Lord Of The Rings And The Hobbit Illustrated Are Super Cheap With Prime Day Deal

The Lord of the Rings Illustrated is a single-volume hardcover containing all three parts of Tolkien's masterwork: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King.

This edition 30 pencil sketches, full-color illustrations, and maps drawn by Tolkien scattered throughout its 1,178 pages. This unique feature makes this edition a worthwhile addition to any Tolkien collection, even if you already own a version filled with the sublime artwork by renowned Tolkien artist Alan Lee.

Tolkien's illustrations might be the main draw for most fans, but this complete, unabridged edition also benefits from a few eye-catching design choices. It has red-sprayed page edges adorned with Elvish script, gold foil trim with Elvish and Dwarvish lettering on the dust jacket, and the Eye of Sauron is stamped on the cover. A built-in ribbon bookmark adds to the premium aesthetic.

You'll find two fold-out maps, one tucked inside each cover, created by Christopher Tolkien.

The Deluxe Special Edition includes additional inserts and has cloth board covers, a clothbound slipcase, and the ribbed binding is quarterbound in leather. If you opt for the Special Edition, make sure to click the coupon box on the store page to drop the price to $92.81 (was $250).

The Hobbit Illustrated follows the same general design principles, so it looks great next to The Lord of the Rings Illustrated on a shelf.

This 273-page hardcover includes the complete text of Tolkien's beloved prelude to LOTR. Though significantly shorter, The Hobbit Illustrated actually has more of Tolkien's artwork. There are over 50 sketches, maps, and color illustrations created by Tolkien while drafting Bilbo Baggins' adventure.

The Hobbit's pages are sprayed blue and features Dwarvish script on the side and along the gold-foil edges of the dust jacket. A circular emblem featuring The Misty Mountains is stamped on the front cover.

This edition also comes with a pair of fold-out inserts: Thror's Map and the Map of Wilderland. Both of these maps were drawn by the author.

It doesn't have a limited-time Prime Day discount, but The Silmarillion Illustrated is eligible for Amazon's B2G1 Free Book Sale.

The Silmarillion Illustrated is a 358-page hardcover with a dark blue dust jacket and lime green edges with white lettering in Tengwar script. It has silver-foil trim running along the top and bottom of the dust jacket. The flower image stamped on the cover represents Luthien's Heraldic Device.

Like the other two Tolkien Illustrated Editions, The Silmarillion has dozens of sketches, maps, and drawings interspersed throughout the text. You can mark your spot with a ribbon bookmark and refer to the pair of fold-out maps when reading about regions in Middle-earth where some of the stories take place. The maps are pretty interesting because you can compare Tolkien's Map of The Silmarillion to Christopher Tolkien's expanded and more detailed version: Map of Beleriand and the Lands to the North.

The Silmarillion was the first posthumously published Tolkien book. If you haven't read it, just know that it is markedly different from Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Edited by Christopher Tolkien and Guy Gavriel Kay, The Silmarillion is a collection of myths created by the author while developing the exhaustive backstory of Middle-earth. It has become a classic in its own right.

If you only read one Tolkien book beyond LOTR and The Hobbit, The Silmarillion should be the one. It's also a good predictor as to whether you'd enjoy the daunting 12-volume series known as The History of Middle-earth.