Robert Foster’s 1978 edition functions as a comprehensive concordance and dictionary for J.R.R. Tolkien’s secondary world. It contains thousands of alphabetical entries covering the geography of Beleriand and Eriador, the lineage of the Edain and the Eldar, and the chronological events of the First, Second, and Third Ages. The text provides specific dates, etymological roots for Elvish names, and cross-references to the events in The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings. It clarifies the distinctions between various ranks of the Valar, Maiar, and the historical migrations of the Hobbit clans.
This reference work serves scholars and dedicated fans who require precise internal data to navigate Tolkien's dense mythology. Readers use it to verify historical timelines, locate obscure landmarks on Middle-earth maps, and distinguish between characters with similar names. By the end of the text, the reader gains a structured understanding of the legendarium’s complex genealogy and the specific physical distances between regions like Gondor and Rhûn. It acts as a factual map for the literary landscape.
Outward-looking and clear-cut; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Evidence Seeker. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1978
- Language
- EN
