Product Description

Available for the first time in one volume, this is the definitive collection of Tolkien's five acclaimed modern classic 'fairie' tales in the vein of 'The Hobbit', fully corrected and reset for this edition and all beautifully illustrated in pencil by the award-winning artist, Alan Lee. The five tales are written with the same skill, quality and charm that made The Hobbit a classic. Largely overlooked because of their short lengths, they are finally together in a volume which reaffirms Tolkien's place as a master storyteller for readers young and old. / Roverandom is a toy dog who, enchanted by a sand sorcerer, gets to explore the world and encounter strange and fabulous creatures. / Farmer Giles of Ham is fat and unheroic, but - having unwittingly managed to scare off a short-sighted giant - is called upon to do battle when a dragon comes to town; / The Adventures of Tom Bombadil tells in verse of Tom's many adventures with hobbits, princesses, dwarves and trolls; / Leaf by Niggle recounts the strange adventures of the painter Niggle who sets out to paint the perfect tree; / Smith of Wootton Major journeys to the Land of Faery thanks to the magical ingredients of the Great Cake of the Feast of Good Children. This new collection is fully illustrated throughout by Oscar-winning artist, Alan Lee, who provides a wealth of pencil drawings to bring the stories to life as he did so memorably for The Hobbit and The Children of Hurin. Alan also provides an Afterword, in which he opens the door into illustrating Tolkien's world. Taken together, this rich collection of new and unknown work from the author of The Children of Hurin will provide the reader with a fascinating journey into lands as wild and strange as Middle-earth.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16684 in Books
• Published on: 2008-10-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 432 pages

Review
Roverandom: 'An old-fashioned story, yet it still speaks freshly today! would leap to life when read aloud to a child' Independent Farmer Giles of Ham: 'A fabulous tale of the days when giants and dragons walked the kingdom' Sunday Times Leaf by Niggle: 'A haunting and successful demonstration of the qualities of faerie' New York Times The Adventures of Tom Bombadil: 'Something close to genius' The Listener Smith of Wootton Major: 'Whoever reads it at eight will no doubt still be going back to it at eighty' New Statesman

About the Author
J.R.R.Tolkien (1892-1973) was a distinguished academic, though he is best known for writing The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion and The Children of Hurin, plus other stories and essays. His books have been translated into over 40 languages and have sold many millions of copies worldwide.

Customer Reviews

excellent stories and beautifully illustrated
Excellent stories for children and good for adults too.

Not part of the LOTR world but well written and beautifully illustrated

Simply beautiful...
This is a simply beautiful book, a wonderful collection of faery stories complemented by Alan Lee's sublime illustrations. In this collection of 'Tales from the Perilous Realm' you are treated to no less than five stories from the wonderful imagination of JRR Tolkien: Roverandom, Farmer Giles of Ham, Leaf by Niggle, The Adventures of Tom Bombadil and Smith of Wootton Major. All have something to say - whether it is about life in general, human nature, society or just plain wonderment...

I can heartily recommend to fans of Tolkien, of magic and of 'faery', of Alan Lee or to those wishing to explore Tolkien but who are not yet ready to tackle the mammoth mountain of literature that is The Lord Of The Rings! This collection is fun, at times frivilous and can be read fast. Perfect for relaxation when you don't want to be too taxed!

Try it...you may find you'll fall for it!

Love it... must have!!
The stories and the illustrations are wonderful! I recommend anyone who love books and who's a collector like me to buy this book and face it... it's Tolkien and illustrated by Alan Lee... it's ACES!!!