthralling
account of the writing of the Book of the Century which contains many
additional scenes and includes the unpublished Epilogue in its entirety.
The Return of the Shadow is the story of the first part of the history of
the creation of The Lord of the Rings, a fascinating study of Tolkien’s
great masterpiece, from its inception to the end of the first volume,
The Fellowship of the Ring. In The Return of the Shadow (the abandoned
title of the first volume of The Lord of the Rings) we see how Bilbo’s
magic ring evolved into the supremely dangerous Ruling Ring of the Dark
Lord; and the precise, and astonishingly unforeseen, moment when a Black Rider first rode in to the Shire. The character of the hobbit called
Trotter (afterwards Strider or Aragorn) is developed, and Frodo’s
companions undergo many changes of name and personality. The book comes complete with reproductions of the first maps and facsimile pages from
the earliest manuscripts. This series of fascinating books has now been repackaged to complement the distinctive and classic style of the
‘black cover’ A-format paperbacks of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings,
The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales.
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J. R. R. Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien, the creator of Middle-earth, was not just a writer; he was a weaver of worlds, a philologist whose deep understanding of language and mythology breathed life into epic landscapes, timeless characters, and legends that still captivate readers around the world. Born in 1892 in Bloemfontein, South Africa, Tolkien’s early years were marked by tragedy—his father’s untimely death and the loss of his mother, both of which shaped the tone of his writing. His roots in the English countryside, where he moved as a child, became the fertile ground for the stories that would define an entire genre.
The History of Middle-earth
The History of Middle-earth consists of twelve books. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
Related series The History of Middle-earth (omnibus editions)
