J.R.R. Tolkien is famous for his literary creation, exemplified in "The Hobbit", "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Silmarillion". He also produced a vast amount of further material that expands upon the mythology and numerous stories of Middle-Earth, and which gives added life to the thousand-year war between the Elves and the evil spirit Morgoth, and his terrifying lieutenant, Sauron. It was to this task of literary construction that Tolkien's youngest son and literary heir, Christopher, applied himself to, producing the series of twelve books, "The History of Middle-Earth". This hardback edition brings together the first five volumes of "The Complete History of Middle-earth": "The Book of Lost Tales Parts 1 and 2", "The Lays of Beleriand", "The Shaping of Middle-Earth" and "The Lost Road". It features dozens of rare maps and illustrations drawn by J.R.R. Tolkien.