Tolkien's Legendarium - (Contributions to the Study of Science Fiction & Fantasy) by Verlyn Flieger & Carl Hostetter (Hardcover)

About the Book

As a scholar of medieval languages and literature, J.R.R. Tolkien brought to his fiction an intense interest in myth and legend. When he died in 1973, he left behind a vast body of unpublished material related to his fictive mythology. Now edited and published as The History of Middle-earth by his son and literary executor, Christopher Tolkien, these 12 volumes provide a record of the growth of J.R.R. Tolkien's mythology from its beginnings in 1917 to the time of his death more than 50 years later. The material in these volumes offers an unparalleled insight into Tolkien's process of myth-making and is a guide to the world of his literary works. This book is the first comprehensive critical examination of Christopher Tolkien's compilation of his father's Middle-earth legends.

An opening essay by Rayner Unwin, Tolkien's publisher for many years, surveys the publication history of the collection. The essays that follow, each written by an expert contributor, explore a wide range of topics related to The History of Middle-earth. Included are discussions of Tolkien's languages, the evolution of his vision over time, the shifting importance of central characters, and the effect of his mythology on The Lord of the Rings. By exploring this mythological compendium, the volume sheds further light on the entire body of J.R.R. Tolkien's works and is a valuable resource for all readers interested in his writings.

Book Synopsis

As a scholar of medieval languages and literature, J.R.R. Tolkien brought to his fiction an intense interest in myth and legend. When he died in 1973, he left behind a vast body of unpublished material related to his fictive mythology. Now edited and published as The History of Middle-earth by his son and literary executor, Christopher Tolkien, these 12 volumes provide a record of the growth of J.R.R. Tolkien's mythology from its beginnings in 1917 to the time of his death more than 50 years later. The material in these volumes offers an unparalleled insight into Tolkien's process of myth-making and is a guide to the world of his literary works. This book is the first comprehensive critical examination of Christopher Tolkien's compilation of his father's Middle-earth legends.

An opening essay by Rayner Unwin, Tolkien's publisher for many years, surveys the publication history of the collection. The essays that follow, each written by an expert contributor, explore a wide range of topics related to The History of Middle-earth. Included are discussions of Tolkien's languages, the evolution of his vision over time, the shifting importance of central characters, and the effect of his mythology on The Lord of the Rings. By exploring this mythological compendium, the volume sheds further light on the entire body of J.R.R. Tolkien's works and is a valuable resource for all readers interested in his writings.

Review Quotes

"This excellent study is aimed at the middle level of Tolkien scholarship....[A]nd should make an excellent addition to the college library."-Beyond Bree

?[t]he first sustained to demonstrate the importance of the HOME series for the study of Tolkien's work....[p]rovides a varied though traditional selection of potential approaches to the newly available material of the HOME series. As such, it is a good start and establishes a bridgehead on the new continent that has appeared out of the Tolkien-archives. It also makes clear that much work remains to be done-be this in the area of traditional scholary research, or in the implementation of more recent critical approaches, such as the 'death of the author' or the 'unstable text'....[a] step into the right direction and it is to be hoped that the dialogue wil continue.?-Fleisch La chair Flesh

?[T]hese analyses are refreshingly free of turgid prose or theoretical bias. The author's obvious appreciation for their subjects of study does not preclude either ritical acuity or scholarly rigor....[T]his is a well-produced book on acid-free paper--both its physical package and its intellectual content are designed to last.?-The Monthly Bulletin of the Mythopoeic Society

?These essays are rich in complexity and detail and are recommended for college-level students of Tolkien's writings....An excellent set of technical discussions on the inviting world of Tolkien.?-Reviewer's Bookwatch

?This excellent study is aimed at the middle level of Tolkien scholarship....[A]nd should make an excellent addition to the college library.?-Beyond Bree

"Ýt¨he first sustained to demonstrate the importance of the HOME series for the study of Tolkien's work....Ýp¨rovides a varied though traditional selection of potential approaches to the newly available material of the HOME series. As such, it is a good start and establishes a bridgehead on the new continent that has appeared out of the Tolkien-archives. It also makes clear that much work remains to be done-be this in the area of traditional scholary research, or in the implementation of more recent critical approaches, such as the 'death of the author' or the 'unstable text'....Ýa¨ step into the right direction and it is to be hoped that the dialogue wil continue."-Fleisch La chair Flesh

"ÝT¨hese analyses are refreshingly free of turgid prose or theoretical bias. The author's obvious appreciation for their subjects of study does not preclude either ritical acuity or scholarly rigor....ÝT¨his is a well-produced book on acid-free paper--both its physical package and its intellectual content are designed to last."-The Monthly Bulletin of the Mythopoeic Society

"[T]hese analyses are refreshingly free of turgid prose or theoretical bias. The author's obvious appreciation for their subjects of study does not preclude either ritical acuity or scholarly rigor....[T]his is a well-produced book on acid-free paper--both its physical package and its intellectual content are designed to last."-The Monthly Bulletin of the Mythopoeic Society

"These essays are rich in complexity and detail and are recommended for college-level students of Tolkien's writings....An excellent set of technical discussions on the inviting world of Tolkien."-Reviewer's Bookwatch

"[t]he first sustained to demonstrate the importance of the HOME series for the study of Tolkien's work....[p]rovides a varied though traditional selection of potential approaches to the newly available material of the HOME series. As such, it is a good start and establishes a bridgehead on the new continent that has appeared out of the Tolkien-archives. It also makes clear that much work remains to be done-be this in the area of traditional scholary research, or in the implementation of more recent critical approaches, such as the 'death of the author' or the 'unstable text'....[a] step into the right direction and it is to be hoped that the dialogue wil continue."-Fleisch La chair Flesh

About the Author

VERLYN FLIEGER is Professor of English at the University of Maryland, where she teaches courses in Tolkien, Medieval Literature, Comparative Mythology, and Fantasy and Science Fiction./e She is the author of two books on Tolkien and has published articles on Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, Austin Tappan Wright, and E.R. Eddison.

CARL F. HOSTETTER is a computer scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. His chief scholarly interest of the past 15 years has been the invented languages of J.R.R. Tolkien, and he has edited a journal devoted to the subject, Vinyar Tengwar, since 1989. He is also a member of a project to order, transcribe, and edit Tolkien's unpublished linguistic papers.