Wow. I'm always wandering Middle Earth in my head. Now I have some maps! A fun book.

While the art work is beautiful the maps are so small you can't really explore them.

One for the collectors, or perhaps a nice present for a younger reader with the text reminders of most of the key locations and some of the things that happened there.

The maps are very pretty with additional art work around the edges, but not especially detailed. The text would probably appeal to hobbits, repeating, as it does, information that is already very well known to everyone who has read The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales. There is no new information here, but it isn’t trying to add anything new.

Nice to have, but by no means essential for Tolkien fans.

(For The Lord of the Rings the “Journeys of Frodo” by Barbara Strachey is my go to accompanying map atlas, with journey dates and moon phases covering every moment of all members of the Fellowship. It includes explanations of those very few occasions where there are difficulties making the maps agree with the distances and/or timings in Tolkien’s text.)

Absolutely beautiful renderings of four of Tolkien's maps from his Middle Earth books!! Beautifully illustrated, with well written details about the maps.

Not a book, but pull out maps.

I wish they were a bit more detailed, but they're pretty sweet.

This made the lord of the rings nerd in me very happy. And it even came with TOYS!

AMAZING!

J.R.R. Tolkien, famed author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, loved languages, myth, and maps. Some argue his tales started with a map. In this book, Brian Sibley presents four maps related to Middle-Earth. For each, he provides a brief history/overview and dictionary of place or terrain names explaining their relevance to a given story. Included is four full-color fold-out maps (each measuring roughly 16"x16") drawn by John Howe based on the original Tolkien drawings.

This book exceeded my (modest) expectations. I expected it to be a vehicle to make money (and basically sell you four maps). I think it is that, partially. But it is also done well. The overviews for each map include some backstory on when Tolkien (or his son) made them, and how some names have changed over time, which was helpful. Sibley also mentions key events and characters from the major works (including The Silmarillion), which, along with the maps and place names, helps visualize and contextualize where things happened in some of the less well-known tales.

This is a quick read, and perhaps not for everyone, but for big Tolkien fans, check it out.

A masterpiece for every Tolkien's fan!

A middle class, middle aged dad in khaki shorts and fanny pack lays a map out on the hood of the family station wagon. "Well kids, I thought we'd start in the Shire then head off to Rivendell. Maybe catch the stoned trolls if we have time." His finger eagerly traces the route, passing over the map's many lines showing roads and rivers. "After that we'll drive along the scenic Misty Mountains. I hear that's nice. We're not going to be able to make Mirkwood or Isengard, not if were going to have time to zip down to Mordor and snap off a few shots before heading home. What do you think, sounds like a nice little trip, doesn't it honey?" Wind whips the map up into his face, which draws snorts from the bored children and causes the wife to sigh and roll her eyes.

The Maps of Tolkien's Middle-earth is a lovely fold out map of Middle Earth with a booklet containing summary details of locations. The whole package is put together like one of those map guides you might get from Lonely Planet or Fodor's right before you head off on your week-long vacation to see the major sites.

The map itself is decent:



However, the descriptions in the booklet are pretty lightweight, eschewing historical depth. All in all, this is probably only of interest to rabid LotR collectors, or it might make for a good companion/supplement to Tolkien's works for first-time readers in the age range of about 12 to 15, generally speaking. Otherwise, save your money.

Awesome ... I have poured over these maps while reading.. invaluable for the novice Tolkien reader and delightful for the Tolkien lover

This contains beautiful Howe-maps (but this isn't really a book, per se).