Affiliate Disclosure: Links on this page may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Read our affiliate policy
J.R.R. Tolkien Books in Order
J.R.R. Tolkien is an English writer, poet, and philologist renowned for his groundbreaking works in high fantasy. As the author of classics like <i>The Hobbit</i> and <i>The Lord of the Rings</i>, he has captivated readers worldwide with his vivid imagination and intricate world-building. A decorated WWI veteran, Tolkien went on to excel in academia, serving as Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford from 1925 to 1945, and later as Merton Professor of English language and literature from 1945 to 1959. His close friendship with C.S. Lewis is a testament to his influence on the literary world. Through his son Christopher's publication of <i>The Silmarillion</i> and other works based on Tolkien's extensive notes, his legacy continues to expand, weaving a connected body of tales, poems, and histories about the enchanted world of Arda and Middle-earth.
Bibliography verified: March 2026
Quick Answer
What are all of J.R.R. Tolkien's book series? J.R.R. Tolkien has written 6 book series. The most notable is the Middle-Earth Universe series.
Complete series list with all books in reading order below.
Book Series by J.R.R. Tolkien
- #1
Tolkien's World: Paintings of Middle-Earth(1992) - #2
Realms of Tolkien: Images of Middle-Earth(1996) - #3
Poems From The Hobbit(1999)
- #1
A Middle English Reader and Vocabulary(1921) - #2
Beowulf and the Critics(1936) - #3
Tolkien on Fairy-stories(1939) - #4
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien(1981) - #5
Finn and Hengest: The Fragment and the Episode(1982) - #6
The Monsters and the Critics: The Essays of J.R.R. Tolkien(1983) - #7
Father Christmas Letters(1994) - #8
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - Insiders' Guide(2002) - #9
The Nature of Middle-Earth (With: Carl F. Hostetter)(2021) - #10
Over the Rainbow(1983) - #11
The Random House Book of Fantasy Stories(1997) - #12
Tales Before Narnia: The Roots of Modern Fantasy and Science Fiction(2008)
- #1
The Lay of Aotrou and Itroun(1945) - #2
Farmer Giles of Ham(1949) - #3
Drawings by Tolkien(1976) - #4
Roverandom(1998) - #5
The Children of Húrin(2007) - #6
The Legend of Sigurd & Gudrún(2009) - #7
The Story of Kullervo(2015) - #8
The Lost Manuscript(2016) - #9
Beren and Lúthien(2017) - #10
Leaf by Niggle(1945) - #11
Smith of Wootton Major(1967) - #12
Tales from the Perilous Realm(1949) - #13
The Adventures of Tom Bombadil(1962) - #14
Tree and Leaf(1964) - #15
The Tolkien Reader(1966) - #16
Poems and Stories(1971) - #17
Letters from Father Christmas(1976) - #18
The Silmarillion(1977) - #19
Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-Earth(1980) - #20
The Peoples of Middle-earth(1996) - #21
A Tolkien Miscellany(2002) - #22
The Fall of Arthur(2013) - #23
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Pearl, and Sir Orfeo (With: Christopher Tolkien)(2021) - #24
The Battle of Maldon (With: Peter Grybauskaus)(2023) - #25
Pictures by J.R.R. Tolkien (With: Christopher Tolkien)(1979) - #26
The Road Goes Ever On(1967)
- #1
The Children of Húrin (By: Christopher Tolkien)(2007) - #2
The Fall of Gondolin(2018) - #3
The Fall of Númenor: and Other Tales from the Second Age of Middle-earth(2022) - #4
Morgoth's Ring: The Legends of Aman(1993)
- #1
The Book of Lost Tales, Part One(1983) - #2
The Book of Lost Tales, Part Two(1983) - #3
The Lays of Beleriand(1985) - #4
The Shaping of Middle-earth(1986) - #5
The Lost Road and Other Writings(1987) - #6
The War of the Jewels(1994) - #7
The History of Middle Earth Index(2002) - #8
The Great Tales of Middle-Earth(2018) - #9
The Return of the Shadow(1988) - #10
The Treason of Isengard(1989) - #11
The War of the Ring(1990) - #12
Sauron Defeated(1992)
- #1
The Hobbit(1937) - #2
The Fellowship of the Ring(1954) - #3
The Two Towers(1954) - #4
The Return of the King(1955) - #5
Bilbo's Last Song(1974)
About J.R.R. Tolkien
J.R.R. Tolkien is an English writer, poet, and philologist renowned for his groundbreaking works in high fantasy. As the author of classics like <i>The Hobbit</i> and <i>The Lord of the Rings</i>, he has captivated readers worldwide with his vivid imagination and intricate world-building. A decorated WWI veteran, Tolkien went on to excel in academia, serving as Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford from 1925 to 1945, and later as Merton Professor of English language and literature from 1945 to 1959. His close friendship with C.S. Lewis is a testament to his influence on the literary world. Through his son Christopher's publication of <i>The Silmarillion</i> and other works based on Tolkien's extensive notes, his legacy continues to expand, weaving a connected body of tales, poems, and histories about the enchanted world of Arda and Middle-earth.
Affiliate Disclosure
As an Amazon Associate, Reading Order Books earns from qualifying purchases. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. This helps us maintain the site and continue providing reading order guides. Read our full disclosure