Ambrus Victor G. - The Battles of Tolkien

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Text copyright 2016, 2017 David Day

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BOUNTY BOOKS

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Illustrations by Victor Ambrus (cover), Jacopo Ascari (maps), Graham Bence, Jaroslav Bradac, Tim Clarey, Allan Curless, Gino DAchille, David Franklin, Melvin Grant, Sam Hadley, David Kearney, Barbara Lofthouse, Mauro Mazzara, Ian Miller, Sue Porter, Lidia Postma, David Roberts

eBook ISBN: 978-1-68412-011-6

eBook edition: May 2017

This book has not been prepared, authorized, licensed, or endorsed by J. R. R. Tolkiens heirs or estate, nor by any of the publishers or distributors of the book The Lord of the Rings or any other work written by J. R. R. Tolkien, nor anyone involved in the creation, production, or distribution of the films based on the book.

THE

BATTLES

OF

TOLKIEN

DAVID DAY

CONTENTS

PART ONE:
BATTLES OF THE VALARIAN AGES

PART TWO:
BATTLES OF THE FIRST AGE

PART THREE:
THE SECOND AGE: WARS OF THE ELVES AND NMENORANS

PART FOUR:
THE THIRD AGE: WARS OF THE DNEDAIN

PART FIVE:
THE THIRD AGE: WARS OF THE DWARVES

PART SIX:
THE WAR OF THE RING

The armies of Melkor

From the creation of J.R.R. Tolkiens world of Arda until the end of the War of the Rings some 37,000 years later cataclysmic wars punctuated by crucial battles have determined the course of that worlds evolution and history. In the recording of these events upon Middle-earth and the Undying Lands, Tolkien takes a similar approach to that of a real-world historian.

Like those of their real-life historic counterparts, the annals of Tolkiens races and nations record each civilizations achievements in the creative arts, the architecture of its great cities and the genius of its technologies, but they also give weight to the pivotal role of great battles that result in the rise and fall of empires.

For undeniably it is in battles and wars that the fates of nations and races are finally determined. And for all nations (both real and imaginary), it is in these crucial battles that the courage and wisdom of their most celebrated heroes are ultimately tested. Furthermore, these wars are also the crucial themes of all the great civilizations national epics: Greeces Iliad, Germanys Nibelungenlied, Norway and Icelands Elder Edda, Indias Mahabharata, Mesopotamias Epic of Gilgamesh.

In Tolkiens Middle-earth, The Lord of the Rings is certainly comparable to Greeces Iliad. However, the difference is that Homer unlike Tolkien did not have to invent an entire worlds evolution, geography, history and mythology before even beginning his tale of the Trojan War.

In The Battles of Tolkien we take a close-up view of the wars and battles that took place in Arda over its 37,000 years of history. We look into the forces, weaponry and tactics that came into play on these epic battlegrounds where the fate of Tolkiens races, nations and civilizations were determined. These often invite comparisons to real-world battles and historic events as well as other literary and mythological ones.