J.R.R. Tolkien is famous for his unique 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 stories that were published, and which gives added life to the tales of the hobbits, Gandalf and the quest of the Fellowship as told in "The Lord of the Rings". 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 Complete History of Middle-Earth". This hardback edition brings together volumes six to nine of "The History of Middle-earth": "The Return of the Shadow", "The Treason of Isengard", "The War of the Ring" and "Sauron Defeated". Together these books give a complete account of the writing of "The Lord of the Rings", and provide the reader with numerous additional scenes, together with rare maps and illustrations, which never made it into the final book, including the epilogue in its entirety.