Now that the Lord of the Rings prequel series The Rings of Power has wrapped up its debut season on Prime Video, those who haven’t read the source material on which the show is based, from author J. R. R. Tolkien, are wondering just how to tackle the novels that take place in Middle-earth. Here is how to read the Lord of the Rings books in order.
Lord of the Rings books in order
- The Hobbit (1937)
- The Fellowship of the Ring (1954)
- The Two Towers (1954)
- The Return of the King (1955)
If you want to go right back to the beginning of the story, then you should start with The Hobbit. Tolkien takes readers on a journey from the Shire through Middle-earth, introducing them to lead characters Bilbo Baggins the Hobbit, and Gandalf the Grey, a wizard of the Istari order. It explains how Bilbo would come to possess the One Ring, which is then the focal point of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Those books start with The Fellowship of the Ring, which was published in 1954, and swiftly followed up by its sequel, The Two Towers. The concluding part of the trilogy, The Return of the King, was then released less than 12 months later, in 1955. The three novels take readers back to the Shire, where it’s quickly revealed that the fate of all life in Middle-earth rests on the shoulders of a young Hobbit called Frodo Baggins.
Those who want some additional reading, then The Silmarillion (1977) could be perfect for you. It’s a collection of stories and myths that was posthumously published by Tolkien’s son, assisted by the fantasy author Guy Gavriel Kay. It adds further layers to the history of Middle-earth, delivering some sturdy lore to Tolkien’s world of wonder, and even forms the basis for some of what we have seen, and will continue to see, in The Rings of Power.
