Reading order

A reading order is the order in which Tolkien's works are read.

Description

New Tolkien readers are usually puzzled with the complexity of the works and the best order in which to read the works. The most famous works take place late in the legendarium's history, with hints to the backstory. The stories that comprise the background are relatively complex and have no obvious links to the most famous works. Furthemore, the stories-chapters-essays overlap each another, or take place simultaneously, differing only in the extensiveness of the details.

Hardcore fans read the works more than once. For example one can read The Lord of the Rings first, then The Hobbit and sometime later The Lord of the Rings again, in light of the backstory seen in The Hobbit.

There can be various approaches:

Publication history

This can be one of the most common approaches.

• The Hobbit

People can start with The Hobbit, as an easy and lighthearted fantasy story, which J.R.R. Tolkien published first, without having much backstory and historical details in mind.

• The Lord of the Rings

This is the natural sequel of The Hobbit and completes the story. However it has many allusions to the greater world and ancient history of Arda.

• The Silmarillion

Published after Tolkien's death, it provides the cosmogony and earlier stories of Arda. It can give the reader insight about the world they already know.

• Unfinished Tales / The Children of Húrin / Beren and Lúthien / The Fall of Gondolin

These books provide additional and extensive details about several aspects of the greater history.

Rough chronological order

A less common approach is to read the saga in chronologically accurate order:

• The Silmarillion

The Silmarillion describes the beginnings of Tolkien's world.

• The Children of Húrin, Beren and Lúthien and The Fall of Gondolin

These books give an extended version of the Great Tales of the Elder Days, featured as a part of The Silmarillion.

• Unfinished Tales

Parts of this book give insight about Númenor, the Second Age (mentioned in The Silmarillion) and early Third Age, with elements that will play their role in The Lord of the Rings.

• The Hobbit

Although directly unrelated to The Silmarillion, it is the next big story.

• The Lord of the Rings

The conclusion of the story of The Hobbit as well as things mentioned in The Silmarillion.

Exact chronological order

Ainulindalë
Valaquenta
Of the Beginning of Days
Of Aulë and Yavanna
Of the Coming of the Elves and the Captivity of Melkor
Of Thingol and Melian
Of Eldamar and the Princes of the Eldalië
Of Fëanor and the Unchaining of Melkor
Of the Silmarils and the Unrest of the Noldor
Of the Darkening of Valinor
Of the Flight of the Noldor
Of the Sindar
Of the Sun and Moon and the Hiding of Valinor
Of Men
Of the Return of the Noldor
Of Beleriand and its Realms
Of the Noldor in Beleriand
Of Maeglin
Of the Coming of Men into the West
Of the Ruin of Beleriand and the Fall of Fingolfin
Of Beren and Lúthien	Lay of Leithian
Of the Fifth Battle: Nirnaeth Arnoediad
Of Túrin Turambar	The Children of Húrin
Of the Ruin of Doriath
Of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin	Of Tuor and his Coming to Gondolin
Of the Voyage of Eärendil and the War of Wrath
Akallabêth	Aldarion and Erendis

External links

• Chronological Tolkien discusses the issue and also provides a calculator to find the exact reading order.