Lord Of The Rings Fans Should Check Out The Gorgeous New History Of Middle-Earth Box Sets

The world of Middle-earth encompasses much more than just the history told throughout The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. While Frodo, Gandalf, Samwise, Bilbo, and Gollum might be some of the most familiar faces to fans of Middle-earth, J.R.R. Tolkien masterfully built his fantasy world with a staggering amount of details--all of which can be read in The History of Middle-earth series. Compiled and edited from Tolkien's manuscripts and notes by his son Christopher Tolkien, The History of Middle-earth was originally published in the 1980s and '90s. It has received multiple reissues since, but none of them are as stunning as the 2024 editions.

The second of four box sets released this week, with two more to follow in coming months. Notably, you can save big on the first two box sets and preorders for the final two sets at Amazon.

The History of Middle-earth - 2024 hardcover box sets

• The History of Middle-earth Box Set 1 -- $77 ($125)
• The History of Middle-earth Box Set 2 -- $82 ($125)
• The History of Middle-earth Box Set 3 -- $112.50 ($125) | Releases August 13
• The History of Middle-earth Box Set 4 -- $112.50 ($125) | Releases September 10

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The History of Middle-earth Box Set 1 is discounted to just $77 (down from $125). That's the lowest price yet for the recently released box set. Along with a gorgeous case to hold and display the books, you'll get four hardcovers--The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales, Book of Lost Tales Part One, and Book of Lost Tales Part Two. All told, that's over 1,500 pages of Tolkien goodness.

You'll also find The History of Middle-earth Box Set 2 up for grabs, as it just launched on May 14. The collection is now just $82 (down from $125) and includes The Lays of Beleriand, The Shaping of Middle-earth, and The Lost Road. It's a bit smaller than the first box set at 1,264 pages, but should still keep you busy for quite some time.

To complete the collection, you can check out preorders for Box Set 3 and Box Set 4. These don't release until August and September (respectively), but they're seeing 10% price cuts today. It's also worth noting that if you preorder either of the last two box sets, you'll get Amazon's preorder price guarantee. You won't pay until your order ships, and we wouldn't be surprised to see the prices drop closer to the first two sets before launch.

While the above box sets look sleek and make a great companion for any bookcase, you don’t have to wait months to check out all the books in the collection. As mentioned, these Tolkien stories have been around for ages, so you can dive into The Complete History of Middle-earth hardcover box set for $142 (down from $250) to read through all the above stories. This set has a more understated design that feels somewhat fitting for history books, though all 12 books are compiled in three massive volumes. Just be aware that these are heavy books; after all, you're getting a staggering 5,440 pages across the three volumes.

If you're a Lord of the Rings fan but are unsure if you'd enjoy The History of Middle-earth series, there are more affordable options, too. The Silmarillion, which is book one in the series and by far the best-known of the bunch, has a beautiful edition illustrated by the author that's on sale for $30 (was $75). Alternatively, you can get the first five books in the series in a paperback box set for only $35. During Amazon's book sale (ends May 20), you can snag the Kindle version of The Silmarillion for two bucks and the paperback for $11.49.

If you're interested in fancy editions of Tolkien's most famous works, The Lord of the Rings Illustrated Edition is on sale for $39 at Amazon (was $90), while The Hobbit is available for $43. Finally, the mesmerizing Lord of the Rings: Special Edition is over 50% off on Amazon.