# Help with the "Black Edition" books



## joybanes (Dec 12, 2005)

I'm looking for info on the so called "black edition" books. It's a 6 volume set. I have a chance to buy the whole set for $140. I'm trying to find info on it to see if it's worth it. Can anyone please tell me what so special about this 6 volume set? Thanks.


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## Maeglin (Dec 12, 2005)

If this is the set I think it is, its far from being worth 140 dollars, as I've seen it for 70 in places. Nothing is particularly special about it other than what you said, its a 6 volume set.


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## Erestor Arcamen (Dec 13, 2005)

I've never heard of the black editions, are the six sets like, the 6 books separated?


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## Wolfshead (Dec 13, 2005)

I think I have that edition. They're quite new and were published by Harper Collins, yes? You really shouldn't have any difficulty finding them - I just bought all six from a bookshop two or three years ago.


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## Maerbenn (Dec 13, 2005)

*joybanes*, you might want to consider the recently corrected 50th Anniversary Edition of 2005 (not 2004!) instead.


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## Maeglin (Dec 13, 2005)

Erestor Arcamen said:


> I've never heard of the black editions, are the six sets like, the 6 books separated?



Yes, each book with its proper name that Tolkien had originally given to them.


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## Noldor_returned (Dec 13, 2005)

Please don't be silly and spend $140 on those. Spend them on the special editions, as said 2005 anniversary editions


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## Wolfshead (Dec 14, 2005)

By the black edition are we talking about these?


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## Maeglin (Dec 14, 2005)

No, we're talking about a 6-volume set with each book completely separate from the others.


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## Wolfshead (Dec 14, 2005)

Maeglin said:


> No, we're talking about a 6-volume set with each book completely separate from the others.


So am I. That was just an example of what they look like. That was the RoTK.


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## Maeglin (Dec 14, 2005)

ahhh sorry about that, I was thinking that was RotK with both the books in one. But if that's just RotK then I think that is the one we're talking about, as that looks very similar to the set I've seen in bookstores around me.


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## Wolfshead (Dec 14, 2005)

Maeglin said:


> ahhh sorry about that, I was thinking that was RotK with both the books in one. But if that's just RotK then I think that is the one we're talking about, as that looks very similar to the set I've seen in bookstores around me.


Hmm, we could be talking about different things after all. That was both the RoTK books in one. There _are_ six in the collection - FoTR, TT, RoTK, TH, UT and The Sil. But I think you meant six books, as in the six books of LoTR?


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## joybanes (Dec 14, 2005)

The books I am talking about are the ones that wolfshead has on his link. heres one you can look at, http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8360579025&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1 
The only place I find them at is on ebay. They are getting harder to find and I cant find them in any book store around my area. They call them the "black edition" in ebay. It is not there official name it's just an ebay nickname. And what's this 2005 anni. ed. your talking about? Is it just the LOTR or all of his books? I would like to chek it out. This is my first time here and I seem to like it. Lots of good info. Thanks guys.


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## Maeglin (Dec 16, 2005)

Wolfshead said:


> Hmm, we could be talking about different things after all. That was both the RoTK books in one. There _are_ six in the collection - FoTR, TT, RoTK, TH, UT and The Sil. But I think you meant six books, as in the six books of LoTR?



I did mean as in the six books of LotR, but no worries now since the ones in your link are the ones being looked for.


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## Alcuin (Dec 16, 2005)

I don’t remember that book, but it clearly exists. Amazon lists it. A quick search on Google shows several hits for _Tales from the Perilous Realm_ from a number of reputable retailers, plus an audio CD from the BBC Radio Collection. I looked a few hours ago, and the book is still available directly from its publisher, HarperCollins, but only as a paperback. (At HarperCollins, look under "Books" → "Other Books" → "click ... available titles", the little red book on the right. They are the publishers of Tolkien's works.) You might call them and see if there are any hardback copies still about; you never know what might be in the warehouse if you find the right person.

It looks as if it is comprised of some the material in _The Tolkien Reader_ plus _The Smith of Wooten Major_.

It looked to me as if the eBay auction you linked went out without a bid and was restarted as a new auction.

(Allen & Unwin, the original publisher, was sold to HarperCollins in 1990, including rights to the Tolkien printed material, reportedly over the objections of Rayner Unwin. Allen & Unwin's Australian directors bought the company name and part of its business; they now own the Allen & Unwin imprint. This firm sells audio CDs of Tolkien’s material.)


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## wizard2c (Dec 17, 2005)

Maerbenn said:


> *joybanes*, you might want to consider the recently corrected 50th Anniversary Edition of 2005 (not 2004!) instead.



The 50th Anniversary Edition is very attractive.


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## Supernita (Dec 17, 2005)

This "black edition" set you're referring to isn't really a set at all I'm pretty sure. If you're referring to the list at the bottom of the listing....
THE SILMARILLION
THE HOBBIT
BOOK OF UNFINISHED TALES
ROVERANDOM
TALES FROM THE PERILOUS REALM
THE LORD OF THE RINGS (3 Book Boxed Set).

I have all these books except Roverandom (which has absolutely nothing to do with LOTR by the way, in case you didn't know) with the black cover, and I purchased them all separately. You should be able to just go to Amazon.com (or .uk or whatever you use) and order them, or go into any bookstore and get them. Roverandom was slightly overpriced at $13 CAN, but the rest of them were either $9.99 or $10.99 CAN each. Either way, definitely not worth $140. If this is in fact what you are looking for and can't seem to find them anywhere, I know for a fact they're selling each one of those in my local bookstore and would be willing to purchase them and set up an eBay auction for you if you'd like. If this isn't what you were looking for then sorry for wasting your time with my useless babble


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