The Tolkien Companion

By J.E.A. Tyler

Book Overview

Between 1932 and 1953, Professor John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, of Oxford, England, translated four volumes compiled by the renowned Hobbits Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, written during the Third Age of Middle Earth, far longer ago than the Celtic, Germanic and Icelandic manuscripts Professor Tolkien was used to deciphering. The result was The Hobbit, and readers have never been the same since. In 1954, seventeen years after The Hobbit first appeared, its sequel, The Lord of the Rings was published, and it became the centerpiece of Tolkien's work. The Ring Epic covers approximately ten thousand years, and contains a vast amount of information as well as a huge variety of words and names which Tolkien translated from the Elvish and Mannish tongues. THE TOLKIEN COMPANION is an impressive endeavor to guide one through the world of Middle Earth, compiling every fact, name, word, and date from all the works into one comprehensive and accessible volume. Here, in one source, is the High History of the Elven peoples. The origins of Morgoth the Enemy is clarified, as is his Fall, and the subsequent rise to power of Sauron the Great, Lord of the Rings. The heroic epic of how the Free Peoples--Elves, Men, Ents, Dwarves, and Hobbits--survived against the Peril of the Ancient World is meticulously detailed. And a guide to the various Elvish writing systems, together with explanatory maps, charts, even genealogical tables, bring the remarkable genius of Tolkien and the unforgettable world and wonder of Middle Earth to life with focus and accuracy. Presented in alphabetical order for quick and easy reference, THE TOLKIEN COMPANION is an indispensable accompaniment for anyone who embarks on the reading journey of a lifetime.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0380009013
• ISBN13: 9780380009015
• Release Date: January 1977
• Publisher: Avon Books
• Length: 10 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.

Customer Reviews

The Tolkien Companion

'The Tolkien Companion' is a brilliant guide to 'The Hobbit', 'The Lord of the Rings', and 'The Silmarillion'. It tells of many peoples, places, and things throughout Middle-earth and the Undying Lands. Anything I do not understand in author J.R.R. Tolkien's world is uniquely explained from this must-own book tribute. I highly recommend you buy 'The Tolkien Companion'!

A great book

...I am a really big Lord of the Rings fan. I have read all the books! And the Tokien companion just caught my eye. Well I bought it and this book is like a dictonary of the whole Lord of the rings. It is great, it has almost everything, all except a few elvish words, which are hard to get. But other than that it is a great book!

A great reference....

Wow! I just got this book, and I'd have to say it's pretty amazing. I have hardly found anything to be missing, and have enjoyed reading the articles. The entries are detailed, but no so much that you can't find important information. The only thing I haven't found in this book is translation of some Elvish words, but that can often be difficult, and I see why some terms aren't translated - but many are, that's very handy. Several maps and illustrations are scattered throughout the book. It's also a good read, just for flipping through the pages and poking around.If you're into Tolkien even a little, and you know how confusing come parts of the books can be, with references to obscure places (e.g. the Tower of Pearl mentioned in another review), you should definitely take a look at this reference.

An excellent resource

.... There have been two editions of this book released, the first before the Silmarillion had seen publication. This first edition did in fact contain some guess work (something "Tolkien Experts" know all about), but Mr. Tyler's book offers a more comprehensive list of entries (and better written ones) than Robert Foster's "Guide to Middle Earth". They are both valuable resources if you want a clearer visualization of Middle Earth.

What and where is the Tower of Pearl?................

and who is the sleeper in it? I originally checked this book out of the library with the intention of finding this out from it. Well, I didn't. In fact, in all the Tolkien books I have read, I have only come across one reference to it, and this, I think(I am not traipsing upstairs to my bookcase right this minute)was in Lost Tales 1(maybe 2). I think the Tower was on an island in the Shadowy Seas, and at the time of the Last Battle, the Sleeper in it will awake. However, is the Sleeper Ainu?, Maia?, Eldar?, Human???, how did the Tower get there in the first place, and what purpose did it serve? This is my only qualm with this book, but I cannot fault it any more than other Tolkien books, because no others elaborate on this subject either! Now, I am done nit-picking! This book was excellent in both the breadth and depth of its scope. Both the casual reader and the serious Tolkien lover will appreciate Mr. Tyler's fine research on this subject. It is as complete, if not more, in its listings than Mr. Foster's Guide, and on topics that require a second, deeper look, Mr. Tyler gives us more information, period, and does not hesitate to throw in some minor philosophizing that allows the mind to take what was simple and look at it in a more complex light. Also, Mr. Tyler includes some references to early European history that allow a creative mind to link past and present tales together in a way that shows how unique an author/chronicler Tolkien really was. The topics are clearly explained, cross-indexed, and the usual obscure but interesting information is there(the names of all twelve of Barahir's companions in Dorthonion, etc.). This book is well worth its price new but just as good used or on long loan from the library. Mr. Foster's Guide is an excellent and marvelously complete pocket reference, but to start philosophical discussions or to have as a desk reference, this volume will definitely add in positive ways to your collection.