How to Read The Lord of the Rings in Order

How Many The Lord of the Rings Books Are There in the Series?

Tolkien's core Middle-earth saga consists of four books: The Hobbit along with the three volumes of The Lord of the Rings (The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King).

Numerous supplementary collections and companion works have been published posthumously since the author's passing in 1973. Below we've identified the seven most essential companion books.

Lord of the Rings Book Sets

Whether you're experiencing Tolkien's works for the first time or expanding your existing collection, several excellent book sets deserve consideration. Our top recommendation is the leather-bound illustrated editions, though various styles are available.

The Lord of the Rings Deluxe Illustrated Edition

0See it at Amazon

The Hobbit And The Lord Of The Rings: Deluxe Pocket Boxed Set

2See it at Amazon

The Silmarillion Deluxe Illustrated Edition

4See it at Amazon

The Hobbit Deluxe Illustrated Edition

4See it at Amazon

The Lord of the Rings Books Reading Order

We've organized Tolkien's Middle-earth writings into two categories: the core Lord of the Rings narrative and supplementary materials. The Hobbit and LotR books chronicle Bilbo and Frodo Baggins' adventures and are presented chronologically; the additional readings consist of posthumously published Middle-earth works arranged by publication date.

Considering new readers, these summaries contain only minimal spoilers regarding broad story arcs and character introductions.

1. The Hobbit

As Tolkien's inaugural Middle-earth publication both chronologically and historically, The Hobbit first appeared in 1937 - seventeen years before The Lord of the Rings.

The story follows Thorin and Company—a party comprising Bilbo, Gandalf, and thirteen dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield—on their quest to reclaim the dwarves' ancestral home beneath Lonely Mountain from Smaug the dragon. Key moments include Bilbo's fateful meeting with Gollum and acquisition of the One Ring, culminating in the Battle of Five Armies that concluded Peter Jackson's Hobbit trilogy.

2. The Fellowship of the Ring

Nearly two decades after The Hobbit, Tolkien launched his epic trilogy with The Fellowship of the Ring. Originally conceived as a single narrative spanning 9,250 handwritten pages (1938-1955), practical considerations led to its division into three volumes, each containing two books.

The adventure truly begins at Bilbo's 111th birthday celebration when he bequeaths the Ring to Frodo Baggins. Notably, the novel features a seventeen-year gap absent from the films between this event and Gandalf urging Frodo to leave the Shire.

Frodo assembles what becomes the Fellowship—nine members including himself, Samwise Gamgee, Pippin Took, Merry Brandybuck, Legolas, Gimli, Aragorn, Boromir, and Gandalf—tasked with destroying the One Ring in Mount Doom's fires. The volume concludes with Frodo's fateful decision to continue alone toward Mordor, accompanied only by the steadfast Sam.

3. The Two Towers

This second volume follows the now-divided Fellowship along parallel paths: Frodo and Sam's journey with Gollum toward Mordor, while the remaining members battle orcs and confront the corrupted wizard Saruman.

4. The Return of the King

The concluding volume culminates in Sauron's defeat through the Ring's destruction, followed by the hobbits' unexpected final challenge upon returning to the Shire—a sequence omitted from Peter Jackson's adaptation. The epilogue provides satisfying closure regarding each character's ultimate fate.

Additional LotR Reading

5. The Silmarillion

The Silmarillion

7See it at Amazon

Published posthumously in 1977, this five-part mythological collection traces Arda's history from creation through the Third Age (when The Hobbit and LotR occur). Edited by Tolkien's son Christopher, it reveals Middle-earth's deep lore and foundational myths.

6. Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth

Unfinished Tales Of Númenor And Middle-Earth

7See it at Amazon

This 1980 collection features over a dozen supplemental stories including Gandalf's reasoning behind The Hobbit's events, Sauron's Ring-search preceding LotR, and background on Gondor-Rohan relations.

7. The History of Middle-earth

The Complete History of Middle-Earth

8See it at Amazon

Spanning twelve volumes (1983-1996), this exhaustive 5,400-page analysis examines LotR, The Silmarillion, and other writings' evolution. Notably excludes The Hobbit analysis, covered separately in John D. Rateliff's 2007 The History of The Hobbit.

8. The Children of Húrin

The Children of Hurin

5See it at Amazon

This expanded First Age tragedy (2007) follows Húrin Thalion's defiance of Morgoth and its devastating consequences for his children Túrin and Nienor.

9. Beren and Lúthien

Beren And Lúthien

3See it at Amazon

This 2017 compilation presents Tolkien's evolving versions of the immortal elf-maiden and mortal man's love story—reportedly inspired by Tolkien's own romance with wife Edith.

10. The Fall of Gondolin

The Fall Of Gondolin

8See it at Amazon

Christopher Tolkien's final Middle-earth compilation (2018) completes the tale of Tuor's divine mission leading to Morgoth's overthrow and connecting to LotR through Tuor's descendant Elrond.

11. The Fall of Númenor

The Fall of Númenor

5$40.00 save 46%$21.54 at Amazon

The newest collection (2022) assembles Second Age materials documenting Númenor's rise/fall, Rings of Power's forging, Sauron's ascension, and the Last Alliance's formation.

How to Read The Lord of the Rings By Release Date

The Hobbit* (1937)
The Fellowship of the Ring* (1954)
The Two Towers* (1954)
The Return of the King* (1955)
The Silmarillion (1977)
Unfinished Tales (1980)
The History of Middle-earth (1983–1996)
The Children of Húrin (2007)
Beren and Lúthien (2017)
The Fall of Gondolin (2018)
The Fall of Númenor (2022)

*Core Lord of the Rings saga titles

For Further Exploration:

New Fantasy and Sci-Fi Books
Best Books Like Lord of the Rings
How to Watch The Lord of the Rings Movies in Order
Every Lord of the Rings Blu-ray Set