The Lord of the Rings Illustrated Editions Are the Ultimate Shelf Filler for Fans of the Books

The Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit are some of the most iconic and timeless fantasy stories around. Spanning 6 films, a Prime Video series, and plenty of video games to play, it's safe to say interest in Tolkien's Middle-Earth is just has high as its ever ever. So if you're looking to read the LotR books that started it all, you've got a surprising number of options available. For collectors specifically, there are some beautiful illustrated editions of not only the first two stories, but the supplemental Silmarillion collection of short stories and lore available as well. There are actually multiple editions of each of the three illustrated editions, and they all make great gifts for Lord of the Rings fans. The Tolkien illustrated versions feature drawings and maps from the author himself, while the Alan Lee editions feature beautiful watercolors that catch the eye. To help you decide which books are right for you, we've broken it all down below. Each entry in the standard illustrated edition comes with beautiful Elvish cover art and sprayed page edges. They're all hardcover and come with slipcovers for protection, each featuring an iconic moment or location from their respectiv