HarperCollins has a new illustrated edition of the J.R.R. Tolkien classic The Hobbit coming out. The book includes 50 paintings, maps, and drawings made by Tolkien himself, and will be available in hardcover tomorrow, September 19. It’s available to purchase now (see it at Amazon).
The Hobbit Illustrated Edition
This new edition of The Hobbit follows similar editions of Tolkien’s other books featuring the author’s hand-drawn maps and artwork. There’s The Lord of the Rings Illustrated, which came out in 2021 and The Silmarillion Illustrated, which arrived last fall.
The Hobbit Illustrated will feature a forward by Christopher Tolkien, with additional notes from Tolkien scholars Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull. Here’s an exclusive look at one of the spreads you’ll find in The Hobbit Illustrated:
Originally published in 1937, The Hobbit has gone on to sell over 150 million copies over the years. It tells the story of Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit and unlikely hero, who goes on a grand adventure to the lair of Smaug the Dragon. Along the way, he comes into possession of the One Ring, an accident that will have some pretty sizable consequences in the years to come, as told in The Lord of the Rings.
The Hobbit was adapted into a trilogy of films directed by Peter Jackson that were released between 2012 and 2014. But it all started with this book. And with this new edition, you’ll get the clearest idea yet of the visuals J.R.R. Tolkien imagined while putting pen to paper.
The Hobbit: Illustrated Deluxe Edition
- See it on Amazon UK - £113.99 (plus £9.50 delivery)
A deluxe edition of the book is coming out in the UK (no word yet on whether it will also come to the US). You can preorder it from Amazon UK and it'll ship to the US for a delivery fee of £9.50.
Chris Reed is a deals expert and commerce editor for IGN. He also runs IGN's board game and LEGO coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @_chrislreed or on Mastodon @chrislreed.
