Unearthed JRR Tolkien essays on Middle-earth to be published in 2021

The Nature of Middle-earth is out next June

A previously unpublished set of essays exploring Middle-earth by JRR Tolkien are set to be released next year.

The writing goes into detail about the world in which Tolkien’s beloved Lord of the Rings trilogy is set.

Physical and biological rules of Tolkien’s universe are explained in the pages, including details on Elvish reincarnation and certain characters’ and species’ ability to grow facial hair.

Approved for publication by the Tolkien estate, the new book of essays will be called The Nature of Middle-earth.

It will be published by HarperCollins next June.

Three hobbits in the Lord of the Rings film adaptation (New Line Cinema)

Chris Smith, deputy publishing director of HarperCollins, said: “For Tolkien, Middle-earth was part of an entire world to be explored,” said Smith, “and the writings in The Nature of Middle-earth reveal the journeys that he took as he sought to better understand his unique creation.”

Both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings were adapted into hit blockbuster films by New Zealand filmmaker Peter Jackson. 

A Lord of the Rings TV series, set in Middle-earth long before the events of the Jackson trilogy, is currently in production at Amazon.

The as-yet-untitled series will be released directly on Amazon Prime Video.