An Encyclopedia of Tolkien by David Day

When I think of J.R.R. Tolkien, I immediately think of two amazing stories: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and The Hobbit. I wasn’t introduced to Tolkien’s world until the first film installment of Lord of the Rings (2001). Since watching that movie for the first time, I was instantly hooked. So hooked, that I actually owned all three film installments on VHS. If you are a fantasy/science fiction fan like me, then you probably share an equal love of Tolkien’s Middle-earth (The Hobbit is my absolute favorite work of Tolkien). Tolkien’s stories are filled with action, adventure, love, sorrow and everything in-between…he has a way of pulling you into the story, so much that you don’t want to put the book down or turn the film off. If you are like me and share an equal love of Tolkien, then I highly recommend checking out An Encyclopedia of Tolkien written by David Day.

* Complimentary book received for review. This post may contain affiliate links and is part of the Two Classy Chics 10th Annual Holiday Gift Guide.

The fantasy world of J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth contains a rich assortment of people, cities, and creatures—as well as a deep, intertwined history that spans thousands of years. In this beautifully illustrated, leather-bound volume, best-selling author and Tolkien scholar David Day presents four decades of research and writing on the lands and inhabitants of Middle-earth.

Sections of this A-to-Z dictionary are devoted to discussion of the battles, history, beasts, and heroes of Tolkien’s stories, and are accompanied by black-and-white illustrations. This comprehensive volume on Tolkien’s world also includes an appendix of three primary legends that served as sources for Tolkien’s creations—the Volsunga saga, the Nibelungenlied, and Richard Wagner’s Ring Cycle—and more than 200 black-and-white illustrations.

I am really blown away by this encyclopedia. Not only do you have an A-to-Z dictionary, but you also have access to a number of charts, tables, and chronologies that will help you negotiate the byzantine byways of Middle-earth. There is a chronology of the major events from the Creation to the beginning of the Fourth Age, charts showing the “evolution” of various kindreds, two tables that detail the connections between Tolkien’s Valar and Maiar and the gods of the Norse and Greco-Roman pantheons, and much more. You also get a little taste of three primary ring legends (Norse ring, German ring & Wagner’s ring), which served as major sources for Tolkien’s creations (this was my favorite part out of the whole encyclopedia).

This encyclopedia comes with a table of contents and an index page to help you navigate to the section you are most interested in. This title also includes an introduction, a dictionary of sources, charts, battles, the ring legends and Tolkien’s ring (Lord of the Rings). An Encyclopedia of Tolkien is available October 8th at all major bookstores and on Amazon. The title is retailed for $24.99 (CAN $33.99). If you share a love for Tolkien or thoroughly enjoyed the films based off of his books, then I highly recommend you check this title out. You won’t be disappointed.

**Please be aware that this work is unofficial and is not authorized by the Tolkien Estate or HarperCollins Publishers.

* This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, we may or may not receive a small commission which helps to support this site. Thank you!

Giveaway: One lucky winner is going to win the An Encyclopedia of Tolkien from David Day Books. Good Luck Everyone!

Giveaway Details: This giveaway is open to residents of the US & Canada ONLY age 18 and over. Please read our Terms of Service & Disclaimer Policy before entering. This giveaway will close on October 31st, 2019 at 11:59 pm EST time. No purchase necessary to enter or win.

Disclaimer: Sara K. has personally reviewed the product listed above. Sara has not received any monetary compensation for her review. Sara did receive a free product to try out so she could evaluate and use it for her review. Her thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest and your opinions may differ. Two Classy Chics is not responsible for delivery of any giveaway items won from this blog. We are not responsible for injury or mis-use of any products won from the Two Classy Chics Blog. Please read our Terms of Service & Disclaimer Policy before entering our giveaways.