Books

London: Allen & Unwin, 1955. First Edition. . Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. 32mo - over 4 - 5" tall. Allen and Unwin. 1956, 56, 55 Impressions 5,4,2 A lovely first edition set. Dust jacket are grey rather than tan, mich is much closer to the original unfaded colour which is extremely rare. Uniform fading to jacket colours, but no tattering to the paper on spine ends as often found. There are tape marks to the flaps and lighter on the spines which is unfortunate, but can't be readily seen when displayed on your shelf. Owners name in all three books indicate they have stayed together as a set. Books have tape marks to end pages, but no other serious flaws, gilt bright, pages clean I have indicated in previous listings impressions 7,5,4 or 7, 4,3 in all probability could have been purchase as a set of three titles in the bookshop of the day, some with the first ever slipcases. Much less common, but equally probable is this 5,4,2 impressions which is the very earliest…

Book One: The Fellowship of the Ring The story begins in the Shire, a peaceful region where Frodo Baggins inherits a mysterious ring from his uncle, Bilbo. Gandalf the wizard discovers the ring is the One Ring, forged by the dark lord Sauron to dominate Middle-earth. Frodo is tasked with taking the ring to Rivendell, where a council forms the Fellowship: Frodo, Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Boromir, Sam, Merry, and Pippin. Together, they set out to destroy the ring in Mount Doom, the only place it can be unmade. Their journey is fraught with peril, and the Fellowship eventually splinters when Boromir succumbs to the ring's temptation, and Frodo decides to continue the quest with Sam. Book Two: The Two Towers The narrative follows two main threads. Frodo and Sam traverse the dangerous lands toward Mordor, guided by Gollum, a former ring-bearer corrupted by the ring's power. Meanwhile, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli pursue the orcs who have kidnapped Merry and Pippin. The hobbits escape and find themselves in the ancient forest of Fangorn, where they encounter Treebeard the Ent. Gandalf, reborn as Gandalf the White, reunites with the group. The novel climaxes with battles at Helm's Deep and Isengard, and Frodo's capture by orcs after being betrayed by Gollum. Book Three: The Return of the King Aragorn claims his destiny as the true king of Gondor, leading forces against Sauron's armies. Frodo and Sam, enduring immense hardship, infiltrate Mordor and destroy the ring, aided unwittingly by Gollum. Sauron’s power collapses, peace returns, and Aragorn is crowned. Frodo, burdened by his trauma, sails to the Undying Lands with Bilbo, Gandalf, and the elves, leaving Sam to carry on in the Shire.