Return of the Shadow; History of the LOTR Part One - Hardcover

9780044401629: Return of the Shadow; History of the LOTR Part One
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In this sixth volume of The History of Middle-earth the story reaches The Lord of the Rings. In The Return of the Shadow (an abandoned title for the first volume) Christopher Tolkien describes, with full citation of the earliest notes, outline plans, and narrative drafts, the intricate evolution of The Fellowship of the Ring and the gradual emergence of the conceptions that transformed what J.R.R. Tolkien for long believed would be a far shorter book, 'a sequel to The Hobbit'. The enlargement of Bilbo's 'magic ring' into the supremely potent and dangerous Ruling Ring of the Dark Lord is traced and the precise moment is seen when, in an astonishing and unforeseen leap in the earliest narrative, a Black Rider first rode into the Shire, his significance still unknown. The character of the hobbit called Trotter (afterwards Strider or Aragorn) is developed while his indentity remains an absolute puzzle, and the suspicion only very slowly becomes certainty that he must after all be a Man. The hobbits, Frodo's companions, undergo intricate permutations of name and personality, and other major figures appear in strange modes: a sinister Treebeard, in league with the Enemy, a ferocious and malevolent Farmer Maggot.

The story in this book ends at the point where J.R.R. Tolkien halted in the story for a long time, as the Company of the Ring, still lacking Legolas and Gimli, stood before the tomb of Balin in the Mines of Moria. The Return of the Shadow is illustrated with reproductions of the first maps and notable pages from the earliest manuscripts.

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About the Author:
CHRISTOPHER TOLKIEN is the third son of J.R.R. Tolkien. Appointed by Tolkien to be his literary executor, he has devoted himself to the editing and publication of unpublished writings, notably The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales, and The History of Middle-earth.

J.R.R. TOLKIEN (1892–1973) is the creator of Middle-earth and author of such classic and extraordinary works of fiction as The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion. His books have been translated into more than fifty languages and have sold many millions of copies worldwide.
From Library Journal:
Collectively, these volumes are marketed as "The History of The Lord of the Rings" and tell alternate stories of the siege of Middle-earth and Sauron's defeat.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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  • PublisherHOUGHTON MIFFINN & CO.
  • Publication date1988
  • ISBN 10 0044401620
  • ISBN 13 9780044401629
  • BindingHardcover
  • Number of pages480
  • Rating
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Other Popular Editions of the Same Title

9780618083572: The Return of the Shadow: The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part One (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 6) (History of Middle-earth, 6)

Featured Edition

ISBN 10:  ISBN 13:  9780618083572
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks, 2000
Softcover

9780261102248: The Return of the Shadow: The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part One (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 6)

Harper..., 1994
Softcover

9780395498637: The Return of the Shadow: The History of the Lord of the Rings, The History of Middle-Earth, Part 1, Vol. 6

Hought..., 1988
Hardcover

9780007365302: The Return of the Shadow (The History of Middle-Earth)

Harper..., 2010
Hardcover

9780044406693: The Return of the Shadow (The History of the Lord of the Rings Part One)

Unwin, 1988
Softcover

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Book Description Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. Fine original black cloth, in Fine Brodart-protected unclipped DW. In The Return of the Shadow, Christopher Tolkien describes, with full citation of the earliest notes, outline plans, and narrative drafts, the intricate evolution of The Fellowship of the Ring. The enlargement of Bilbo's 'magic ring' into the supremely potent and dangerous Ruling Ring of the Dark Lord is traced; the character of a Hobbit called Trotter is developed while his identity remains an insoluble puzzle; the Hobbits, Frodo's companions, undergo intricate permutations of name and personality, and other major figures appear in strange modes: a sinister Treebeard, in league with the Enemy, a ferocious and malevolent Farmer Maggot. The story in this book ends at the point where J.R.R. Tolkien halted in the story for a long time, as the Company of the Ring, still lacking Legolas and Gimli, stood before the tomb of Balin in the Mines of Moria. The book is illustrated with reproductions of the first maps and notable pages from the earliest manuscripts. A very attractive copy. Seller Inventory # 9548

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