The Illustrated Edition of The Hobbit Sees Unprecedented Low Prices on Amazon This Black Friday

The Illustrated Edition of The Hobbit offers more than just a delightful variant of Tolkien’s prequel to The Lord of the Rings; it includes over 50 previously unseen illustrations created by Tolkien himself. Vivid colored artwork, intricate drawings, sketches, and even hand-drawn maps of Middle-earth are interspersed throughout the text.

It’s captivating to explore this facet of Tolkien while enjoying The Hobbit, as it provides an intimate glimpse into how he envisioned characters and settings during his writing process.

The artwork alone is a compelling reason for devoted Tolkien enthusiasts to incorporate yet another version of The Hobbit into their collection. Nonetheless, it stands as a remarkable book in its own right, evident even before you open its cover for the first time. The green dust jacket features gold-foil lettering with Elvish characters traversing the top and bottom, framing the embossed illustration of The Misty Mountains at the center. The same illustration in a different color scheme is imprinted on the front cover.

The dust jacket is complemented by deep blue sprayed page edges adorned with Elvish script in white. Upon opening the front and back covers, you will discover two fold-out maps: Thrór’s Map and the Map of Wilderland.

The Illustrated Hobbit presents the intact, original text. You might not even need your Lord of the Rings bookmark, as this edition includes a built-in ribbon to mark your place as you journey through the 272-page adventure with Bilbo. Interestingly, Amazon’s product page indicates this version comprises 432 pages, but it actually contains 272 numbered pages plus 39 introductory pages featuring the foreword to the 50th Anniversary Edition of the original text and a commentary on Tolkien’s illustrations.

It’s noteworthy that a premium edition of this book was released in October. The Deluxe Illustrated Hobbit boasts a hybrid leather and cloth binding and comes in a cloth-bound slipcase, accompanied by an 88-page illustrated booklet and an art card of Tolkien’s artwork for the original Hobbit dust jacket. It is considerably more expensive, especially now, even at a 33% discount—but you can still acquire The Deluxe Illustrated Hobbit for $131 (previously $195).

The Illustrated Edition of The Hobbit was the last of the three Illustrated Tolkien Editions released in the United States. This distinctive collection began with none other than The Lord of the Rings. Exhibiting similar design elements and stylistic nuances as The Illustrated Hobbit, this version of Tolkien’s epic saga includes 30 colored illustrations he created while conceptualizing LOTR. Since it encompasses all three volumes of The Lord of the Rings—The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King—this edition is significantly larger, running at…
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1,248 pages.

The Lord of the Rings Illustrated is a valid Black Friday bargain at Amazon, though it is not as inexpensive as The Hobbit. Still, the price of $40.37 is the lowest we’ve seen since Prime Day in July.

One intriguing aspect of this offer is that Amazon provides a multibuy discount. If you purchase three copies, you can save an extra $22.11, bringing your total down to $99 ($33 per book). So if you wish to share the gift of The Lord of the Rings Illustrated with more than one person on your shopping list, this is a fantastic deal.

The Lord of the Rings Deluxe Illustrated is also included in Amazon’s sale for $119 (previously $250). This premium, slipcased edition is a stunning piece.