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: Very nice, but still left unsatisfied.
Summary: 4 Stars
I'll start with saying the Atlas of Middle-Earth is a great read. It's most definitely a fantastic addition to any Tolkien lovers collection. I in no way regret buying it.
It provides an in depth look at several interesting moments throughout the first, second and third age. Then it goes even more into detail with providing the travel paths Bilbo and the Dwarves took during The Hobbit, and Frodo and the Fellowship took during the Lord of the Rings. It also provides descriptive explanations at what you're looking at for each map, and how or why the map might have changed. It's great for getting a solid look at how the world has shifted over the ages, and provides a pleasant surprise to how Tolkien related it to our current world today.
On the downside it still does not provide any maps or information leading to the Far East, nor Harad, or the Iron Hills northeast of Mirkwood. This may be due to a lack of information provided by Tolkien on the areas at large. Or it may just be research that has not been brought to a close to add in. In any event, I was definitely a slight bit disappointed with the unsaid mystery that this book along with many others have left unexplained and uncharted.
As mentioned in some previous reviews. There are some small differences in the mapping, city scale and design, from other maps, artwork and of course the movies, that will leave you a bit in question. For example the layout and scale of Minis Tirith is a fair ways off for the conceptual design they used in the movie as well as some of the artwork you see in the illustrated novels. However overall the accuracy and detail of the book is absolutely fantastic.
I give it a four star review overall, which would've been a five had it provided some detail or explanation on the uncharted lands mentioned above.
I definitely recommend it to everyone I know who is a Tolkien enthusiast and do say the price for the quality is more than reasonable. You won't be disappointed with this book.
Book Review: The Definitive Reference
Summary: 4 Stars
I ought to preface this review by saying that I've had the opportunity to meet Dr. Fonstad, who until retiring recently was a cartographer in the Department of Geography at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, through a talk she gave in an introductory cartography class about her work.That having been said, if you're looking for a glitzy book of slick pictures of Bilbo, Frodo & Co.'s wanderings, don't buy this book. If you're looking for an exhaustively researched, meticulously prepared visual guide to Tolkien's world, don't look any further. Rather than detract from the Atlas, the hand-drawn plates fit in rather nicely, with a warm, old-fashioned feel, dovetailing nicely with the style of the books.
However, the Atlas is not a slave to Tolkien's words. There are many instances where what is described word-for-word in print is physically impossible, even by Middle-Earth standards. Rather than shoehorn her maps into these impossibilities, Dr. Fonstad chose to preserve Tolkien's vision of a believable world, and created a geographically consistent structure throughout. Far from heresy, this serves to enhance and reinforce the vision presented in the Atlas.
As exhaustive as the information in the Atlas is, it would be very difficult to come up with a perfect layout and presentation. It can be a bit difficult to use and sort through, especially when you first pick it up. But, with a little practice, and a little patience, it will serve you as faithfully as did the little map in the front of your paperback copy of The Hobbit the first time you read it.
Book Review: An excellent but flawed resource
Summary: 4 Stars
To be sure this is an wonderful resource for everyone from the casual reader to the Tolkien devotee. It puts onto paper what so many Tolkien fans must be struggling to visualize in their minds as they read his various works. It is indispensable for the lover of Middle Earth. In recognition of this awesome achievement and the fascinating images readers are made privee to by this atlas I give this four stars. That being said I was dissappointed with the rather large number of errors. No dedicated Tolkien enthusiast would be able to read this without cringing often over some inexplicable and obvious mistakes, some of which must be editorial (names and dates wrong, the text contradicting itself or conflicting with the maps, etc). As it stands the atlas can't be accepted as "canon" to a large degree. Also, while the cartographer/author is a fan of the books and the genre in general, she fails at times to substitute fantasy for logic. The "Primary World" she writes of provides too much inspiration for her while the "Secondary World" is repressed. She also does not seem to have an appropriate sensibility toward the elements of Medieval literature and Norse Mythology which were such an unmistakable impact on Tolkien and his work. For example, she describes the problems of how land forms could have developed quickly not fully granting the Valar the divine powers they deserve. I echo the call of one of the other reviewers for a newer edition. Perhaps I'm too hard on Ms. Fonstad, but she or someone else needs to replace what is currently available.Book Review: A Great Complement To the Books
Summary: 4 Stars
Again, this review is addressed to LOTR fans who have wandered onto this page and are wondering whether this book is worth their hard-earned money.Karen Fonstad brought the eye of a scientist to the art of Tolkien to produce one of the must useful supplements to LOTR and especially the Silmarillion that I've ever found.
Fonstad fills in many of the details of Tolkien's world, using her skills as a cartographer to make incredibly detailed maps and drawings (many taken from Tolkien's own maps and drawings that never made it into LOTR) of the locations in the books. You will now know exactly where everything in the novel is located and what it looks like.
However, this book is not really that much of a complement to LOTR. Tolkein described everything in that story in fairly explicit detail. The REAL strength of this book are the maps and detailed decription of the events BEFORE the journey of the hobbits. It includes many many detailed maps of the world during the first three ages, as well as summations of the history. You will finally know where the wainriders came from, how the war of the Last Alliance was fought, where numenor was, how the War of the Jewels was fought. The section on the Lord of the Rings is actually the least interesting part of the book (which is praising with faint damnation -- the only way you could know more about the journey of Frodo is if he'd been on CNN).
Book Review: Best Middle Earth Atlas Available
Summary: 4 Stars
I used this book to chart my way thru The Silmarillion, The Hobbit and the LOR books. To be honest, I am not sure I could have pieced together what happens after the War of Wrath geographically when at the end of the 1st age, Beleriand drops off into the ocean of Belegaer. While this book is not perfect it was certainly helpful. One of the most irritating and confusing aspects of this book was the muted color pallet. The color pallet is definitely not user friendly. One gets lost in the haze of muted colors. While the section cuts are helpful, they are not keyed to the maps leaving one trying to figure out where the sections are cut. All in all, if you are looking for an atlas to help you along thru the JRR Tolkien masterpieces, this did the job. A bit of warning, reading the text ahead of the books will spoil the plots! Look at the maps first, then after reading the applicable Tolkien chapters, read the Atlas text afterwards.