J.R.R. Tolkien is famous for his unique literary creation exemplified in The Hobbit" " The Lord of the Rings" & " The Silmarillion". He also produced a vast amount of further material that expands upon the stories that were published & which gives added life to the tales of the hobbits Gandalf & the quest of the Fellowship as told in " The Lord of the Rings". It was to this task of literary construction that Tolkiens youngest son & literary heir Christopher applied himself to producing the series of twelve books " The Complete History of Middle-Earth". This hardback edition brings together volumes six to nine of " The History of Middle-earth": " The Return of the Shadow" " The Treason of Isengard" " The War of the Ring" & " Sauron Defeated". Together these books give a complete account of the writing of " The Lord of the Rings" & provide the reader with numerous additional scenes together with rare maps & illustrations which never made it into the final book including the epilogue in its entirety."