《精靈寶鑽》於1977年首次出版時，曾獲得以下的佳評： 「這本一個人寫作超過半世紀的作品，竟成為一群人的創作源頭，這是怎麼辦到的？」 ─衛報 「原本抱著創作英文神話的雄心，最後卻成了偉大的真神話！」 ─金融時報 「一部非凡絕美的創作……在其最佳時刻展現壯麗風華。」 ─華盛頓郵報 「一本嚴酷、悲傷、細密構思而又美麗不已的書，充滿著英雄主義與希望。」─多倫多環球郵報 此書敘述中土世界第一紀元的故事，遠比《魔戒》的時代古老許多，《魔戒》中的人物，如愛隆與凱蘭崔爾，都在這齣古老的戲劇中扮演了重要的角色。 書名《精靈寶鑽》是「精靈寶鑽爭戰史」的簡稱，描寫最有才能的精靈－－費諾所造三顆偉大寶石的故事；他將照亮諸神所居之地維林諾的雙聖樹的光芒收存到寶石之中。當黑暗之王魔苟斯摧毀了雙聖樹後，那璀璨的光芒唯獨活在精靈寶鑽中；魔苟斯奪走了寶石，將它們鑲在他的王冠上，他在中土大陸北方的堡壘，固若金湯的安格班中稱王。《精靈寶鑽》記載費諾與其族人背叛了諸神，流亡到了中土大陸，對魔苟斯這位巨大而可怕的敵人發動戰爭，寫下一連串精靈與人類絕望又英勇的故事。 本書除了最主要的「精靈寶鑽爭戰史」，還包含其他短篇：敘述創造之始的〈埃努的大樂章〉，描述諸神特性與力量的〈關於維拉與邁雅的記載〉，述說爭戰史之後的短篇〈努曼諾爾淪亡史〉，講述在第二紀元末努曼諾爾島上的王國沈淪滅亡的故事；最後，讓本書大功告成的短篇是〈魔戒與第三紀元〉。 作者簡介 托爾金生於1892年1月3日。在服完第一次世界大戰的兵役後，他展開了一段卓越的學術生涯，並且被推崇為世界上最優秀的語言學家之一。但他最為人所知的是：他是中土世界的創造者，以及《哈比人歷險記》、《魔戒三部曲》、《精靈寶鑽》這三大鉅著的作者。他去世於1973年9月2日，享年81歲。 此書編者克理斯多福•托爾金為作者的兒子。 畫者 泰德•納史密斯，土生土長於加拿大安大略省高德瑞契（Goderich）的泰德•納史密斯，童年生活大多在搬遷中度過，其間曾在法國居住過三年。他在青少年時期認識了托爾金的作品，從那時開始，便不斷將托爾金所寫的故事畫成圖畫。如今，在他的建築師生涯之外，他也是著名的托爾金詮釋者。他已經繪畫出版了三本托爾金的插畫月曆；能為《精靈寶鑽》一書繪製插圖，是他多年夢想的實現。目前他居住在安大略省得馬克罕（Markham）。 譯者簡介 鄧嘉宛，1962年生，英國新堡大學社會語言學碩士。從事翻譯工作多年，譯作十數本，另與康來昌合著有《與我共遊奇幻國度──魔戒導讀》（校園出版）

霍比特人长什么样？脚上毛茸茸的比尔博先生穿鞋了吗？矮人们给他的纸条是用什么语言写的？比尔博和矮人们从精灵王酒窖中乘桶而逃，“漂流”的河流是往南还是往北汇入密林河的？最受爱戴的《霍比特人》英国首版时经历了哪些波折？ 本书完全收录了托尔金为《霍比特人》所做的美术创作，包含上百幅速写、素描、水彩画、地图和平面图。它们一直深深地影响着大家对于比尔博巴金斯及其所在世界的想象。您能在书中看到这些插画的多种版本——从原始创意，历次修改到最终定型，它们或为首次出版，或经首次上色，都是珍贵的《霍比特人》历史瞬间。 关于《霍比特人》的艺术，您都能在这本书中找到答案。

With Peter Jackson's Acadamy Award-winning epic motion picture trilogy drawing to a spectacular and triumphant close, Gary Russell's detailed research takes us back into the world of Middle-earth, to relive all the visual drama and excitement of The Return of the King. The Art of The Return of the King illustrates the creative development of the film from sketch to special effect and features 600 images, most appearing nowhere else. This fully authorized book includes pencil sketches by Alan Lee and John Howe, costume designes by Ngila Dickson, magnificent full-color paintings by Jeremy Bennett, and prop designs, concepts, sculptures and digital artwork from Weta Workshop and Weta Digital. From Minas Tirith to Mount Doom, from the Army of the Dead to Shelob the monstrous spider, all the spectacular landscapes, characters and creatures are covered in stunning detail, including concepts that did not make it into the final film. To accompany this wealth of imagery, detailed and informative commentaries appear by all the featured artists and designers, together with a special afterword by Peter Jackson. Their personal thoughts and explanations offer unique and fascinating insight into how The Return of the King was brought to life. An artistic journey begun in 1997 reaches its glorious conclusion within these pages, giving the reader a unique chance to witness the creative process that led to one of the most spectacular movies of all time.

A companion to The Art of The Fellowship of the Ring, this authoritative and insightful book is packed with more than five hundred full-color images — many exclusive to this volume — and shows the development of the imagery in The Two Towers from concept drawings to wide-screen glory. With illuminating captions telling the story of the images in the words of the artists and designers responsible for the look of the film, including the renowned artists Alan Lee and John Howe, and contributions from Peter Jackson, Richard Taylor, Grant Major, Ngila Dickson, Paul Lasaine, and others, this book is a must for all fans of The Lord of the Rings. In this essential reference to the architecture and costumes of Jackson"s onscreen Middle-earth, the stunning large-format art, from sketches to paintings to three-dimensional maquettes and digital art, is lovingly reproduced with lavish production values to create a spectacular keepsake for the film"s millions of fans.

The ultimate celebration of the first Hobbit movie reveals the culmination of the creative vision for the film through exclusive interviews with the designers, cast and crew, and more than 500 previously unpublished photographs, written and designed by the team at Weta Workshop. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Chronicles - Creatures and Characters explores the amazing cast of heroes and villains, beasts and beings that populate Middle-earth in the first chapter of Peter Jackson's film adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit. Richly illustrated with behind-the-scenes photographs, digital renders and film stills, this comprehensive book goes species by species, character by character, through the film's huge ensemble of characters and bustling menagerie of creatures, both physical and digital, telling the stories of how each came to be realized for the film. In first-hand quotes from the actors, make-up artists, digital effects artists, dialect coaches, prosthetics technicians, movement coach and many other crew, the stories of the production unfold, processes are described and insights into characters shared. As a bonus feature, unique to this book, there is a special fold-out Character Size Chart, which compares all the major creatures and characters of the film, from Radagast's hedgehog friend to the towering Stone Giants! Compiled by Weta Workshop designer Daniel Falconer, and featuring a wealth of stunning imagery, this book puts the reader face to face with the Dwarf heroes of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the dark denizens of Middle-earth, such as Orcs, Goblins, Trolls and Wargs, and of course, the hobbit himself, Bilbo Baggins.

裘德·费舍尔女士的新著《魔戒魅影·双塔奇兵》其实并不比她的前作《魔戒魅影·魔戒再现》更需要导读，因为这两本书都是如此内容详实而行文生动。但是，既然能有机会在此加上一则短序，我也惟有希望这几句离题的话题不会有损的作品本身的美好和流畅了。