Order of Book Series
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J.R.R. Tolkien Books in Order

61 books are credited to J.R.R. Tolkien, published between 1921 and 2023; 44 of them appeared after J.R.R. Tolkien's death in 1973. The first book is A Middle English Reader and Vocabulary (1921) and the newest is The Battle of Maldon (2023). Publication order is the reading order below.

J.R.R. Tolkien also publishes as Oxymore.

Books
61
Published
1921–2023
Confirmed
59 of 61 titles
Pages on record
13,949 in 42 of 61 books
Reading time
232–349 hours

Reading time is an estimate, not a recorded figure: 13,949 pages at 300 words a page, read at 200–300 words a minute, covering the 42 of 61 titles with a page count on record.

See all 61 books in order Printable J.R.R. Tolkien checklist
Photo of J.R.R. Tolkien, author

J.R.R. Tolkien (John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, 3 January 1892 to 2 September 1973) was an English writer and philologist, author of The Hobbit (1937) and The Lord of the Rings (1954 to 1955). At the University of Oxford, Tolkien held the Rawlinson and Bosworth Professorship of Anglo-Saxon and a Pembroke College fellowship from 1925 to 1945, then the Merton Professorship of English Language and Literature until retiring in 1959. Tolkien belonged to the Inklings and was a close friend of C. S. Lewis. The catalogue lists 61 books from A Middle English Reader and Vocabulary (1921) to The Battle of Maldon (2023), including the History of Middle-Earth, poetry and children's titles.

How many J.R.R. Tolkien books are there?

J.R.R. Tolkien has 61 books, released between 1921 and 2023. 44 of them were published after J.R.R. Tolkien's death in 1973. They include 9 series and 1 title listed outside any series.

J.R.R. Tolkien Books in Publication Order

The table lists all 61 J.R.R. Tolkien books in the order they were released, with the release year, the page count where one is on record, and how many independent book listings confirm each title. Catalogue data as of September 2026.

  1. Cover of Beowulf and the Critics by J.R.R. Tolkien, book 2 of the J.R.R. Tolkien Non-Fiction series (1936)
  2. Cover of The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (1937)
  3. Cover of Tolkien on Fairy-stories by J.R.R. Tolkien, book 3 of the J.R.R. Tolkien Non-Fiction series (1939)
  4. Cover of The Lay of Aotrou and Itroun by J.R.R. Tolkien, book 1 of the J.R.R. Tolkien Standalone Novels series (1945)
  5. Cover of Tales from the Perilous Realm by J.R.R. Tolkien, book 1 of the J.R.R. Tolkien Short Story series (1949)
  6. Cover of The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien, book 1 of the Lord of the Rings series (1954)
  7. Cover of The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien, book 2 of the Lord of the Rings series (1954)
  8. Cover of The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien, book 3 of the Lord of the Rings series (1955)
  9. Cover of Tree and Leaf by J.R.R. Tolkien, book 3 of the J.R.R. Tolkien Short Story series (1964)
  10. Cover of The Tolkien Reader by J.R.R. Tolkien, book 4 of the J.R.R. Tolkien Short Story series (1966)
  11. Cover of Smith of Wootton Major by J.R.R. Tolkien, book 2 of the J.R.R. Tolkien Short Stories/Novellas series (1967)
  12. Cover of Poems and Stories by J.R.R. Tolkien, book 5 of the J.R.R. Tolkien Short Story series (1971)
  13. Cover of Bilbo's Last Song by J.R.R. Tolkien (1974)
  14. Cover of Drawings by Tolkien by J.R.R. Tolkien, book 3 of the J.R.R. Tolkien Standalone Novels series (1976)
  15. Cover of Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien, book 4 of the J.R.R. Tolkien Non-Fiction series (1976)
  16. Cover of The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien, book 6 of the J.R.R. Tolkien Short Story series (1977)
  17. Cover of Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-Earth by J.R.R. Tolkien, book 7 of the J.R.R. Tolkien Short Story series
  18. Cover of The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien by J.R.R. Tolkien, book 5 of the J.R.R. Tolkien Non-Fiction series (1981)
  19. Cover of Mr. Bliss by J.R.R. Tolkien, book 1 of the J.R.R. Tolkien Children's series (1982)
  20. Cover of Finn and Hengest: The Fragment and the Episode by J.R.R. Tolkien, book 6 of the J.R.R. Tolkien Non-Fiction series
  21. Cover of The Book Of Lost Tales, Part One by J.R.R. Tolkien, book 1 of the History of Middle-Earth Series (1983)
  22. Cover of The Book Of Lost Tales, Part Two by J.R.R. Tolkien, book 2 of the History of Middle-Earth Series (1983)
  23. Cover of The Monsters and the Critics: The Essays of J.R.R. Tolkien by J.R.R. Tolkien (1983)
  24. Cover of The Lays Of Beleriand by J.R.R. Tolkien, book 3 of the History of Middle-Earth Series (1985)
  1. 1
    A Middle English Reader and VocabularyJ.R.R. Tolkien Non-Fiction #11921 · confirmed 4/4
    1921–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  2. 2
    Beowulf and the CriticsJ.R.R. Tolkien Non-Fiction #21936 · 461 pages · confirmed 4/4
    1936461
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  3. 3
    The HobbitLord of the Rings1937 · 306 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1937306
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  4. 4
    Tolkien on Fairy-storiesJ.R.R. Tolkien Non-Fiction #31939 · 320 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1939320
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  5. 5
    Leaf by Niggle1945 · confirmed 2/4
    1945–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  6. 6
    The Lay of Aotrou and ItrounJ.R.R. Tolkien Standalone Novels #11945 · 128 pages · confirmed 4/4
    1945128
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  7. 7
    Tales from the Perilous RealmJ.R.R. Tolkien Short Story #11949 · 192 pages · confirmed 4/4
    1949192
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  8. 8
    Farmer Giles of HamJ.R.R. Tolkien Standalone Novels #21949 · 63 pages · confirmed 4/4
    194963
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  9. 9
    The Fellowship of the RingLord of the Rings #11954 · 458 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1954458
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  10. 10
    The Two TowersLord of the Rings #21954 · 398 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1954398
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  11. 11
    The Return of the KingLord of the Rings #31955 · 544 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1955544
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  12. 12
    The Adventures of Tom BombadilJ.R.R. Tolkien Short Story #21962 · confirmed 3/4
    1962–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  13. 13
    Tree and LeafJ.R.R. Tolkien Short Story #31964 · 160 pages · confirmed 4/4
    1964160
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  14. 14
    The Tolkien ReaderJ.R.R. Tolkien Short Story #41966 · 272 pages · confirmed 4/4
    1966272
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  15. 15
    The Road Goes Ever OnJ.R.R. Tolkien Poetry #11967 · confirmed 3/4
    1967–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  16. 16
    Smith of Wootton MajorJ.R.R. Tolkien Short Stories/Novellas #21967 · 61 pages · confirmed 4/4
    196761
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  17. 17
    Poems and StoriesJ.R.R. Tolkien Short Story #51971 · 342 pages · confirmed 4/4
    1971342
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  18. 18
    Bilbo's Last SongLord of the Rings1974 · confirmed 3/4
    1974–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  19. 19
    Drawings by TolkienJ.R.R. Tolkien Standalone Novels #31976 · 37 pages · confirmed 3/4
    197637
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  20. 20
    Letters from Father ChristmasJ.R.R. Tolkien Non-Fiction #41976 · 111 pages · confirmed 4/4
    1976111
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  21. 21
    The SilmarillionJ.R.R. Tolkien Short Story #61977 · 442 pages · confirmed 4/4
    1977442
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  22. 22
    Pictures by J.R.R. TolkienJ.R.R. Tolkien #11979 · confirmed 3/4
    1979–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  23. 23
    Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-EarthJ.R.R. Tolkien Short Story #71980 · 512 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1980512
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  24. 24
    The Letters of J.R.R. TolkienJ.R.R. Tolkien Non-Fiction #51981 · 502 pages · confirmed 4/4
    1981502
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  25. 25
    Mr. BlissJ.R.R. Tolkien Children's #11982 · confirmed 3/4
    1982–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  26. 26
    Finn and Hengest: The Fragment and the EpisodeJ.R.R. Tolkien Non-Fiction #61982 · 180 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1982180
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  27. 27
    The Book Of Lost Tales, Part OneHistory of Middle-Earth Series #11983 · confirmed 4/4
    1983–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  28. 28
    The Book Of Lost Tales, Part TwoHistory of Middle-Earth Series #21983 · confirmed 4/4
    1983–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  29. 29
    The Monsters and the Critics: The Essays of J.R.R. TolkienJ.R.R. Tolkien Non-Fiction #71983 · 240 pages · confirmed 4/4
    1983240
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  30. 30
    The Lays Of BeleriandHistory of Middle-Earth Series #31985 · 393 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1985393
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK

J.R.R. Tolkien series and characters in order

The character linked below has its own reading-order page.

J.R.R. Tolkien books grouped by series

Each title below is a row in the publication-order table above. A group whose heading is a link has its own reading-order page; the other groups have no page of their own on this site.

History of Middle-Earth Series in order

13 books
  1. 1. The Book Of Lost Tales, Part One
  2. 2. The Book Of Lost Tales, Part Two
  3. 3. The Lays Of Beleriand
  4. 4. The Shaping Of Middle-earth
  5. 5. The Lost Road And Other Writings
  6. 6. The Return Of The Shadow
  7. 7. The Treason of Isengard
  8. 8. The War Of The Ring
  9. 9. Sauron Defeated
  10. 11. The War Of The Jewels
  11. 12. The Peoples of Middle-earth
  12. 13. The History Of Middle Earth Index
  13. and 1 more in the table above

J.R.R. Tolkien Short Story

11 books

11 titles published under this heading without a numbered place in a series.

J.R.R. Tolkien Non-Fiction

9 books

9 titles published under this heading without a numbered place in a series.

J.R.R. Tolkien Standalone Novels

9 books

9 titles published under this heading without a numbered place in a series.

Lord of the Rings books in order

5 books by J.R.R. Tolkien
  1. 1. The Fellowship of the Ring
  2. 2. The Two Towers
  3. 3. The Return of the King
  4. 4. The Hobbit
  5. 5. Bilbo's Last Song

History Of The Lord Of The Rings in order

3 books
  1. 1. The Return of the Shadow
  2. 2. The War of the Ring
  3. 3. Sauron Defeated

Middle-Earth Universe in order

3 books
  1. 1. Tolkien's World: Paintings of Middle-Earth
  2. 2. Realms of Tolkien: Images of Middle-Earth
  3. 3. Poems From The Hobbit

Tales of Middle Earth in order

2 books
  1. 2. The Fall of Gondolin
  2. 3. The Fall of Númenor: and Other Tales from the Second Age of Middle-earth

J.R.R. Tolkien Poetry in order

1 book
  1. 1. The Road Goes Ever On

J.R.R. Tolkien in order

1 book
  1. 1. Pictures by J.R.R. Tolkien

J.R.R. Tolkien Children's in order

1 book
  1. 1. Mr. Bliss

Later Silmarillion in order

1 book
  1. 1. Morgoth's Ring: The Legends of Aman

J.R.R. Tolkien Short Stories/Novellas

1 book

1 title published under this heading without a numbered place in a series.

Standalone books

1 book

1 J.R.R. Tolkien title here is not listed as part of any series.

J.R.R. Tolkien Books in Chronological Order

By publication date, the J.R.R. Tolkien books run from A Middle English Reader and Vocabulary (1921) to The Battle of Maldon (2023), the sequence in the table above. No separate story order is recorded for J.R.R. Tolkien in the book listings this catalogue merges, so publication order is the only order on record.

Do you have to read J.R.R. Tolkien books in order?

You only need to read J.R.R. Tolkien books in order within each series: the books listed here span 9 separate series, and each series has its own publication order.

What order should you read J.R.R. Tolkien books in?

Read them in publication order, starting with The Fellowship of the Ring (1954), the first Lord of the Rings book. The earliest catalogued title overall is A Middle English Reader and Vocabulary (1921).

What is the newest J.R.R. Tolkien book?

The Battle of Maldon (2023) is the newest J.R.R. Tolkien book released so far.

Is there a new J.R.R. Tolkien book coming?

No next J.R.R. Tolkien book is announced in the catalogue, which is a gap in the listings it merges rather than a sign that the run has ended.

Awards J.R.R. Tolkien has won

Wikidata records 13 awards and 5 nominations for J.R.R. Tolkien. The most recent 12 are listed here. Each row states whether the title won or was shortlisted, and the year the award was given.

  • Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame2013Won
  • Prometheus Award - Hall of Fame2009Wonfor The Lord of the Rings
  • Nebula Award for Best Script2004Wonfor The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
  • Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form2004Wonfor The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
  • Nebula Award for Best Script2003Wonfor The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
  • Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form2003Wonfor The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
  • Nebula Award for Best Script2002Wonfor The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
  • Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation2002Wonfor The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
  • Mythopoeic Fantasy Award1981Wonfor Unfinished Tales
  • Mythopoeic Awards1980Wonfor Unfinished Tales
  • Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel1978Wonfor The Silmarillion
  • Ditmar Award1978Wonfor The Silmarillion

J.R.R. Tolkien at a glance

Died
J.R.R. Tolkien died in 1973, according to Wikidata.
After death
Books credited to J.R.R. Tolkien are still being published after J.R.R. Tolkien's death in 1973; the newest appeared in 2023.
Release pace
J.R.R. Tolkien books have appeared about one every 2 years on average.
Length
13,949 pages across the 42 of 61 books with a recorded length, a median of 323 pages each.
Busiest decade
Most J.R.R. Tolkien books, 13 of 61, were published in the 1980s.
Corroboration
31 of the 61 titles appear in all four independent book listings, and 59 in at least three.

What the J.R.R. Tolkien books are about

50 of the 61 J.R.R. Tolkien books carry subject tags in Open Library's catalogue. The subjects below are the ones that recur across them, most frequent first: middle earth (imaginary place) is tagged on 22 of 50. The subjects are cataloguers’ headings, not a plot summary.

  • Middle Earth (Imaginary place) 22 of 50 books
  • Fantasy 21 of 50 books
  • History and criticism 9 of 50 books
  • English Fantasy literature 8 of 50 books
  • Poetry 7 of 50 books
  • Fantasy, epic 6 of 50 books
  • Textual Criticism 5 of 50 books
  • Elves 4 of 50 books
  • English Fantasy poetry 4 of 50 books
  • Fairy tales 4 of 50 books

Other Fantasy authors

Each link below opens a reading-order page with every book in publication order.