The History of Middle-earth books in order A series by J. R. R. Tolkien
The History of Middle-earth series by J. R. R. Tolkien has 11 books (9 novels and 2 shorter works), from The Book of Lost Tales (1983) to The Peoples of Middle-earth (1996). Read it in order, starting with The Book of Lost Tales.
Reading order: 1 The Book of Lost Tales (1983) · 2 The Book of Lost Tales: Part II (1984) · 3 The Lays of Beleriand (1985) · 4 The Shaping of Middle-earth (1986) · 5 The Lost Road and Other Writings (1987) · 6 The Return of the Shadow (1988) · 7 The Treason of Isengard (1989) · 9 Sauron Defeated (1992) · 10 Morgoth's Ring (1993) · 11 The War of the Jewels (1994) · … all 11 below
Updated September 2026
All 11 The History of Middle-earth books in order
- 1.
The Book of Lost Tales (1983)
- 2.
The Book of Lost Tales: Part II (1984)
- 3.
The Lays of Beleriand (1985)
- 4.
The Shaping of Middle-earth (1986)
- 5.
The Lost Road and Other Writings (1987)
- 6.
The Return of the Shadow (1988)
- 7.
The Treason of Isengard (1989)
- 9.
Sauron Defeated (1992)
- 10.
Morgoth's Ring (1993)
- 11.
The War of the Jewels (1994)
- 12.
The Peoples of Middle-earth (1996)
The History of Middle-earth FAQ
- How many The History of Middle-earth books are there?
- There are 11 The History of Middle-earth books, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read the The History of Middle-earth books in?
- In publication order, starting with The Book of Lost Tales (1983): 1 The Book of Lost Tales (1983) · 2 The Book of Lost Tales: Part II (1984) · 3 The Lays of Beleriand (1985) · 4 The Shaping of Middle-earth (1986) · 5 The Lost Road and Other Writings (1987) · 6 The Return of the Shadow (1988) · … all 11 below.
- What is the first The History of Middle-earth book?
- The Book of Lost Tales (1983).
- What is the latest The History of Middle-earth book?
- The Peoples of Middle-earth (1996).
- Is the History of Middle-earth series finished?
- There have been no new The History of Middle-earth books since 1996; J. R. R. Tolkien died in 1973.
- Did J. R. R. Tolkien write other series?
- Yes: The Lord of the Rings.
More series by J. R. R. Tolkien
All J. R. R. Tolkien booksThe Lord of the Rings
4 books
Sources: series order and dates from Wikidata and Open Library. Last updated September 2026.