There Are Way More Books in the Lord of the Rings Universe Than You’d Think

Few books have stood the test of time as well as the Lord of the Rings books. The fantasy epic series was first published in 1954, and since then has stayed in the public consciousness through movies–two Peter Jackson trilogies have depicted both the original books and their prequel The Hobbit–and television, as Amazon Prime Video has once again ignited excitement over J.R.R. Tolkien’s acclaimed books with its new television series Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. It’s one of the most expensive television shows ever made, and isn’t even based entirely on the books.

Part of the reason Lord of the Rings has lasted as long as it has is because the books contain the universal battle between good and evil forces, and center on a cast of characters you can’t help but root for. If Lord of the Rings is still new to you, or maybe Rings of Power was your first introduction to Tolkien’s vast world, you’re not alone. There’s no better time to get into Lord of the Rings with all the adaptations out (plus a healthy number of supporting materials, like The Simarillion).

Whether you want to be a casual fan and simply read the main books, or go all in, consuming all of the other books and potential spin-offs and adaptations going along with the original series, there’s a lot of Lord of the Rings content to consume. But first, here’s how to find the books, along with any other Tolkien material you might want to read along with it.