The Atlas of Middle-Earth (Revised Edition) by Karen Wynn Fonstad
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Book Reviews of The Atlas of Middle-Earth (Revised Edition)
Book Review: Without a doubt the most useful resource for knowing Tolkiens world.
Summary: 5 Stars
Yes I know about the errors but isn't to error to be human. I believe on one hand that if you are going thru all the effort to put out an outstanding work such as this you (being author, editor, publisher etc.) would make sure minor typos and wrong names in wrong places would be weeded out before sending off to the consumer. On the other hand I deeply feel that even with errors it falls in line with everything that Tolkien wrote about and stood for. He would have had a chuckle at the thought of an indept work such as this to have been full of the miscues. It is the same with all his characters in his world. He did show the true nature of all his peoples of Middle Earth and their ability to make errors of their own over and over again. So in the end that is not a big problem for me. This work has got to be the must own for anyone who has read and in deed loves the written works and wants more, craves more information. If any of you are like I am then you have read the books (numerous times) but still find things that escape me in this timeline or that history or this persons past... well this great read will help you finally find those answers you are continually looking for. Like one poster said if you are only working with the movies and then crack open this masterpiece... you may be at a loss on much of it. Mainly the early info. from the time of the Valar and such. Overall though I still would say that if you have a love for all things Tolkien then you will not go wrong with getting your stubby Hobbit hands on this work.
Sincerely,
The Gaffer
Book Review: Excellent
Summary: 5 Stars
I have read the Lord of the Rings (LotR) trilogy seven times. I have seen all the movies, good and bad, and seen many local productions. I have listened to many radio plays (the 13-CD BBC production is one of my favorites), often several times. I mention those just to say that my standards are high.Recently, I was looking for some detailed maps online. I looked many places. Most of them were disappointing and none met my needs. When I read the reviews for this book, I was very excited, but tried to keep my hopes in check. There was no need -- this book met my needs and then some.
The maps are done by a professional cartographer and it shows in the excellent quality and care for detail. The two-color (black and red, with shades) maps are drawn clearly and detailed. I never had to squint to read the lettering.
The summary sections are well-informed, with references for more support for the reader, and covering a wide area of time and topic. Look at the table of contents on Amazon and you will see the wide coverage. Split into sections by the different ages, the sections covering the LotR is detailed. Geographical areas are covered as are the travels of the different parties. Even tables of days and distance and speed are laid out very well.
The last section has information on landforms, climate, vegetation, population and languages. Interesting reading that was totally unexpected.
This truly is a work of love and worth every penny.
Book Review: Concise, yet some might find troubling
Summary: 5 Stars
Karen Fonstad's acclaimed atlas of Middle Earth, to some, has done justice to the focal topography of the region. I must say from a personal perspective that as a 1st time respective viewer of Tolkien's work, I cannot fully judge this atlas for it's accuracy but for it's informational status. Many reviews have proclaimed that Fonstad's approach to Helm's Deep and countless other regions have been fondled with completely. I sure can easily say that this has not yet phased me. What have though are the quality amounts of information I have checked upon with my multiple Tolkien references and my copies of the Silmarillian and the Lost Tales. I see absolutely no difference. Not long ago I had created a very successful paper on the 2nd Battle of Beleriand and the strategically prepared maps found on pages 28-on were very helpful on approaching the work in a concise and focused manner. Among these needless facts, the book contains multiple references to each individual route from each individual book Tolkien had written; each and every migration of Elves. Basically, if you worship Illuvitar in your basement and call your friends to slay Orcs over the weekend, you have the possibility of being disappointed. For the beginners in gear for a more advanced topic, be ready to devote every blood-sucking hour to Morgoth's cruelty against the Elves of Beleriand.Book Review: A must-have companion to the book
Summary: 5 Stars
The Lord of the Rings (LotR) is an incredibly complex story spanning hundreds of people (elves, men, dwarves, hobbits, orcs, etc) and thousands of miles. The geography is immense and it can be a little difficult to keep track of all the places and structures (unless you take notes as you read). The maps presented as part of the appendix is good, but not enough.The Atlas of Middle-earth is a superb companion not only to The Lord of the Rings, but to The Silmarillion, and to anyone interested in Tolkien. The book is ideally divided into ages (there are 3 ages described), with short descriptions of the significant happenings. The major battles of LotR are presented here, with maps that show major movements of all sides, plus tables that show how many troops were involved. It adds to the richness of LotR by giving the reader a good and firm perspective of the land the people live in, how they lived, and the battles fought. For LotR, you will be able to visulaize the movements of the Fellowship and realize how perfectly each of the separate movements (of the Companions) came together at the end--like an elegant chess movement.
Book Review: Enriching Your Middle Earth Experience
Summary: 5 Stars
The last time I re-read LORD OF THE RINGS I kept this book beside me. Every time Frodo's or Aragorn's journey changed I referred to the maps in Fonstad's book. I understood Tolkien's geography so much better that way. And I got a better understanding of distances and travel time (how far *is* Isengard from Rohan??). The maps are detailed, yet easy to read. Fonstad's text is enlightening as well. Not only are geographical maps included, but also architectural maps: Bag End, Rivendell, and more! For the Tolkien aficionado, Fonstad has mapped the Silmarillion and for the Tolkien neophyte she's included maps that accompany The Hobbit. A timeline of RINGS is included as well - very helpful since Tolkien, unlike Peter Jackson's movie, does not "intercut" between Frodo and Aragorn's stories, but instead spends many chapters with each.Why is this book better than the maps that Tolkien drew himself for the books? Because Fonstad traces the complete journey in several maps that show topography and routes taken.
I highly recommend trying to read Tolkien's books with Fonstad's maps close by for reference.