Books

London: George Allen and Unwin, 1961, 1962. [Fantasy Classic] FIRST EDITION, the tenth, ninth and eighth impressions respectively. Complete in three volumes. Octavo (23 x 15 x 10cm), pp.423 [1]; pp.352; pp.416. With a folding map at the rear of each volume. Publisher's red cloth with gilt titles to spines and top edges red. With the cream typographic dust-jackets priced at 21s. (last two vols are price clipped). No ink names or ownership, edges of text block lightly spotted, top edges a little sunned as expected, jackets with some minor wear, frayed/creased to crowns, spines gently toned. Very good. A fantastical trilogy, "The Lord of the Rings" is one of the greatest books of the twentieth century, containing amazing details of a new mythology, never really surpassed. Basis for the epic film series directed by Peter Jackson, 'The Return' (2003) winning a record 11 Oscars from 11 nominations. This is an attractive set, bought at the same time in 1961-2 and carefully kept since.

The Fellowship of the Ring is the first of three volumes of the epic novel The Lord of the Rings by the English author J.R.R. Tolkien. It is followed by The Two Towers and The Return of the King. The story begins with the discovery of the One Ring, which had been lost for centuries, and follows a group of heroes who set out on a quest to destroy it and prevent the dark lord Sauron from fulfilling his malevolent designs.