The 10 Best Books to Read After You’ve Finished Lord of the Rings

Just finished reading Return of the King, but not sure what book you should pick up next? Luckily, there are several amazing works of fantasy literature out there waiting for you, both within the world of Middle-Earth and beyond it. Let’s look at ten books that Lord of the Rings fans will love.

1. The Silmarillion (J. R. R. Tolkien)

If you love Tolkien’s world and want to discover more about its origins, then the epic myths and histories of The Silmarillion will definitely draw you in. Unlike The Lord of the Rings, which tells its story from the direct point of view of its characters, The Silmarillion takes place over the course of several thousand years. The tale begins with the creation of Arda, of which Middle-Earth is just a small part. It also details the rise of the dark lord Morgoth, to whom Sauron was but a servant, and explains how the heroes of the First Age rose to stop him. You’ll learn about the hidden city of Gondolin and the lost realm of Beleriand. You’ll also find out more about characters like Eärendil, Beren, and Luthien, who are all mentioned in The Fellowship of the Ring.

2. Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-Earth (J. R. R. Tolkien)

Once you’ve finished The Silmarillion, consider diving into Tolkien’s Unfinished Tales next. This book essentially adds extra scenes to the existing narratives, including The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and The Silmarillion. You’ll learn more about the travels of Tuor during the First Age, get a detailed description of Númenor, and find out what really happened when Isildur lost the One Ring during the disaster of the Gladden Fields. You’ll also get to read about the origins of Rohan, discover why Gandalf was so interested in reclaiming Erebor, and learn more about how the Black Riders found The Shire in their quest to locate the one known as Baggins.

3. The Atlas of Middle-Earth (Karen Wynn Fonstad)

Karen Wynn Fonstad’s Atlas of Middle-Earth is a must-have reference book for any Tolkien enthusiast. Inside, you’ll find detailed maps drawn by a professional cartographer that denote where specific moments from the books occurred. Several lines show you where the members of Thorin’s company and the Fellowship were on specific dates within the narrative. There are also drawings of the most iconic monuments and cities, including everything from Lothlórien and Minas Tirith to the inside of Moria and Mount Doom. Other maps give you a closer look at where everyone was during specific conflicts, such as the battle of Helm’s Deep.

4. Beowulf  (Tolkien Translation)

Beowulf is an epic poem from Viking Age England that helped inspire many of the foundational elements of Middle-Earth. It was originally written in Old English by an unknown Christian author and has been translated by numerous scholars, not least of which was Tolkien himself. The culture and language of Rohan has a direct tie to the ancient poem. Frodo’s valor in marching to Mount Doom, despite the assumed deadly nature of his quest, is an element of Tolkien’s story that’s also thematically similar to Beowulf. The version of the tale published under Tolkien’s name was released after the professor’s passing with the help of his son Christopher.

5. J. R. R. Tolkien: Author of the Century (Tom Shippey)

Tom Shippey’s Author of the Century offers its readers a closer look at just how much care and attention to detail went into the making of Middle-Earth. Though the title might suggest that it’s a Tolkien biography, Shippey’s book is actually more focused on analyzing the themes and literary influences that are present in The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion. Where did Tolkien’s languages come from, and how are the acclaimed author’s stories tied to Nordic and Saxon mythology? Author of the Century looks not just at Tolkien’s most popular works but the unpublished manuscripts and letters that he wrote about his world to answer these kinds of questions.

6. Tolkien and the Great War (John Garth)

Readers who are instead interested in taking a closer look at Tolkien’s life will definitely enjoy John Garth’s Tolkien and the Great War. In his early life, the author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings fought in World War I. This formative experience had a great influence on his works and helped shape some of their most famous scenes, such as the Battle of Pelennor Fields and Frodo’s passage through the Dead Marshes. The biographical side of Garth’s book backs the neatly written literary analysis that follows it and speaks to the power of fantasy escapism in times of crisis.

7. The Chronicles of Narnia (C. S. Lewis)

When Tolkien lived in Oxford, he became close friends with C.S. Lewis, the author of the Chronicles of Narnia series. Like Tolkien, Lewis’s writing has also had a major influence on the landscape of modern fantasy and has continued to serve as a gateway to the genre for many younger readers. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was the first published piece of Lewis’s Narnia series and is, therefore, the best known. The Pevensie children are iconic characters in their own right, but the less often discussed protagonists from the later books, such as Shasta and Eustace, make it worth diving deep into Narnia if you haven’t already.

8. The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún (J. R. R. Tolkien)

Tolkien’s love for poetry and songs plays a major role in all his books. Aragorn’s tale of Tinuviel at the foot of Weathertop and Gimli’s verses about the darkness of Khazad-dûm are two examples of how Tolkien uses this medium to help build the history of his fantasy world. Two of Tolkien’s most impressive poems are actually outside the Legendarium, in The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún. This publication draws from Norse mythology and weaves together new legends about classic heroes and villains like Odin, Loki, and Sigmund. It’s just as good a read for Lord of the Rings enthusiasts as it is for fans of the Vikings TV series.

9. The Way of Kings (Brandon Sanderson)

Ready to step away from Tolkien’s works for a bit and try something completely new? Brandon Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive series has a rich fantasy setting, solid characters, and an engrossing plot that’s sure to keep any Lord of the Rings fan hooked. The story begins in The Way of Kings, which establishes the world of Roshar, details the history of the Knights Radiant orders, and sets readers down in the middle of an enormous conflict. It’s a wonder how no one has turned this one into a movie yet.

10. The Broken Sword (Poul Anderson)

If you enjoy the way that The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion draw from real-world mythology, then you’ll also love The Broken Sword by Poul Anderson. The book takes place in the middle of a war between trolls and elves. It tells the story of the human Skafloc and his quest to reforge the famous sword Tyrfing. According to legend, Thor broke the weapon in order to save the World Tree, Yggdrasil. But in order to put Tyrfing back together, Skafloc must contend with a dark version of himself. Unlike other fantasy books, The Broken Sword is not a part of a series. Instead, it tells a complete narrative of its own.