The Silmarillion : First printing

Tolkien, J. R. R. ; Tolkien, Christopher (Editor)

ISBN 10: 0048231398 / ISBN 13: 9780048231390

Published by George Allen & Unwin, London, United Kingdom, 1977

About this Item

True first British printing with original unclipped jacket (£4.95). Printed by Billing & Sons Ltd. Original fold out map to back (in very good condition). Jacket has minor patchy edge/shelf wear, one small (approx. 1cm) tear to back lower corner, the odd very small mark, odd minor crease/rub to edges, minor pushing/rubbing to head/tail of spine and to corners and a little patchy browning to reverse (white side). Boards are near fine with a hint of pushing to corners and minor pushing/rubbing to head/tail of spine. Pages are generally clean and the binding is tight (pages 119 to 126 are loose to the lower two thirds - a binding error). Top edge of pages dyed black have the odd minor scratch. Pages bit tanned. Very occasional small mark to pages. No other faults. All books described honestly and accurately. Paypal accepted.

Seller Inventory # 010414

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Silmarillion : First printing
• Publisher: George Allen & Unwin, London, United Kingdom
• Publication Date: 1977
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0048231398
• ISBN 13: 9780048231390
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Condition: Very Good
• Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good

About this title

Synopsis

An edition of the forerunner to THE LORD OF THE RINGS, which gives an account of the Elder Days when Morgoth, the first Dark Lord, dwells in Middle-Earth, and the High Elves make war upon him for the recovery of the Silmarils, the jewels containing the pure light of Valinor.

Review

The Silmarillion is J.R.R. Tolkien's tragic, operatic history of the First Age of Middle-Earth, essential background material for serious readers of the classic Lord of the Rings saga. Tolkien's work sets the standard for fantasy, and this audio version of the "Bible of Middle-Earth" does The Silmarillion justice. Martin Shaw's reading is grave and resonant, conveying all the powerful events and emotions that shaped elven and human history long before Bilbo, Frodo, Gandalf and all the rest embarked on their quests. Beginning with the Music of the Ainur, The Silmarillion tells a tale of the Elder Days, when Elves and Men became estranged by the Dark Lord Morgoth's lust for the Silmarils, pure and powerful magic jewels. Even the love between a human warrior and the daughter of the Elven king cannot defeat Morgoth, but the War of Wrath finally brings down the Dark Lord. Peace reigns until the evil Sauron recovers the Rings of Power and sets the stage for the events told in the Lord of the Rings. This is epic fantasy at its finest, thrillingly read and gloriously unabridged. (Running time: 14 hours, 6 CDs)