What do you want?

J. R. R. Tolkien books in order

1 series · 3 books listed so far · Adult

Other books by this author are not listed here yet.

About: English writer and philologist (1892–1973) (Source: Wikidata) More about J. R. R. Tolkien

This list is still being checked. A year or a place in it may change.

Start here: The Fellowship of the Ring. Book 1 of The Lord of the Rings, the earliest series listed here (1954).

The Lord of the Rings

3 books listed so far
  1. 1 The Fellowship of the Ring book cover by J. R. R. Tolkien

    The Fellowship of the Ring

    1954 · Book

    Start hereFirst book in the main order, first published in 1954.
  2. 2 The Two Towers book cover by J. R. R. Tolkien
  3. 3 The Return of the King book cover by J. R. R. Tolkien

    The Return of the King

    Year: still checking · Book

Checked facts about J. R. R. Tolkien

Under each line: where it was read, and when.

Birth
Born in Bloemfontein, South Africa, in 1892. (Wikidata and the place's own entry; read November 6, 2026)
Pen names
J. R. R. Tolkien has also published as Oxymore. (Wikidata, citing tolkiensociety.org; read November 6, 2026)
Prizes
Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, 1957 (Wikidata, citing tolkiensociety.org; read November 6, 2026)
Prizes
International Fantasy Award for Best Fiction, 1957 (The Lord of the Rings) (Wikidata, citing ISFDB; read November 6, 2026)
Prizes
Commander of the Order of the British Empire, 1972 (Wikidata, citing The London Gazette 45554; read November 6, 2026)
Prizes
Prometheus Award - Hall of Fame, 2009 (Wikidata, with no reference of its own; read November 6, 2026)
Prizes
Nebula Award for Best Script: 2002, 2003, 2004. (Wikidata, citing nebulas.sfwa.org; read November 6, 2026)
Prizes
Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel, 1978 (Wikidata, citing locusmag.com; read November 6, 2026)
Prizes
Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, 2002 (Wikidata, citing thehugoawards.org; read November 6, 2026)
Prizes
Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form: 2003, 2004. (Wikidata, citing thehugoawards.org; read November 6, 2026)
Prizes
Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame, 2013 (Wikidata, citing locusmag.com; read November 6, 2026)
Prizes
Ditmar Award, 1978 (Wikidata, citing sfadb.com; read November 6, 2026)
Prizes
Mythopoeic Award, 1980 (Wikidata, citing Science Fiction Awards Database; read November 6, 2026)
Prizes
International Fantasy Award for Best Fiction, 1957 (Wikidata, citing ISFDB; read November 6, 2026)
Prizes
Mythopoeic Fantasy Award, 1981 (Wikidata, citing ISFDB; read November 6, 2026)

Topics in J. R. R. Tolkien's books

A linked topic opens its page on bookslike.app, with every book on the site that shares it.

Topics

  • Middle Earth

Report a mistake

Common questions

What order should I read a series in?

Start with publication order, the order the books first came out. When a series also has a story order that differs, the series page shows both and says why, so you can choose.

Which book should I start with?

Look for the Start here marker. It sits on the first book of the main list, unless the author's own page recommends a different first book, and the reason is printed beside it. It is not a ranking or a review.

What if an order looks wrong?

Tap Report a problem under the list and say which book looks out of place. No account or email is needed. Each report is checked against the sources, and the page is corrected if the report is right.

Does this site earn money from the links?

It can. If you buy through a store link, this site may earn a small amount. That never changes the list: which books are listed, their order, and the fixed order of the store buttons stay the same.

Where do these facts come from?

One page shows the sources and how the facts are checked.

All 11 questions