“I endured him as long as I could, but the truth was desperately important, and in the end I had to be harsh.”
—Gandalf | Fellowship of the Ring | A Shadow of the Past
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You’ve tried before. Tried and failed. Probably more than once. But the task became too difficult. The Book became too heavy.
But not this time. This time, you will actually read all the Lord of the Rings, from “Concerning Hobbits” to the Appendices. And you start strong. Like a spritely Bilbo leaving the Shire, you jog along for a chapter or two.
But then Gandalf reminds you of your sleep-inducing eleventh grade history teacher. And another poem slips in. Then that Tom Bombadil guy sings another silly “ring a ding dillo”. You begin to wonder if you can do it. When the fog envelops the hobbits on the Barrow-Downs, your mind fills with fog, wondering what this has to do with the One Ring, Gondor, Rohan, Mordor, Sauron—or wait, was it Saruman? And suddenly the book becomes what a hobbit would call a mathom: something that doesn’t seem to have much value, but you keep it around anyway, thinking “One day . . . One day I will read all of the Lord of the Rings. But it is not this day!”
My friend, you are not alone. Many fellow wanderers have fallen along the way. Wandering into Middle-earth is an adventure not for the casual reader.
But you can have the meaningful experience of reading all of Tolkien’s fantasy masterpiece. Prepare to be enchanted by the tale, and experience the transcendence that comes as you walk alongside Frodo to the Mountain of Fire, follow Aragorn through the Paths of the Dead, and wander the world and works of JRR Tolkien.
Look at the Map
If you don’t understand where the characters are, you will never grasp the entire story. You’ll get lost before you even leave the Shire. The maps that accompany every copy of Lord of the Rings are an excellent start. But even those can be difficult to read, and a few details can be missed.
To fully wander Middle-earth, I recommend The Atlas of Middle-earth. This beautifully drawn atlas will help you find your place, from the creation of the world to the destruction of the One Ring. You are sure to never get lost with these full-page maps that expand multiple pages, floor plans of buildings, and even journey routes labeled by date.
When you wander into a place that seems unfamiliar, pop open the atlas and get your bearings.
Turn to a Reference Guide
Thorongil, The Dúnadan, Elfstone, Elessar, Estel, Strider: those are all names for the same person: Aragorn. But he has more names. As does Gandalf. And Sauron. And Gondor. And a whole host of other characters and places. Keeping them all straight is immensely difficult. The appendix at the end of Return of the King is a great place to start. But I’ve found that more details and connections can be found in printed reference guides.
My go-to reference book for years has been Robert Foster’s The Complete Guide to Middle-earth. This helpful companion includes more references and more detailed descriptions of nearly any named person or place in Middle-earth, from the Hobbit to the Lord of the Rings and more. I once sat with this book as I watched the extended edition of Peter Jackson’s films, pausing at everything referenced that I didn’t understand, and looking it up in this guide.
Online guides are helpful too, but run the risk of being less accurate or being too detailed for first-time readers. The Complete Guide is a good middle-ground to help the first-time Middle-earth wanderer.
Find an Audio Guide
Lord of the Rings super fans and academics have been blasting out podcast exploring Middle-earth for years. These shows are helpful, diving into the deep lore and bringing real-time updates to everything happening in the franchise.
However, most shows go too deep too quickly, or require over an hour of your time. That was the idea behind the Lore of the Rings podcast: provide a guide to would-be fans who would be intimidated by the longer, more in-depth podcasts. As a super fan, I love the hour plus discussions about the roles of the Valar, but that’s not what you need right now. Whether you’re tackling The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, or Lord of the Rings for the first time, I have several chapter by chapter breakdowns. Discover the major themes, connect what you’ve seen in the movies to what you’re reading in the books, and deepen your reading experience by following along with me in wandering Middle-earth.
Ask Questions
The Lord of the Rings has been picked through and examined by super fans and scholars alike for decades and decades. Deep thinkers have written much, and that tradition of telling tales and sharing stories that we saw in “The Council of Elrond” continues to this day. Chances are you know someone who has read Lord of the Rings before you; ask questions. If you can’t find a person like that, then jump online. No matter your social media of choice, you’re bound to find a forum to ask questions and discuss any topic of Middle-earth that your heart desires.
Mark Your Book
Aragorn would have never left the shards of Narsil behind (in the book that is). Gandalf would never leave his staff at the door (in the film and book that is). Gollum would never walk away from his Precious. Likewise: never read Lord of the Rings without a pencil in your hand. With that simple instrument you can make some simple notes, circle a key word, and underline a passage that you find particularly moving.
Your reading experience will deepen, and pretty soon you’ll be able to quickly refresh your mind on details and important story points. So go ahead: this isn’t a pristine high school book or library copy that you’ll have to return (if it is, order your own copy today): mark it up!
Bonus Tip: Skip
My stomach is churning with this last tip: if you must skip something in order to keep reading, then you can skip the poetry and some of the lengthy descriptions of nature. Tolkien will forgive you, just this one time. (wink)
The poetry can be a turn off to many people. Skip it if you need to. But come back to it later. The poetry and songs are like little windows into the wider lore and deeper history that makes the story feel so real and historical.
And yes, Tolkien loved nature. His descriptions can get rather detailed and drawn out. Just bounce down a paragraph or two and keep going.
You can do this. You can read the entire Lord of the Rings. I’m here to help you: if you have a question, please drop me a note. Use the contact form on the side.
Happy reading!
Thank you for wandering Middle-earth with me today.
—Aaron, your guide and fellow Middle-earth wanderer
Lore of the Rings is not affiliated with the Tolkien estate or Embracer Group. Any reference to trademarks or registered trademarks is solely for descriptive purposes and does not imply any association with the trademark owner.
