Apologies for some focus issues at the start of the video, and for my nasally voice - still trying to get over a nasty cold! Hope you enjoy the video anyway!
Hello. I just discovered your channel. I must say thank you for your work. I’m trying to build a beautiful slipcase collection of my own. I seem to be having issues searching for a few Books. Do you know of a website that would have a more complete selection to shop from? Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you!
How different paper quality in Illustrated Deluxe compared to Illustrated edition? Seems pretty similar to me. Both tick and not glossy. However price of deluxe edition is much higher.
Word of warning for anyone considering this book that there could be some quality control issues. My version of the Deluxe edition has some glaring issues, all of them coincidentally occurring in Chapter 14. For one, Dor-Lómin is spelled wrong at the beginning of the chapter (Dorlómin, omitting the dash). This would be a nitpick if not for three things: 1. The word is actually spelled correctly later in the same paragraph, meaning the spell checking wasn't thorough. 2. Other editions have spelled the word correctly in this particular spot. 3. The synopsis calls this the "definitive" setting of the text which is a lofty statement, so I'm allowed to complain here! There's also a page in mine where the text is printed on twice, creating a really distracting "shadowed" effect on the letters, and later there's a page where the paper looks joined or patched by another piece. The print/paper issues could be bad luck, but the typo (and potentially others, I haven't finished reading through yet) is there in every copy of this edition. It's minor but for a definitive hardcover the details matter! I've never had a book with this many issues.
My goodness, that illustrated deluxe edition is beautiful. I LOVE the sleeve and that wonderful orange. For some reason, I've always associated the Silmarillion as a book with a calming blue colour palette (perhaps because of the cover images from previous editions) so the look of this is such an interesting, vibrant change. Good to see you back on YT :)
A new illustrated edition has been announced. Information is a bit sparse but it seems it contains Tolkien's own illustrations. Hope you'll cover it when it's released :)
I only wished the Deluxe variants of Unfinished Tales and The Silmarillion had the maps on their endpapers instead of being presented in materials completely separated from the books themselves.
My standard edition came in from bookdepository with a bump on the spine that I bent back to its original form and a scuff at the top of the dust jacket like yours. With a bit of careful bending it looks back to normal. Tough with these books and shipping!
Do u read with the dust jackets on with the illustrated editions? I find that being a paper matt finish they feel like they can get damaged really easily
Thanks! I didn't know about this? Do you have a preference, between the two books, if you could only buy one? I have the Ted Nasmith edition, and the first edition U.S.
New subscriber, love your channel! I only have a few Tolkien books so far but hope to pick up a deluxe copy of this someday! Where is the best place to buy a copy in the states?
it's a shame the illustrated editions don't seem to come with a slipcase like the Hobbit/LotR books. Would look great on the shelf and protect the paper jacket
it makes you wonder, while yes, it would be 4 books (The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings in 3 parts), which images would appear on the slipcases, stamped on the front of the books themselves, as well as what the included art prints would be.
I got the Unfinished Tales illustrated hardback recently and if I compare the illustrations to my older copy of the Lord of the Rings and The Complete Guide to Middle-earth; There does seem to be a gap not just between the type of paper but in quality, which is worth knowing, as I'd value the quality images over the quantity, my personal choice.
Thanks again for the review, it's been very helpful! Though, it also made me want the deluxe AND hardcover, so that's probably relatively speaking, but regardless, I'm looking forward to the continuation of this release series!
The previous edition has an error on the illustration of page 198 (take a close look at the skirt of the woman, Rian). Have they fixed that in the new edition?
I'm glad I am not the only one that had the edge of the dust jacket scuffed. I thought it happened during shipping but now it seems it happened during production. Great video as always!
It isn't scuffing. It is caused by the process used to fold the jackets onto the book. The leading edge is folded tight and then the jacket is pulled around the book and the second fold is more gentle.. You see it to sopme degree on pretty much all jacketed books.
Whatever last year's illustrated editions of THE HOBBIT and THE LORD OF THE RINGS were printed on (as well as the UNFINISHED TALES illustrated edition) is what this will be printed on.
I have been driving myself close to madness trying to find the newest non deluxe hardback copies of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales. There certainly are copies available to buy from reputable enough shops, but every copy I order comes damaged and it's become quite a personal saga. I've had 3 copies of each from Amazon, 1 of each from Blackwell's and 1 of each from WH Smith and every single copy has had the exact damage down the right side of the front of the dust jacket as is noted in this review. Although I think they're exorbitantly priced, I've now caved and bought the deluxe versions which thankfully came in their own boxes. This guy is right though, the silmarillion is incredibly lurid.
@@insurrbution Yes that's the conclusion I reached though I initially thought it unlikely that not one retailer would have a good batch. I gave up and bought the deluxe versions which are nice too, just more than I wanted to pay.
@@stu356 I had concluded it was an issue somewhere in manufacturing or shipping but it's the first time I've come across such a thing and it seemed remarkable that it affected unfinished tales and the silmarillion.
@@Booton91 I suspect it is more noticeable on the matte jackets than on the more normal laminated jackets, which is why we see it on the HarperCollins editions to varying degrees, irrespective of who prints them.
Gosh, you blindsighted me at 08:43, despite your warning. I like the red slipcase but the covers are *garish* and to me off-putting, even revolting, somuchso that it really looks like an american release which... gosh I just had to take a losec capsule with the reflux off this, having been minded of take-away curry, *after* the fact. My word, who was allowed to choose this "palette" here at Harper Collins? The usual guy must've gone away on 'oliday...
We would very much appreciate if you spend more time shooting the inside of the books, for the only thing the camera likes to auto focus correctly is your countenance 😅 Appreciate the good work.
Please show the bindings and spine in more detail - open to the middle and how it moves as the pages turn. Binding is one of the most important aspects of a books quality
If you want it badly enough, that wouldn't matter. Whether or not someone gets a book based on binding or where it's printed ahead of any other aspect of the book is a mystery to me.
@@insurrbution Consider: why would someone buy this expensive version of a book when they could get the same text for very cheap, or even download it for free? Answer: For the improved quality. How do you tell how good the quality is? A few factors here, but binding is one of the key indicators.
@@ActuallyJamesS The point I was making, was that if somebody is interested enough in a particular edition, that may not matter to them. I'm talking about the text itself or another cheaper alternative copy, I'm talking about a particular title. For instance, I wonder if those that are opposed to books that are printed in China have ARTIST & ILLUSTRATOR and THE ART OF THE HOBBIT and THE ART OF THE LORD OF THE RINGS, because they're printed there. If that person wants those titles badly enough, they won't care. Because the alternative is NOT having them.
@@insurrbution How is any of that relevant to this video or this comment though? The man just asked for the binding to be shown in more detail when doing a luxury book review, as binding quality is an important part of a luxury book. China and random specific other titles are completely irrelevant.
@@insurrbution "if somebody is interested enough in a particular edition, that may not matter to them" - Which would be fine if people came here thinking I'm going to buy/not buy this book no matter what I see in this video. Remember what the primary purpose of a review is. People come here to help them decide if they are interested, if they do want to buy the book. If they care about quality (which you should if you're spending this much on a book) and the binding is not shown, they may leave unsure.
I recently acquired the 2004 edition (that one 1:08). I bought it brand new, but I've never been sure, if that is the 2004 edition, does it mean that my version was printed back then? which would mean that it has been stored all these years in a book store?? (I got it just a few days ago, during 2021). btw great video, congrats.
Nah it just means that this edition of the book was first published in 2004 and hasn't been altered since then. They can go on printing for years without needing to change the copyright page if there have been no changes.
Have you seen the just-announced Harper Collins hardcopy illustrated Special edition of LOTR, in a slip-case? It looks amazing. Only 5000 copies will be run off the first printing. I just pre-ordered for $150 Canadian.
Does your copy have a misprint like my one? It's on page xxiv near the bottom of the main text, where the footnote about Elrond is duplicated in the middle of a sentence. Quite disappointing to have a glaring editorial error like this in a Deluxe edition.
Thanks for the info! Just what I needed. Is the layout and materials all the same with the new versions of this and the hobbit and lotr Alan lee bind up?
I see I've been unlucky. The picture on the front of the book is not well centred on mine. I asked for a replacement. I wouldn't normally do that, but given the price you would expect a certain standard of quality :/
There's now 4 illustrated editions by Ted Nasmith: - original 1998 - 2004 oversized - 2008 paperback (features SOME of the illustrations from the '04 edition) - 2021 hardback and collector's editions (all the images that were in the '04 one, PLUS 4 new ones that never appeared in any illustrated edition)
Any news on a new Hobbit Deluxe edition? I have been looking for a 2004 deluxe 1st edition but cannot seem to find any available. I have a 2004 deluxe edition printed and bound in China, but would like the 1st edition printed in Italy.
Apologies for some focus issues at the start of the video, and for my nasally voice - still trying to get over a nasty cold! Hope you enjoy the video anyway!
I was glad to see you didn’t have the map replaced by two posters. I did but HC changed it within 72 hours of me informing them.
Hello. I just discovered your channel. I must say thank you for your work. I’m trying to build a beautiful slipcase collection of my own. I seem to be having issues searching for a few Books. Do you know of a website that would have a more complete selection to shop from? Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Do you think these will go out-of-print eventually and potentially go up in value if sealed?
How different paper quality in Illustrated Deluxe compared to Illustrated edition? Seems pretty similar to me. Both tick and not glossy. However price of deluxe edition is much higher.
I wonder why this channel is so underrated : (
My only complaint is the fact that there are, as yet, so few vids; they're so good we could do with more of these relaxing and informative gems.
The Nature of Middle-Earth is now being published in September 2021, not June as in the video.
Thanks Trotter, got confused with my delays.
Word of warning for anyone considering this book that there could be some quality control issues. My version of the Deluxe edition has some glaring issues, all of them coincidentally occurring in Chapter 14. For one, Dor-Lómin is spelled wrong at the beginning of the chapter (Dorlómin, omitting the dash). This would be a nitpick if not for three things:
1. The word is actually spelled correctly later in the same paragraph, meaning the spell checking wasn't thorough.
2. Other editions have spelled the word correctly in this particular spot.
3. The synopsis calls this the "definitive" setting of the text which is a lofty statement, so I'm allowed to complain here!
There's also a page in mine where the text is printed on twice, creating a really distracting "shadowed" effect on the letters, and later there's a page where the paper looks joined or patched by another piece. The print/paper issues could be bad luck, but the typo (and potentially others, I haven't finished reading through yet) is there in every copy of this edition. It's minor but for a definitive hardcover the details matter! I've never had a book with this many issues.
My goodness, that illustrated deluxe edition is beautiful. I LOVE the sleeve and that wonderful orange. For some reason, I've always associated the Silmarillion as a book with a calming blue colour palette (perhaps because of the cover images from previous editions) so the look of this is such an interesting, vibrant change. Good to see you back on YT :)
Excuse me, ill be right back. I have to go purchase the Deluxe !!!
A new illustrated edition has been announced. Information is a bit sparse but it seems it contains Tolkien's own illustrations. Hope you'll cover it when it's released :)
Think I'll stick with my 1988 ppb, cover by Roger Garland, price GBP 4.95!
Yay, I was looking forward to this video. My standard edition is still in the mail 🥳.
Mine just arrived today. Sadly the dust jacket is a bit damaged from shipping all the way to the US, but ah well.
Sorry to hear! Did you order it from amazon?
@@cesar_rojasbravo Indeed. Usually I avoid them for books, but with international releases, options are limited.
@@GhoulishGwyn Urgh, yeah, I've heard bad things about Amazon packaging. I'll try to avoid them in the future.
i would have preferred a blue colour for the Silmarillion over the brown one
I only wished the Deluxe variants of Unfinished Tales and The Silmarillion had the maps on their endpapers instead of being presented in materials completely separated from the books themselves.
I recently purchased this edition and had Billy Boyd signed it in Comic Con. This is the majesty of being a Tolkein fans
Anyone know if the paper quality, binding, print quality of the text and illustrations is any different between the regular and deluxe editions?
I got the Deluxe edition. It's so lovely. The orange makes it stand out
My standard edition came in from bookdepository with a bump on the spine that I bent back to its original form and a scuff at the top of the dust jacket like yours.
With a bit of careful bending it looks back to normal. Tough with these books and shipping!
Thanks for another lovely video. Did you get the Unwin Remembrancer ?
Yes I've got the limited slipcover copy arriving next week. Very excited!
Do u read with the dust jackets on with the illustrated editions? I find that being a paper matt finish they feel like they can get damaged really easily
Which one do you prefer?
Just a quick question: can you get this book anywhere shrink wrapped ??? Because I try to order it but it comes danger every time
Thanks! I didn't know about this? Do you have a preference, between the two books, if you could only buy one? I have the Ted Nasmith edition, and the first edition U.S.
Was this exclusively sold in the UK? I cant find this edition on Amazon from a seller in the US. Anyone have a link?
I both hate and love your videos now. You show me things my wallet cannot afford. Thank you for giving me an idea of what I need to get -_-
New subscriber, love your channel! I only have a few Tolkien books so far but hope to pick up a deluxe copy of this someday! Where is the best place to buy a copy in the states?
Probably Amazon!
Awesome, been waiting to see your take on this. I always enjoy seeing you discuss new editions/titles, regardless of whether or not I get them :)
it's a shame the illustrated editions don't seem to come with a slipcase like the Hobbit/LotR books. Would look great on the shelf and protect the paper jacket
it makes you wonder, while yes, it would be 4 books (The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings in 3 parts), which images would appear on the slipcases, stamped on the front of the books themselves, as well as what the included art prints would be.
I greatly prefer a calming blue over that intense orange. To each their own.
Love this channel, you should post more often!! :)
I got the Unfinished Tales illustrated hardback recently and if I compare the illustrations to my older copy of the Lord of the Rings and The Complete Guide to Middle-earth; There does seem to be a gap not just between the type of paper but in quality, which is worth knowing, as I'd value the quality images over the quantity, my personal choice.
Ted Nasmith is my favourite Tolkien illustrator too. Great vid mate :)
Thanks again for the review, it's been very helpful! Though, it also made me want the deluxe AND hardcover, so that's probably relatively speaking, but regardless, I'm looking forward to the continuation of this release series!
Idk... Personally I don't really like how it's brown if even the title text in the book are highlighted in blue.
The camera was definitely recovering from some heavy drug problems
The previous edition has an error on the illustration of page 198 (take a close look at the skirt of the woman, Rian). Have they fixed that in the new edition?
I'm glad I am not the only one that had the edge of the dust jacket scuffed. I thought it happened during shipping but now it seems it happened during production. Great video as always!
It isn't scuffing. It is caused by the process used to fold the jackets onto the book. The leading edge is folded tight and then the jacket is pulled around the book and the second fold is more gentle.. You see it to sopme degree on pretty much all jacketed books.
@@stu356 Ah ok that makes much more sense. Thank you!
can't they just include two posters instead of a double-sided one? you can't frame it since you'd be negating the artwork on the other side
Hey talking Tolkien, where is your flat cap from?
Barbour
I’ve been scouring the comments to see if someone else had already asked this before I did the same. Thank you!
I saw there will be a new LOTR illustrated edition with Tolkien's drawings out in October? $75 US at BN. Thoughts anyone?
I've bought a copy! It's gorgeous!
@@lilyyy778 already ?
@@turtleanton6539 Yes, it released last autumn.
I hate when they print artworks on a matte paper. Glossy paper is way better.
Is the non deluxe 2021 edition of the simarillion acid free paper as well? The paper looks the same on the videos.
Whatever last year's illustrated editions of THE HOBBIT and THE LORD OF THE RINGS were printed on (as well as the UNFINISHED TALES illustrated edition) is what this will be printed on.
I have been driving myself close to madness trying to find the newest non deluxe hardback copies of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales. There certainly are copies available to buy from reputable enough shops, but every copy I order comes damaged and it's become quite a personal saga. I've had 3 copies of each from Amazon, 1 of each from Blackwell's and 1 of each from WH Smith and every single copy has had the exact damage down the right side of the front of the dust jacket as is noted in this review. Although I think they're exorbitantly priced, I've now caved and bought the deluxe versions which thankfully came in their own boxes. This guy is right though, the silmarillion is incredibly lurid.
that's a printing problem. they're ALL like that. There's no point in exchanging it. Maybe they'll fix it with future printings.
@@insurrbution Yes that's the conclusion I reached though I initially thought it unlikely that not one retailer would have a good batch. I gave up and bought the deluxe versions which are nice too, just more than I wanted to pay.
@@Booton91 It is a folding problem not a printing problem - but they are indeed all like that.
@@stu356 I had concluded it was an issue somewhere in manufacturing or shipping but it's the first time I've come across such a thing and it seemed remarkable that it affected unfinished tales and the silmarillion.
@@Booton91 I suspect it is more noticeable on the matte jackets than on the more normal laminated jackets, which is why we see it on the HarperCollins editions to varying degrees, irrespective of who prints them.
Gosh, you blindsighted me at 08:43, despite your warning. I like the red slipcase but the covers are *garish* and to me off-putting, even revolting, somuchso that it really looks like an american release which... gosh I just had to take a losec capsule with the reflux off this, having been minded of take-away curry, *after* the fact.
My word, who was allowed to choose this "palette" here at Harper Collins? The usual guy must've gone away on 'oliday...
We would very much appreciate if you spend more time shooting the inside of the books, for the only thing the camera likes to auto focus correctly is your countenance 😅 Appreciate the good work.
Haha very diplomatically worded! I will do my best to oblige.
At last!🥰
sumptuous
The only word that HarperCollins knows to describe new products haha.
The orange face hurts us
Please show the bindings and spine in more detail - open to the middle and how it moves as the pages turn. Binding is one of the most important aspects of a books quality
If you want it badly enough, that wouldn't matter.
Whether or not someone gets a book based on binding or where it's printed ahead of any other aspect of the book is a mystery to me.
@@insurrbution Consider: why would someone buy this expensive version of a book when they could get the same text for very cheap, or even download it for free? Answer: For the improved quality. How do you tell how good the quality is? A few factors here, but binding is one of the key indicators.
@@ActuallyJamesS The point I was making, was that if somebody is interested enough in a particular edition, that may not matter to them.
I'm talking about the text itself or another cheaper alternative copy, I'm talking about a particular title.
For instance, I wonder if those that are opposed to books that are printed in China have ARTIST & ILLUSTRATOR and THE ART OF THE HOBBIT and THE ART OF THE LORD OF THE RINGS, because they're printed there. If that person wants those titles badly enough, they won't care. Because the alternative is NOT having them.
@@insurrbution How is any of that relevant to this video or this comment though? The man just asked for the binding to be shown in more detail when doing a luxury book review, as binding quality is an important part of a luxury book. China and random specific other titles are completely irrelevant.
@@insurrbution "if somebody is interested enough in a particular edition, that may not matter to them" - Which would be fine if people came here thinking I'm going to buy/not buy this book no matter what I see in this video. Remember what the primary purpose of a review is. People come here to help them decide if they are interested, if they do want to buy the book. If they care about quality (which you should if you're spending this much on a book) and the binding is not shown, they may leave unsure.
I recently acquired the 2004 edition (that one 1:08). I bought it brand new, but I've never been sure, if that is the 2004 edition, does it mean that my version was printed back then? which would mean that it has been stored all these years in a book store?? (I got it just a few days ago, during 2021). btw great video, congrats.
Nah it just means that this edition of the book was first published in 2004 and hasn't been altered since then. They can go on printing for years without needing to change the copyright page if there have been no changes.
@@TalkingTolkien Awesome! Thanks for the info, great channel btw, greetings from Chile.
Have you seen the just-announced Harper Collins hardcopy illustrated Special edition of LOTR, in a slip-case? It looks amazing. Only 5000 copies will be run off the first printing. I just pre-ordered for $150 Canadian.
Lol. You mentioned it here at the end, sorry.
Hi, are you italian?
Do you have link to the book but ships to America
I got the both too.
Does your copy have a misprint like my one? It's on page xxiv near the bottom of the main text, where the footnote about Elrond is duplicated in the middle of a sentence.
Quite disappointing to have a glaring editorial error like this in a Deluxe edition.
Mine had a dent in it too
Wow that's beautiful
Thanks for the info! Just what I needed. Is the layout and materials all the same with the new versions of this and the hobbit and lotr Alan lee bind up?
I see I've been unlucky. The picture on the front of the book is not well centred on mine. I asked for a replacement. I wouldn't normally do that, but given the price you would expect a certain standard of quality :/
Actually the sticker is not centered on the deluxe edition ...
Oh you didn't showed the pages of delux edition
But still do you prefer the Ted Nasmith one or this one?
Both are by Ted or what are you referring to?
There's now 4 illustrated editions by Ted Nasmith:
- original 1998
- 2004 oversized
- 2008 paperback (features SOME of the illustrations from the '04 edition)
- 2021 hardback and collector's editions (all the images that were in the '04 one, PLUS 4 new ones that never appeared in any illustrated edition)
Lovely and informative review. Where do you get your clear covers for the standard hardbacks?
Thanks! I get them from ebay - clearsleeve dust jacket protectors. Comes in a roll.
Any news on a new Hobbit Deluxe edition? I have been looking for a 2004 deluxe 1st edition but cannot seem to find any available. I have a 2004 deluxe edition printed and bound in China, but would like the 1st edition printed in Italy.
Nope. Zero news.
Kinda prefer the hardcover version
When wil you be doing another video ?
Why can't I find these in the states?
Fantastic info. Subbing.
This mans voice is so calming
did your copy of the silmarillion non deluxe version come shrink-wrapped or not ?
It did not. I haven't seen any of the non deluxe HB come shrink wrapped.
@@TalkingTolkien Any idea why this is, mine came today and was ruined because of this
Book looks real nice
Gotta get that one
"jolly vivid"!
📚✅
personally I'm not a fan of illustrated books I'd rather use my mind to imagine what something looks like and not someone elses
What about original drawings? Although I think there are none originals for this book?
You should never use microphones while they dry.