1. The Hobbit 2. The Lord of the Rings 3. Bilbos Last Song 4. The Silmarillion 5. The Children of Hurin 6. Unfinished Tales 7. Nature of Middle Earth 8. The Silmarillion (again 😂) 9. The History of Middle Earth 1-12 10. Beren and Luthien and the Fall of Gondolin 11. Tales from the Perilous Realm 12. Tolkien's other non Middle Earth works like Father Christmas letters, Letters of JRR Tolkien, his essays, etc. 13. Start back at the top and do it all again. Repetition is the key. Particularly with the Lord of the Rings and the Silmarillion.
The Hobbit holds such a place in my heart, and such is my favorite book ever, it helped me a lot with re entering high school during Covid, basically no socializing. My school was getting rid of books that haven’t been checked out of the library in years, the hobbit was among them, the idea of the shire and Bilbo and his journey dragged me in hook, line, and sinker. Especially all of the chapters in the goblin caves. This book alone before even touching LotR had made J.R.R Tolkien my favorite author of all time.
Well, for adults: Read LOTR first. Take a short break, about 2 or 3 weeks, and read LOTR again. Carry the story in your mind for 2 or 3 months, then read LOTR a third time. Then you can read the Hobbit. Now back to LOTR. From now on you will be reading LOTR around twice a year. Around the end of year 3 you are going to have built up a kind of image of some of the people and events from the elder days, so now is a good time to read The Silmarillion. Remember you are still reading LOTR every 6 months. Around the end of year 6 I should thing would be a good time to take a second read of The Silmarillion. Back to your regular reading of LOTR. You are going to be quoting LOTR in your every day life, like “It’s the job that’s never started that takes the longest to finish” and other Hobbit wisdoms. If you want, now is the time to dip into Beren & Luthien and all the other stuff, but only for academic interest. Don’t ever stop reading LOTR.
I think you got everything right except I think there’s one step before your first step. Before your step 1, you should read LOTR once and then proceed to all of your steps.
My favorite reading order was how I initially consumed the books: The Hobbit, The Silmarillion, The Lord of The Rings. I found reading the Silmarillion in between was very rewarding because of the deeper mentions throughout the narrative of LOTR.
Wow. I always thought about reading The Silmarillion after reading both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. This, however, seems like a clever order because despite the fact that The Hobbit connects so much to the Lord of the Rings, it’s got very little to do with LOTR(even though it’s in the same world and some of the same elements and characters appear in the LOTR). I think I will start rereading The Hobbit, then Silmarillion and lastly LOTR. This is an awesome order. Thank you so much and Happy reading 📖
Hey, I'm very late to this video and you probably won't see this but your the reason I started reading LOTR again. (for context I'm 12 and LOTR is the most difficult thing I've ever read), I borrowed it for the first time at 9-10 y/o from the school library, got 5 chapters in but it was too difficult so I gave up. At 10 I tried again but faced the same problem so I gave up again. Then I moved schools and earlier this year I saw your Tolkien collection video, I had never seen your videos before and I wasn't really paying attention when watching, but when I saw Hobbit on the shelf I recognised it from your video and thought "Hey, may as well try Middle Earth again" and.... I got through it in a month! I then read the Fellowship, which wasn't too difficult, it took another month. But then I got stuck on the Two Towers, I pushed through but by the time I borrowed the Return of the King I was going to give up. I returned it after getting through like 5 chapters, but then I found your channel again and seeing you genuinely loving middle earth so much made me want to try again, so I borrowed the Return of the King again and am enjoying it SO much more than the first time. Thank you for unintentionally making me change my mind on Tolkien's writing style and appreciate it in a new perspective, can't wait to start the Silmarillion. Cheers mate :D
I have read in the following order: The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, Bilbo’s Last Song, and am currently reading Unfinished Tales. I own but have not read The Great Tales, The History of Middle Earth, and The Nature of Middle Earth.
I haven't included Nature of Middle-earth since it's strictly not a novel or in-line with the style of Unfinished Tales. But I have yet to read that! :)
Had started from the paperback collection of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. After reading its appendices I felt there is much to be discovered in middle earth. So I gave a shot to The Silmarilllion (hardcover illustrated) and it proved worth with its picturesque contents. Currently starting my Great Tales reading with Beren and Luthien..
My favorite reading order is quite "complex": == THIRD AGE 1) The Hobbit 2) The Lord of the Rings + Anexes 3) The History of Middle Earth IX: "Epilogue" [discarded by publisher to make TLOTR cheaper] 4) Bilbo's Last Song 5) The Adventures of Tom Bombadil 6) The History of Middle Earth XII: Unfinished Tales Part 3 + 4 7) The History of Middle Earth XII: The New Shadow [TLOTR sequel drafts] == FIRST & SECOND AGES 8) The Silmarillion 9) Beren & Luthien 10) Children of Húrin 11) The Fall of Gondolin == FINAL VERSIONS 12) The History of Middle Earth X-XI: Unfinished Tales Part 1 + 2 13) The History of Middle Earth I-IX 14) The History of The Hobbit [includes "The Hobbit" rewrite drafts] Note: these last books include the final version of texts not used in the (9), (10) and (11), where Christopher used the "most complete" texts, not always the "latest drafts". You might move (6) & (8) between (1) and (2). That would help to enjoy (2) TLOTR better. And if you want to be prickly, you could break (8): read "Ainulindalë" before the (1), the "Valaquenta" + "Akallabêth" before (2) and "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age" after (2). Then, what's left ("Quenta Simarillion") were I indicated (8) before.
@@brewingbooks Thanks to you :-) Basically, it's a chronological reading: first 3rd Age, then the 1st and 2nd, and you end up reading the "expanded" version of the Great Tales. I knew I forgot something: adding the "The History of Middle Earth XII: The New Shadow" (TLOTR sequel) after The Adventures of Tom Bombadil.
Your suggestion about squeezing Unfinished Tales in between LotR and The Silmarillion is excellent - it is precisely what I did back in the late 1970s and early 1980s after having two unsuccessful starts on the Silmarillion in 1978 and 1979.
I read the books for the first time last year and my (probably fairly unorthodox) reading order was: The children of Húrin, I thought this was a lovely introduction to the first age since it was indeed a self contained story where not really know the characters/places felt like a big deal and introduced a lot of things. The silmarillion, a very cool and in depth read and one of my favourite books ever now. The hobbit, lovely story that was a quick read and a great setup for the third age stories. LOTR, not much to say about this just epic. Unfinished tales, Lovely stories and more in depth into the nature of tolkien's writings. The rest of the great tales, Great reads and good reads after unfinished tales which gave a good introduction to the more commentary nature. HOME, Great back ground but still working my way through them :) Is it the advised reading order for new lotr readers, probably not heh. but I thorougly enjoyed it.
Thanks for sharing! I'm glad to hear you starting with The Children of Hurin and found it to be a good introduction to the mythology; especially considering it's quite a complex tale.
I wanted this to be a continuous cycle of reading for me, so I decided to read in the following order: 1. The Hobbit 2. LotR + Appendicies 3. Bilbo's Last Song 4. The Adventures of Tom Bombadil 5. The Silmarillion 6. Children of Hurin 7. Beren and Luthien 8. The Fall of Gondolin 9. The Fall of Numenor 10. Unfinished Tales 11. The History of Middle Earth 12. The Nature of Middle Earth 13. The History of The Hobbit 14. The Hobbit (and the cycle begins all over again) I really enjoy how the stories can cycle back into one another and really feed their storytelling and world-building. I have also found that the history of the hobbit is a fantastic prerequisite to the hobbit, after reading it and knowing the story of course. I also have a copy of the LotR readers companion, I might read that with the chapters of the individual volumes on my next go. 😀
Having only read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, I’m actually very excited and appreciative of your reading order. Bilbo’s Song does seem to be a nice intermission as read in the order you described. Another great video! And looking forward to another similar one you hinted at there.
Interesting choice of order. I remember starting very strong with the Silmarillion as my first book 😅 It wasn't easy but the index was helpful as a guide. I usually follow a chronological order within the long history of Middle Earth.
@@brewingbooks Same here. I think the first time through it's good to start with The Hobbit, LOTR, Bilbo's Last Song, etc., but the second time through it is great to start with The Silmarillion and go in chronological order.
Hear me out…. Starting with Tolkien’s Beowulf and Gawain provide very important context once you start reading Tolkiens fiction. Example: compare Smaug’s lair with the lay of the lone survivor in Beowulf. He picks up on a lot of things and reinvents others
Thank you for this order. My children, age 11 and 7 are budding Tolkien Scholars 😁. They are utterly absorbed and requested just Tolkien books from Father Christmas this year. Luckily he delivered and we now have a lot more to get through in 2022!
@@simonwiggins8570 You never know! It depends on the child. Sometimes they surprise you. If they seem interested, give it a try. If you see they're frustrated, don't push it.
Started with the Hobbit and then LotR, like most Tolkien reader, and then went straight to the Silmarillion (beat my mother by reading it because she couldn't stand continue reading it) and currently now I'm at the Children of Hurin. What I love about the last two more than the Hobbit and LotR is that the main villain Melkor/Morgoth is actually present at the stories and you hear him talk and know how he thinks whereas in LotR (can't remember if also in the Hobbit or not) Sauron is never present but only mentioned
My reading order is this: -The Hobbit (easiest read to get someone invested) -The Lord of the Rings (longest read but easier to digest) -Bilbo's Last Song -The Children of Hurin (darkest read, but also introduces them to the style of The Silmarillion) -The Silmarillion (magnum opus) -Unfinished Tales (not particularly necessary but can be fun) -Beren and Luthien -Fall of Gondolin -Nature of Middle Earth -History of Middle Earth (12 volumes + Index) I suggest reading by ease, since Tolkien can be really tough for new readers.
I started with the Lord of the Rings … then the rest was gorgeous history… so LOTR then Hobbit then Silmarillion then Children of Hurin, then the more fragmentary books by chapters or sections of interest. Looking forward to the pre-ordered Fall of Numenor ….and pre-ordered edition of the Silmarillion with Tolkien illustrations
The way I first read Tolkien was The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales and the Great Tales. I am yet to read The History of Middle-earth but I do own the First Book of the Lost Tales in French so there's that.
I read books in this order: Hobbit,LotR,Silmarillion,Unfinished tales,The Children of Hurin,Beren and Luthien,The Fall of Gondolin. Because, after you read TH and LotR you are prepared to read The Silmarillion. After that, Unfinished tales complete stories of The Silmarilion,TH and LotR. After Unfinished teles (which were very big and confusing), Three Great Tales are like chapters of The Unfinished Tales. The Children of Hurin were stand alone book, Tolkien himself wanted to publish it. B&R and TFOG are like Histories of Middle earth. After it all, I read Tales of the Perilious Realm,The Lay of Outrou and Itroun,The Story of Cullervo,The Fall of Arthur...
I’ve been watching all your videos / reviews just wanna say you are a absolute legend , professional and extremely detailed , especially me having no clue where to start Thankyou hahah
10 minutes in 2022 already here, and the first thing I did was watching your new video. ;-) A very interesting reading order indeed. Thank you so much! I am now fully in the process of finishing my own book, so if I start reading the Tolkien books I will postpone it for yet another year. However, when I'm done, I will follow this particular order suggested by you, for it makes sense. A very happy new year to you and yours!
Great video and very timely for me. I read LOTR (after watching the movies) and then The Hobbit. I reread LOTR this year and then tried Silmarillion thrice (and failed because I was completely lost with the names - also trying on audio didn't help). This alternate reading order is so helpful!🙂
I always say read or watch things in the order they were made. Because often where things aren't in chronological order, what you watch in a prequel might be a spoiler ruining part of the effect intended for the earlier work, and you'll miss insights you're supposed to go AHA to on the assumption you've already read or watched the earlier work. Maybe later do it chronologically after having read or watched everything.
I just bought The Lenticular Facsimile Boxed set to re-read the entirety again. I bought the three volume set of The History of Middle-Earth but I plan on buying the new boxed set that includes The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales but I can't wiat. giggidy for Christmas
"The Return of The Shadow" is a fascinating read - it is the early drafts of Lord of the Rings and shows how "Bingo Baggins" became "Frodo Baggins"... and "Trotter" became "Strider". I can't imagine a "Bingo" and "Trotter".
I started in Tolkien's world with The Silmarillion, then I read The Hobbit and finally the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I must confess that The Silmarillion is for me the best epic fantasy book in all of history, it is the only book that I have read over and over again 😎.
When do you think I should read the fall of numenor?? Do you think if I have some background would it be alright to read before the hobbit or when should I read it in your opinion? Thanks for the answer
If this is your first introduction to Middle-earth, I would strongly recommend reading The Hobbit and LOTR first. Then you could proceed with The Fall of Numenor 🙂
I've watched numerous videos on this subject. I like how personal your suggested order is. However, I'm surprised that - like most people talking about this subject - you don't stress the importance of the appendices to LOTR. Those looking for just stories may find parts of it disappointing, but for anyone wanting to immerse themselves in Middle-Earth, there are many things in the appendices not to be found elsewhere.
Thanks for the video. I‘m still reading LotR. I didn’t know Bilbo‘s Last Song was this important. So, just for that, thank you! I‘m planning on reading The Silmarillion Next and then I‘ll decide whether I want to „fill in the gaps“ with Unfinished Tales or I want to read the „extended version“ of the Three Great Tales. I‘m honestly leaning more toward the letter after your video. Cheers
Fantastic video! I am currently buying all the illustrated editions you show in the video! Where would you put the new Fall of Numenor book in this list? Also tempted by the Guide and the Nature.
That’s amazing! Have fun 😀 Given the nature of the content in The Fall of Numenor, I would place it somewhere after Unfinished Tales. Or perhaps right after The Silmarillion - yes, that would fit much better. 🙂
For a strictly story perspective, literally just the basics, I like to start from the silmarillion but skip the hurin part and replace that with the children of hurin standalone book, afterwards that its the hobbit and then lotr itself. Beren and luthien, Fall of Gondolin, Unfinished Tales, Tales from Perilous Realm, and the upcoming Fall of Numenor I feel are more of a documentary of how the stories came up to that point. Irregardless of that, I'm still buying the latter if not for the collection and just sheer curiosity (and ofcourse the artwork)
I read the Silmarilion, then the lord of the rings trilogy, now I’m onto the children of Hurin. I started with the hobbit after the Silmarilion but the simple writing style was kind of jarring.
Where would you recommend placing the Fall of Numenor into this sequence? I was thinking after The Silmarillion and the Great Tales, but it could just as easily be read before reading the Hobbit as its events set up the events of the Third Age. You could say its almost a transitional book that allows the reading to be a perpetual cycle, as reading it at either the beginning or the end of this sequence allows for the reading to start all over again. Thoughts?
@@blackmetalerik962 Not necessarily. The History of Middle-earth is more of an academic study into Tolkien’s development of the stories and how they came to be through the presentation of several drafts and sketches he wrote throughout five decades.
1. Appendices of The Return of the King 2.The Fall of Gondolin 3. The Silmarillion 4.The hobbit 5.Beren and Luthien 6. The Fall of Numenor 7.The two towers 8.the children of hurin 9. Return of the king 10.The history of middle earth 1-13 11. Fellowship of the ring 12. Unfinished Tales This is the best reading order, good luck 😊
Fall of nunemor will be coming this November.. I wonder how it will influence your reading order and since its second age the difference between it (oficial version) vs the TV series
It’ll be interesting to see how Sibley manages to integrate the LOTR appendices material with what’s available on The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales, it I’m guessing my reading order will remain the same, or become a bit more straightforward 😄 We’ll have to see.
happy new year! i'm planning to read the hobbit, lotr, the Silmarillion this year. I really would love to read it in English, in Tolkien language, but here in Brazil, the books are costing a real fortune. even with new Brazilian editions in hardcover and beautiful design, they are still more accessible than paperback imports, unfortunately ):
Best wishes to you too! That's too bad about the pricey English translations. However, if you find yourself enjoying the translations in your own language just the same, then that's the most important thing :)
Your voice is Incredibly soothing. I just finished lotr and the hobbit for the first time reading. Glad to see I’ll be going towards the silmarillion soon. You definitely sell it ! Cheers
Thank you very much for your recommendations! I'm just preparing for my "year of Tolkien" next year, and I had thought of the same order up to The Silmarillion (except I would read Bilbo's Last Song and Adventures of Tom Bombadil after LOTR, and read Unfinished Tales as one book later on). I'm so glad to see you read Lewis, too! I'll see if you have any videos on this, but, is that a one-volume Chronicles of Narnia you have? I want to get the collection in publication order, but the ones I find all have The Magician's Nephew as No. 1. If you or any of your viewers have any recommendations, I would appreciate it! Thank you and blessings!
That is indeed a one volume edition of Narnia. It’s a beautiful item, but not so practical to read from 😅 Id love to get a seven volume paperback set one day for easier reading.
Quick question : I read the hobbit and lotr over the last month and a half and I’m in the last twenty pages of appendices I’m trying to to cover to cover but it’s getting very dense and hard to read through the language bits. Do you Include this when reading through? I enjoyed the first three because of talk of the first and second ages however ya was curious. Really excited to read the silmarillion next
Hey there! I used to push myself to read through both the workings of the calendars and the language appendices but after more re-reads I found myself skimming through this sections, as they can get quite technical. Enjoy The Silmarillion!
Thx for the video I'm soon intending to buy the Hobbit I didn't understand the part about Bilbo's last song did you mean at the end we should read it before or after lotr ?
Hey James, really helpful video for someone starting to move on after reading The Hobbit and LOTR. Where would you put the Fall of Numenor in this list?
Great video! I loved it! You’re clear, concise, and very informative. I’m currently reading Tolkien’s The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún, and find it very enjoyable. I have a video on my channel where I review Tolkien’s translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, if you’re interested. Keep up the good work! Happy New Year!
Hey Joel, thanks for the headsup to your channel. Will certainly check it out :) And Sigurd and Gudrun is one of my non Middle-earth favourites. I think it's fantastic :)
I’d say any of the HoME series books should come after reading the main works. Nature of Middle-earth has been considered as the 13th volume in the HoME series so it might be a natural progression to read after the first twelve books 🙂
While talking about the unfinished tales you put "the adventures of tom bombadil" in the timestamp, could I therefore just buy the book Tom bombadil by itself or does the content differ from unfinished tales? I'm a new reader so I am quote confused on what to buy😅
Hey there! So basically The Adventures of Tom Bombadil is a completely separate book from Unfinished Tales. In fact, I would suggest reading Adventures right after The Lord of the Rings. It’s a very entertaining and easy book to read if you enjoy poetry somewhat based in Middle-earth 🙂
Thanks for posting this. Would the stories contained in the Great Tales of Middle-Earth collection be spoiled if one were to read The Silmarillion first?
Hi there! To a certain extent, yes. The Great Tales reproduce the three main narratives from The Silmarillion, but provide further material and analysis than the latter. From a story perspective you’ll find an almost summarized version in The Silmarillion. That said, I would still read The Silmarillion first as those three tales contained within it form part of a larger narrative which can only be experienced by reading The Silmarillion first. Hope this helps and enjoy reading 🙂
Hey Tom! Yes, I would strongly recommend starting with The Hobbit and then The Lord of the Rings as your first reads, then proceed with the rest as you feel comfortable with.
The Hobbit The LOTR The Silmarillion (yes it was tough but I did it yay:p) The Children of Hurin (currently reading) Beren and Luthien The fall of Gondolin The unfinished Tales Adventures of Tom Bombadil What next? Which one should I read once I finish these? Please help
@@brewingbooks Okay, about that. Now no offense to Christopher Tolkien, I applaud him for publishing works like The Silmarillion and later stuff that JRR Tolkien couldn't publish it at his time, but I kind of found the commentary part of his boring/disinteresting (although it's important to note that I am not an avid reader). So these 12 volumes of Middle-Earth which are quite bigger than any I have read, will it be able to keep my interest going?
@@jaybhavsar1698 you’re perfectly right. The HOME series is a very exhaustive, highly academic set of books. I haven’t personally read through them all yet, but from what I gather, yes, it appears each volume’s content is quite heavy-going.
@@brewingbooks You mentioned that there is a section in the Silmarillion that discusses the fall of Numenor. Do you still think the new release is different enough to warrant a purchase and read?
If The Children of Hurin story is present in The Silmarillion but in a compressed format, would you recommend reading The Silmarillion up until the chapter Of the Fifth Battle, stop there, read the standalone Children of Hurin novel and once you are done with that, start again The Silmarillion from the chapter Of the Ruin of Doriath?
That sounds like something I would agree to, but it might break the flow of your Silmarillion thread. So in that case, I' suggest you start with the standalone story and then get into The Silmarillion.
What would be the best order to read the books to children? I hope it doesn't start Silmarillion. I hated that book even at my twenties. Never read it again.
If it’s Middle-earth books I would obviously begin with The Hobbit, The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, and then, depending on the age of the children, slowly begin LOTR (avoiding The Silmarillion completely). If it’s not Middle-earth books, there’s no real order but Mr Bliss, Farmer Giles of Ham and Letters from Father Christina’s are great for starters to Tolkien’s writing 🙂
Sure thing, here you go🙂 The Hobbit The Lord of the Rings Bilbo’s Last Song The Adventures of Tom Bombadil Unfinished Tales: Parts 3 & 4 The Silmarillion The Children of Hurin Beren & Luthien The Fall of Gondolin Unfinished Tales: Part 1 & 2 Now, with the publication of The Fall of Numenor, I’d place this best at the end. Having gone through the main texts it’s a nice refresher and gap-filler of all that happened in between. Happy reading!
@@brewingbooks Thankyou so much!. It really means alot that you took time out of your day...I'm left handed see and can't write as I have really bad arthritis, Especially in my left hand. I googled what order to read them and alot of others have diffrent alternative but I'd rather do it your way if I'm honest!.
@@ww2uniformsandinsignias48 they’re pretty much a date-by-date chronology if Tolkien’s life;all known publications, letter sent -almost like a diary with entries of sort
I haven't included that as it's not in the same format as Unfinished Tales, with fragments of the stories, etc. It's more of an analysis/commentary volume, much like the HoME series.
@@ipoulter9765 because it’s more of an academically-oriented book, rather than a kind of standalone book with a story. Even Unfinished Tales, though fragmentary, still acts like a coming lectionary of short narratives. Nature of Middle-earth is more in line with the HoME series, and why I think there won’t be an illustrated version of it.
@@brewingbooks should I still add it to my collection as the cover design goes in with the other ones also is there anything I’m missing I have: The silmarillion Beren and luthien The fall of gondolin The children of hurin The hobbit The lord of the rings Unfinished tales Tales front the lost realm
@@ipoulter9765 Absolutely! You should certainly add Nature to your collection if you can. As to the list your provided, I think you’re all set to go. You might also want to consider getting Bilbo’s Last Song for a fuller collection 🙂
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1. The Hobbit
2. The Lord of the Rings
3. Bilbos Last Song
4. The Silmarillion
5. The Children of Hurin
6. Unfinished Tales
7. Nature of Middle Earth
8. The Silmarillion (again 😂)
9. The History of Middle Earth 1-12
10. Beren and Luthien and the Fall of Gondolin
11. Tales from the Perilous Realm
12. Tolkien's other non Middle Earth works like Father Christmas letters, Letters of JRR Tolkien, his essays, etc.
13. Start back at the top and do it all again. Repetition is the key. Particularly with the Lord of the Rings and the Silmarillion.
Haha love this order! Especially the re-read of The Silmarillion ;) Thanks for sharing.
I never knew tolkien wrote that many books on middle earth!
I have the same order.
This is great... but where would you fit the new book The Fall of Numenor into this? Please and thanks x
@@melissacarrington5306 after Unfinished Tales I think, or after the Silmarrillion
The Hobbit holds such a place in my heart, and such is my favorite book ever, it helped me a lot with re entering high school during Covid, basically no socializing. My school was getting rid of books that haven’t been checked out of the library in years, the hobbit was among them, the idea of the shire and Bilbo and his journey dragged me in hook, line, and sinker. Especially all of the chapters in the goblin caves. This book alone before even touching LotR had made J.R.R Tolkien my favorite author of all time.
Beautiful story, thanks for sharing 🙂 such an experience makes for an even deeper appreciation of such books
Well, for adults: Read LOTR first. Take a short break, about 2 or 3 weeks, and read LOTR again. Carry the story in your mind for 2 or 3 months, then read LOTR a third time. Then you can read the Hobbit. Now back to LOTR. From now on you will be reading LOTR around twice a year. Around the end of year 3 you are going to have built up a kind of image of some of the people and events from the elder days, so now is a good time to read The Silmarillion. Remember you are still reading LOTR every 6 months. Around the end of year 6 I should thing would be a good time to take a second read of The Silmarillion. Back to your regular reading of LOTR. You are going to be quoting LOTR in your every day life, like “It’s the job that’s never started that takes the longest to finish” and other Hobbit wisdoms. If you want, now is the time to dip into Beren & Luthien and all the other stuff, but only for academic interest. Don’t ever stop reading LOTR.
I think you got everything right except I think there’s one step before your first step. Before your step 1, you should read LOTR once and then proceed to all of your steps.
@@dwezel OK, one more time is always a good idea...
Robert plant?! Is that you?!
I am missing unfinished Tales here. That one is mot very academical and has a lot of good stuff.
My favorite reading order was how I initially consumed the books: The Hobbit, The Silmarillion, The Lord of The Rings. I found reading the Silmarillion in between was very rewarding because of the deeper mentions throughout the narrative of LOTR.
I love this idea of reading The Silmarillion in between others. I'm sure it really helps :)
Wow. I always thought about reading The Silmarillion after reading both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. This, however, seems like a clever order because despite the fact that The Hobbit connects so much to the Lord of the Rings, it’s got very little to do with LOTR(even though it’s in the same world and some of the same elements and characters appear in the LOTR). I think I will start rereading The Hobbit, then Silmarillion and lastly LOTR. This is an awesome order. Thank you so much and Happy reading 📖
I read it in this order as well and I think you can enjoy LOTR afterwards even more because you get all the references to the first age:)
I just skipped Hobbit. Silmarillion first next LOTR.
This is a great order as long as you have already read the series once before!
Hey, I'm very late to this video and you probably won't see this but your the reason I started reading LOTR again. (for context I'm 12 and LOTR is the most difficult thing I've ever read), I borrowed it for the first time at 9-10 y/o from the school library, got 5 chapters in but it was too difficult so I gave up. At 10 I tried again but faced the same problem so I gave up again. Then I moved schools and earlier this year I saw your Tolkien collection video, I had never seen your videos before and I wasn't really paying attention when watching, but when I saw Hobbit on the shelf I recognised it from your video and thought "Hey, may as well try Middle Earth again" and.... I got through it in a month! I then read the Fellowship, which wasn't too difficult, it took another month. But then I got stuck on the Two Towers, I pushed through but by the time I borrowed the Return of the King I was going to give up. I returned it after getting through like 5 chapters, but then I found your channel again and seeing you genuinely loving middle earth so much made me want to try again, so I borrowed the Return of the King again and am enjoying it SO much more than the first time. Thank you for unintentionally making me change my mind on Tolkien's writing style and appreciate it in a new perspective, can't wait to start the Silmarillion. Cheers mate :D
Keep on keeping on 😁👍🏼
I will be reading The Hobbit for the first time once I get my book in ❤️ I’m really excited to dive into this world
That’s fantastic! It’ll be a wonderful reading experience. Enjoy 😉
I have read in the following order: The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, Bilbo’s Last Song, and am currently reading Unfinished Tales. I own but have not read The Great Tales, The History of Middle Earth, and The Nature of Middle Earth.
I haven't included Nature of Middle-earth since it's strictly not a novel or in-line with the style of Unfinished Tales. But I have yet to read that! :)
Should hobbit then lord of the rings be the first books I read? I’m pretty new to reading in general.
@@tomlynch6443 yes
Had started from the paperback collection of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. After reading its appendices I felt there is much to be discovered in middle earth. So I gave a shot to The Silmarilllion (hardcover illustrated) and it proved worth with its picturesque contents. Currently starting my Great Tales reading with Beren and Luthien..
Enjoy your reading! There’s so much more to discover in Tolkien’s writings 😃
My favorite reading order is quite "complex":
== THIRD AGE
1) The Hobbit
2) The Lord of the Rings + Anexes
3) The History of Middle Earth IX: "Epilogue" [discarded by publisher to make TLOTR cheaper]
4) Bilbo's Last Song
5) The Adventures of Tom Bombadil
6) The History of Middle Earth XII: Unfinished Tales Part 3 + 4
7) The History of Middle Earth XII: The New Shadow [TLOTR sequel drafts]
== FIRST & SECOND AGES
8) The Silmarillion
9) Beren & Luthien
10) Children of Húrin
11) The Fall of Gondolin
== FINAL VERSIONS
12) The History of Middle Earth X-XI: Unfinished Tales Part 1 + 2
13) The History of Middle Earth I-IX
14) The History of The Hobbit [includes "The Hobbit" rewrite drafts]
Note: these last books include the final version of texts not used in the (9), (10) and (11), where Christopher used the "most complete" texts, not always the "latest drafts".
You might move (6) & (8) between (1) and (2). That would help to enjoy (2) TLOTR better.
And if you want to be prickly, you could break (8): read "Ainulindalë" before the (1), the "Valaquenta" + "Akallabêth" before (2) and "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age" after (2). Then, what's left ("Quenta Simarillion") were I indicated (8) before.
Loving this order! Thanks for sharing 😃
@@brewingbooks Thanks to you :-) Basically, it's a chronological reading: first 3rd Age, then the 1st and 2nd, and you end up reading the "expanded" version of the Great Tales. I knew I forgot something: adding the "The History of Middle Earth XII: The New Shadow" (TLOTR sequel) after The Adventures of Tom Bombadil.
Your suggestion about squeezing Unfinished Tales in between LotR and The Silmarillion is excellent - it is precisely what I did back in the late 1970s and early 1980s after having two unsuccessful starts on the Silmarillion in 1978 and 1979.
Fantastic! 👍
I read the books for the first time last year and my (probably fairly unorthodox) reading order was:
The children of Húrin, I thought this was a lovely introduction to the first age since it was indeed a self contained story where not really know the characters/places felt like a big deal and introduced a lot of things.
The silmarillion, a very cool and in depth read and one of my favourite books ever now.
The hobbit, lovely story that was a quick read and a great setup for the third age stories.
LOTR, not much to say about this just epic.
Unfinished tales, Lovely stories and more in depth into the nature of tolkien's writings.
The rest of the great tales, Great reads and good reads after unfinished tales which gave a good introduction to the more commentary nature.
HOME, Great back ground but still working my way through them :)
Is it the advised reading order for new lotr readers, probably not heh. but I thorougly enjoyed it.
Thanks for sharing! I'm glad to hear you starting with The Children of Hurin and found it to be a good introduction to the mythology; especially considering it's quite a complex tale.
I wanted this to be a continuous cycle of reading for me, so I decided to read in the following order:
1. The Hobbit
2. LotR + Appendicies
3. Bilbo's Last Song
4. The Adventures of Tom Bombadil
5. The Silmarillion
6. Children of Hurin
7. Beren and Luthien
8. The Fall of Gondolin
9. The Fall of Numenor
10. Unfinished Tales
11. The History of Middle Earth
12. The Nature of Middle Earth
13. The History of The Hobbit
14. The Hobbit (and the cycle begins all over again)
I really enjoy how the stories can cycle back into one another and really feed their storytelling and world-building. I have also found that the history of the hobbit is a fantastic prerequisite to the hobbit, after reading it and knowing the story of course. I also have a copy of the LotR readers companion, I might read that with the chapters of the individual volumes on my next go. 😀
Having only read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, I’m actually very excited and appreciative of your reading order. Bilbo’s Song does seem to be a nice intermission as read in the order you described. Another great video! And looking forward to another similar one you hinted at there.
Many thanks :)
Great suggestions! Though I am a lifelong Tolkien fan, I had never heard of the Bilbo's Last Poem book, so am grateful that you mentioned it!
Hope you enjoy it!
I had not even heard of Bilbo's Last Song!
How how? 😵💫😅
Interesting choice of order.
I remember starting very strong with the Silmarillion as my first book 😅
It wasn't easy but the index was helpful as a guide. I usually follow a chronological order within the long history of Middle Earth.
Nowadays, I too follow the more established chronological order; hence, The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, etc...
@@brewingbooks Same here. I think the first time through it's good to start with The Hobbit, LOTR, Bilbo's Last Song, etc., but the second time through it is great to start with The Silmarillion and go in chronological order.
Hear me out…. Starting with Tolkien’s Beowulf and Gawain provide very important context once you start reading Tolkiens fiction. Example: compare Smaug’s lair with the lay of the lone survivor in Beowulf. He picks up on a lot of things and reinvents others
Great suggestion 👍 Cheers!
Thank you for this order. My children, age 11 and 7 are budding Tolkien Scholars 😁. They are utterly absorbed and requested just Tolkien books from Father Christmas this year. Luckily he delivered and we now have a lot more to get through in 2022!
How wonderful to have them starting to read Tolkien. I'm really glad my little video has helped :)
The Hobbit for sure for those ages and build from there. Throwing them into something like the Silmarillion at that age could put them completely off.
@@simonwiggins8570 You never know! It depends on the child. Sometimes they surprise you. If they seem interested, give it a try. If you see they're frustrated, don't push it.
Started with the Hobbit and then LotR, like most Tolkien reader, and then went straight to the Silmarillion (beat my mother by reading it because she couldn't stand continue reading it) and currently now I'm at the Children of Hurin.
What I love about the last two more than the Hobbit and LotR is that the main villain Melkor/Morgoth is actually present at the stories and you hear him talk and know how he thinks whereas in LotR (can't remember if also in the Hobbit or not) Sauron is never present but only mentioned
My reading order is this:
-The Hobbit (easiest read to get someone invested)
-The Lord of the Rings (longest read but easier to digest)
-Bilbo's Last Song
-The Children of Hurin (darkest read, but also introduces them to the style of The Silmarillion)
-The Silmarillion (magnum opus)
-Unfinished Tales (not particularly necessary but can be fun)
-Beren and Luthien
-Fall of Gondolin
-Nature of Middle Earth
-History of Middle Earth (12 volumes + Index)
I suggest reading by ease, since Tolkien can be really tough for new readers.
Good choice of order :)
Whats reading by ease
@@howardthecat6666 Reading the more accessible books first so you can ease your way through the more difficult ones.
I‘d also go by read by excitement. At least Post Hobbit/ LotR. If a particular work excites you, go for it.
I started with the Lord of the Rings … then the rest was gorgeous history… so LOTR then Hobbit then Silmarillion then Children of Hurin, then the more fragmentary books by chapters or sections of interest. Looking forward to the pre-ordered Fall of Numenor ….and pre-ordered edition of the Silmarillion with Tolkien illustrations
I’m really excited by Fall of Numenor and how it’s all structured together.
Thanks mate, i was really confused about where to start reading . This video was really helpful.👍🏻
Cheers!
The way I first read Tolkien was The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales and the Great Tales. I am yet to read The History of Middle-earth but I do own the First Book of the Lost Tales in French so there's that.
Thanks for sharing!
our videos keep getting better.
Thanks I was looking for a good way to read the books
Glad to be of some help 🙂
I read books in this order: Hobbit,LotR,Silmarillion,Unfinished tales,The Children of Hurin,Beren and Luthien,The Fall of Gondolin. Because, after you read TH and LotR you are prepared to read The Silmarillion. After that, Unfinished tales complete stories of The Silmarilion,TH and LotR. After Unfinished teles (which were very big and confusing), Three Great Tales are like chapters of The Unfinished Tales. The Children of Hurin were stand alone book, Tolkien himself wanted to publish it. B&R and TFOG are like Histories of Middle earth. After it all, I read Tales of the Perilious Realm,The Lay of Outrou and Itroun,The Story of Cullervo,The Fall of Arthur...
Very interesting reading order 😃 Thanks for sharing!
Posto kosta sve to
I’ve been watching all your videos / reviews just wanna say you are a absolute legend , professional and extremely detailed , especially me having no clue where to start Thankyou hahah
Oh wow! Thank you so much 🙂 Glad you found these videos useful 👍
10 minutes in 2022 already here, and the first thing I did was watching your new video. ;-) A very interesting reading order indeed. Thank you so much! I am now fully in the process of finishing my own book, so if I start reading the Tolkien books I will postpone it for yet another year. However, when I'm done, I will follow this particular order suggested by you, for it makes sense. A very happy new year to you and yours!
Thanks so much for your kind words! Happy New Year to you too :)
Doing The Hobbit and LotR first is great for building a foundation and establishing why you care.
Absolutely 🙂
I need your help: In what order should I display my LOTR books?
Great video and very timely for me.
I read LOTR (after watching the movies) and then The Hobbit. I reread LOTR this year and then tried Silmarillion thrice (and failed because I was completely lost with the names - also trying on audio didn't help).
This alternate reading order is so helpful!🙂
Best of luck with your fourth re-read of The Silmarillion then! 😉
I always say read or watch things in the order they were made. Because often where things aren't in chronological order, what you watch in a prequel might be a spoiler ruining part of the effect intended for the earlier work, and you'll miss insights you're supposed to go AHA to on the assumption you've already read or watched the earlier work. Maybe later do it chronologically after having read or watched everything.
Great suggestion for sure! 🙂
I just bought The Lenticular Facsimile Boxed set to re-read the entirety again. I bought the three volume set of The History of Middle-Earth but I plan on buying the new boxed set that includes The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales but I can't wiat. giggidy for Christmas
Hope you enjoy it! How's the Lenticular edition?
Love this! Will definitely use this for this year’s readings☕️
That's great! And thanks :)
Hi! Thanks for this video ❤Yesterday I decided to start reading Tolkien from The Silmarillion. I think you have prevented a great disappointment
Wow that’s great! Do let us know how it goes 👍
Nice video thank you.
"The Return of The Shadow" is a fascinating read - it is the early drafts of Lord of the Rings and shows how "Bingo Baggins" became "Frodo Baggins"... and "Trotter" became "Strider".
I can't imagine a "Bingo" and "Trotter".
Yes indeed 🙂
I like to start with page one and move forward from there.
That’s the wisest of moves 😉
I started in Tolkien's world with The Silmarillion, then I read The Hobbit and finally the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I must confess that The Silmarillion is for me the best epic fantasy book in all of history, it is the only book that I have read over and over again 😎.
That's great! Reading The Silmarillion is a beautiful experience indeed :)
When do you think I should read the fall of numenor?? Do you think if I have some background would it be alright to read before the hobbit or when should I read it in your opinion? Thanks for the answer
If this is your first introduction to Middle-earth, I would strongly recommend reading The Hobbit and LOTR first. Then you could proceed with The Fall of Numenor 🙂
I've watched numerous videos on this subject. I like how personal your suggested order is. However, I'm surprised that - like most people talking about this subject - you don't stress the importance of the appendices to LOTR. Those looking for just stories may find parts of it disappointing, but for anyone wanting to immerse themselves in Middle-Earth, there are many things in the appendices not to be found elsewhere.
I absolutely agree 👍
Thanks for the video. I‘m still reading LotR. I didn’t know Bilbo‘s Last Song was this important. So, just for that, thank you! I‘m planning on reading The Silmarillion Next and then I‘ll decide whether I want to „fill in the gaps“ with Unfinished Tales or I want to read the „extended version“ of the Three Great Tales. I‘m honestly leaning more toward the letter after your video.
Cheers
Best of luck with your reads!
It's the perfect order. :) Thank you!
Great! And you’re welcome 🙂
Best new year gift 🎁
Cheers! Best wishes
I finally read The Hobbit/LoTR. Just finished today. Wow wow wow wow wow
Glad you enjoyed it!
Fantastic video! I am currently buying all the illustrated editions you show in the video! Where would you put the new Fall of Numenor book in this list? Also tempted by the Guide and the Nature.
That’s amazing! Have fun 😀 Given the nature of the content in The Fall of Numenor, I would place it somewhere after Unfinished Tales. Or perhaps right after The Silmarillion - yes, that would fit much better. 🙂
Thank you i always wanted to read the books! This is gonna help allot
Glad it will be of help :)
For a strictly story perspective, literally just the basics, I like to start from the silmarillion but skip the hurin part and replace that with the children of hurin standalone book, afterwards that its the hobbit and then lotr itself.
Beren and luthien, Fall of Gondolin, Unfinished Tales, Tales from Perilous Realm, and the upcoming Fall of Numenor I feel are more of a documentary of how the stories came up to that point.
Irregardless of that, I'm still buying the latter if not for the collection and just sheer curiosity (and ofcourse the artwork)
I read the Silmarilion, then the lord of the rings trilogy, now I’m onto the children of Hurin.
I started with the hobbit after the Silmarilion but the simple writing style was kind of jarring.
I see what you mean. Next re read try switch them round: The Hobbit first then The Silmarillion. It’ll be worth it ;)
Where would you recommend placing the Fall of Numenor into this sequence? I was thinking after The Silmarillion and the Great Tales, but it could just as easily be read before reading the Hobbit as its events set up the events of the Third Age. You could say its almost a transitional book that allows the reading to be a perpetual cycle, as reading it at either the beginning or the end of this sequence allows for the reading to start all over again. Thoughts?
How about "fall of numenor" where does that fit in?
my reading order was The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings and Unfinished Tales
Thanks for sharing 🙂
@@brewingbooks do i have to read The History of Middle-earth if i read the silmarillion and unfinished tales?
@@blackmetalerik962 Not necessarily. The History of Middle-earth is more of an academic study into Tolkien’s development of the stories and how they came to be through the presentation of several drafts and sketches he wrote throughout five decades.
1. Appendices of The Return of the King
2.The Fall of Gondolin
3. The Silmarillion
4.The hobbit
5.Beren and Luthien
6. The Fall of Numenor
7.The two towers
8.the children of hurin
9. Return of the king
10.The history of middle earth 1-13
11. Fellowship of the ring
12. Unfinished Tales
This is the best reading order, good luck 😊
Not a very wise reading choice … but who am I to say otherwise! To each their own I guess 😅
Fall of nunemor will be coming this November.. I wonder how it will influence your reading order and since its second age the difference between it (oficial version) vs the TV series
It’ll be interesting to see how Sibley manages to integrate the LOTR appendices material with what’s available on The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales, it I’m guessing my reading order will remain the same, or become a bit more straightforward 😄 We’ll have to see.
happy new year!
i'm planning to read the hobbit, lotr, the Silmarillion this year. I really would love to read it in English, in Tolkien language, but here in Brazil, the books are costing a real fortune. even with new Brazilian editions in hardcover and beautiful design, they are still more accessible than paperback imports, unfortunately ):
Best wishes to you too! That's too bad about the pricey English translations. However, if you find yourself enjoying the translations in your own language just the same, then that's the most important thing :)
@@brewingbooks I hope so! Brazil just got a brand new translation with beautiful editions. Let's see how it will turn out!
What two books are behind you? (Next to the history of middle earth books?
That’s the ‘JRR Tolkien Companion and Guide’ Boxed Set 🙂
1. silmarillion
2. children of Hurin
3. the fall of numenor
4. The Hobbit
5. Lord of the Ring
6. Unfinished tales
CHRONOLOGICAL BABY
Wise! 😄
I love the way you say silmarillion
I think that’s close to how one is supposed to pronounce it 😅
Your voice is Incredibly soothing. I just finished lotr and the hobbit for the first time reading. Glad to see I’ll be going towards the silmarillion soon. You definitely sell it ! Cheers
Thank you very much for your recommendations! I'm just preparing for my "year of Tolkien" next year, and I had thought of the same order up to The Silmarillion (except I would read Bilbo's Last Song and Adventures of Tom Bombadil after LOTR, and read Unfinished Tales as one book later on).
I'm so glad to see you read Lewis, too! I'll see if you have any videos on this, but, is that a one-volume Chronicles of Narnia you have? I want to get the collection in publication order, but the ones I find all have The Magician's Nephew as No. 1. If you or any of your viewers have any recommendations, I would appreciate it! Thank you and blessings!
That is indeed a one volume edition of Narnia. It’s a beautiful item, but not so practical to read from 😅 Id love to get a seven volume paperback set one day for easier reading.
Quick question : I read the hobbit and lotr over the last month and a half and I’m in the last twenty pages of appendices I’m trying to to cover to cover but it’s getting very dense and hard to read through the language bits. Do you Include this when reading through? I enjoyed the first three because of talk of the first and second ages however ya was curious. Really excited to read the silmarillion next
Hey there! I used to push myself to read through both the workings of the calendars and the language appendices but after more re-reads I found myself skimming through this sections, as they can get quite technical. Enjoy The Silmarillion!
Thx for the video I'm soon intending to buy the Hobbit I didn't understand the part about Bilbo's last song did you mean at the end we should read it before or after lotr ?
I would suggest Bilbo's Last Song is read after LOTR. It follows chronologically from that story.
Is Bilbo’s Last Song available somewhere in the Deluxe Editions, or will it need to be purchased in the hardback you showed?
Hiya, there isn't a deluxe edition of Bilbo's Last Song but there is a paperback version. ISBN: 0099439751
Hey James, really helpful video for someone starting to move on after reading The Hobbit and LOTR. Where would you put the Fall of Numenor in this list?
Thanks Alex! I’d say The Fall of Numenor would fall best after Unfinished Tales at this point. But it can also go well before UT 👍
Great video! I loved it! You’re clear, concise, and very informative. I’m currently reading Tolkien’s The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún, and find it very enjoyable. I have a video on my channel where I review Tolkien’s translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, if you’re interested. Keep up the good work! Happy New Year!
Hey Joel, thanks for the headsup to your channel. Will certainly check it out :) And Sigurd and Gudrun is one of my non Middle-earth favourites. I think it's fantastic :)
Really informative video
Thanks!
Where would you place all of the other books like nature of middle earth or morgoths ring for example
I’d say any of the HoME series books should come after reading the main works. Nature of Middle-earth has been considered as the 13th volume in the HoME series so it might be a natural progression to read after the first twelve books 🙂
@@brewingbooks hmm that does make sense! Thank you for the input and reply!
While talking about the unfinished tales you put "the adventures of tom bombadil" in the timestamp, could I therefore just buy the book Tom bombadil by itself or does the content differ from unfinished tales? I'm a new reader so I am quote confused on what to buy😅
Hey there! So basically The Adventures of Tom Bombadil is a completely separate book from Unfinished Tales. In fact, I would suggest reading Adventures right after The Lord of the Rings. It’s a very entertaining and easy book to read if you enjoy poetry somewhat based in Middle-earth 🙂
Thanks for posting this.
Would the stories contained in the Great Tales of Middle-Earth collection be spoiled if one were to read The Silmarillion first?
Hi there! To a certain extent, yes. The Great Tales reproduce the three main narratives from The Silmarillion, but provide further material and analysis than the latter.
From a story perspective you’ll find an almost summarized version in The Silmarillion. That said, I would still read The Silmarillion first as those three tales contained within it form part of a larger narrative which can only be experienced by reading The Silmarillion first. Hope this helps and enjoy reading 🙂
@@brewingbooks Thank you for replying. Yes, that helped a lot!
Now you can add The Fall of Numenor to the end of the list! :)
I can indeed 😁
Start at the beginning. Book of Lost Tales. 🤣
Good one 🤣😂
Should hobbit then lord of the rings be the first books I read? I’m pretty new to reading in general.
Hey Tom! Yes, I would strongly recommend starting with The Hobbit and then The Lord of the Rings as your first reads, then proceed with the rest as you feel comfortable with.
thanks for the video
Welcome 🙂
The Hobbit
The LOTR
The Silmarillion (yes it was tough but I did it yay:p)
The Children of Hurin (currently reading)
Beren and Luthien
The fall of Gondolin
The unfinished Tales
Adventures of Tom Bombadil
What next? Which one should I read once I finish these? Please help
I think you’re all set! Perhaps another re read of this list and then try tackling the History of Middle-earth 😉
@@brewingbooks Okay, about that. Now no offense to Christopher Tolkien, I applaud him for publishing works like The Silmarillion and later stuff that JRR Tolkien couldn't publish it at his time, but I kind of found the commentary part of his boring/disinteresting (although it's important to note that I am not an avid reader). So these 12 volumes of Middle-Earth which are quite bigger than any I have read, will it be able to keep my interest going?
@@jaybhavsar1698 you’re perfectly right. The HOME series is a very exhaustive, highly academic set of books. I haven’t personally read through them all yet, but from what I gather, yes, it appears each volume’s content is quite heavy-going.
Have you heard of the new one volume lotr illustrated by Alan lee that was just released in Brazil? Any word if it will release elsewhere?
HarperCollins in the UK sell a one volume edition illustrated by Alan Lee, which I believe the Brazil edition is based on. The ISBN is 978-0007525546
@@Trotter_Tolkien Thank you
Cheers for that. Haven't heard of the Brazil publication though.
@@brewingbooks This is a video on the book th-cam.com/video/H-AK6OdwOvE/w-d-xo.html
@@Trotter_Tolkien Cheers, thanks! Looks brilliant
Maybe it is because I am a Huge classical Fantasy Nerd but I dont think the Silmarillion is a hard read
So, am i supposed to read tales from the perilious realm or just tom bombodil?
The Adventures of Tom Bombadil is the only Middle-earth related collection from The Tale of the Perilous Realm
@@brewingbooks oh, thank you so much🤩
Where would you place The Fall of Numenor? Great reading order by the way, I will follow it.
Thanks! I’d say Fall of Numenor would following the Three Great Tales 👍
@@brewingbooks You mentioned that there is a section in the Silmarillion that discusses the fall of Numenor. Do you still think the new release is different enough to warrant a purchase and read?
Where would the fall of numenor go within this reading order. Thank you
I’d say perhaps right after Unfinished Tales 👍
If The Children of Hurin story is present in The Silmarillion but in a compressed format, would you recommend reading The Silmarillion up until the chapter Of the Fifth Battle, stop there, read the standalone Children of Hurin novel and once you are done with that, start again The Silmarillion from the chapter Of the Ruin of Doriath?
That sounds like something I would agree to, but it might break the flow of your Silmarillion thread. So in that case, I' suggest you start with the standalone story and then get into The Silmarillion.
The worst part is that i don't have a single hobbit book edition. Only the hobbit chronicles vol 1/5.😑
Ouch! The Hobbit is indispensable ;)
@@brewingbooks It's Atrocious!
What would be the best order to read the books to children?
I hope it doesn't start Silmarillion. I hated that book even at my twenties. Never read it again.
If it’s Middle-earth books I would obviously begin with The Hobbit, The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, and then, depending on the age of the children, slowly begin LOTR (avoiding The Silmarillion completely).
If it’s not Middle-earth books, there’s no real order but Mr Bliss, Farmer Giles of Ham and Letters from Father Christina’s are great for starters to Tolkien’s writing 🙂
Are you able to write me the list in order please thst would be a life saver 🙏
Sure thing, here you go🙂
The Hobbit
The Lord of the Rings
Bilbo’s Last Song
The Adventures of Tom Bombadil
Unfinished Tales: Parts 3 & 4
The Silmarillion
The Children of Hurin
Beren & Luthien
The Fall of Gondolin
Unfinished Tales: Part 1 & 2
Now, with the publication of The Fall of Numenor, I’d place this best at the end. Having gone through the main texts it’s a nice refresher and gap-filler of all that happened in between.
Happy reading!
@@brewingbooks Thankyou so much!. It really means alot that you took time out of your day...I'm left handed see and can't write as I have really bad arthritis, Especially in my left hand. I googled what order to read them and alot of others have diffrent alternative but I'd rather do it your way if I'm honest!.
@@JOSHTHEGIANT96 No problem at all 🙂
@@brewingbooks I asked this same question just now before seeing this comment. Thank you for your videos and advice!
What are those 2 books to the right of your 3 volume history of middle earth?
That is the two-volume hardback set of The J. R. R. Tolkien Companion and Guide by Hammond & Scull 🙂
@@brewingbooks Thanks for the response! What does the companion and guide consist of?
@@ww2uniformsandinsignias48 they’re pretty much a date-by-date chronology if Tolkien’s life;all known publications, letter sent -almost like a diary with entries of sort
@@brewingbooks Oh those would be very helpful books! Thanks for the information!
And after that read the letters and then the whole History of Middle-earth. That should do it.
Great advice 👍
The Nature of Middle-earth?
I haven't included that as it's not in the same format as Unfinished Tales, with fragments of the stories, etc. It's more of an analysis/commentary volume, much like the HoME series.
The nature of middle earth ?
Not in this particular list 😁
@@brewingbooks why ? Also will there be a illustrated version and if not why did they not include images in this one ? It feels like the odd one out
@@ipoulter9765 because it’s more of an academically-oriented book, rather than a kind of standalone book with a story. Even Unfinished Tales, though fragmentary, still acts like a coming lectionary of short narratives. Nature of Middle-earth is more in line with the HoME series, and why I think there won’t be an illustrated version of it.
@@brewingbooks should I still add it to my collection as the cover design goes in with the other ones also is there anything I’m missing I have:
The silmarillion
Beren and luthien
The fall of gondolin
The children of hurin
The hobbit
The lord of the rings
Unfinished tales
Tales front the lost realm
@@ipoulter9765 Absolutely! You should certainly add Nature to your collection if you can. As to the list your provided, I think you’re all set to go. You might also want to consider getting Bilbo’s Last Song for a fuller collection 🙂
Actually, the reading order is just this.... hobbit, fellowship of the rings, two towers, return of the king, the end.
Sure 👍 But for serious readers who want to go further there’s much more 🙂
Idiotic.
The hobbit didn't grab me like fellowship of the ring has. I can barely put it down.
Glad you’ve found your favorite book! sometimes it’s not always easy to decide between books 😅