A beautiful boxed set: the definitive examination of how Tolkien came to write his original masterpiece, including the complete unpublished draft and little-known illustrations and unpublished maps, along with a new edition of the classic work itself.
First published in 1938, The Hobbit is a story that “grew in the telling,” and many characters and events in the published book are completely different from what Tolkien first wrote to read aloud to his young sons as part of their “fireside reads.” For the first time, The History of the Hobbit reproduces the original version of one of literature’s most famous stories, and includes many little-known illustrations and previously unpublished maps for The Hobbit created by Tolkien himself. Also featured are extensive annotations and commentaries on the date of composition, how Tolkien’s professional and early mythological writings influenced the story, the imaginary geography he created, and how he came to revise the book in the years after publication to accommodate events in The Lord of the Rings.
These two volumes are boxed together with a new edition of The Hobbit with a short introduction by Christopher Tolkien, a reset text incorporating the most up-to-date corrections, and all of Tolkien’s own drawings and color illustrations, including the rare “Mirkwood” piece.
RantingThespian
Posted April 28, 2009
Basically, if you enjoyed the Histories of Middle-Earth volumes 1-12 you will embrace this with loving arms! It really delves into what Tolkien was thinking about and ideas that would come to help create the epic Lord of the Rings. It will make you ponder about what would have happened if he chose to name one character this name (Gandalf was originally a Dwarve's name) or if he chose to have the troupe run into the possible Mewlips (from the Verses of the Red Book of Westmarch). It is just engrossing in everything from lines in the text to lines on the early maps.
Also included is an anniversary version of the Hobbit, with the exact print type, paintings, and drawings that Tolkien had drawn, painted, and conceived for the original version of the Hobbit to be. It has been edited for the updated riddles of Gollum and Bilbo, but the original version is included in the "Histories" volumes.
This box set is wonderfully put together with gold imprinted covers for all 3 books. The 2 "Histories" books have early drafts of Tolkien's covers, as well as the completeTolkien cover for the Hobbit book drawn and painted exactly how Tolkien had drawn and painted for the original cover to look. They are all housed in a tough box with more of the early artwork Tolkien had drawn.
If you are a casual reader who likes structured narratives, you will want to avoid these books. If you are a fanatic (like me) who wants to dive in, and see from page to page how the beginning of one of the greatest adventures was created, then this is the "Arkenstone" for you!
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Overview
A beautiful boxed set: the definitive examination of how Tolkien came to write his original masterpiece, including the complete unpublished draft and little-known illustrations and unpublished maps, along with a new edition of the classic work itself.
First published in 1938, The Hobbit is a story that “grew in the telling,” and many characters and events in the published book are completely different from what Tolkien first wrote to read aloud to his young sons as part of their...