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Christopher Tolkien

1 series 10 books in order 1 standalone book

Christopher John Reuel Tolkien (1924-2020) was born on November 21, 1924, the third and youngest son of J.R.R. Tolkien and Edith Mary Tolkien. He taught at Oxford University and served as sole literary executor of his father's works, editing and providing commentary on them. He drew the original maps for The Lord of the Rings, signed C. J. R. T.

Born
1924
Known for
The History of Middle-earth

Series by Christopher Tolkien

The History of Middle-earth

12 books in order · 1985–1994 · Publication order

  1. Cover of The Book of Lost Tales [1/2]

    The Book of Lost Tales [1/2]

    Year unknown · J.R.R. Tolkien and Christopher Tolkien

    Eriol arrives on the 'Lonely Island' in mythical prehistoric England and stays at the "Cottage of Lost Play," owned by elves Lindo and Vairë. They…

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  2. Cover of The Book of Lost Tales [2/2]

    The Book of Lost Tales [2/2]

    Year unknown · J.R.R. Tolkien

    The book continues from "Part I" and follows Eriol, who arrives at the 'Cottage of Lost Play,' a home owned by Lindo and Vairë. While staying there,…

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  3. Cover of The Lays of Beleriand

    The Lays of Beleriand

    1985 · Christopher Tolkien and J.R.R. Tolkien

    This is the third volume of the History of Middle-earth, a series that includes previously unpublished manuscripts written by J.R.R. Tolkien over…

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  4. Cover of The Shaping of Middle-Earth

    The Shaping of Middle-Earth

    1986 · Christopher Tolkien and J.R.R. Tolkien

    This reference traces the development of the early lore of Middle-earth through poems, prose, maps, and chronologies gathered by Christopher Tolkien…

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  5. Cover of The lost road and other writings

    The lost road and other writings

    1987 · Christopher Tolkien and J.R.R. Tolkien

    The fifth volume of the twelve-volume series The History of Middle-earth, edited by Christopher Tolkien. At the end of 1937, J.R.R. Tolkien set aside…

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  6. Cover of The Return of the Shadow

    The Return of the Shadow

    1988 · Christopher Tolkien and J.R.R. Tolkien

    The Return of the Shadow is the first volume of The History of The Lord of the Rings and the sixth volume of The History of Middle-earth. It details…

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  7. Cover of The Treason of Isengard

    The Treason of Isengard

    1989 · Christopher Tolkien and J.R.R. Tolkien

    The Treason of Isengard is the second volume of The History of The Lord of the Rings and the seventh in The History of Middle-earth. It continues the…

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  8. Cover of The War of the Ring

    The War of the Ring

    1990 · Christopher Tolkien and J.R.R. Tolkien

    The War of the Ring is the third volume of The History of The Lord of the Rings and the eighth in The History of Middle-earth. It follows the events…

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  9. Cover of Sauron Defeated

    Sauron Defeated

    1992 · Christopher Tolkien and J.R.R. Tolkien

    In the first part, Christopher Tolkien completes the account of the writing of The Lord of the Rings, from Sam's rescue of Frodo through a different…

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  10. Cover of Morgoth's Ring

    Morgoth's Ring

    1993 · Christopher Tolkien and J.R.R. Tolkien

    In Morgoth's Ring, the tenth volume of The History of Middle-earth, Christopher Tolkien presents and explains the legends of the Elder Days as his…

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Show all 12 The History of Middle-earth books in order →

Standalone books

  1. Cover of Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth
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Frequently asked questions

How many books has Christopher Tolkien written?

We list 10 books by Christopher Tolkien across 1 series, published between 1985–2020 — each shown in full reading order.

What order should I read Christopher Tolkien's books?

Read each series in publication order. A good place to start is “The Book of Lost Tales [1/2].” Open any series above for its complete numbered reading order.

Where can I buy Christopher Tolkien's books?

Every title links to Amazon from its series page — see our affiliate disclosure in the footer for how that supports the site.

Reading order compiled from author/publisher guidance and verified bibliographic data. Spotted a wrong order, a missing book, or any other mistake? and we'll correct it.