The Lord of the Rings - Tapa dura

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John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born on the 3rd January, 1892 at Bloemfontein in the Orange Free State, but at the age of four he and his brother were taken back to England by their mother. After his father’s death the family moved to Sarehole, on the south-eastern edge of Birmingham. Tolkien spent a happy childhood in the countryside and his sensibility to the rural landscape can clearly be seen in his writing and his pictures.

Alan Lee is the illustrator of the highly-successful centenary edition of The Lord of the Rings and diamond edition of The Hobbit. He studied graphic design and the depiction of Celtic and Norse myths and has illustrated a wide range of books, including Faeries, Merlin Dreams and Castles, and was conceptual designer for Terry Jones’ film Erik the Viking. He was awarded the Kate Greenaway Medal for his illustrated edition of Black Ships Before Troy.

De la contraportada

'THE LORD OF THE RINGS', J. R. R. Tolkein
Illustrated by Alan Lee

'Three Rings for the Eleven-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone
Nine for the Mortal Men doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
In the Land of Mordor where the shadows lie.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.'

In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, the Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout the Middle-earth still it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell, by chance, into the hands of the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins.

From his fastness in the Dark Tower of Mordor, Sauron's power spread far and wide. He gathered all the Great Rings to him, but ever searched far and wide for the One Ring that would complete his dominion.

On his eleventy-first birthday, Bilbo disappeared, bequeathing to his younger cousin, Frodo, the Ruling Ring, and a perilous quest: to journey across Middle-earth, deep into the shadow of the Dark Lord and destroy the Ring by casting it into the Cracks of Doom.

'THE LORD OF THE RINGS' tells of the great quest undertaken by Frodo and the Fellowship of the Ring: Gandalf the wizard, Merry, Pippin and Sam, Gimli the Dwarf, Legolas the Elf, Boromir of Gondor, and a tall, mysterious stranger called Strider.

'THE LORD OF THE RINGS' was first published in three volumes between 1954 and 1955, to great acclaim:

"One of the most remarkable works of literature in our, or any, time."
BERNARD LEVIN

"No fiction I have read in the last five years has given me more joy"
W. H. AUDEN

"Like lightning from a clear sky … heroic romance, gorgeous, eloquent and unashamed."
C. S. LEWIS

"The world is divided into those who have read 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of The Rings' and those who are going to read them."
'THE SUNDAY TIMES'

Alan Lee was born in Middlesex in 1947. He attended the Ealing School of Art, specialising in illustration, and has illustrated a wide range of books including 'Faeries' (with Brian Froud), 'The Mabinogion, Castles' and 'Merlin Dreams.' He also worked on the film 'Erik the Viking.' Tolkien's work has inspired him ever since reading 'The Lord of the Rings' at an early age. He now lives and works on the edge of Dartmoor in Devon.