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The Peoples of Middle-earth

The Peoples of Middle-earth

FantasyLiterary Fiction
Pages
482
Published
1996
Language
English

Synopsis

Volume Twelve and the final volume of the History of Middle-earth presents Tolkien's later writings concerned with the peoples, languages, and appendices of The Lord of the Rings. The contents include the drafts and evolution of the Prologue and Appendices to The Lord of the Rings (showing how the genealogies, chronologies, and language notes developed), essays on the Druedain and the Istari, the tale of Tal-Elmar (a late experiment in perspective -- a story of the world told from the point of view of those who fear the approaching Numenoreans), and the remarkable Of Dwarves and Men. Christopher Tolkien's editorial preface surveys the entire twelve-volume series.

Prose complexity
8/10

Vibe

Thought-ProvokingIntellectualReflectiveInformative
Dual TimelineFamily SagaMentor Figure

Genres

Fantasy Literary Fiction Mythology

About the author

J
J.R.R. Tolkien

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa in 1892 and raised in England after his mother brought him home at age three. Orphaned before he was thirteen — his mother died a devout Catholic convert — Tolkien went on to study Old and Middle English, Germanic languages, Welsh, and Finnish at Oxford. He graduated in 1915, married Edith Bratt before shipping out to the Western Front, and fought in the Battle of the Somme. Nearly all of his closest friends were killed. He contrac...

Characters

GandalfSupporting

The Istari essay in this volume provides some of the most authoritative statements about the nature and origin of Gandalf and the other Wizards.

All characters in The Peoples of Middle-earth

Frequently asked questions

  • What is The Peoples of Middle-earth?

    Volume Twelve and the final volume of the History of Middle-earth series. It collects Tolkien's later writings on the peoples and history of Middle-earth, and the drafts behind the Appendices to The Lord of the Rings.

  • Does this volume explain the Appendices to The Lord of the Rings?

    Yes -- a substantial portion of the volume is devoted to the drafts and evolution of the Appendices, showing how the chronologies, genealogies, and language notes in the published edition developed.

  • What is the Istari essay?

    An essay on the five Wizards (Gandalf, Saruman, Radagast, and the two Blue Wizards) that provides detailed information about their origins, purpose, and ultimate fate -- including the most authoritative account of what happened to the Blue Wizards.

  • What is this volume's position in the History of Middle-earth?

    Volume Twelve -- the final volume of the series.

  • Do I need to read the entire series before this volume?

    Not necessarily -- the volume is largely self-contained, though it is most rewarding read alongside The Lord of the Rings whose appendices it illuminates.