The fourth volume that contains the early myths & legends which led to the writing of Tolkien's epic tale of war The Silmarillion In this fourth volume of The History of Middle-earth the shaping of the chronological & geographical structure of the legends of Middle-earth & Valinor is spread before us We are introduced to the hitherto unknown Ambarkanta or Shape of the World the only account ever given of the nature of the imagined Universe ccompanied by maps & diagrams of the world before & after the cataclyusms of The War of the Gods & the Downfall of Numenor The first map of Beleriend is also reproduced & discussed In The Annals of Valinor & The Annals of Beleriend we are shown how the chronology of the First Age was moulded & the tale is told of Aelfwine the Englishman who voyaged into the True West & came to Tol Eressea Lonely Isle where he learned the ancient history of Elves & Men Also included are the original Silmarillion' of 1926 & the Quenta Noldorinwa of 1930
- the only version of the myths & legends of the First Age that J R R Tolkien completed to their end