The Lord of the Rings Books in Order
The Hobbit and the three volumes of The Lord of the Rings in publication order, plus where The Silmarillion fits.
J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth books begin with The Hobbit, a shorter adventure written for younger readers, and continue in The Lord of the Rings, a single long novel usually published in three volumes.
The Lord of the Rings is complete. Tolkien's son Christopher edited and published more Middle-earth material after his father's death, starting with The Silmarillion.
4 books by J.R.R. Tolkien, in publication order.
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The books in order
- 1
The Hobbit (1937)
Bilbo Baggins is recruited by a wizard and thirteen dwarves to help reclaim their mountain home from a dragon.
- 2
- 3
- 4
Best Reading Order
Start with The Hobbit, then read The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King. The Hobbit is lighter in tone but sets up the story, and the three volumes are one continuous novel.
The Silmarillion (1977) covers the ancient history of Middle-earth. It reads more like a mythology than a novel, so most readers leave it until after The Lord of the Rings.
Looking for something similar once you've finished? Browse the read-alike lists or the other series guides.