NOT what I EXPECTED from these TOLKIEN EDITIONS
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- čas přidán 4. 07. 2024
- We're looking at the Folio Society editions of The Hobbit, The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings...
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FYI - Ingahild Grathmer is a pseudonym used by the Queen of Denmark.
Her drawings were apparently used for the danish editions, and Tolkien himself noted the similarity to his own style.
These editions are on my list to pick up one of these days, specifically because I like the artwork.
One question I had about these is which edition of the texts do they use - ie, are the up to date with the current HC editions, or are they using the texts as they were when Folio Society originally starting printing these back in the 1970s
Love your channel!
Her drawings were not used in the Danish edition, unfortunately. They also the Eric Fraser re-drawings. The only place that I am aware of where the original illustrations are available is in the booklet that comes with the 4 CD version of the Tolkien Ensemble and Christopher Lee LoTR, which reproduces all of them. This is out of print/production. I have all her original illustrations in digital form - they are very different than the fraser illustrations, but you can clearly see how one inspired the other. I prefer Grathmer's originals as they have more soul.
I'm pretty sure the new Gyldendal editions use Margrethes illustrations.
@@fVNzO I believe that edition is still the Eric Fraser re-workings as used in the earlier Danish edition - I haven't seen any images of the inside of the 2021 books to confirm that conclusively though.
This is my favourite publisher of these titles. Fonts, cover design, illustrations, quality - everything is fine here.
Love me some Folio 😄
They are absolutely stunning! The illustrations, together with the golden foil on the cover, are something new. Glad you got them in your collection!
Thanks so much! 😊
Very nice. I like the green of the LotR Trilogy, but I would have loved a slightly different green for each book.
Wow I really like the illustrations for the Silmarillion. The fold out map is sweet too. Thanks for another great video!!
My pleasure!
Wow! Those illustrations really are striking. I, too, have been cool on these editions but seeing them in your hands I can only feel a bit of book buyer's shame. Thank you so much for sharing.
You’re welcome! 😃
Beautiful editions. They will make a fine addition to your already huge and stunning collection. Folio really produces some of the best looking books out there.
I totally agree! Cheers 😃
Lovely, just lovely! Thanks a lot for making this video 🙏
You’re welcome 🙂
Almost anything done by the Folio Society is absolutely first rate! The Hobbit is one of my favorite books (and sorry if this is sacrilege but I actually prefer The Hobbit to The Lord of the Rings as well as The Silmarillion, both of which I also really like and enjoy but don't adore with an undying love from the depths of my soul like many other Tolkien fans). My favorite editions of The Hobbit are: (1) the one illustrated by Alan Lee, (2) the one illustrated by Jemima Catlin, and (3) the fascimile edition of the very first Hobbit originally published in the 1930s. Of these three favorites, I most appreciate the look and feel of the Alan Lee edition, though all three are wonderful in their own ways. However this Folio Society Hobbit may very well have beaten all three! Now I must acquire it, like a dragon hoarding its treasures - ah, my precious! 😋
Wow. Very impressive. Am I the only one who holds these writings as though they are sacred texts? I am sure I am not.
Quite honestly, they’re practically sacred. There’s so much that contributes to western society and western fantasy from Tolkien’s works. And it had to be passed down and deciphered by subsequent generations (Christopher Tolkien and others) to compile them into cohesion. Printers preserve these works by constantly reprinting and checking for completeness and lack of transcription errors, and us buyers keep them in shelves all over the world in dozens of languages to preserve them.
I honestly believe that they are the modern equivalent of The Iliad and Odyssey.
They're amazing and need to be preserved for future generations, but Tolkien would be disturbed by such an attitude.
Beautiful. Now I want this set too! My F.S. collection is getting bigger than I started with.
FS has some fantastic titles and some impressive collections.
I followed a similar path as you: it took me a long time to warm up to these editions, but since I bought them, I absolutely love them!
Totally agree!
@@brewingbooks What do you think about the Easton Press editions?
Really beautiful!
5:15 I loved these
They’re wonderful true 🙂
Ohh wow, these editions are the ones I've been most tempted by -- they look gorgeous, but I've heard that they're not the most durable editions when it comes to readability (foil wearing / coming off in hands/ fingerprints on boxes). Would be great to get your thoughts/an update on these after you've read through them to see if you had any of these issues while reading...
Excellent video, keep up the great work!
Will certainly keep you updated. Let’s hope they don’t wear out! ☹️
I haven't had any of these issues and I have owned the Hobbit edition for many years.
I like that these have a unique character to them
Very nice editions and l wish I could have them. How much is the set and how can you get it?
I cannot understate just how sensitive to fingerprint oils the Folio Society's book sleeves are -- you will touch them once to place the book on your shelf, and those prints are there forever! (The actual book covers themselves are not nearly as sensitive). Just so y'all know!
Cheers for that! 🙂
Are you referring to the slipcases? That's good to know, thanks
Are you talking about some particular slipcase, I wonder? I have over 500 Folio Society books. I don't have such problem with a single one. However much I and my family grab the slipcases, I don't have any fingerprints on them, whether the plain paper-wrapped ones, or fancier cloth ones.
I do admit I wash my hands after eating BBQ ribs, perhaps that's the difference? :)
@@marcustulliuscicero2676 XD It's the paler slipcases, in my opinion! For instance, "A Wizard of Earthsea" really takes to even minimal fingerprint oils, and when the case catches the light it's always a bit frustrating to me, especially given the price points of Folio Society -- the book covers are _gorgeous_ and have no such issues on my end!
BBQ ribs oh my! Sorry, I laughed at that, thank you for commenting!
I do have a lot of folio society books and never saw them retain any fingerprints to be honest 😅
You should make a video regarding where to start as someone who is starting out their Tolkien collection!
Great idea! Thanks 🙂
Compared to the recent Harper Collins illustrated set (the ones with the Alan Lee illustrated dust covers), would you say that the folio society is worth the price?
They’re both great quality, and while Folio’s aesthetics give a sense of the classical and a more serious edge, I think Alan Lee’s illustrated box set tops it (pity there’s no The Silmarillion though)
Totally agree with you James! I own this set and no other edition has taken its place on the shelf, those volumes look so good. I also have the Easton press set, which is supposed to be better as it's leatherbound, and yet, there's something in this Folio edition that is magic! Thank you for the beautiful review!
What are your thoughts on the Easton press set? I’m interested in getting them but still not sure 😅
Very high-quality material-wise. On the down side I am not particularly fond of the gilt lettering on cover and spine. The green leather is a bit too dark for my tastes too. Definitely superior to Folio regular edition, even though, as I wrote, the Folio kind of looks better on the shelf. Oh, there are no illos except for the frontispiece, and maps are loose. A single volume would have been better for my tastes, but if you are ok with the lettering and the leather colour you can't go wrong with Easton press. Regards!
@@Carlo-V. thanks!
I have Folio Society's The Silmarillion (both the standard release and their Limited Edition), and their The Hobbit. I'm actually looking for a nice replacement to my worn PBs for LotR. I'm leaning towards the Harper Collins HB set with Alan Lee's illustrations over the FS release. One, their 1/3 the price, but secondly, I really like their quality and art design.. As I already have the same style Children of Hurin and Fall of Gondolin, I think they'd make a great addition to my library.
I would fully go for the Alan Lee illustrated box set. Good build, fantastic design and presentation, and as you say, much cheaper than Folio or some of the other editions considering you get the 3-volume LOTR and The Hobbit.
The quality of these books are exceptional. A must have for the Tolkien collectors
Absolutely 😃
I've been waiting for you to review these!
I think they have a Tolkien quality to them. And something about the black and white pictures seems to let my imagination thrive more, but I can't say why.
Thanks a lot! 😃
I still have my Allen & Unwin boxed 1974 hardcover edition in a single volume on india paper (fine paper like a bible). It is thinner than any single volume of the Folio editions and includes two large fold-out maps.
Wonderful! 🙂
Do you also have the corresponding Hobbit and Poems & Stories? Unfortunate they didn't do a Silmarillion in that style.
I own these copies! I inherited the Hobbit from my grandmother and I made a point of collecting the rest to finish the set. I adore them.
Of note, the older editions of.the Hobbit don't have a matching slip case. My original slip case is black and larger.
That’s fascinating! Thanks for sharing 🙂
These really are the definition of 'deluxe editions'. I must say I am tempted.
3:47 - Still missing the Thangorodrim at the top of the map. CT made a revised map in vol. 11 of 'The History of Middle-earth'.
Also on 4:11
I believe the reason for this omission was to keep the same map used for The Silmarillion, which coincides with the latest text. Using the revised map from HoME would have contradicted the published Silmarillion text when describing Thangorodrim’s proximity to the Elven realms.
I feel i had never heard the real british accent until clicked on this video. You speak in such a different way, it's impressive
Thanks, but I’m not British actually 😅
Wow, they are gorgeous. They look very practical and readable too, more book than ornament, ,if you get what I mean. I'm saving up for a Lord of the Rings set, would you recommend the illustrated edition or this one?
Thanks for your input 🙂 As for which to choose it depends. These Folio editions are great for collecting but their aesthetic style is admittedly not your typical Tolkien look, which may put off some collectors.
The illustrated editions, if you are referring to the illustrated by the author editions, are great for reading and for collecting (especially the deluxe versions). Illustrations-wise, although some are merely sketches, I’d still opt for these latter editions rather than the Folio ones. Hope this helps 🙂
@@brewingbooks that's super helpful, thanks for your thoughts!
I am torn between buying these or the Harper Collins Deluxe Quarterbound tomes. Which would you recommend? Harper Collins is $240 while these would cost over $380!
I’d go with the HarperCollins editions 🙂
Ingahild Grathmer forevigt.
Indeed 🙂
Love these editions. They're defo on my wishlist. 😎
I have the Harper Collins deluxe editions of the LOTR and the Silmarillion, the Harper Collins Alan Lee illustrated editions, and the Easton Press editions of the LOTR, Silmarillion, Hobbit, Beren & Luthien, etc.
The best for the money is definitely the Alan Lee set, but make sure to wrap Mylar over the covers because the dust jackets are cheap quality. However, my favorite edition to actually read from are hands down the Easton Press editions. There are no pictures in them except the title page cover, but they feel amazing in my hands and they scream of quality - everything from the paper, the leather, and the binding is all proudly made in the USA. As a reader who rereads his books almost every year, the Easton Press version is easily my go-to for reading.
Fantastic! Thanks for sharing your insights 🙂 I’ve been thinking about getting the Easton press set for a while but was not to sure. Thanks for clarifying 👍
"Grief proof paper" - I like it ; )
Stunning! Lack of maps in LOTR is a bit disappointing at this price point. However, they are so beautiful and of such Hugh quality my eye, I can always just use the Middle Earth Atlas. I may break down and purchase the Silmarillion.
Well said! The maps are one of the main highlights of LOTR so that’s always something to look for.
Question. What would you recommend for a good hard back copy of the Trilogy. I have the red pages edition, but with the size it is a bit harder to pack around. I was hoping to find the single versions. Which would you suggest? Ty in advance.
There’s always the Alan Lee illustrated box set with the 3-volume LOTR and The Hobbit. Hardback books, good quality, illustrated and separate volumes make it easier to read 😄
@@brewingbooks thankyou for the reply. I will have to look them up. I found a quick hit. It doesn't include the Hobbit which is fine. I have a nice hard back single volume of it already that I really enjoy. Thank you for the recommendation.
Best Trilogy Edition I can recommend:
The Hobbit - illustrated by Alan Lee
The Lord of the Rings - illustrated by Alan Lee
The Silmarillion - illustrated by Ted Nasmith
The 'illustrated by the author' standard hardback editions of those 3 titles (your 'trilogy') are also nice.
So which versions are the best to read. Folio or the illustrated Harper Collins.
I love Folio’s but the illustrated HC editions are a favorite of mine to read 🙂
The folio society has also made a (sold out obviously) numberd limited edition of the lord of the rings witch can not be compared to anything that we have seen
Yes indeed. Although I was rather underwhelmed by the aesthetic of that particular set. It looked great, but for the ridiculous price, I feel there are much better-looking editions out there.
THAT one was a actual, proper, FS Tolkien release.
I actually like these editions more. I don’t like that limited set and I don’t know why they are 1000 pounds since they’re not fully leather bound. And the aesthetic just doesn’t tick any of my boxes
Aside from being too expensive (with hefty shipping cost) the Folio Society version of The Hobbit is much lower in aesthetic quality than the older version of the book you can still find (e.g. on Ebay) illustrated by the author (Tolkien) published by some Houghton Mifflin Co. Just to get the idea, the price of this older version is equivalent to the shipping cost of Hobbit by Folio (from the UK to the USA).
Well said. I like these Folio editions but the price is indeed too high.
Good book review! Could you post what the cost is for these books in euros/pounds depend what currency you purchased it?
From Folios website these are priced as follows: The Silmarillion £60, The Hobbit £49.95 and The Lord of the Rings set £155.
I would like pages to be much more thicker in terms of density of fibers, I can't stand when text of other side vaguely visible on other side, a clear sign for me of cheap thin paper. Yes, with dense pages book would be less compact and smaller for taking it to read outside, but quality is better.
I completely agree with you about text being legible from the other side of the page. It’s not too bad in this case but still, it’s there …
Just WOW
hey where did you buy the books?
Hey! From the Folio Society website 🙂
These are my favorite in my collection. I too was rather indifferent about this collection, but I love them. These something about them that doesn’t shine through videos, but in hand… they’re stunning.
Well said 🙂
Some years ago I've ordered the Lord of the Rings set by the Folio Society, but unfortunately my copies were printed in China and it was a massive disappointment considering the price tag. (which is also a common issues with some Harper Collins editions) Of all my Folio collection these ones are by far the worst. The covers have started to fade, the paper quality is not the best and the print lacks contrast and punch. I can see from your review that yours are printed in Germany (at least the Silmarillion and the LOTR) and they look much better. I'll try to contact them and request a German printed copy of the Silmarillion. cheers
I heard about the China edition and the loss in quality, which is a shame really
I just got mine in the mail this week too! Stunning! 😍 You should get Easton Press next! They really will surprise you!
I'll check it out! Thanks 🙂
I wouldn't be so eager: they also printed a David Day book so their reputation has dropped substantially, in my eye.
Have you seen the new tales of Middle Earth trading cards ive never been a card collector but the art looks really good
They do indeed 🙂 It’s quite the set I must say 👍
@Brewing Books will you be collecting them and if so will you be showing them on the channel
@frank c Not for the time being for sure, as I’m more focused on books 🙂
I like these, though the spine on the Hobbit gets badly faded on most copies. Newer copies are not as good as the original as they shifted the printer. I would buy these second hand and not new.
I have the Chinese printed copies of the LOTR by Folio (18th printing of 2018). The spines are clearly faded and the overall print quality is pretty bad. The ones shown here are printed in Germany (at least the LOTR and the Silmarillion), so I suspect are of much better quality
Hmm, have held off buying these for a long time. Like you, I wasn't entirely sure of the style. Guess I'll give The Silmarillion a punt now. Not too keen on LotR in green and rarely reread The Hobbit anyway. Thanks for the review!
Your titles are getting clickbaitier with every video though 😅
they are nice .
Very! 😃
Love the covers and cover art. And their Colors too.
Red Hobbit 👌🏻
Green LotR 👌🏻
Blue Silmarillion 👌🏻
Perfect choices. The colors go with the themes of the stories.
Not impressed by the simple illustrations though.
Keep the covers and upgrade the illustrations and paper/book quality and I would invest. At least color the illustrations and add some color in the text. If you’re going to do black and white, then they better blow me away.
I was on the fence in getting these editions for a long time primarily because of the illustrations. I wasn’t too sure about them. But I have to say I’m quite enjoying them 😃
Agreed: aside from the quality of the book itself - which is, well, what FS is known for - they have pretty much no 'features.' Sure you get b & w chapter art....but look at FS;s other, non-Tolkien books. How many of THOSE have b & w art? None.
As far as FS editions go with regards to presentation, aesthetics....these are lame.
Seeing it's April Fools day it's getting more difficult with some channels to know if it's real or fake lol some it's obvious but others can pull it off really well lol. At least you can now start doing some baking with all that grease proof paper 😂
Haha the date does indeed make it a bit suspicious 😅 but I can assure you that that’s indeed how they’re wrapping books nowadays 👍
@@brewingbooks just looked at their site and the books exist lol although the greaseproof paper had me thinking "No Way" hahaha 👍 your collection must be vast. Hope you got plenty of space for all these new editions 😊
Grief-proof paper, you mean?
These books are so beautiful dear god
They are indeed 🙂
Not entirely apropos the video: I value the joy of a good physical edition of a book, and I have a copy of the Lord of the Rings that I like, but it bothers me some that it was printed in China.
I expect no physical faults, but I am troubled by the idea that my reading a beloved work only profited a soulless economic machine and not workmen and printers with more of an appreciation of/connection to the story, perhaps publishers based in the UK or US.
Thoughts?
Don't be a hypocrite. The USA and the UK also waged illigal wars . If you're so concerned don't buy books printed and published there, either.
The issue of printing Folio Society (FS) books in China is controversial and many long-standing FS collectors are not pleased. Quality is variable and the considerable decrease in FS production costs are not reflected in the price of these Chinese-printed editions. Personally, I avoid them as much as possible and I believe other FS collectors feel similarly. I think the FS bean-counters have finally caught on to this and now make a greater effort to print and publish their most important books in Europe, especially at L.E.G.O. in Italy and Memminger MedienCentrum in Germany.
the newest Folio Society Lord of the Rings editions (as seen in the video) are made in Germany. although, the Hobbit is made in China. not sure about the Silmarillion
Very nice books, although highly overpriced. No way the production cost is nearly the same in China as it was in Europe
The greatest question is: how much?
I expected an April's Fools and got a beautiful video instead
Shut up and take my money!
😆
I love Folio Society and have been busting my wallet lately xD But I never liked these LOTR editions. They seem boring and very non-fitting of their content in this case. -Something they got very right in their limited edition went horribly wrong here.
That was my first thought before purchasing, but I've come around since then. There's certainly something different than what we're used to seeing, but they have their own character and style as books.
The Ring Wraith on the Fellowship cover is not very scary looking, I have to say
I think it’s quite evocative. Although perhaps the Ringwraith illustration on the inside of the cover opposite the title page is a bit more eerie 😅
Are these still available
Why not go to the website and look 🤷♂️. I know the answer but not going to condone laziness like that…
@@quitefranklyjosh I’m sure he found out in the 2 months it took you to reply numbskull
Comes in at $275 CAD for the set.
👍
Any chance you could actually review your bookcase? My shelves are sagging with far less books than you have.
That’s actually not a bad idea 😅 Although my bookshelves have the same problem. They’re barely a couple 3 months old and the shelf houses g my deluxe editions is already sagging quite a bit 🙁 it’s something inevitable …
I'd be interested in seeing a video focused on the best LOTR paperback editions specifically.
Great idea thanks 🙂
but there's nothing 'special' offered in a paperback release: they're basic.
I'm so on the fence about boutique publishers like The Folio Society, The Heritage Press, and Suntup. I really dig the focus on quality paper, bindings, and textblock...but I take issue with many of their aesthetic decisions, namely their board decals and their selections of artists. I tend to disagree with adding drawings to books that didn't originally have them, but Suntup usually finds better pairings with artist/text. I also think their editions aren't wide enough in Length; they feel short. The pricing, although (mostly) justified (Suntup printing $1500 limited editions is just outrageous) is also a hindrance to dipping into their catalogs.
That _Silmarillion_ edition, however, might be something I'd get down the line. It's the only one that didn't seem to turn me off all the way.
Some interesting thoughts and insights here. Thanks for sharing!
I’ve been looking for a nice hardcover edition of Lord of the Rings and I think this might be it. Looks like a high quality and good looking edition, despite the green color. I don’t like the childish font on the cover of the Easton ones, it looks more fitting for Harry Potter than LotR.
While nice TOLKIEN books, these are pretty sad FOLIO SOCIETY books. Honestly: look at their other, non-Tolkien books to see what I mean.
I get what you mean. My reasoning was that they wanted to create something that is both a Tolkien book, but without making it seem so obviously like a Tolkien book and differ it from the countless other Tolkien publications with a similar feel to them. It’s unlike and like a Tolkien book in many ways. If that makes sense! 😅
it´s a pity folio society decided to print these in China...
China is a lot better than Italy if Harper Collins Rotolito in Italy is anything to go by
Do they print all their releases in China nowadays or just certain editions? Particularly interested about the asoiaf series.
@@LadyizraelRoM I have no idea, maybe just watch some asoiaf deluxe edition unboxing videos on youtube
@@LadyizraelRoM or send them an e-mail
@@LadyizraelRoM according to pontus presents they are printed and bound by lego in Italy