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246th out of 3,812 books
—
3,995 voters
A Tolkien Bestiary
by
David Day (Goodreads Author),
Nancy Davis
Here is the comprehensive reference guide for the millions of fans of the Hobbit and the Lord Of The Rings trilogy. All of the imaginary beasts, monsters, fauna, and flora of J.R.R. Tolkien's lush fantasy worlds of the Middle-Earth and the Undying Lands are presented in more that 100 black-and-white illustrations and 36 full color paintings. A Chronology of all the histori...more
Hardcover, 288 pages
Published
February 5th 1995
by Gramercy
(first published 1978)
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In ye olden days of the mid-1980s books and bookstores focused on money and power. Finances and the law were hot topics...elves and magic, not so much. So when I, a humble Tolkien fan, discovered this brilliant tome of all things Tolkien I nearly cried.
A Tolkien Bestiary is an illustrated collection of Middle Earth creatures. The drawings are stark, they are beautiful, they evoke emotion and brought to life the author's work at a time when there was little else to go on visually aside from - tho...more
A Tolkien Bestiary is an illustrated collection of Middle Earth creatures. The drawings are stark, they are beautiful, they evoke emotion and brought to life the author's work at a time when there was little else to go on visually aside from - tho...more
As with David Day's other book, 'A Guide to Tolkein', Characters of Tolkein is a comprehensive resource, listing the characters you are likely to come across during any exploration of the Tolkein mythos, be it reading the books, watching the films, or even playing Tolkein-based games. Excellent for those of us who want a better understanding of the subject material, whichever media you may choose to explore it in.
I came across an older version of this beautiful book in my high school library a few years ago. I'll admit, I would occasionally skip class sometimes just to go and read it. Though a lot of it covers what's already in Tolkien's Silmarillion, it is still a great source of knowledge. The pictures are beautiful, for all that they're strange and a little scary. They really capture the feel of Tolkien's creatures and world.
So when my 16th birthday came around, I asked my father to get it for me. He...more
So when my 16th birthday came around, I asked my father to get it for me. He...more
Apr 18, 2013
Dark-Draco
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
books-about-books
I feel this book should have had a different title, especially after reading the introduction. It isn't really about the characters, but is a bestiary of the differrent species, races, plants and animals that are mentioned in Tolkein's great novels. Because of the nature of the book, there is a lot of repetition - different species can have many different names and are often listed individually. The stories of these people are also repeated many times, which can get a bit tiring if reading from...more
If you've ready The Hobbit & LoTR, this will recap all of that, and introduce you to the entire Tolkien world (all Ages and all of the key players). It's written documentary style, but has all the iconic art you normally associate with Tolkien's work (and incidentally used in the movie). Just does a SUPER job of summarizing everything in terms of beasts and beings.
This is actually what got me more determined to continue reading the Silmarillion--just about the hardest read I've ever encounte...more
This is actually what got me more determined to continue reading the Silmarillion--just about the hardest read I've ever encounte...more
Although there are movies to give visuals, and tons of books about Tolkien's beloved fantasy world, the Tolkien Bestiary stands out to me. It is definitely worth reading. I really love the artwork in this book; no, it's not by Alan Lee or John Howe, but the art is beautiful in its own right and doesn't need to be compared to them. I like the way the creatures are drawn; a bit more "medieval" in style, which I think adds to the overall feel of a fantasy world. The illustration of the "Thousand Ca...more
Thoroughly engaging and informative, this book is so, So, SO much more than a simple bestiary of Tolkien's worlds. It is almost a complete history from the Making of Arda ----> and beyond. Reading it one can see at a macro level all that has transpired of note.
It details races, animals, monsters, EVEN TREES! Major events are also prominently featured in beautifully rendered color artwork. It is truly a work that I believe Tolkien would have been proud to see affiliated with his universe. Exce...more
It details races, animals, monsters, EVEN TREES! Major events are also prominently featured in beautifully rendered color artwork. It is truly a work that I believe Tolkien would have been proud to see affiliated with his universe. Exce...more
Although you will find many detractors from David Day's work, it has come to my attention that this book is 100% accurate.
Many people who claim that David Day's compilation is "trash", are those who insist that he makes up entries to satisfy white space.
This could not be further from the truth. Being a Tolkien enthusiast, I have done a great deal of searching throughout Tolkien's books, letters, and notations made by Christopher Tolkien. In my search, I have found evidence of direct citations us...more
Many people who claim that David Day's compilation is "trash", are those who insist that he makes up entries to satisfy white space.
This could not be further from the truth. Being a Tolkien enthusiast, I have done a great deal of searching throughout Tolkien's books, letters, and notations made by Christopher Tolkien. In my search, I have found evidence of direct citations us...more
Basically an encyclopedia of Middle Earth, in the form of a medieval bestiary. Worth the time for the illustrations alone, and also a handy reference for anyone who gets bogged down by all the races (there's about a million different types of Elves, and David Day handily gives the history of each group and their alternate names).
A sumptuous feast for the eyes to any lover of illustrations or fantasy art. Almost refined to a science, Day lists in logical order every beast, humanoid, age and other major Tolkien factoids.
But the illustrations, created by various artists from across the fantasy art spectrum, is what drew me in.
But the illustrations, created by various artists from across the fantasy art spectrum, is what drew me in.
i found this book to be chalk full of useful and cool things to know about the world of Middle earth. i feel like a pro on all things Tolkien now. it talks about histories and creatures and peoples that you might not get fully from the books and characters that you want to know more about.
Feb 08, 2011
Josh Shearer
added it
One of the most interesting books I've read, it's not quite a novel, but it does have a great deal of prose. David Day, an artist responsible for a great deal of art inspired by Tolkien's creatures, here gives us a book dedicated to them. Within are his own artistic interpretations of the beasts, along with in depth histories and descriptions of each species' specific qualities, from habitat to primary diet and so on.
A nice visual companion to the events and characters of Tolkien's lore. It covers selected events from the first to the third age. A bargain buy usually available at most Barners.
Must have for a lover of his World and Mythos. Ian Miller does an amazing Cover and many other illustrators including him are found through out.
A really well-made book. It is a great companion when you read any of the Middle Earth books, and can even be read on its own, which is what I did. The pictures are great, too.
Just keep flicking through it and comparing to what I have read...which makes me want to re-read (again) the LOTR!
My favourite book from childhood. We lost it when we moved when I was 11.the family still talk about it reverently.
I love this book, both for laying out the order of events in the world, but for the wonderful illustrations.
in case your proper fantasy needs a hand... (off course, now with the movies all has changed)
I loved this when I was 13 - not so excited about it now I'm nearly 50 but hey! X
A wonderful compendium to Tolkien's work. If you are a fan, you will want to read this.
a wealth of information and history of Tolkiens Middle Earth, Undying lands and the peoples and creatures therein. Full of fantastic artwork too.
Are you getting ready for The Hobbit? This is a great reference book.
loved it, it changed my life after reading all Tolkiens work
A nice quick reference guide to the world of tolkien
Tolkien Bestiary by David Day (1984)
Very very cool~!
This is a terrifically fun reference work on Tolkien's world, with some of the best illustrations of Tolkiens legendarium ever (I am not much of a fan of most Tolkien illustration, so I am saying something here). It includes the only satisfying representations of the elves, to my eye, that I have ever seen.
The text itself was composed after The Silmarillion, but before Unfinished Tales, so that many key ideas and much information revealed in the latter work are not reflected here.
The text itself was composed after The Silmarillion, but before Unfinished Tales, so that many key ideas and much information revealed in the latter work are not reflected here.
it was kind of a dry book and extremely repetitive.
i think that this is a very interesting book.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tolkien's T.C.B.S: Origins of Orcs | 1 | 3 | May 15, 2013 05:59am | |
| Tolkien's T.C.B.S: Wolf Riders, Werewolves and other ‘magical’ animals | 1 | 3 | May 15, 2013 05:57am |
David Day (b. 14 October 1947 in Victoria, British Columbia) is a Canadian author of over forty books: poetry, natural history, ecology, mythology, fantasy, and children's literature. Internationally he is most notably known for his literary criticism on J. R. R. Tolkien and his works.
After finishing high school in Victoria, British Columbia, Day worked as a logger for five years on Vancouver Isla...more
More about David Day...
After finishing high school in Victoria, British Columbia, Day worked as a logger for five years on Vancouver Isla...more
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Jun 20, 2012 06:35pm
Lol!
Jun 20, 2012 06:42pm