J.R.R. Tolkien at Top Ten Books

The Lord of the Rings - The Motion Picture Trilogy (Platinum Series Special Extended Edition) - New Line Home Entertainment - Box set, DTS Surround Sound, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
The extended editions of Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings present the greatest trilogy in film history in the most ambitious sets in DVD history. In bringing J.R.R. Tolkien's nearly unfilmable work to the screen, Jackson benefited from extraordinary special effects, evocative New Zealand locales, and an exceptionally well-chosen cast, but most of all from his own adaptation with co-writers Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, preserving Tolkien's vision and often his very words, but also making logical changes to accommodate the medium of film. While purists complained about these changes and about characters and scenes left out of the films, the almost two additional hours of material in the extended editions (about 11 hours total) help appease them by delving more deeply into Tolkien's music, the characters, and loose ends that enrich the story, such as an explanation of the Faramir-Denethor relationship, and the appearance of the Mouth of Sauron at the gates of Mordor. In addition, the extended editions offer more bridge material between the films, further confirming that the trilogy is really one long film presented in three pieces (which is why it's the greatest trilogy ever--there's no weak link). The scene of Galadriel's gifts to the Fellowship added to the first film proves significant over the course of the story, while the new Faramir scene at the end of the second film helps set up the third and the new Saruman scene at the beginning of the third film helps conclude the plot of the second.

To top it all off, the extended editions offer four discs per film: two for the longer movie, plus four commentary tracks and stupendous DTS 6.1 ES sound; and two for the bonus material, which covers just about everything from script creation to special effects. The argument was that fans would need both versions because the bonus material is completely different, but the features on the theatrical releases are so vastly inferior that the only reason a fan would need them would be if they wanted to watch the shorter versions they saw in theaters (the last of which, The Return of the King, merely won 11 Oscars). The LOTR extended editions without exception have set the DVD standard by providing a richer film experience that pulls the three films together and further embraces Tolkien's world, a reference-quality home theater experience, and generous, intelligent, and engrossing bonus features. --David Horiuchi
Release Date: 14 December, 2004
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The Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King (Platinum Series Special Extended Edition) - New Line Home Entertainment - Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
The greatest trilogy in film history, presented in the most ambitious sets in DVD history, comes to a grand conclusion with the extended edition of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Not only is the third and final installment of Peter Jackson's adaptation of the works of J.R.R. Tolkien the longest of the three, but a full 50 minutes of new material pushes the running time to a whopping 4 hours and 10 minutes. The new scenes are welcome, and the bonus features maintain the high bar set by the first two films, The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers.

What's New?
One of the scenes cut from the theatrical release but included here, the resolution of the Saruman storyline, generated a lot of publicity when the movie opened, as actor Christopher Lee complained in the press about losing his only appearance. It's an excellent scene, one Jackson calls "pure Tolkien," and provides better context for Pippin to find the wizard's palantir in the water, but it's not critical to the film. In fact, "valuable but not critical" might sum up the ROTK extended edition. It's evident that Jackson made the right cuts for the theatrical run, but the extra material provides depth and ties up a number of loose ends, and for those sorry to see the trilogy end (and who isn't?) it's a welcome chance to spend another hour in Middle-earth. Some choice moments are Gandalf's (Ian McKellen) confrontation with the Witch King (we find out what happened to the wizard's staff), the chilling Mouth of Sauron at the gates of Mordor, and Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) being mistaken for Orc soldiers. We get to see more of Éowyn (Miranda Otto), both with Aragorn and on the battlefield, even fighting the hideously deformed Orc lieutenant, Gothmog. We also see her in one of the most anticipated new scenes, the Houses of Healing after the battle of the Pelennor Fields. It doesn't present Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) as a savior as the book did, but it shows the initial meeting between Éowyn and Faramir (David Wenham), a relationship that received only a meaningful glance in the theatrical cut.

If you want to completely immerse yourself in Peter Jackson's marvelous and massive achievement, only the extended edition will do.

And for those who complained, no, there are no new endings, not even the scouring of the Shire, which many fans were hoping to see. Nor is there a scene of Denethor (John Noble) with the palantir, which would have better explained both his foresight and his madness. As Jackson notes, when cuts are made, the secondary characters are the first to go, so there is a new scene of Aragorn finding the palantir in Denethor's robes. Another big difference is Aragorn's confrontation with the King of the Dead. In the theatrical version, we didn't know whether the King had accepted Aragorn's offer when the pirate ships pulled into the harbor; here Jackson assumes that viewers have already experienced that tension, and instead has the army of the dead join the battle in an earlier scene (an extended cameo for Jackson). One can debate which is more effective, but that's why the film is available in both versions. If you feel like watching the relatively shorter version you saw in the theaters, you can. If you want to completely immerse yourself in Peter Jackson's marvelous and massive achievement, only the extended edition will do.

How Are the Bonus Features?
To complete the experience, The Return of the King provides the same sprawling set of features as the previous extended editions: four commentary tracks, sharp picture and thrilling sound, and two discs of excellent documentary material far superior to the recycled material in the theatrical edition. Those who have listened to the seven hours of commentary for the first two extended editions may wonder if they need to hear more, but there was no commentary for the earlier ROTK DVD, so it's still entertaining to hear Jackson break down the film (he says the beacon scene is one of his favorites), discuss differences from the book, point out cameos, and poke fun at himself and the extended-edition concept ("So this is the complete full strangulation, never seen before, here exclusively on DVD!"). The documentaries (some lasting 30 minutes or longer) are of their usual outstanding quality, and there's a riveting storyboard/animatic sequence of the climactic scene, which includes a one-on-one battle between Aragorn and Sauron.

One DVD Set to Rule Them All
Peter Jackson's trilogy has set the standard for fantasy films by adapting the Holy Grail of fantasy stories with a combination of fidelity to the original source and his own vision, supplemented by outstanding writing, near-perfect casting, glorious special effects, and evocative New Zealand locales. The extended editions without exception have set the standard for the DVD medium by providing a richer film experience that pulls the three films together and further embraces Tolkien's world, a reference-quality home theater experience, and generous, intelligent, and engrossing bonus features. --David Horiuchi
Release Date: 14 December, 2004
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The Lord Of The Rings - The Motion Picture Trilogy (Full Screen Edition) - New Line Home Video - Box set, DVD-Video, Full Screen, NTSC
As the triumphant start of a trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring leaves you begging for more. By necessity, Peter Jackson's ambitious epic compresses J.R.R. Tolkien's classic The Lord of the Rings, but this robust adaptation maintains reverent allegiance to Tolkien's creation, instantly qualifying as one of the greatest fantasy films ever made. At 178 minutes, it's long enough to establish the myriad inhabitants of Middle-earth, the legendary Rings of Power, and the fellowship of hobbits, elves, dwarves, and humans--led by the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and the brave hobbit Frodo (Elijah Wood)--who must battle terrifying forces of evil on their perilous journey to destroy the One Ring in the land of Mordor. Superbly paced, the film is both epic and intimate, offering astonishing special effects and production design while emphasizing the emotional intensity of Frodo's adventure, and ends on a perfect note of heroic loyalty and rich anticipation.

After the breaking of the Fellowship, Frodo and Sam journey to Mordor with the creature Gollum as their guide in The Two Towers. Meanwhile, Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Legolas (Orlando Bloom), and Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) join in the defense of the people of Rohan, who are the first target in the eradication of the race of Men by the renegade wizard Saruman (Christopher Lee) and the dark lord Sauron. Fantastic creatures, astounding visual effects, and a climactic battle at the fortress of Helm's Deep make The Two Towers a worthy successor to The Fellowship of the Ring, grander in scale but retaining the story's emotional intimacy.

With The Return of the King, the greatest fantasy epic in film history draws to a grand and glorious conclusion. The trilogy could never fully satisfy those who remain exclusively loyal to Tolkien's expansive literature, but as a showcase for physical and technical craftsmanship it is unsurpassed in pure scale and ambition, setting milestone after cinematic milestone as Frodo and Sam continue their mission to Mordor to destroy the soul-corrupting One Ring. While the heir to the kingdom of Men, Aragorn, endures the massive battle at Minas Tirith with the allegiance of Legolas, Gimli, and Gandalf, Frodo and Sam must survive the schizoid deceptions of Gollum, who remains utterly convincing as a hybrid of performance (by Andy Serkis) and subtly nuanced computer animation. Jackson and cowriters Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens have much ground to cover; that they do so with intense pacing and epic sweep is impressive enough, but by investing greater depth and consequence in the actions of fellow hobbits Merry (Dominic Monaghan) and Pippin (Billy Boyd), they ensure that The Return of the King maintains the trilogy's emphasis on intimate fellowship and remains faithful to Tolkien's overall vision. By ending the LOTR trilogy with noble integrity and faith in the power of imaginative storytelling, The Return of the King, like its predecessors, will stand as an adventure for the ages. --Jeff Shannon and David Horiuchi
Release Date: 25 May, 2004
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J.R.R. Tolkien Animated Films Set (The Hobbit/The Lord of the Rings/The Return of the King) - Warner Home Video - Anamorphic, Animated, Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, Full Screen, NTSC
The Hobbit
The J.R.R. Tolkien fantasy classic set in Middle-earth was adapted into this excellent 1978 animated feature first broadcast on television. Codirectors Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin Jr., working from a script by Romeo Muller, are faithful to Tolkien's story and for that alone they get big points. The vocal cast can't be improved upon: Orson Bean is perfect as Bilbo Baggins, the timorous hobbit who grows brave on his adventure with the wizard Gandalf (John Huston). Otto Preminger is the voice of Elvenking, Richard Boone is Smaug, Hans Conried is Thorin, and Brother Theodore is very effective as the weird Gollum. Terrific for kids and adults alike. --Tom Keogh

The Lord of the Rings
Although it was ultimately overshadowed by Peter Jackson's live-action Lord of the Rings trilogy, Ralph Bakshi's animated adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy classic is not without charms of its own. A target of derision from intolerant fans, this ambitious 1978 production is nevertheless a respectably loyal attempt to animate the first half of Tolkien's trilogy, beginning with the hobbit Frodo's inheritance of the One Ring of power from Bilbo Baggins, and ending with the wizard Gandalf's triumph over the evil army of Orcs. While the dialogue is literate and superbly voiced by a prestigious cast (including John Hurt as Aragorn), Leonard Roseman's accomplished score effectively matches the ominous atmosphere that Bakshi's animation creates and sustains. Bakshi's lamentable decision to combine traditional cel animation with "rotoscoped" (i.e., meticulously traced) live-action footage is jarringly distracting and aesthetically disastrous, but when judged by its narrative content, this Lord of the Rings deserves more credit than it typically receives. --Jeff Shannon

The Return of the King
The creative team behind 1978's impressive animation feature based on J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit returns with this 1980 entry drawn from Tolkien's famous Lord of the Rings trilogy. It's good work all around, and not at all the kind of feature-length cartoon that reduces good books to treacle. Orson Bean returns as the voice of Bilbo Baggins as well as that of the trilogy's hero, Frodo. John Huston is commanding again as the voice of the wizard Gandalf, and also in the vocal cast are William Conrad, Paul Frees, and Roddy McDowall. --Tom Keogh
Release Date: 11 December, 2001
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The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (Theatrical and Extended Limited Edition) - New Line Home Video - Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, Limited Edition, Widescreen, NTSC
Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings films gave "double-dipping"--releasing a DVD then releasing an improved version shortly afterward--a good name by offering both a better film and stupendous extras in the Extended Editions. This "triple-dip" 2006 Limited Edition trilogy falls far short of that standard but is still of interest to devoted and casual fans.

What do you get?
Both the theatrical and extended versions of all three films--The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King--are on three double-sided discs. The versions use seamless branching, meaning that the scenes that are common to both versions are stored on the disc only once. If you choose to watch the extended version, the disc "branches" out to the added or extended scenes. What does this mean to the viewer? Not much. The viewing experience is the same because the branching is imperceptible. But because both versions of the film don't have to be stored on the disc in their entirety (which would be six or seven hours total for each film), both versions together fit on two sides of one disc. The downside is that whichever version you watch, you have to flip over the disc halfway through; the film breaks at the same spot it did on the Extended Edition. Also lost are the meager features included on the theatrical edition, plus the four commentary tracks, two discs of bonus features, and DTS 6.1 ES sound from the four-disc Extended Editions.

What's new?
Each film has a second disc with a documentary directed by Costa Botes, who was personally selected by Peter Jackson (about five hours for all three documentaries. Rather than the formal documentary structure of other editions, they consist of off-the-cuff interviews with Peter Jackson, Alan Lee, and others, and random bits of behind-the-scenes action and special-effects work. Those who have worked their way through the many hours of bonus content on the other editions might recognize some of this footage, such as the Hobbit actors mocking whichever of them is not around, then greeting him warmly when he shows up. Other things--Liv Tyler riding a fake horse, interviewing the rank-and-file cast members, touring Peter Jackson's trailer, Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd clowning around as a framing device, Ian McKellen flubbing his lines and conducting the crowning ceremony in a flowery wig--seem new. And some bits seem geared to those who've watched the other material--for example, some of the visual tricks explained there are only glimpsed without explanation here. They're entertaining, but because there's no structure (there are chapters, but no menu or chapter listing), they're not as convenient to watch, and go back to, as a documentary broken up into bite-size pieces. Note: New Line Home Entertainment couldn't release this material on its own a la the King Kong Production Diaries due to contractual restrictions.

Bottom line: Do I need this trilogy edition?
This Limited Edition combination of theatrical and extended versions plus new documentary seems likely to appeal to two camps. One is the devoted fan, who already owns all the previous editions but has to have everything LOTR. The other is the casual fan who liked the movies in theaters, heard good things about the Extended Editions, and doesn't need a ton of bonus material. This edition is attractively priced for that buyer, and the packaging is quite handsome. In between is the devoted fan who already owns all the previous editions but doesn't feel the need to watch more bonus material. When watching the movies, that fan will always choose the Extended Editions, but keeps the theatrical editions for (1) watching with guests, (2) the music videos, or (3) the convenience of skimming through favorite scenes without having to change discs. That fan can safely skip this edition, as can home-theater fans who love DTS. --David Horiuchi
Release Date: 29 August, 2006
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National Geographic Beyond the Movie - The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring - Nat'l Geographic Vid - Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, Full Screen, NTSC
The connection between National Geographic and The Lord of the Rings may seem tentative, but this illuminating TV special proves otherwise. While incorporating cast and crew interviews and film clips from director Peter Jackson's 2001 blockbuster The Fellowship of the Ring, this hourlong documentary transcends timely opportunism to explore the myriad inspirations for J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy classic, beginning with the influence of Tolkien's idyllic childhood in rural England, which served as the model for Tolkien's threatened Hobbit paradise. Equally fascinating are the influence of Tolkien's experience in World War I, the "evil" of industrial development, and especially the influence of Anglo-Saxon poetry (notably Beowulf) and the mythology of the Finnish Kalevala, which formed the basis of Tolkien's elfish culture. Tolkien's passion for nature conservancy and cultural preservation is what ultimately serves the National Geographic agenda, but eloquent testimonials by archaeologists, anthropologists, and filmmakers make this a most agreeable hour of justified propaganda. --Jeff Shannon
Release Date: 19 February, 2002
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J.R.R. Tolkien - Master of the Rings Gift Set - Warner Home Video - Box set, Color, DVD-Video, Special Edition, NTSC
This comprehensive survey of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings is billed as "the definitive guide to the world of the Rings," and it delivers what it promises. Hosted by Tolkien scholar Robert Di Napoli, the 80-minute documentary is academic without being dry or pretentious, covering such aspects of the Tolkien epic as its literary influences (including Beowulf), character and plot analysis, inspirations on other arts (such as the progressive rock of the 1970s), and enduring popularity. While Tolkien's fiction is spectacularly visualized in the artwork of the Hildebrandt brothers and Roger Dean, an impressive variety of Tolkien experts--from literary scholar Helen Kidd to former Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman--offer eloquent insight into the value of Tolkien's writing. A Hildebrandt gallery is included on the DVD, along with supplemental interview clips to expand on previous discussions and further examine Tolkien's lasting influence. Altogether, this is an eminently respectable study that any Rings fan will readily appreciate. --Jeff Shannon
Release Date: 16 July, 2002
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Secrets of Middle-Earth - Inside Tolkien's "The Hobbit" - Kultur Video - Color, DVD-Video, NTSC

Release Date: 11 November, 2003
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Secrets of Middle-Earth - Inside Tolkien's "The Fellowship of the Ring" - Kultur Video - Animated, Color, DVD-Video, NTSC

Release Date: 12 August, 2003
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Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle Earth 2 - Electronic Arts - CD, Real-time strategy game based on the Lord of the Rings film trilogy, Control massive armies across the vast world of Middle-earth, Build a landmark castle; create hero with all-new customized RTS units, Fight on either the side of good or evil; powerful new A.I. system, Single or multiplayer gameplay modes

Release Date: 28 February, 2006
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The Lord of the Rings, The Battle for Middle Earth II: Rise of the Witch King - Electronic Arts - Innovative new units will help to tell the story of the evil Witch-King's rise to power, domination of Angmar, and invasion of the great kingdom of Arnor, Upgraded Create-A-Hero features - The new roll class boasts additional weapons and armor, for more customization, War of the Ring, the risk-style meta-game, offers upgraded army persistence, a new siege dynamic on the Living World Map, and unified territories that serve as major control points, Includes all-new content from Tolkien's original stories, delving deeper than ever into the story behind the award-winning movie trilogy

Release Date: 28 November, 2006
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Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-Earth II - Electronic Arts - New races, places, heroes, and battles from the books&films, Command all the races of Middle-Earth with 3 all new factions - Elves, Dwarves, and Goblins, All-new single-player story campaign that takes you to places and battles of Middle-Earth previously unseen, Control battles with all-new enemy AI, melee combat, and flanking, adding unprecedented tactical fidelity, Extend your battlefield with larger than life navy battles at sea

Release Date: 05 July, 2006
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Lord of the Rings Battle for Middle Earth Anthology - Electronic Arts - CD, Lead the forces of good or evil by controlling 4 unique groups, from the Riders of Rohan to the forces of Sauron, Forge new heroes and customize their abilities and powers -- lead them into battle where they'll gain experience and rank in their quest for victory, Be amazed as your army expresses emotion - they'll get angry, fearful or triumphant depending on their surroundings, All-new intuitive, streamlined Interface gives you contextual control of your forces and structures, Challenge fellow rulers online in massive multiplayerbattles

Lord of the Rings - Battle For Middle Earth II features -

Release Date: 01 March, 2007
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The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-Earth - Electronic Arts - Real-time strategy game based on the Lord of the Rings film trilogy, Fight on either the side of good or evil by commanding one of four groups, Control massive armies across the vast world of Middle-earth, Create new heroes and customize the abilities and powers, Single player and online massively multiplayer modes

Release Date: 06 December, 2004
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Lord Of The Rings: Shadows Of Angmar - Midway - The only MMO based on the extensive and beloved fantasy universe of J.R.R. Tolkien, and the first MMO to provide a compelling story behind players' actions, Unique Combat and Advancement Systems -- game mechanics surpass skills and levels to include accomplishment, traits and titles to help you gain experience in a variety of ways, Jump in as a monster and battle against other gamers in a fast, action-packed session of monster vs. player combat, Besides in-game mail, chat, crafting and guild management tools, The Lord of the Rings Online uses next-generation features like integrated voice chat, instant messaging and automatically updated web pages with your characters' in-game stats

The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar puts you into the greatest fantasy of all time. For the first time, you can immerse yourself in the only authentic recreation of Middle-Earth to explore legendary lands, interact with famous characters like Gandalf and Aragorn, and create your own heroic story. The War of the Ring has commenced! As the Fellowship embarks on their quest to destroy the One Ring, you must defend the Free Peoples against Sauron's evil minion, the Nazgul Witch-King. Adventure solo or forge fellowships, battle hideous monsters and rise to fame in the most epic MMO ever launched.

FEATURES

• Epic Storyline - The Lord of the Rings Online is the only MMO based on the extensive and beloved fantasy universe of J.R.R. Tolkien, and the first MMO to provide a compelling story behind players' actions. It is the original epic world that serves as the source for all other "me too" fantasy games.
• Unique Combat and Advancement Systems - The Lord of the Rings Online implements unique game mechanics which surpass skills and levels to include accomplishment, traits and titles to help you gain experience in a variety of ways and to advance your character beyond traditional grinding.
• Monster Battles - Jump in as a monster and battle against other gamers in a fast, action-packed session of monster vs. player combat.
• Innovative Social Networking - The Lord of the Rings Online takes social networking tools to the next level. Besides in-game mail, chat, crafting and guild management tools, The Lord of the Rings Online uses next-generation features like integrated voice chat, instant messaging and automatically updated web pages with your characters' in-game stats. These innovative tools engage players, facilitate real-time communication and encourage community.

Release Date: 24 April, 2007
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Lord Of The Rings: Shadows Of Angmar Special Edition - Midway - CD, The only MMO based on the extensive and beloved fantasy universe of J.R.R. Tolkien, and the first MMO to provide a compelling story behind players' actions, Unique Combat and Advancement Systems -- game mechanics surpass skills and levels to include accomplishment, traits and titles to help you gain experience in a variety of ways, Fight alone or with other players - Follow the storyline on your own or form a fellowship with other players for epic battles against creatures like Orcs, Wights, and even Balrogs, Cinematic technology and an expansive, open world help further the storyline with movie-like sequences, Epic challenges like the depths of the Great Barrow, the siege of Fornost and the battle to retake Weathertop

Release Date: 24 April, 2007
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EA Strategy Collection (Black & White 2, Black & White 2 Battle of Gods, Command & Conquer Generals, Command & Conquer Generals Zero Hour, Lord of the Rings Battle for Middle Earth) - Electronic Arts - CD, Lord of the Rings - The Battle for Middle-Earth I&II gives you a chance to experience all that Middle-Earth was meant to be. Delve deeper than ever before into the fictional world of Tolkien, as you wage war in the North. Assume command of the most storied civilizations in all of Middle-earth history, the Elven and Dwarven armies -- or if you prefer, fight on the side of Evil to aid Sauron in his conquest. Fight with or against heroes and creatures that have never been seen in The Lord of th, In Black and White 2, you'll reprise your role in the original classic - and try to spread your worship around the world. The discovery of more advanced weaponry has led to more warfare -- this has caused destruction on the once-idyllic world. Now you must earn the respect and worship of the natives. How you choose to do that, whether through nurturing them or terrorizing them, is up to you., Black and White 2 - Battle Of The Gods takes the player back to the world of Eden to face a host of new challenges in a much darker, more sinister game world. The Aztecs have not accepted defeat lightly -- by making a huge number of human sacrifices, they have managed to raise their own evil deity. Now the player must face this new foe&stop him from taking over the entire world., With Command&Conquer - Generals and Generals - Zero Hour takes you into 21st century combat. The superpowers aren't quite as super -- the largest players on the world stage are the United States, China and a terrorist group called the Global Liberation Army. The outcome of this 3-way battle will determine the future. They are all fighting for control of the Earth. Take command of a side and lead it to victory!

Release Date: 24 October, 2006
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Lord of the Rings The Two Towers - Electronic Arts - Enter the pastoral world of Middle Earth where strangeness and magic abound, and danger lurks in every twilight shadow, As Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas, you'll be encouraged to balance and utilize each character's unique moves, skills, and weaponry in order to complete your quest, Use strategy and magic to fight your way past Orcs and monsters as you make your way to the Cracks Of Doom, Fully interactive 3D environments that will immerse you in the magic of the Silmarillion as you journey to fight the ultimate battle against evil!
Dear Peter Jackson and company: Please accept this thank-you for making the last couple of weeks feel like Christmas. Your game The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is such an unbelievable treat that we've been playing it nonstop. Every person who has seen the spectacular graphics agrees: whereas others may have created a crappy movie tie-in game, you folks have made a game that captivates and frustrates us in all the right ways. It was especially nice of you to let us play as either Aragorn, Gimli, or (our favorite) Legolas. Having the actors--including Sir Ian!--voice all the battle cries really makes a huge difference. The first time we got to unlock one of the video extras (an interview with Elijah Wood), we thought, "This is as much fun as eating candy."

We apologize for the rumor that seems to be sweeping game sites--we're not sure how it got started. There's no way to play the game in four hours, unless maybe you set it on "easy," but probably not even then. (We are playing through with all three characters, of course.) Maybe Diablo fans are unimpressed with the skimpy inventory management, but we think that's just nitpicking. But don't think we write fan mail every day! There are some things we would have done differently: while we like movie scenes interspersed with game scenes, we are really tired of watching some of the intro cinematics over and over again. And why can't we trade in some of the skills we bought for new ones? By level 9, we really wished we had bought differently. And what was the deal with the ending--couldn't afford the real actor's voice for the final scene? That seemed distinctly out of character with the rest of the game.

But we love being able to tear into a crowd of Orcs, as well as the nuances of certain timed and more strategic missions. While it may not be a game we play repeatedly once we're done, we'll treasure the fond memories of the time we had together. As with everything associated with LotR, the magic touch for fans is in the details. It's great to look into the stream in Fangorn and pick out the reflection of Treebeard; we wish every game got it the way this one does. Thanks again for your terrific title.

Best wishes,
The Amazon.com Video Game Editors
--Jennifer Buckendorff
Release Date: 15 June, 2006
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Lord of the Rings: Return of the King - Electronic Arts - Traverse the haunted Paths of the Dead, defending Minas Tirith from thousands of Sauron's minions as one of 8 characters, Play as Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Sam, and Frodo with exclusive voice-over provided by the films' actors, Twelve interactive levels players will challenge you to swing from ropes, fire catapults, kick boulders, as you face Sauron's hordes, Fight vicious foes including Shelob, the Witch King, the Dark Lord Sauron, and many more, Team up with a companion in all-new co-op Multiplayer mode-fight side-by-side to defeat Sauron and ensure the destruction of The One Ring

Release Date: 08 September, 2006
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The Children of Húrin by J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien, Alan Lee
Houghton Mifflin
The first complete book by J.R.R. Tolkien in three decades--since the publication of The Silmarillion in 1977--The Children of Húrin reunites fans of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings with Elves and Men, dragons and Dwarves, Eagles and Orcs. Presented for the first time as a complete, standalone story, this stirring narrative will appeal to casual fans and expert readers alike, returning them to the rich landscape and characters unique to Tolkien.

Adam Tolkien on The Children of Húrin

How did a lifetime of stories become The Children of Húrin? In an essay on the making of the book, Adam Tolkien, grandson of J.R.R. Tolkien (and French translator of his History of Middle-earth), explains that the Húrin legends made up the third "Great Tale" of his grandfather's Middle-earth writing, and he describes how his father, Christopher Tolkien, painstakingly collected the pieces of the legend into a complete story told only in the words of J.R.R. Tolkien. "For anyone who has read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings," he writes, The Children of Húrin "allows them to take a step back into a larger world, an ancient land of heroes and vagabonds, honour and jeopardy, hope and tragedy."

A Look Inside the Book

This first edition of The Children of Húrin is illustrated by Alan Lee, who was already well-known for his Tolkien illustrations in previous editions (see our Tolkien Store for more) as well as his classic collaboration with Brian Froud, Faeries, and his Kate Greenaway Medal-winning Black Ships Before Troy, before his Oscar-winning work as conceptual designer for Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings film trilogy brought him even greater acclaim. Here's a quick glimpse of two of Lee's interior illustrations for The Children of Húrin. (Click on each to see larger images.)

Questions for Alan Lee

We had the chance to ask Alan Lee a few questions about his illustrative collaboration with the world imagined by J.R.R. Tolkien:

Amazon.com: How much of a treat was it to get first crack at depicting entirely new characters rather than ones who had been interpreted many times before? Was there one who particularly captured your imagination?

Lee: Although it was a great honor to illustrate The Children of Húrin, the characters and the main elements of the story line are familiar to those who have read The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales, and these narratives have inspired quite a few illustrators. Ted Nasmith has illustrated The Silmarillion and touched on some of the same characters and landscapes. This was the first time that I ventured into the First Age; while working on The Lord of the Rings books and films--and The Hobbit--I've had to refer back to events in Middle-earth history but not really depict them.

I'm drawn to characters who bear similarities to the protagonists in myths and legends; these correspondences add layers and shades of meaning, and most of the characters in this story have those archetypal qualities. However, I prefer not to get too close to the characters because the author is delineating them much more carefully than I can, and I'm wary of interfering with the pictures that the text is creating in the reader's mind.

Amazon.com: The Húrin story has been described as darker than some of Tolkien's other work. What mood did you try to set with your illustrations?

Lee: It is a tragic story, but the darkness is offset by the light and beauty of Tolkien's elegiac writing. In the illustrations I tried to show some of the fragile beauty of the landscapes and create an atmosphere that would enhance the sense of foreboding and impending loss. I try to get the setting to tell its part in the story, as evidence of what happened there in the past and as a hint at what is going to occur. My usual scarred and broken trees came in handy.

Amazon.com: You were a conceptual designer (and won an Oscar) for Peter Jackson's film trilogy of The Lord of the Rings, which I think we can safely say had a bit of success. How does designing for the screen compare to designing for the page?

Lee: They both have their share of joys and frustrations. It was great to be part of a huge film collaboration and play a small part in something quite magical and monumental; I will always treasure that experience. Film is attractive because I enjoy sketching and coming up with ideas more than producing highly finished artwork, and it's great having several hundred other people lending a hand! But books--as long as they don't get moldy from being left in an empty studio for six years--have their own special quality. I hope that I can continue doing both.

Amazon.com: Of all fiction genres, fantasy seems to have the strongest tradition of illustration. Why do you think that is? Who are some of your favorite illustrators?

Lee: A lot of excellent illustrators are working at the moment--especially in fantasy and children's books. It is exciting also to see graphic artists such as Dave McKean, in his film Mirrormask, moving between different media. I also greatly admire the more traditional work of Gennady Spirin and Roberto Innocenti. Kinuko Craft, John Jude Palencar, John Howe, Charles Vess, Brian Froud ... I'll stop there, as the list would get too long. But--in a fit of pride and justified nepotism--I'll add my daughter, Virginia Lee, to the list. Her first illustrated children's book, The Frog Bride [coming out in the U.K. in September], will be lovely.

More Tolkien Favorites

Visit our J.R.R. Tolkien Store for a complete selection of Tolkien classics, including deluxe editions, young readers' editions, and more.

The Lord of the Rings 50th Anniversary Edition

The Hobbit Collector's Edition

The Atlas of Middle Earth

Release Date: 17 April, 2007
Hardcover
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J.R.R. Tolkien Boxed Set (The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings) by J.R.R. Tolkien
Del Rey
Hobbits and wizards and Sauron--oh, my! Mild-mannered Oxford scholar John Ronald Reuel Tolkien had little inkling when he published The Hobbit; Or, There and Back Again in 1937 that, once hobbits were unleashed upon the world, there would be no turning back. Hobbits are, of course, small, furry creatures who love nothing better than a leisurely life quite free from adventure. But in that first novel and the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the hobbits Bilbo and Frodo and their elfish friends get swept up into a mighty conflict with the dragon Smaug, the dark lord Sauron (who owes much to proud Satan in Paradise Lost), the monstrous Gollum, the Cracks of Doom, and the awful power of the magical Ring. The four books' characters--good and evil--are recognizably human, and the realism is deepened by the magnificent detail of the vast parallel world Tolkien devised, inspired partly by his influential Anglo-Saxon scholarship and his Christian beliefs. (He disapproved of the relative sparseness of detail in the comparable allegorical fantasy his friend C.S. Lewis dreamed up in The Chronicles of Narnia, though he knew Lewis had spun a page-turning yarn.) It has been estimated that one-tenth of all paperbacks sold can trace their ancestry to J.R.R. Tolkien. But even if we had never gotten Robert Jordan's The Path of Daggers and the whole fantasy genre Tolkien inadvertently created by bringing the hobbits so richly to life, Tolkien's epic about the Ring would have left our world enhanced by enchantment. --Tim Appelo
Release Date: 12 September, 1986
Paperback
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The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Houghton Mifflin
"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort."

The hobbit-hole in question belongs to one Bilbo Baggins, an upstanding member of a "little people, about half our height, and smaller than the bearded dwarves." He is, like most of his kind, well off, well fed, and best pleased when sitting by his own fire with a pipe, a glass of good beer, and a meal to look forward to. Certainly this particular hobbit is the last person one would expect to see set off on a hazardous journey; indeed, when Gandalf the Grey stops by one morning, "looking for someone to share in an adventure," Baggins fervently wishes the wizard elsewhere. No such luck, however; soon 13 fortune-seeking dwarves have arrived on the hobbit's doorstep in search of a burglar, and before he can even grab his hat or an umbrella, Bilbo Baggins is swept out his door and into a dangerous adventure.

The dwarves' goal is to return to their ancestral home in the Lonely Mountains and reclaim a stolen fortune from the dragon Smaug. Along the way, they and their reluctant companion meet giant spiders, hostile elves, ravening wolves--and, most perilous of all, a subterranean creature named Gollum from whom Bilbo wins a magical ring in a riddling contest. It is from this life-or-death game in the dark that J.R.R. Tolkien's masterwork, The Lord of the Rings, would eventually spring. Though The Hobbit is lighter in tone than the trilogy that follows, it has, like Bilbo Baggins himself, unexpected iron at its core. Don't be fooled by its fairy-tale demeanor; this is very much a story for adults, though older children will enjoy it, too. By the time Bilbo returns to his comfortable hobbit-hole, he is a different person altogether, well primed for the bigger adventures to come--and so is the reader. --Alix Wilber
Release Date: 15 August, 2002
Paperback
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The Lord of the Rings (50th Anniversary Edition) by J.R.R. Tolkien
Houghton Mifflin

Release Date: 21 October, 2004
Leather Bound
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The Hobbit: 70th Anniversary Edition by J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien
Houghton Mifflin

Release Date: 21 September, 2007
Hardcover
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The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien
Houghton Mifflin
The Silmarillion is J.R.R. Tolkien's tragic, operatic history of the First Age of Middle-Earth, essential background material for serious readers of the classic Lord of the Rings saga. Tolkien's work sets the standard for fantasy, and this audio version of the "Bible of Middle-Earth" does The Silmarillion justice. Martin Shaw's reading is grave and resonant, conveying all the powerful events and emotions that shaped elven and human history long before Bilbo, Frodo, Gandalf and all the rest embarked on their quests. Beginning with the Music of the Ainur, The Silmarillion tells a tale of the Elder Days, when Elves and Men became estranged by the Dark Lord Morgoth's lust for the Silmarils, pure and powerful magic jewels. Even the love between a human warrior and the daughter of the Elven king cannot defeat Morgoth, but the War of Wrath finally brings down the Dark Lord. Peace reigns until the evil Sauron recovers the Rings of Power and sets the stage for the events told in the Lord of the Rings. This is epic fantasy at its finest, thrillingly read and gloriously unabridged. (Running time: 14 hours, 6 CDs)
Release Date: April, 2001
Paperback
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The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, Alan Lee
Houghton Mifflin

Release Date: November, 2002
Hardcover
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The Histories of Middle Earth, Volumes 1-5 by J.R.R. Tolkien
Del Rey

Release Date: 26 August, 2003
Mass Market Paperback
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List Price: $37.95
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The Lord of the Rings: 50th Anniversary, One Vol. Edition by J.R.R. Tolkien
Houghton Mifflin

Release Date: 12 October, 2005
Paperback
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Unfinished Tales: The Lost Lore of Middle-earth by J.R.R. Tolkien
Del Rey

Release Date: 12 August, 1988
Mass Market Paperback
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Arwen Necklace - The Lord of the Rings Adult - BuyCostumes -

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LOTR RETURN OF THE KING LEGOLAS - Toybiz - Super Poseable with 30 points of Articulation, Dagger Throwing Action

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RISK - The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Edition - Hasbro - Classic RISK or themed play, Detailed Middle-earth game board, Sculpted characters, 2-4 players, Ages 9 and up

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Trivial Pursuit: The Lord of the Rings Movie Trilogy Collector's Edition - Milton Bradley - Trivial Pursuit Lord of the Rings Edition. Classic Trivial Pursuit gameplay with 1800 Lord of the Ring questions based on the 3 movies (The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King) from New Line Cinemas. All 1800 questions are written by the screenwriter of the movies., For 2-6 players. The player or team to collect all 6 pie wedges and answer the final question wins! Game features classic Trivial Pursuit gameplay for the casual Lord of the Rings movie fan but also included are the 'Advanced Fan Rules'., For those who know every fact about Middle Earth and will be getting pie wedges very easily the group can choose these advanced rules. In these rules The Ring and The Ringwraith come into play., Each time a person wins a scoring wedge they are in possession of the Ring. With each persons turn ending players then roll for the Ringwraith who's goal is to chase after the player who possesses the ring -- if successful the player must give up one scoring wedge., Play then continues. To win with these advanced rules a player must have 6 wedges, answer the final question in the middle and be in possession of the ring.

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The Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers: Helm's Deep Legolas 6" Action Figure (Series #4) - Marvel Enterprises, Inc. - From the Two Towers!, Arrow Launching Action!, Shield Skateboard Action!

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The Lord of the Rings the Fellowship of the Rings Trilogy Elrond of Rivendell Action Figure - Toybiz - Elrond of Rivendell Action Figure, Gift Wrap Available, Ages: 5+

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Lord of the Rings Return of the King Gothmog Action Figure - Toybiz - Gothmog Action Figure, Includes Sword and Spear, Super Posealbe with 30 Points of Articulation

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LOTR-TRILOGY-RETURN OF THE KING- SERIES 3-GIMLI - Toybiz - Lord of the Rings Trilogy The Return of the King Series 3, 6" highly articulated action figure, Includes authentic character-dedicated accessories, Trilogy/ Collector Series Packaging, Produced by Marvel - Toybiz

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Lord of the Rings The Boardgame - Fantasy Flight - Experience a journey through J.R.R. Tolkien's classic novel!, Immerse yourself in the worl of Lord of the Rings!, A cooperative board game

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Monopoly - The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Edition - Toys - Lord of the Rings Monopoly. Take a journey through Middle-Earth with this Lord of the Rings Trilogy edition Monopoly., Make the journey with the fellowship and claim the territories of Middle-Earth with this special edition of the classic Monopoly game. Gather power as you move in and out of these territories, building strongholds and fortresses to secure your holdings., You may even acquire relics such as the staffs of the Wizards., Become the most powerful player throughout Middle-earth to be the winner!, Includes: 6 collectible Lord of the Rings tokens (Aragorn, Frodo, Gimli, Galadriel, Gandalf and Legolas), full color board, title deeds (representing territories throughout Middle-earth), 32 plastic strongholds and 12 fortresses, people and event cards replace the classic Chance and Community Chest cards, 7 denominations of power replace the play money, 1 special die with the Eye of Sauron, 1 standard die and gold-toned pewter ring for optional play.

Release Date: 08 September, 2006
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List Price: $7.48