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The Lord of the Rings: Seven Book Editions #7
El señor de los anillos. Apéndices
page edges yellowed
Paperback
First published January 1, 1954
53 people are currently reading
1024 people want to read
About the author
J.R.R. Tolkien
794 books77.6k followersJohn Ronald Reuel Tolkien: writer, artist, scholar, linguist. Known to millions around the world as the author of The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien spent most of his life teaching at the University of Oxford where he was a distinguished academic in the fields of Old and Middle English and Old Norse. His creativity, confined to his spare time, found its outlet in fantasy works, stories for children, poetry, illustration and invented languages and alphabets.
Tolkien’s most popular works, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are set in Middle-earth, an imagined world with strangely familiar settings inhabited by ancient and extraordinary peoples. Through this secondary world Tolkien writes perceptively of universal human concerns – love and loss, courage and betrayal, humility and pride – giving his books a wide and enduring appeal.
Tolkien was an accomplished amateur artist who painted for pleasure and relaxation. He excelled at landscapes and often drew inspiration from his own stories. He illustrated many scenes from The Silmarillion, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, sometimes drawing or painting as he was writing in order to visualize the imagined scene more clearly.
Tolkien was a professor at the Universities of Leeds and Oxford for almost forty years, teaching Old and Middle English, as well as Old Norse and Gothic. His illuminating lectures on works such as the Old English epic poem, Beowulf, illustrate his deep knowledge of ancient languages and at the same time provide new insights into peoples and legends from a remote past.
Tolkien was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa, in 1892 to English parents. He came to England aged three and was brought up in and around Birmingham. He graduated from the University of Oxford in 1915 and saw active service in France during the First World War before being invalided home. After the war he pursued an academic career teaching Old and Middle English. Alongside his professional work, he invented his own languages and began to create what he called a mythology for England; it was this ‘legendarium’ that he would work on throughout his life. But his literary work did not start and end with Middle-earth, he also wrote poetry, children’s stories and fairy tales for adults. He died in 1973 and is buried in Oxford where he spent most of his adult life.
Tolkien’s most popular works, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are set in Middle-earth, an imagined world with strangely familiar settings inhabited by ancient and extraordinary peoples. Through this secondary world Tolkien writes perceptively of universal human concerns – love and loss, courage and betrayal, humility and pride – giving his books a wide and enduring appeal.
Tolkien was an accomplished amateur artist who painted for pleasure and relaxation. He excelled at landscapes and often drew inspiration from his own stories. He illustrated many scenes from The Silmarillion, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, sometimes drawing or painting as he was writing in order to visualize the imagined scene more clearly.
Tolkien was a professor at the Universities of Leeds and Oxford for almost forty years, teaching Old and Middle English, as well as Old Norse and Gothic. His illuminating lectures on works such as the Old English epic poem, Beowulf, illustrate his deep knowledge of ancient languages and at the same time provide new insights into peoples and legends from a remote past.
Tolkien was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa, in 1892 to English parents. He came to England aged three and was brought up in and around Birmingham. He graduated from the University of Oxford in 1915 and saw active service in France during the First World War before being invalided home. After the war he pursued an academic career teaching Old and Middle English. Alongside his professional work, he invented his own languages and began to create what he called a mythology for England; it was this ‘legendarium’ that he would work on throughout his life. But his literary work did not start and end with Middle-earth, he also wrote poetry, children’s stories and fairy tales for adults. He died in 1973 and is buried in Oxford where he spent most of his adult life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
September 30, 2020
Si pudiera comparar este libro con un equivalente como el cine, es tener una escena post créditos, en conjunto con un libro de arte y los comentarios del director.
Es disfrutable todo el escrito, a excepción de algunos momentos.
Los Apéndices son un gran añadido a la obra de Tolkien. Hasta el final está cargado de comentarios que invitan a releer los libros y una curiosidad es de que se enfoca solo en aquello que está relacionado con la trilogía, cuando se menciona un evento o personaje que no aparece, se aclara "pero esto no se cuenta aquí"
Hay 6 capítulos por así decirlo, los mejores son el A y el B, el "peor" es el E, ya que es mucho más entretenido para alguien que tenga conocimientos sobre lingüística, filología o estudios de letras. De seguro se puede aprender Sindarin si uno se lo propone, pero no es ese mi interés.
Quedo listo para revivir la historia desde El Hobbit, aunque me esperan las aventuras y leyendas de El Silmarillion.
Es disfrutable todo el escrito, a excepción de algunos momentos.
Los Apéndices son un gran añadido a la obra de Tolkien. Hasta el final está cargado de comentarios que invitan a releer los libros y una curiosidad es de que se enfoca solo en aquello que está relacionado con la trilogía, cuando se menciona un evento o personaje que no aparece, se aclara "pero esto no se cuenta aquí"
Hay 6 capítulos por así decirlo, los mejores son el A y el B, el "peor" es el E, ya que es mucho más entretenido para alguien que tenga conocimientos sobre lingüística, filología o estudios de letras. De seguro se puede aprender Sindarin si uno se lo propone, pero no es ese mi interés.
Quedo listo para revivir la historia desde El Hobbit, aunque me esperan las aventuras y leyendas de El Silmarillion.
January 10, 2021
A perfect read for someone who would like to study Tolkien's world in depth.
It contains 6 Appendices (A-F).
Through the Appendices, we learn about annals, dynasties [Ap. A] and chronology [Ap. B] in Middle Earth (Shire Reckoning and the regular calendar), as well as writing and spelling [Ap. E] of/and about the language of the Humans [Ap. F], the Dwarves and the Elves (which i found particularly intriguing).
In Appendix C there are a lot of family trees concerning the hobbits -it was extremely convoluted for me- but observing the relations between our known Hobbits (Sam, Frodo, Bilbo, Pippin, Merry, Rose, Elanor etc) was quite interesting, if i must speak with honesty.
It certainly requires concentration, so be sure that you are 100% focused to the book when you're reading.
If you like The Lord of the Rings just because of the adventure, the action, the suspense and the mystery, you will probably get bored of the Appendices.
However, if you are a die-hard Tolkien fan, i believe it is a priority in order to understand Tolkien's creation.
It contains 6 Appendices (A-F).
Through the Appendices, we learn about annals, dynasties [Ap. A] and chronology [Ap. B] in Middle Earth (Shire Reckoning and the regular calendar), as well as writing and spelling [Ap. E] of/and about the language of the Humans [Ap. F], the Dwarves and the Elves (which i found particularly intriguing).
In Appendix C there are a lot of family trees concerning the hobbits -it was extremely convoluted for me- but observing the relations between our known Hobbits (Sam, Frodo, Bilbo, Pippin, Merry, Rose, Elanor etc) was quite interesting, if i must speak with honesty.
It certainly requires concentration, so be sure that you are 100% focused to the book when you're reading.
If you like The Lord of the Rings just because of the adventure, the action, the suspense and the mystery, you will probably get bored of the Appendices.
However, if you are a die-hard Tolkien fan, i believe it is a priority in order to understand Tolkien's creation.
July 22, 2020
Los apéndices de El Señor de los Anillos me han parecido de los más variados en cuanto a sensaciones que me han causado.
Los primeros, siguen explicando partes de la historia de La Tierra Media y son los que más me han gustado, sobre todo, los que narran el final de cada miembro de la Compañía del Anillo incidiendo en los hobbits.
Por otra parte, los últimos relacionados con árboles genealógicos y escritura se me han hecho algo pesados.
Dicho esto, recomiendo leerlos, porque pueden interesar más o menos según lo que esperáramos encontrar en ellos y porque Tolkien siempre lo merece.
Los primeros, siguen explicando partes de la historia de La Tierra Media y son los que más me han gustado, sobre todo, los que narran el final de cada miembro de la Compañía del Anillo incidiendo en los hobbits.
Por otra parte, los últimos relacionados con árboles genealógicos y escritura se me han hecho algo pesados.
Dicho esto, recomiendo leerlos, porque pueden interesar más o menos según lo que esperáramos encontrar en ellos y porque Tolkien siempre lo merece.
May 2, 2025
Für den Silmaria-Podcast habe ich die Anhänge erneut gelesen und ich habe im Podcast viel Neues gelernt, das mir geholfen hat, die Anhänge besser einzuordnen und zu verarbeiten. Einfach mindblowing, wie tief Tolkien in den Weltenbau von Mittelerde eingetaucht ist.
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July 31, 2025Yay fyrir aukaefni!
January 7, 2015
It's amazing how far Tolkien took his imaginary world, even to in-depth descriptions of different languages and their history and translation to us.
December 19, 2017
I had to warm up to this book. After over 500, 000 words written in the flowing prose of The Lord of The Rings epic, the appendices were a bit jarring.
Written with very little embellishment, in an academic style, the appendices are nonetheless as beautifully written as such a style allows. These are supplementary stories, most actually quite interesting, that fill in details of some characters and relationships not as fully developed in the main text. It also contains notes on how Tolkien used language and "translation" from the conlangs of his world into our English. This I also found fascinating.
There are also charts of letters and transliterations, maps, and family trees.
Slightly more laborious, yet still interesting, were detailed histories covering all of the third age of Middle Earth. Most interesting were the parts of the timeline that follow the events of The Hobbit, The Lord of The Rings, and the time between the fall of Sauron and the beginning of the fourth age. In these parts Tolkien gives a great deal more detail. I loved following the life of Samwise in the timelines, not included anywhere else in the story. There are also timeline sketches of the other ages.
There is a helpful index also included, pointing the reader to important stories in the main text, an index to which I am likely to frequently refer.
Most tedious were pages of genealogy. As is true for most of this supplementary book, any student of Tolkien would likely find this information an absolute treasure. To this casual reader, it was worse than pages of randomly connected letters.
The Appendices are not essential to understanding The Lord of The Rings, by any means. One could skip them entirely. However, I believe most readers who make it through the entire epic tale will likely enjoy reading the supplementary material, as some who loves a film may enjoy the supplementary material in a Special Edition DVD. Judged this way, The Appendices are of the highest quality.
I would recommend The Appendices to anyone reading The Lord Of The Rings, but would suggest reading them along with the main text, rather than all at once at the end, as I did. It is quite a dense bit of information. Taken in smaller segments, along with the appropriate sections in the main text, would likely be far more enriching an experience.
Written with very little embellishment, in an academic style, the appendices are nonetheless as beautifully written as such a style allows. These are supplementary stories, most actually quite interesting, that fill in details of some characters and relationships not as fully developed in the main text. It also contains notes on how Tolkien used language and "translation" from the conlangs of his world into our English. This I also found fascinating.
There are also charts of letters and transliterations, maps, and family trees.
Slightly more laborious, yet still interesting, were detailed histories covering all of the third age of Middle Earth. Most interesting were the parts of the timeline that follow the events of The Hobbit, The Lord of The Rings, and the time between the fall of Sauron and the beginning of the fourth age. In these parts Tolkien gives a great deal more detail. I loved following the life of Samwise in the timelines, not included anywhere else in the story. There are also timeline sketches of the other ages.
There is a helpful index also included, pointing the reader to important stories in the main text, an index to which I am likely to frequently refer.
Most tedious were pages of genealogy. As is true for most of this supplementary book, any student of Tolkien would likely find this information an absolute treasure. To this casual reader, it was worse than pages of randomly connected letters.
The Appendices are not essential to understanding The Lord of The Rings, by any means. One could skip them entirely. However, I believe most readers who make it through the entire epic tale will likely enjoy reading the supplementary material, as some who loves a film may enjoy the supplementary material in a Special Edition DVD. Judged this way, The Appendices are of the highest quality.
I would recommend The Appendices to anyone reading The Lord Of The Rings, but would suggest reading them along with the main text, rather than all at once at the end, as I did. It is quite a dense bit of information. Taken in smaller segments, along with the appropriate sections in the main text, would likely be far more enriching an experience.
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June 3, 2021so glad i read this because now i can annoy people even more with in-depth background lore when i force them to do a lotr marathon with me
August 30, 2023
En este libro (ya que así se ofrece como un libro a parte) Tolkien realmente termina de asentar todas las bases de lo que sucede en El señor de los anillos y como se conecta con su vastísima labor como creador de mitos, pero sobre todo su amor por las lenguas, reales o imaginarias (que al final de cuentas siguen siendo reales [incluso más de lo que creemos]).
January 30, 2021
Reseñita: corto, pero útil. Se comenta sobre las cuatro edades, sobre las razas (enanos, rohirrim, elfos, hobbits, etc.), y sobre lo que sucedió con los miembros de la Compañía del Anillo. Lectura obligatoria post Retorno del Rey.
July 22, 2020
Gimli’s grandfather was named Gróin. That is all.
September 25, 2022
I did it. I read the Appendices. After hearing that Amazon had inexplicably secured the rights to a live action show based on the Appendices (and not the Silmarillion) I was confused. I had attempted to read through the Appendices several times and never made it very far before requiring a long nap to recover.
To prepare this time, I have been watching the first season of ‘The Rings of Power’ keep my Lord of the Rings Risk Board (complete map of important Middle-Earthian locations) close at hand, and I read through the Dictionary of Middle Earth.
Every hero has their journey. Frodo carried the Ring to Mordor and cast it to the crags of Mount Doom. Beren traveled to Angband and wrested a Silmaril from the Dark Lord. And Rex slogged through the Appendices over a period of two weeks.
The Appendices are divided into several portions, chronicling the kings of Numenor, the fall of Numenor, the kings of Arnor, the Kings of Gondor, the Stewards of Gondor, and the origins of the Rohirrim. Some of these were an interesting look into a fictional history of times gone by and other portions put me to sleep. Highlights include the tale of Aragorn and Arwen, the story of Helm (who Helm’s Deep was named after), and the Dwarf-Orc wars which take place prior to ‘The Hobbit.’
After these hit and miss tales we are privileged to read a timeline of the second and third age. This was quite interesting and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn about the Lord of the Rings but doesn’t have the time to read 1000 pages or watch a 12 hour movie. For an added bonus it also expounds on what happens to the company of the Ring in the years following the War of the Ring.
Next we read an explanation of the Feanorian letter system which will only interest someone getting their doctorate in fictional writing systems. I appreciate and love Tolkien for all the effort he put into his languages. But this was rough.
Finally, there are some explanations of all the languages of middle Earth. I found this much more interesting than the letter system. It has everything you need to know about Quenya (high elvish), Sindarin (common elvish, spoken in Middle Earth), Mannish, Black Speak, Entish, and the Hobbit language. For an added bonus, we get to learn about trolls.
My final verdict on the Appendices is that they are some very good stories told in a very dull manner. I will be interested in seeing how Amazon expands the fall of Numenor from several pages to a five season show. Who knows, if it gets high enough ratings maybe they will make another show all about the origins of the ‘Feanorian Letters.’ You know we need it.
To prepare this time, I have been watching the first season of ‘The Rings of Power’ keep my Lord of the Rings Risk Board (complete map of important Middle-Earthian locations) close at hand, and I read through the Dictionary of Middle Earth.
Every hero has their journey. Frodo carried the Ring to Mordor and cast it to the crags of Mount Doom. Beren traveled to Angband and wrested a Silmaril from the Dark Lord. And Rex slogged through the Appendices over a period of two weeks.
The Appendices are divided into several portions, chronicling the kings of Numenor, the fall of Numenor, the kings of Arnor, the Kings of Gondor, the Stewards of Gondor, and the origins of the Rohirrim. Some of these were an interesting look into a fictional history of times gone by and other portions put me to sleep. Highlights include the tale of Aragorn and Arwen, the story of Helm (who Helm’s Deep was named after), and the Dwarf-Orc wars which take place prior to ‘The Hobbit.’
After these hit and miss tales we are privileged to read a timeline of the second and third age. This was quite interesting and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn about the Lord of the Rings but doesn’t have the time to read 1000 pages or watch a 12 hour movie. For an added bonus it also expounds on what happens to the company of the Ring in the years following the War of the Ring.
Next we read an explanation of the Feanorian letter system which will only interest someone getting their doctorate in fictional writing systems. I appreciate and love Tolkien for all the effort he put into his languages. But this was rough.
Finally, there are some explanations of all the languages of middle Earth. I found this much more interesting than the letter system. It has everything you need to know about Quenya (high elvish), Sindarin (common elvish, spoken in Middle Earth), Mannish, Black Speak, Entish, and the Hobbit language. For an added bonus, we get to learn about trolls.
My final verdict on the Appendices is that they are some very good stories told in a very dull manner. I will be interested in seeing how Amazon expands the fall of Numenor from several pages to a five season show. Who knows, if it gets high enough ratings maybe they will make another show all about the origins of the ‘Feanorian Letters.’ You know we need it.
April 19, 2024
Fantastic resource and feels like a well-earned bonus after concluding The Lord of the Rings. I love the structure of the different Appendices and there really is a lot to learn in these pages if the reader is willing to read an additional 200 pages.
Appendix A: Annals of the Kings and Rulers is filled with a lot of useful information and fantastic stories. It details the rise of the Númenórean Kings, their downfall, and eventual exile. Packed with stories and lineages of fascinating characters, this appendix is probably my favorite.
One of my favorite stories in Appendix A is the tale of Eldacar (Vinitharya), the son of Valacar of Gondor and Vidumavi, who would become the King of Gondor. Eldacar’s mother was from a noble family in the Northern provinces but the people of Gondor disdained her because of where she came from. The high men of Gondor frowned upon Valacar's marriage to a woman of lesser race and the seeds of discontent were sown because of this marital union and the birth of Eldacar. When Eldacar ascended to the throne of Gondor, the Kingdom was thrown into a catastrophic civil war, the Kin-Strife. The war began when Castamir, a distant relative of Eldacar, claimed the throne as his own and beheaded Eldacar’s son. I love this story and Eldacar is one of my favorite characters in all of the Tolkien’s legendarium.
Appendix B: The Tale of Years is an excellent, detailed chronology of the ages of Beleriand and Middle Earth. Very interesting and helpful.
Appendices E and F: Writing and Spelling, and The Languages and Peoples of the Third Age, respectively, are great too. These provide a view into what I see as the most impressive aspect of Tolkien’s works, the languages and writing systems that he created. The letters are really cool and the history of these languages is amazing. Multiple languages, each with different characters, structures, and words. Explanations on vowel usages and how the Fëanorian Tengwar script originated. Fëanor’s letters are incredibly beautiful and Tolkien’s script style is astonishing. Anyone who is interested in language and lore would love these Appendices.
“For Aragorn had been singing a part of the Lay of Lúthien which tells of the meeting of Luthien and Beren in the forest of Neldoreth. And behold! there Lúthien walked before his eyes in Rivendell, clad in a mantle of silver and blue, fair as the twilight in Elven-home; her dark hair strayed in a sudden wind, and her brows were bound with gems like stars.” (Appendix A, The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen).
I shared that passage with someone who is really important to me. It reminded me of her and how I feel when she walks before my eyes. My Lúthien.
Appendix A: Annals of the Kings and Rulers is filled with a lot of useful information and fantastic stories. It details the rise of the Númenórean Kings, their downfall, and eventual exile. Packed with stories and lineages of fascinating characters, this appendix is probably my favorite.
One of my favorite stories in Appendix A is the tale of Eldacar (Vinitharya), the son of Valacar of Gondor and Vidumavi, who would become the King of Gondor. Eldacar’s mother was from a noble family in the Northern provinces but the people of Gondor disdained her because of where she came from. The high men of Gondor frowned upon Valacar's marriage to a woman of lesser race and the seeds of discontent were sown because of this marital union and the birth of Eldacar. When Eldacar ascended to the throne of Gondor, the Kingdom was thrown into a catastrophic civil war, the Kin-Strife. The war began when Castamir, a distant relative of Eldacar, claimed the throne as his own and beheaded Eldacar’s son. I love this story and Eldacar is one of my favorite characters in all of the Tolkien’s legendarium.
Appendix B: The Tale of Years is an excellent, detailed chronology of the ages of Beleriand and Middle Earth. Very interesting and helpful.
Appendices E and F: Writing and Spelling, and The Languages and Peoples of the Third Age, respectively, are great too. These provide a view into what I see as the most impressive aspect of Tolkien’s works, the languages and writing systems that he created. The letters are really cool and the history of these languages is amazing. Multiple languages, each with different characters, structures, and words. Explanations on vowel usages and how the Fëanorian Tengwar script originated. Fëanor’s letters are incredibly beautiful and Tolkien’s script style is astonishing. Anyone who is interested in language and lore would love these Appendices.
“For Aragorn had been singing a part of the Lay of Lúthien which tells of the meeting of Luthien and Beren in the forest of Neldoreth. And behold! there Lúthien walked before his eyes in Rivendell, clad in a mantle of silver and blue, fair as the twilight in Elven-home; her dark hair strayed in a sudden wind, and her brows were bound with gems like stars.” (Appendix A, The Tale of Aragorn and Arwen).
I shared that passage with someone who is really important to me. It reminded me of her and how I feel when she walks before my eyes. My Lúthien.
June 1, 2024
The appendices are an overall engaging supplement and epilogue to the journey of Lord of the Rings. All of the supplementary material contained here enhances the main story and helps readers get a fuller and more detailed picture of the world Tolkien has created.
Hidden in these 200 pages are some absolute gems. Aragorn and Arwen's story feels essential to get the most out of Aragorn's character. While I appreciate that he wanted the main text to be a historical retelling mostly from the Hobbit's point of view - I feel cutting their backstories hurts their overall development in the novel. I love getting to read full conclusions to a lot of these characters stories. I love that Sam gets to go the Grey Haven's and that Legolas and Gimli sail off together. It's a very rich epilogue to such a dense and wonderful work.
And I really admire Tolkien's "dedication to the bit" for lack of a better phrase. He has translation notes and histories and all of these things you would find in a historical account of actual events. It creates such a compelling and believable world - and Tolkien insisting (at least within the pages of the book and appendices) that these are real people and real places - just makes the world that much more compelling and believable and authentic feeling.
The long list of kings, the extended conversations on pronunciations, the breakdown and discussions of the various languages and alphabets - are all very academic and interesting - to a point. For me my eyes glazed over a bit reading some of the in-depth discussions of the languages, but I can see the appeal especially if you're a big word nerd. But overall the Appendices are an engaging (if sometimes overly stuffy and academic) addition. They make for a very interesting companion to the main story and feel like a dessert to have at the end of a rich full meal.
Hidden in these 200 pages are some absolute gems. Aragorn and Arwen's story feels essential to get the most out of Aragorn's character. While I appreciate that he wanted the main text to be a historical retelling mostly from the Hobbit's point of view - I feel cutting their backstories hurts their overall development in the novel. I love getting to read full conclusions to a lot of these characters stories. I love that Sam gets to go the Grey Haven's and that Legolas and Gimli sail off together. It's a very rich epilogue to such a dense and wonderful work.
And I really admire Tolkien's "dedication to the bit" for lack of a better phrase. He has translation notes and histories and all of these things you would find in a historical account of actual events. It creates such a compelling and believable world - and Tolkien insisting (at least within the pages of the book and appendices) that these are real people and real places - just makes the world that much more compelling and believable and authentic feeling.
The long list of kings, the extended conversations on pronunciations, the breakdown and discussions of the various languages and alphabets - are all very academic and interesting - to a point. For me my eyes glazed over a bit reading some of the in-depth discussions of the languages, but I can see the appeal especially if you're a big word nerd. But overall the Appendices are an engaging (if sometimes overly stuffy and academic) addition. They make for a very interesting companion to the main story and feel like a dessert to have at the end of a rich full meal.
October 28, 2018
The biggest disadvantage to having Lord of the Rings in seven volumes (which makes it far easier to carry) is not having access to the appendices (especially the maps) while reading. As Tolkien himself said, many who have read the Lord of the Rings and enjoyed it as an heroic fantasy, will, quite properly, not bother with the appendices, as they will feel no great need to delve further into the history of Middle-Earth. I am not one of those people.
There are several different areas covered in this work - more on the history of both the Ring and of Middle-Earth, timelines of important events, chapters on the different calendars and on language and pronunciation. It is certainly not expected that all of these will be of interest to all readers. Indeed, while I have read all of them over the years, in most re-readings I will generally only read the histories and the timelines. The timelines are particularly worthwhile as they give some information on what happened to the main characters after the Fourth Age began.
The appendices are also less easy to read than the main part of the story, having more of the feel of a history book rather than a novel (a criticism that is regularly levelled at The Silmarillion).
There are several different areas covered in this work - more on the history of both the Ring and of Middle-Earth, timelines of important events, chapters on the different calendars and on language and pronunciation. It is certainly not expected that all of these will be of interest to all readers. Indeed, while I have read all of them over the years, in most re-readings I will generally only read the histories and the timelines. The timelines are particularly worthwhile as they give some information on what happened to the main characters after the Fourth Age began.
The appendices are also less easy to read than the main part of the story, having more of the feel of a history book rather than a novel (a criticism that is regularly levelled at The Silmarillion).
March 3, 2023
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Critical Score: A
Personal Score: B
Reading Experience: 📘(1/5)
This is my way of logging the appendices of LOTR, along with the prelude and other front matter in my editions of Fellowship. I never actually read these during either of my reads of the trilogy…so I figured I could redeem that later rather than never.
The Tale of Years is marvelous. Other things, like the sections of writing and pronunciation, are too nerdy to function—for me. I’m in awe, but I also aint reading all that.
It’s surprising to me that Fellowship begins with a Prelude bound to scare away most people walking into the lore for the first time. No wonder I didn’t bother reading it when I was a kid.
Love how Tolkien isn’t afraid to throw shade at various publishers in his foreword.
I think (hope) these readings will settle my mind and allow me to leave this world on my shelves for a while.
Critical Score: A
Personal Score: B
Reading Experience: 📘(1/5)
This is my way of logging the appendices of LOTR, along with the prelude and other front matter in my editions of Fellowship. I never actually read these during either of my reads of the trilogy…so I figured I could redeem that later rather than never.
The Tale of Years is marvelous. Other things, like the sections of writing and pronunciation, are too nerdy to function—for me. I’m in awe, but I also aint reading all that.
It’s surprising to me that Fellowship begins with a Prelude bound to scare away most people walking into the lore for the first time. No wonder I didn’t bother reading it when I was a kid.
Love how Tolkien isn’t afraid to throw shade at various publishers in his foreword.
I think (hope) these readings will settle my mind and allow me to leave this world on my shelves for a while.
December 19, 2022
Los Apéndices de El Señor de los Anillos es una pequeña obra no apta para todos los públicos. Me atrevería a decir que solo es para verdaderos fans.
En ella se incluye un montón de información complementaria a la trilogía. Hay pasajes en prosa, como la historia de amor de Aragorn y Arwen y otra más tipo histórico.
También hay árboles genealógicos y definiciones de las diferentes lenguas de la Tierra Media.
Vendría a ser como un pequeño Atlas de Tolkien. Quienes esperen una novela estilo “La Comunidad del Anillo” van a quedar defraudados.
Como fanático del mundo de Arda, a mí me ha encantado. Hacía años que no leía o releía al gran J.R.R. Tokien y lo he disfrutado.
¿RECOMENADO? Sí, pero solo para tans.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
En ella se incluye un montón de información complementaria a la trilogía. Hay pasajes en prosa, como la historia de amor de Aragorn y Arwen y otra más tipo histórico.
También hay árboles genealógicos y definiciones de las diferentes lenguas de la Tierra Media.
Vendría a ser como un pequeño Atlas de Tolkien. Quienes esperen una novela estilo “La Comunidad del Anillo” van a quedar defraudados.
Como fanático del mundo de Arda, a mí me ha encantado. Hacía años que no leía o releía al gran J.R.R. Tokien y lo he disfrutado.
¿RECOMENADO? Sí, pero solo para tans.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
August 22, 2021
(4)
Honestly the appendices are amazing background info that you should not skip! At least read appendices A and B.
Honestly the appendices are amazing background info that you should not skip! At least read appendices A and B.
May 29, 2022
Tiene historias muy interesantes y es útil para poner en orden algunos eventos. Pero tiene partes lentas como su puta madre. Tolkien deja de fumar porros o invita no se.
August 27, 2022
I'M READY LETS GOOOOOO
April 29, 2023
The stories were really interesting but the language stuff was lost on me. But I would recommend the stories in appendix a and b.
December 29, 2023
The appendices were far, far more interesting than I expected.
December 25, 2022
عجب ضمیمهی پرباری بود.
و چقدر این دیالوگ رو دوست دارم...
آراگورن به الروند گفت:
_چنان که پیداست، چشم به گنجینهای دوختهام که ارزش آن کمتر از گنجینهی تینگول نیست که زمانی برن به آن دلم بست. امان از تقدیر من!
و چقدر این دیالوگ رو دوست دارم...
آراگورن به الروند گفت:
_چنان که پیداست، چشم به گنجینهای دوختهام که ارزش آن کمتر از گنجینهی تینگول نیست که زمانی برن به آن دلم بست. امان از تقدیر من!
February 17, 2017
Who knew appendices could be this interesting?!
Fills in much of the backstory of both characters and events.
Fills in much of the backstory of both characters and events.
November 25, 2021
This review was originally written for The Reel Bits as part of The Read Goes Ever On column. It is reposted here (without the imagery) in full.
“I now wish that no appendices had been promised!” declared Tolkien in a March 1955 letter to publisher Rayner Unwin. For I think their appearance in truncated and compressed form will satisfy nobody: certainly not me; clearly from the (appalling mass of) letters I receive not those people who like that kind of thing – astonishingly many; while those who enjoy the book as an ‘heroic romance’ only, and find ‘unexplained vistas’ part of the literary effect, will neglect the appendices, very properly.”
If you’re anything like me, you probably gave the Appendices a quick speed read at the end of The Lord of the Rings. After all, with an ending like that, it’s hard to find the mental space to switch into study mode. Yet my purpose in this journey through Tolkien was to learn more about the background and construction of his fictional worlds and languages.
This has become especially pertinent as we approach Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings streaming series, purportedly set in the Second Age, the period following the climactic banishment of Morgoth into the Void by the Lords of the West (as described in The Silmarillion) and the first defeat of Sauron at the hands of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men.
So, what’s in the Appendices? Split into six sections — labelled Appendix A through F — it sets out to provide a potted history of cultures, genealogies, and languages for the saga. As we well know, The Lord of the Rings was but a slim fraction of a great saga of jewels and rings. When writing about The Fellowship of the Ring, I noted that it’s “like walking through the relic of a forgotten age which, for Tolkien at least, is exactly what we are doing.” So by this measure, the Appendices are something of a guidebook to those relics, still within the framing device of the fictional Red Book of Westmarch that Tolkien is ‘inspired’ by.
Appendix A (or the Annals of the Kings and Rulers) is perhaps the most detailed background in the set. Before The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales or the extensive work of Christopher Tolkien, it was the most extensive information avid readers had about the First and Second Ages. “It’s principle purpose is to illustrate the War of the Ring and its origins, and to fill up some of the gaps in the main story.” From tales of the Valar to the fall of Númenor, and from the Battle of the Fives Armies to the final fall of Sauron, Tolkien does just that. It mainly examines the The Númenórean Kings, along with stories of the Men of Gondor and Rohan.
Yet there are some grand stories that stand on their own in this section, the most notable being of Aragorn and Arwen. If you recall in The Return of the King, the couple wed, with Arwen making the “choice of Lúthien” to become mortal. Here we get the tale of their first meeting and the events leading up to that choice, making it a vital piece in the puzzle. In a draft letter to Michael Straight of the New Republic, Tolkien stated as much: “I regard the tale of Arwen and Aragorn as the most important of the Appendices; it is pan of the essential story, and is only placed so, because it could not be worked into the main narrative without destroying its structure.” It partly explains why the union sometimes feels like an afterthought in the main text. Drawing parallels with the epic First Age tale of Beren and Lúthien, it provided filmmaker Peter Jackson ample fodder for a romantic thread throughout his first cinematic trilogy.
The remaining Appendices act more in the vein of reference material for the Tolkien scholar and my geeky brethren alike. Appendix B (The Tale of Years) is a list of dates from the Second, Third, and even Fourth Ages, the latter of which is especially sweet for those who want to know the final fates of Aragorn, Legolas, Sam and Gimli to name a few. Appendix C (Family Trees) contains the family trees of Frodo, Pippin, Merry and Sam, the latter of whom leaves the Red Book to his daughter before going to the Havens as the last Ringbearer. Appendix D (Calendars) reconciles the Shire calendar with the world of Elves and Men. Finally, Appendix E (Writing and Spelling) and F explain pronunciation and forms of writing and the difficulty in ‘translating’ the Red Book’s languages. For those who are interested in Tolkien as a language scholar, these are clearly vital texts.
In a letter to Allen & Unwin in January 1961, Tolkien acknowledged the realities of publishing costs, but argued that they would increase sales. “Actually, an analysis of many hundreds of letters shows that the Appendices have played a very large part in reader’s pleasure, in turning library readers into purchasers (since the Appendices are needed for reference), and in creating the demand for another book. A sharp distinction must be drawn between the tastes of reviewers…and of readers! I think I understand the tastes of simpleminded folk (like myself) pretty well.”
While the Appendices unquestionably separate the serious wheat from the casual chaff, the 60 years since that letter have confirmed this sentiment. The Lord of the Rings remains something distinct — an epic fantasy novel that crosses literary and popular divides — because of the time Tolkien spent laying the foundations for that world. These Appendices may only provide a glimpse at the broader Legendarium that lurked beneath the surface, but — like the ship that ferried our heroes to the Undying Lands — they allow us safe passage to dig deeper in this hidden world.
“I now wish that no appendices had been promised!” declared Tolkien in a March 1955 letter to publisher Rayner Unwin. For I think their appearance in truncated and compressed form will satisfy nobody: certainly not me; clearly from the (appalling mass of) letters I receive not those people who like that kind of thing – astonishingly many; while those who enjoy the book as an ‘heroic romance’ only, and find ‘unexplained vistas’ part of the literary effect, will neglect the appendices, very properly.”
If you’re anything like me, you probably gave the Appendices a quick speed read at the end of The Lord of the Rings. After all, with an ending like that, it’s hard to find the mental space to switch into study mode. Yet my purpose in this journey through Tolkien was to learn more about the background and construction of his fictional worlds and languages.
This has become especially pertinent as we approach Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings streaming series, purportedly set in the Second Age, the period following the climactic banishment of Morgoth into the Void by the Lords of the West (as described in The Silmarillion) and the first defeat of Sauron at the hands of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men.
So, what’s in the Appendices? Split into six sections — labelled Appendix A through F — it sets out to provide a potted history of cultures, genealogies, and languages for the saga. As we well know, The Lord of the Rings was but a slim fraction of a great saga of jewels and rings. When writing about The Fellowship of the Ring, I noted that it’s “like walking through the relic of a forgotten age which, for Tolkien at least, is exactly what we are doing.” So by this measure, the Appendices are something of a guidebook to those relics, still within the framing device of the fictional Red Book of Westmarch that Tolkien is ‘inspired’ by.
Appendix A (or the Annals of the Kings and Rulers) is perhaps the most detailed background in the set. Before The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales or the extensive work of Christopher Tolkien, it was the most extensive information avid readers had about the First and Second Ages. “It’s principle purpose is to illustrate the War of the Ring and its origins, and to fill up some of the gaps in the main story.” From tales of the Valar to the fall of Númenor, and from the Battle of the Fives Armies to the final fall of Sauron, Tolkien does just that. It mainly examines the The Númenórean Kings, along with stories of the Men of Gondor and Rohan.
Yet there are some grand stories that stand on their own in this section, the most notable being of Aragorn and Arwen. If you recall in The Return of the King, the couple wed, with Arwen making the “choice of Lúthien” to become mortal. Here we get the tale of their first meeting and the events leading up to that choice, making it a vital piece in the puzzle. In a draft letter to Michael Straight of the New Republic, Tolkien stated as much: “I regard the tale of Arwen and Aragorn as the most important of the Appendices; it is pan of the essential story, and is only placed so, because it could not be worked into the main narrative without destroying its structure.” It partly explains why the union sometimes feels like an afterthought in the main text. Drawing parallels with the epic First Age tale of Beren and Lúthien, it provided filmmaker Peter Jackson ample fodder for a romantic thread throughout his first cinematic trilogy.
The remaining Appendices act more in the vein of reference material for the Tolkien scholar and my geeky brethren alike. Appendix B (The Tale of Years) is a list of dates from the Second, Third, and even Fourth Ages, the latter of which is especially sweet for those who want to know the final fates of Aragorn, Legolas, Sam and Gimli to name a few. Appendix C (Family Trees) contains the family trees of Frodo, Pippin, Merry and Sam, the latter of whom leaves the Red Book to his daughter before going to the Havens as the last Ringbearer. Appendix D (Calendars) reconciles the Shire calendar with the world of Elves and Men. Finally, Appendix E (Writing and Spelling) and F explain pronunciation and forms of writing and the difficulty in ‘translating’ the Red Book’s languages. For those who are interested in Tolkien as a language scholar, these are clearly vital texts.
In a letter to Allen & Unwin in January 1961, Tolkien acknowledged the realities of publishing costs, but argued that they would increase sales. “Actually, an analysis of many hundreds of letters shows that the Appendices have played a very large part in reader’s pleasure, in turning library readers into purchasers (since the Appendices are needed for reference), and in creating the demand for another book. A sharp distinction must be drawn between the tastes of reviewers…and of readers! I think I understand the tastes of simpleminded folk (like myself) pretty well.”
While the Appendices unquestionably separate the serious wheat from the casual chaff, the 60 years since that letter have confirmed this sentiment. The Lord of the Rings remains something distinct — an epic fantasy novel that crosses literary and popular divides — because of the time Tolkien spent laying the foundations for that world. These Appendices may only provide a glimpse at the broader Legendarium that lurked beneath the surface, but — like the ship that ferried our heroes to the Undying Lands — they allow us safe passage to dig deeper in this hidden world.
April 30, 2020
Me ha sido imposible ponerle menos estrellas, ya que tiene un trabajo increíble, muy exhaustivo detrás, y aunque en momentos, por tantos detalles y fechas me resultó algo denso, no lo es en absoluto porque es relativamente corto en extensión, y menos aún para "verdaderos" fans de Tolkien o de "El Señor de los Anillos", para los cuales deberían considerarlo (a mi parecer) indispensable. Una cuarta parte de la trilogía, inherente a ella. Donde se cuentan muchos detalles de la Tierra Media, de la Historia del Anillo, Anales de Reyes y Gobernantes, lo qué pasó antes, durante y después (de la Guerra del Anillo), etc.
May 12, 2016
Es ist ein gutes Buch, aber ich konnte nicht viel daraus mitnehmen und mich hat auch nicht alles interessiert.
April 16, 2019
Im dritten Quadranten ein paar Längen, aber ich bin angenehm überrascht!
Warum habe ich mich für das Buch entschieden?
Das Buch lag schon seit längerem auf meinem SUB, weil ich ein großer Fan des Hobbit-Buches bin und mir auch den Herr der Ringe vorgenommen habe zu lesen. Als ich in den letzten Wochen das Hörspiel gehört habe, war ich stellenweise so enttäuscht davon bzw. konnte manchen Passagen nicht folgen, da habe ich dann zum Buch gegriffen.
Cover:
Ich finde die Aufmachung des Buches grandios! Ich habe mich sofort in das Buch verliebt als ich es sah. Das rote Cover und der rote Buchschnitt sind mega-auffällig! Das Auge passt super gut zum Thema und die Schlichtheit macht es ganz besonders.
Inhalt:
Im Jahr 3001 gehen merkwürdige Dinge vor. Sauron ist dabei, wieder an die Macht zu gelangen und die Gefahren von Mordor nehmen zu. Ganz Mittelerde wird von einem Krieg und dem Untergang bedroht. Im Auenland lebt Frodo, der den Einen Ring von seinem Onkel Bilbo erhält. Bald muss er sich mit ein paar Gefährten aufmachen, um Mittelerde zu retten und dafür zu sorgen, dass Sauron den Ring nicht erhält.
Handlung und Thematik:
Wie auch bei den Filmen muss ich sagen, dass die Handlung am Anfang ziemlich mitreißend ist, leider verläuft sie ab der Hälfte bis kurz vor Schluss sehr schleppend. Ich war mega-überrascht, dass im Film ein großes Abenteuer fehlt, nämlich alles um Tom Bombadil. Dieser Teil hat mich besonders fasziniert. Das Buch ist eigentlich genau in die drei Teile aufgegliedert, wie sie dann verfilmt wurden: Die Gefährten, Die zwei Türme und Die Wiederkehr des Königs. J.R.R. Tolkien hat mit diesem Buch wunderbar beschrieben, dass es wichtig ist, dass sich die Völker zusammentun und gemeinsam (gegen das Böse) kämpfen. Die Umsetzung dieses Themas in eine Fantasy-Story fand ich echt gelungen!
Charaktere:
Ich finde es toll, dass J.R.R. Tolkien so viele verschiedene Völker vorkommen lässt und dass jedes Volk seine Eigenarten besitzt. Ich liebe Gandalf den Zauberer, aber auch die Halblinge und Gimli den Zwerg. Auch die Elben und die Menschen passten super ins Bild. Mein Liebling war aber eindeutig Tom Bombadil, weil ich ihn vorher (von den Filmen) noch nicht kannte.
Schreibstil:
Zuerst mal muss ich sagen, dass mich die kleine Schrift in diesem dicken Buch ein wenig abgeschreckt hat. Wenn man mal beginnt, ist es aber sehr angenehm und schnell zu lesen. Zu Beginn und am Ende flogen die Seiten nur so dahin. Ab ca. der Hälfte besitzt die Story ein paar Längen, aber trotzdem fand ich es noch im Rahmen und überwiegend spannend. Ich bin nicht so der Fan von kriegerischen Ereignissen, ich habe es hier im Buch nicht so überladen gefunden wie beispielsweise in den Filmen. Ein paar wenige (mehr oder weniger) bunte Zeichnungen lockern die Seiten noch ein wenig auf. Ganz hinten im Buch befinden sich noch über hundert Seiten Anhang. Dort findet man unter anderem Sachen wie ein Register, das Alphabet oder einen Zeitstrahl/Geschichtenerzählung. Am besten haben mir die beiden Karten gefallen, die bei meiner Buchversion hinten noch in einer extra Lasche zugesteckt waren.
Persönliche Gesamtbewertung:
Nachdem ich vom Hörspiel so enttäuscht war, hat mich das Buch doch sehr überrascht! Man darf sich einfach nicht von den vielen Seiten und der Schriftgröße abschrecken lassen. Es ist doch einfach zu lesen und besitzt viele nette Extras!
Warum habe ich mich für das Buch entschieden?
Das Buch lag schon seit längerem auf meinem SUB, weil ich ein großer Fan des Hobbit-Buches bin und mir auch den Herr der Ringe vorgenommen habe zu lesen. Als ich in den letzten Wochen das Hörspiel gehört habe, war ich stellenweise so enttäuscht davon bzw. konnte manchen Passagen nicht folgen, da habe ich dann zum Buch gegriffen.
Cover:
Ich finde die Aufmachung des Buches grandios! Ich habe mich sofort in das Buch verliebt als ich es sah. Das rote Cover und der rote Buchschnitt sind mega-auffällig! Das Auge passt super gut zum Thema und die Schlichtheit macht es ganz besonders.
Inhalt:
Im Jahr 3001 gehen merkwürdige Dinge vor. Sauron ist dabei, wieder an die Macht zu gelangen und die Gefahren von Mordor nehmen zu. Ganz Mittelerde wird von einem Krieg und dem Untergang bedroht. Im Auenland lebt Frodo, der den Einen Ring von seinem Onkel Bilbo erhält. Bald muss er sich mit ein paar Gefährten aufmachen, um Mittelerde zu retten und dafür zu sorgen, dass Sauron den Ring nicht erhält.
Handlung und Thematik:
Wie auch bei den Filmen muss ich sagen, dass die Handlung am Anfang ziemlich mitreißend ist, leider verläuft sie ab der Hälfte bis kurz vor Schluss sehr schleppend. Ich war mega-überrascht, dass im Film ein großes Abenteuer fehlt, nämlich alles um Tom Bombadil. Dieser Teil hat mich besonders fasziniert. Das Buch ist eigentlich genau in die drei Teile aufgegliedert, wie sie dann verfilmt wurden: Die Gefährten, Die zwei Türme und Die Wiederkehr des Königs. J.R.R. Tolkien hat mit diesem Buch wunderbar beschrieben, dass es wichtig ist, dass sich die Völker zusammentun und gemeinsam (gegen das Böse) kämpfen. Die Umsetzung dieses Themas in eine Fantasy-Story fand ich echt gelungen!
Charaktere:
Ich finde es toll, dass J.R.R. Tolkien so viele verschiedene Völker vorkommen lässt und dass jedes Volk seine Eigenarten besitzt. Ich liebe Gandalf den Zauberer, aber auch die Halblinge und Gimli den Zwerg. Auch die Elben und die Menschen passten super ins Bild. Mein Liebling war aber eindeutig Tom Bombadil, weil ich ihn vorher (von den Filmen) noch nicht kannte.
Schreibstil:
Zuerst mal muss ich sagen, dass mich die kleine Schrift in diesem dicken Buch ein wenig abgeschreckt hat. Wenn man mal beginnt, ist es aber sehr angenehm und schnell zu lesen. Zu Beginn und am Ende flogen die Seiten nur so dahin. Ab ca. der Hälfte besitzt die Story ein paar Längen, aber trotzdem fand ich es noch im Rahmen und überwiegend spannend. Ich bin nicht so der Fan von kriegerischen Ereignissen, ich habe es hier im Buch nicht so überladen gefunden wie beispielsweise in den Filmen. Ein paar wenige (mehr oder weniger) bunte Zeichnungen lockern die Seiten noch ein wenig auf. Ganz hinten im Buch befinden sich noch über hundert Seiten Anhang. Dort findet man unter anderem Sachen wie ein Register, das Alphabet oder einen Zeitstrahl/Geschichtenerzählung. Am besten haben mir die beiden Karten gefallen, die bei meiner Buchversion hinten noch in einer extra Lasche zugesteckt waren.
Persönliche Gesamtbewertung:
Nachdem ich vom Hörspiel so enttäuscht war, hat mich das Buch doch sehr überrascht! Man darf sich einfach nicht von den vielen Seiten und der Schriftgröße abschrecken lassen. Es ist doch einfach zu lesen und besitzt viele nette Extras!
July 7, 2025
This volume was solely the appendices but there was never any doubt that I would read this volume as well. I love learning everything I can about a world and these appendices do such a great deep dive into everything. There's even extra bits about our dear heroes. So if you want to learn more, I would say that even though it might be boring to some, that this is a must read for any knowledge hungry fan.
I must admit that there wasn't too many new details for me. But that is only because my father new all the lore and told it to me as we watched the films. I'm pretty sure I knew all the lore before I could even walk.
And with this, I have finally completed my promise to my father that I would break in these editions. Sorry it was a little late Dad.
I must admit that there wasn't too many new details for me. But that is only because my father new all the lore and told it to me as we watched the films. I'm pretty sure I knew all the lore before I could even walk.
And with this, I have finally completed my promise to my father that I would break in these editions. Sorry it was a little late Dad.
October 3, 2023
Es ist immer eine Freude, nach middle earth zurück zu kommen. Habe das Buch zufällig in einer freien Bücherei in Epidavros gefunden und mitgenommen. Herrlich!! Immer wieder kleine refresher zu der LotR Welt sind das, was diese Welt so kostbar macht. Es ist einfach so verdammt viel Material!! Ich habe es sehr genossen, auch wenn mich die deutschen Namen manchmal echt abstoßen. Ich kenne das alles nur auf Englisch. Außerdem hätte ich mir bei der Erklärung der Alphabete mehr Beispiele gewünscht. Das meiste davon war ohne ein paar geschriebene Wörter sehr schwer zu begreifen. Ansonsten herrlich. Jedem hardcore Fan der vor allem die ganze lore und Welt liebt herzlichst empfohlen.
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