The Lord of the Rings books in order
Last checked: September 24, 2026, against tolkienestate.com
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1954 · Book
Start hereFirst book in the main order, first published in 1954. Cover from Google Books -
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About this series: sourced facts
Each fact is shown with its source and the date it was checked.
The series at a glance
Wikidata lists 5 works as parts of this series.
Source: wikidata.org, checked 2026-11-06Wikidata lists the publisher as George Allen & Unwin Limited.
Source: wikidata.org, checked 2026-11-06Wikidata lists a publication date of 1954 for the series.
Source: wikidata.org, checked 2026-11-06What the story is
Frodo Baggins and eight companions set out to carry the One Ring to Mordor and destroy it.
Source: lccn.loc.gov, checked 2026-11-06Wikidata lists the genre as fantasy, high fantasy and adventure fiction.
Source: wikidata.org, checked 2026-11-06Wikidata lists where the story is set as Middle-earth.
Source: wikidata.org, checked 2026-11-06How the series came to be
After The Hobbit (1937) did well, the publisher Allen & Unwin asked Tolkien for a sequel; he began it that December.
Source: tolkienestate.com, checked 2026-11-06It was first meant to be a short new adventure for Bilbo; Strider began as a hobbit called Trotter.
Source: tolkienestate.com, checked 2026-11-06About the author
Wikidata lists J. R. R. Tolkien as born in 1892 in Bloemfontein.
Source: wikidata.org, checked 2026-11-06Wikidata lists Oxymore as a pen name of J. R. R. Tolkien.
Source: wikidata.org, checked 2026-11-06Wikidata lists the occupations of J. R. R. Tolkien as poet, university teacher and translator.
Source: wikidata.org, checked 2026-11-06Wikidata lists J. R. R. Tolkien as educated at University of Oxford and Exeter College.
Source: wikidata.org, checked 2026-11-06Wikidata lists an award for J. R. R. Tolkien: Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature (1957).
Source: wikidata.org, checked 2026-11-06Wikidata lists an award for J. R. R. Tolkien: International Fantasy Award for Best Fiction (1957).
Source: wikidata.org, checked 2026-11-06Wikidata lists an award for J. R. R. Tolkien: Commander of the Order of the British Empire (1972).
Source: wikidata.org, checked 2026-11-06Wikidata lists an award for J. R. R. Tolkien: Ditmar Award (1978).
Source: wikidata.org, checked 2026-11-06Beyond the books
Wikidata lists adaptations of The Lord of the Rings (adaptations of works).
Source: wikidata.org, checked 2026-11-06Wikidata lists The Lord of the Rings (film trilogy, 2001).
Source: wikidata.org, checked 2026-11-06Wikidata lists The Lord of the Rings: War in the North (video game, 2011).
Source: wikidata.org, checked 2026-11-06Wikidata lists Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (video game, 2014), based on The Hobbit.
Source: wikidata.org, checked 2026-11-06Wikidata lists Middle-earth: Shadow of War (video game, 2017), based on The Hobbit.
Source: wikidata.org, checked 2026-11-06Awards
Wikidata lists an award for The Lord of the Rings: International Fantasy Award for Best Fiction (1957).
Source: wikidata.org, checked 2026-11-06Wikidata lists an award for The Lord of the Rings: Le Monde's 100 Books of the Century (1999).
Source: wikidata.org, checked 2026-11-06Wikidata lists an award for The Lord of the Rings: Prometheus Award (2009).
Source: wikidata.org, checked 2026-11-06Wikidata lists an award for The Lord of the Rings: NPR Top 100 Science Fiction and Fantasy Books (2011).
Source: wikidata.org, checked 2026-11-06Common 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.