What other Tolkien works would you recommend?

[Daeron]

So, I've enjoyed LoTR immensly, and I've recently finished the Silmarillion (which I found to be a very readbale and enjoyable book in its own right, I have to say).

I know that there are other works available, but one wonders where to start. So I defer to the wisdom of fellow forumites; what would *you* recommend for me; which set of works should I go through next? (And try to narrow it down from 'all of them!' :grin: )

[Mirkgirl]

Well here (http://warofthering.net/forums/vbulletin225/upload/showthread.php?s=&threadid=244) is a list...

After the Silm you should read Unfinished Tales IMO, or maybe The Hobbit. History of Middle-Earth includes different versions and many comments from Christopher Tolkien.

[Luthien Tinuviel]

Definately the Hobbit and Unfinished Tales. I also highly recomend the HIstory of Middle-earth series from what I've read so far (which includes the Lost Tales 1 and 2, and the beginning of the Lays of Beleriand). I can't wait to get to the rest. That's all I've read thus far, though I have a ton more sitting on my dresser waiting to be read.

[Lalaith]

If you haven't read The Hobbit, you should - it provides a nice background to the hobbity side of LoTR - just bear in mind that it is very much a children's book and not the most intricate of settings!

I definitely recommend Unfinished Tales - it builds on many of the stories set out in Sil...

Work your way through HoME eventually, but I think that UT is the way to go at first! There is some fantastic background info on so many aspects of JRRT's work just waiting to be waded through..

Oh - and you may find his book of letters interesting... I certainly have! :grin:

[Daeron]

Well, I read the Hobbit when I was a kid, so I've got that one covered (my bad for not mentioning that).

Unfinished Tales eh? Time to make another Amazon order mayhaps :-)

[Gwaihir]

I have the entire Unfinished Tales as a Word document in my computer, but it's kinda hard to read, what with over 200 pages! lol I think I'll just buy a copy.

[Luthien Tinuviel]

That sounds like a wonderful idea. Especially since a paperback copy is only, like, 7 dollars, and you can take it everywhere, you don't need your computer to open it.

[Arninquelote]

I'd heartily recommend some of his short stories. Leaf by Niggle and Smith of Wootton Major are really charming, very whimisical and typically Tolkien. :grin:

[Lasgalen]

UT should definitely be next. After that, if you are interested in how the manuscripts evolved, I would recommend the HoME series. They do not need to be read in order. In fact, I would recommend reading Morgoth's Ring first.

[Luthien Tinuviel]

UT next, I agree. But I can't say anything about HOME, as I'm still on the 3rd of those (I finished the Lay of the Children of Húrin today! and the first bit of Poems Early Abandoned, I read for like 2 and a half hours, then for another hour I finished lesson 2 on the Quenya course from ardalambion.com). I do, however, suggest reading the Lost Tales in order (but that's kind of self explanitory, reading 1 is probably good before reading 2 lol)

[Periantari Andruil]

i'm reading UT right now after i read Silmarillion...but i have a question about the HoME series... is it really just footnotes that Chris Tolkien added to his father's work? I heard that it's just one big footnote but i doubt that is true... does Christopher add more to what his father wrote or is it just drafts of LOTR/Silmarillion?

[Lasgalen]

Some parts of it are earlier drafts. Some parts is discussions or stories that didnt make it in Sil.

[Friend of Maglor]

Morgoth's Ring, definetly Morgoth's Ring.

Lacking a bit as far as *my favorite elf* but made me an expert in all things fea related...

[Trahald]

I have The Annotated Hobbit, and not only would you get to re-read The Hobbit (something I encourage you to do, since you say you last read it as a child), but you also get page-margins full of notes on early drafts, Tolkien's own letters, and other important facts about the two varying editions of Hobbit..as well as a ton of interesting trivia.