New Middle-earth Books to Be Published in 2018

We received word this week that two new books about Middle-earth will be published later this year.  Of course, everyone knows by now that The Fall of Gondolin will be published on August 30, but now you can plan for two more books.  The Bodleian Library is hosting a special exhibition of Tolkien’s work this summer (and the exhibition will go to the Morgan Library in New York in 2019).  Here is what the Bodleian sent us about Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth, the first of two books they are publishing in connection with the exhibition:

Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth

To complement the forthcoming exhibition at the Bodleian Library (Oxford, UK) opening on 1 June, a new book will be published entitled ‘Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth’. With over 300 images, this is the largest collection of original Tolkien material ever published in a single volume. Over a third of the images have never before been published.

The Bodleian is also publishing a unique Collector’s Edition of the book, which looks truly remarkable.

The book itself is bound in luxury cloth with specially printed endpapers of the Elvenking’s Gate. However, the exceptional elements of this Edition are without a doubt the seven facsimile reproductions of Tolkien’s work.

These are life-size reproductions printed on fine Italian paper of:
• Tolkien’s painting of the dust jacket for The Hobbit, reproduced for the first time on both sides, revealing Tolkien’s plea to his first publisher, Stanley Unwin, to print the sun in red and culminating in the underlined instructions to his printer on the reverse of the painting ‘IGNORE RED’.

• The Tower of Orthanc, drawn on the back of an Oxford undergraduate student’s exam paper on Chaucer which Tolkien has cancelled with diagonal lines, as well as a manuscript page from The Lord of the Rings describing and illustrating Shelob’s Lair. Both this and the Hobbit dustjacket have never before been reproduced on both sides.

• Father Christmas letter and envelope for 1936, addressed to Tolkien’s youngest children, Christopher and Priscilla, and bearing a jewel-like stamp from the North Pole, together with the accompanying Christmas card depicting Polar Bear’s bath (which overruns and risks wetting the children’s gift on the floor below). In the bottom section of the image, Polar Bear instructs the elves on the unique number set aside for every child, ensuring that Christmas gifts are matched and delivered to the correct recipient.

• A manuscript page from The Lord of the Rings describing and illustrating Shelob’s Lair, printed both sides.

• The newly discovered map drawn by Christopher Tolkien with annotations in JRR Tolkien’s hand (including notes such as ‘Hobbiton is assumed to be approx. at the latitude of Oxford’, ‘Minas Tirith is about the latitude of Ravenna’), from which Pauline Baynes painted her poster map of Middle-earth.

A special guide explaining and contextualizing each of these item is included. Every copy of the Collector’s Edition includes a limitation page is hand-numbered and signed by Priscilla Tolkien.

The book, facsimiles, and guide are presented in a very smart custom-made luxury box stamped with the author’s cipher. The entire package exudes quality and is destined to become a collector’s edition. It should be on every Tolkien fan’s shopping list. Unfortunately, only 675 copies have been published, with 600 earmarked for sale from the Bodleian Library Shop. In the first week of publication, more than 10% of the print run sold.

Both the standard hardback and the Collector’s Edition are available directly from the Bodleian Shop https://www.bodleianshop.co.uk/gifts/tolkien/collectors-edition.html

The book is edited by Catherine McIlwaine, curator of the Bodleian exhibition.  Listed contributors include Verlyn Flieger, John Garth, Wayne Hammond, Carl Hostetter, Christina Scull, and Tom Shippey.

Admittedly, the collector’s edition is very expensive and while that would make a really nice Christmas gift for many a dedicated Tolkien fan, the standard edition is more affordable.

If you want to help support Xenite.Org, you may order Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth at Amazon for about $65 US.  Our friends in the United Kingdom may order Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth from Amazon.Co.Uk here.

Tolkien: Treasures

We did not receive any special information about this book from the Bodleian.  Tolkien: Treasures is available for pre-order on Amazon, Amazon.Co.Uk, and via the Bodleian Library’s Website.  Catherine McIlwaine also edited this work.

Here is what Amazon has to say about the book:

This lavishly illustrated book showcases the highlights of the Tolkien archives held at the Bodleian Library. From J.R.R. Tolkien’s childhood in the Midlands and his experience of the First World War to his studies at school and university; his exquisite illustrations for The Silmarillion, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings and his creation of intricate and beautiful maps showing the topography of Middle-earth – the land he invented – this stunning book is a perfect introduction to Tolkien’s creative imagination, giving a unique insight into the life of this extraordinary writer, artist and scholar.

And this is what we found on the Bodleian Website:

This volume is an excellent introduction to the world of J. R. R. Tolkien. Recounting in images and words the story of his early years and life as a scholar and family man, the book also illustrates some of the primary items associated with The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion. These include manuscripts, drawings, watercolours, letters, family photographs, and private papers. It also includes his remarkably detailed and endlessly engaging maps of Middle Earth produced over many years an annotated in his own hand.

The book brings vividly to life the astonishing range of Tolkien’s skills, from scholar, to linguist, storyteller, illustrator, herald, and mapmaker. Drawing on the Bodleian Library’s vast Tolkien archive, this book gives us a unique and highly personal glimpse into Tolkien’s worlds – scholarly, literary, creative, and domestic.

From Tolkien’s childhood in the Midlands and his experience of the First World War to his studies at school and university, and from his exquisite illustrations for his novels to his intricate and beautiful maps showing Middle-earth’s topography, this stunning book, faithfully reproducing many of the treasures of the Tolkien Archive in Oxford, is the perfect introduction to Tolkien’s life and works.

You can order the book directly from the Bodleian here.

And if you want to help support Xenite.Org, you may order Tolkien: Treasures from Amazon here.  And our friends in the United Kingdom can order Tolkien: Treasures from Amazon.Co.Uk here.

The Fall of Gondolin

As a reminder, the latest (and perhaps final) book edited by Christopher Tolkien is due out on August 30.  The Fall of Gondorlin is reported to be a reproduction of the story found in The Book of Lost Tales and includes commentary and notes from Christopher and his father.  We have only heard that this book will be more like Beren and Luthien and less like The Children of Hurin.  Even so, we include the standard information here for completeness since we don’t often publish book announcements.  The Fall of Gondolin is illustrated by Alan Lee.

From Amazon:

In the Tale of The Fall of Gondolin are two of the greatest powers in the world. There is Morgoth of the uttermost evil, unseen in this story but ruling over a vast military power from his fortress of Angband. Deeply opposed to Morgoth is Ulmo, second in might only to Manwë, chief of the Valar: he is called the Lord of Waters, of all seas, lakes, and rivers under the sky. But he works in secret in Middle-earth to support the Noldor, the kindred of the Elves among whom were numbered Húrin and Túrin Turambar.

Central to this enmity of the gods is the city of Gondolin, beautiful but undiscoverable. It was built and peopled by Noldorin Elves who, when they dwelt in Valinor, the land of the gods, rebelled against their rule and fled to Middle-earth. Turgon King of Gondolin is hated and feared above all his enemies by Morgoth, who seeks in vain to discover the marvellously hidden city, while the gods in Valinor in heated debate largely refuse to intervene in support of Ulmo’s desires and designs.

Into this world comes Tuor, cousin of Túrin, the instrument of Ulmo’s designs. Guided unseen by him Tuor sets out from the land of his birth on the fearful journey to Gondolin, and in one of the most arresting moments in the history of Middle-earth the sea-god himself appears to him, rising out of the ocean in the midst of a storm. In Gondolin he becomes great; he is wedded to Idril, Turgon’s daughter, and their son is Eärendel, whose birth and profound importance in days to come is foreseen by Ulmo.

At last comes the terrible ending. Morgoth learns through an act of supreme treachery all that he needs to mount a devastating attack on the city, with Balrogs and dragons and numberless Orcs. After a minutely observed account of the fall of Gondolin, the tale ends with the escape of Túrin and Idril, with the child Eärendel, looking back from a cleft in the mountains as they flee southward, at the blazing wreckage of their city. They were journeying into a new story, the Tale of Eärendel, which Tolkien never wrote, but which is sketched out in this book from other sources.

Following his presentation of Beren and Lúthien Christopher Tolkien has used the same ‘history in sequence’ mode in the writing of this edition of The Fall of Gondolin. In the words of J.R.R. Tolkien, it was ‘the first real story of this imaginary world’ and, together with Beren and Lúthien and The Children of Húrin, he regarded it as one of the three ‘Great Tales’ of the Elder Days.

If you would like to help support Xenite.Org, you may order The Fall of Gondolin from Amazon here.  And our friends in the United Kingdom may order The Fall of Gondolin from Amazon.Co.Uk here.

A Note to Authors of Other Books and Films on Tolkien and Middle-earth

We do welcome advance notice from publishers and film-makers about upcoming releases.  We’ll pay special attention to official books, licensed movies and television shows, etc.  But we know there are many other projects worthy of attention from secondary authors, fan film-makers, etc.

Much as we want to support Tolkien scholarship and fan activity here at Xenite.Org, we don’t have the resources to review and promote every book or film projection that is coming out.  We realize there is immense interest in these projects.  You are welcome to register for free at the SF-Fandom science fiction and fantasy forums and post an announcement about your books in the Authors forum.  Fan film and similar announcements will be welcome in our Middle-earth forum or the Fan Fiction forum.

All new accounts are moderated, meaning we approve your membership manually, so please be patient after registering.  We delete a lot of spam registrations.  Here are some guidelines for promoting books and/or movies in our forums:

• Do NOT include affiliate links (only our affiliate links are permitted)
• DO offer to answer questions forum members may have
• Posting a press release is okay
• Embedding a family-friendly YouTube video is okay (there is a special UBB “video” code for that)
• Please share a little bit of information about yourself in your announcement

We understand that you may be promoting your books and film projects in other forums.  Always check in advance to see if your promotions are allowed.  Many forums forbid self-promotional posts, especially if they are what we call “drop and flop” (1-time) announcements.

You will find science fiction and fantasy fans are more supportive of authors and film-makers who participate in online discussions.  Most people who visit discussion forums lurk, meaning they read what others have to say.  But being involved with the fans is a great way to attract their attention. Xenite.Org and SF-Fandom are fan Websites, not the New York Times Book Review. We can help spread the word about your projects but don’t expect drop and flop promotion on fan sites to make you an overnight success.