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The world of Middle-earth is far more expansive than the tales of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. While Frodo, Gandalf, Samwise, Bilbo, and Gollum might be some of the most familiar faces to Middle-earth fans, J.R.R. Tolkien masterfully built his fantasy world with a staggering level of detail and lore–all of which can explored in The History of Middle-earth series. Compiled and edited from Tolkien’s manuscripts and notes by his son Christopher Tolkien, The History of Middle-earth was originally published in the 1980s and ’90s. Like all Tolkien books, it has received multiple reissues, but the 2024 editions are certainly the most stunning thus far.
Two of the four hardcover box sets have released already, with the final two arriving over the next two months. These are pricey sets, but as part of Amazon’s early Prime Day sale, you can get the first set for over 50% off, dropping the price to only $59. The second set is also steeply discounted and eligible for Amazon’s B2G1 free sale. However, if you want all of the sets, your best bet would be to buy the first one from Amazon and the other three from Target. All four box sets are eligible for Target’s B2G1 book free sale for Circle members (free rewards program). The third and fourth box sets are just two of the many upcoming books you can preorder as part of the promotion.
The History of Middle-earth – 2024 hardcover box sets
Amazon
B2G1 Free at Target
If the price drops before your preorder ships, Target will automatically refund the difference.
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More Lord of the Rings Prime Day deals
The History of Middle-earth Box Set 1 is discounted to just $59 (down from $125). That’s the lowest price yet for the recently released box set. Along with a gorgeous case to hold and display the books, you’ll get four hardcovers–The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales, Book of Lost Tales Part One, and Book of Lost Tales Part Two. All told, that’s over 1,500 pages of Tolkien goodness.
The History of Middle-earth Box Set 2 includes The Lays of Beleriand, The Shaping of Middle-earth, and The Lost Road. It’s a bit smaller than the first box set at 1,264 pages, but should still keep you busy for quite some time.
To complete the collection, you can check out preorders for Box Set 3 and Box Set 4. These don’t release until August and September (respectively), but they’re seeing 10% price cuts today. It’s also worth noting that if you preorder either of the last two box sets, you’ll get Amazon’s preorder price guarantee. You won’t pay until your order ships, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see the prices drop closer to the first two sets before launch.
While the above box sets look sleek and make a great companion for any bookcase, you don’t have to wait months to check out all the books in the collection. As mentioned, these Tolkien stories have been around for ages, so you can dive into The Complete History of Middle-earth hardcover box set for $142 (down from $250) to read through all the above stories. This set has a more understated design that feels somewhat fitting for history books, though all 12 books are compiled in three massive volumes. Just be aware that these are heavy books; after all, you’re getting a staggering 5,440 pages across the three volumes.
If you’re a Lord of the Rings fan but are unsure if you’d enjoy The History of Middle-earth series, there are more affordable options, too. The Silmarillion, which is book one in the series and by far the best-known of the bunch, has a beautiful edition illustrated by the author that’s on sale for $32 (was $75). Alternatively, you can get the first five books in the series in a paperback box set for only $28 (B2G1 free eligible).
Meanwhile, The Lord of the Rings Illustrated Edition is discounted to only $26 ahead of Prime Day. It’s just one of numerous notable Tolkien deals at Amazon right now. The Hobbit Illustrated Edition is down to $40 and eligible for B2G1 free, and the classy Lord of the Rings: Special Edition–a fancier version of the Illustrated–is only $94 (was $250). For even more Tolkien books, check out our roundup of B2G1 free Middle-earth books at Target.
