Tolkien: The Illustrated Encyclopaedia

This book is very thorough and explains ALMOST everything in the Tolkien universe very well. When I was looking through a bookshelf at my local bookstore, I found and great book. It changed my whole outlook on Lord of the Rings. Now my knowledge is quite extensive and I understand the lord of the rings trilogy a lot better. I would recomend this book for anyone. There is one small problem.. In the maps of middle earth and arda. They really show no detail of tolkien's world except for the bodies of water and the continents. But overall, this is an awesome book.

Reading The Lord of the Rings is a joy, but it leaves some people hungry for more. In truth, LOTR is the tip of Tolkien's iceburg; the histories and wonders of Middle Earth are nearly infinite. However, once you move beyond The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien's works become considerably less 'user friendly'. That's the beauty of David Day's Illustrated Tolkien Encyclopedia. As a stand alone book it's fun to flip through. But it's real value shines when you attemp to tackle The Silmarillion, and then move on to the numerous volumes of postumously published lore. The time lines, family trees, who's-who, What's-what, and maps make Tolkien's epic histories more approachable and fun. After flipping through for a while, you will definitely want to re-read LOTR with a newfound appreciation for the novel's context. It will also add great depth to lovers of the current film versions.Another great resource to complement your reading is the Encyclopedia of Arda, online at: http://www.glyphweb.com/arda/default.htm

I felt this is a must have for any fan of the series of books that JRR Tolkien has wrote, its just purely amazing how much actual history is behind the series. I have owned the book for two months and still have not read all of it, the art is great to look at and yes it may seem off from what the characters look today but its still a feast for the eyes, if your a casual fan of the series this is not the book for you, you will get lost in all the history of the books. But if your a fan and wish to learn more about middle earth, this is a book for you as it will open your eyes to the first three ages of middle earth. Great to have and own.

This encyclopedia gives the reader a short synopsis of every kind of creature, geography, city, or event that was mentioned in the LOR, including characters from some of J.R.R Tolkien's other stories. This encyclopedia is invaluable when reading the LOR for the SECOND time. Beatifully illustrated and wonderfully cross-referenced. I would give this one six stars if I could.

This is a wonderful resource for any Tolkien fan. Not only do the sections on Geneology, History, Geography, Biography, Natural History (etc) serve as a priceless tool for any JRRT enthusiast, but the vivid, captivating images which are included (by several well-known and obscure artists), serve to brighten and enhance Middle-Earth as we know it. The pictures are not the standard fare, and many of them work to create more of an emotional response than an expository one.