Stunning three-volume deluxe slipcased set of the three 'Great Tales' of Middle-earth, edited by Christopher Tolkien and illustrated throughout by acclaimed Tolkien artist, Alan Lee. It features exclusive new paintings appearing for the first time, together with three removable art cards and two foldout maps drawn by Christopher Tolkien.
THE CHILDREN OF HŚRIN
Morgoth, the first Dark Lord, dwells in the vast fortress of Angband in the North; and within the shadow of the fear of Angband, and the war waged by Morgoth against the Elves, the fates of Tśrin and his sister will be tragically entwined. Their brief and passionate lives are dominated by the elemental hatred that Morgoth bears them as the children of Hśrin, the man who dared defy him to his face. Against them Morgoth sends his most formidable servant, Glaurung, a powerful spirit in the form of a huge wingless dragon of fire, in an attempt to fulfil his curse and destroy the children of Hśrin.
BEREN AND LŚTHIEN
Deeply opposed to the marriage of Beren, a mortal man, to his daughter Lśthien, the great Elvish lord, Thingol, imposes an impossible task that Beren must perform before they might wed. Undaunted by Lord Thingols challenge, Beren and Lśthien embark on the supremely heroic attempt to rob Morgoth, the greatest of all evil beings, of a Silmaril, one of the hallowed jewels that adorn the Black Enemys crown.
THE FALL OF GONDOLIN
Central to the enmity of two of the greatest powers in the world Morgoth and Ulmo is the Elvish city of Gondolin, beautiful but undiscoverable. Turgon King of Gondolin is hated and feared above all his enemies by Morgoth, who seeks in vain to discover the marvellously hidden city, while the gods in Valinor largely refuse to support Ulmo. Into this world comes Tuor, cousin of Tśrin, the instrument of Ulmo's designs. Guided unseen by him Tuor sets out on the fearful journey to Gondolin, where he becomes great; he is wedded to Idril, Turgon's daughter, and their son is Eärendel, whose birth and profound importance in days to come is foreseen by Ulmo. Then Morgoth learns through an act of supreme treachery all that he needs to mount a devastating attack on the city, with Balrogs and dragons and numberless Orcs.
This deluxe set of these beautifully illustrated works features brand-new cover designs by the artist. Each volume is quarter-bound and has additionally been enhanced for the first time with sprayed edges. They are housed in a custom-built cloth slipcase stamped in silver foil with motifs and a hidden artwork created exclusively by Alan Lee, and accompanied by three removable art cards plus two foldout maps of Beleriand drawn by Christopher Tolkien.
