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Suggestions: Find yourself a map of Beleriand (Fonstad's "Atlas of Middle-Earth is the best thing ever), also consult the family tree of Finwë when needed.
Stephen King had someone write a concordance for the Dark Tower series, so I'm sure Rich has copious notes on past events.
And if you're going to read O'Brian, you need a copy of <em>A Sea of Words</em>, which is a dictionary created by rabid O'Brian fans.
"Marthambles", what a lovely name for a disease!
This is why they were idiots for getting rid of the 50-80s "deep doctrine" McKonkie/Nibley/etc. types. Our parents all had bookshelves of what were effectively the Encyclopedia of Wheel of Time or Game of Thrones but for Mormonism.
Then they decided that members should only read approved sources and most of that died away and so we were bored stiff and satisfied our curiosity by reading things wholly unrelated to the church and learned about science and history and psychology and oops it's become painfully clear that all those Mormon approved sources aren't compatible with reality.
It doesn't hurt to be more knowledgeable about seafaring, because it will help to unpack some of the denser maneuvers and the like that are a big part of the battles and cutting-out expeditions, and suchlike. Luckily there are a number of companion volumes aimed at lubbers that will help. I picked up this one on my first run through, and it helped get a handle on things. It's still sometimes frustrating to have to look up a number of different terms all at once, but once you have a better sense of them the action flows a little smoother, imo.
But no, I wouldn't say the later books are overburdened with impenetrable naval terminology, or at least none that I remember as being particularly bad. There are some really terrific scenes that I remember vividly coming up for you, too.
If you do decide on Mythology by Edith Hamilton, be sure to buy the 75th Anniversary Edition. Beautiful book, worth it for the illustrations alone :)
Speaking of maps, you'll probably be a very happy camper if you reward your new achievement (and prep for the Silmarillion) by spending around $20 for this atlas. Helps with not just locations, but populations, battles, journeys, and even timelines. Indispensable and so readable you'll sit with it just turning the pages, not only for reference.
And congratulations on completing your first read of Hobbit and LOTR! Be sure to check in here as you go while reading the Silmarillion. First-time readers have a special honored place here :-)
OP, this is the correct answer right here.
And even if you aren't looking for a whole book, you should still get Fonstad's Atlas. It's a bargain and gives you way more info than a mere book of maps. I once read it nearly cover to cover.
Lexicon Urthus: A Dictionary for the Urth Cycle, which is an encyclopedia of people, places, and terms used in BotNS, has a summary of all the Severians. It also has a lot of commentary and analysis that might not be obvious upon one's first read, so it's a book I recommend all Wolfe fans get, alongside others like Solar Labyrinth.
Not exactly an Encyclopedia, but The Atlas of Middle Earth by Karen Wynn Fonstad is excellent.
Everything is incredibly well sourced (including showing you exactly where in the texts she gets her information) and I personally consider it the most accurate and "essential" book on Middle Earth not written by a Tolkien. It has a ton of information, and maps to accompany all of it. It is a lot more than just maps though.
Looks like you can snag it used on Amazon for less than $10 too. https://www.amazon.com/Atlas-Middle-Earth-Revised-Karen-Fonstad/dp/0618126996
That's a good analogy lol. I've found it helpful to refer to Gravity's Rainbow Companion prior to starting each chapter, then when I'm confused, refer to The Gravity's Rainbow Handbook.
A friend told me he thought I was insane for reading two guides just to be able to get through the book but that's part of the fun for me
I also recommend getting Lexicon Urthus: A Dictionary for the Urth Cycle, which is an encyclopedia of people, places, and terms used in BotNS. It includes a lot of commentary and analysis that might not be obvious upon one's first read. The same author also wrote an excellent chapter guide that provides a lot of insight, such as allusions to other works that may have escaped the reader. Turns out Wolfe makes a lot of them.
Yeah. The book even admits this in its Introduction, which you can actually read it on Amazon.
The Introduction explains this- Amazon.
Take a look at the book's Introduction on Amazon where actually it states this!
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I found a few on my first go through—the most famous is 'Bela' which is deliberate!(it was kind of a tongue in cheek joke for the fans)—but I did not bother to make a list of them.
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Though it is very far from the thoroughness of the extravagant 'Tolkien's World from A to Z: The Complete Guide to Middle-Earth', as a lot of stuff is left out—Aiel 'bridal wreath' for example—of tWoT's version, while Tolkien's includes—everything—including the kitchen sink.
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I say that it is still worth getting. But, like pointed out, some entries need to be taken with a grain of salt.
This, OP. Buy it. It's cheap. It's indispensable. It's interesting enough to sit and read by itself.
As others have said recommended I'd start with Silmarillion first, though I'd also recommend picking up The Atlas of Middle-Earth to have close by so you can reference as needed when reading.
/u/italia06823834 mentions it in that post, but I just want to reiterate, if you're interested in maps of Tolkien's works I highly recommend Karen Wynn Fonstad's The Atlas of Middle-Earth. It's only $16 and it's well worth it.
Wheel of time. Want to look up people places or things in the series? You might need this 800+ page companion book.
Seriously, just buy Fonstad's Atlas right now. Look how cheap it is! You won't have to do any printing and you'll get not just maps, but explanations of the maps. And SO MANY MAPS. All the maps. Maps of places, maps of populations, maps of battles! You will end up reading this thing on its own like a regular book. If you love Tolkien you need this book.
I also just barely canceled my 3rd book pre order. Instead I got Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes by Edith Hamilton
I read this book years ago. I was like 16 and I found it boring and pretentious because I found everything boring and pretentious at 16, but there’s a chapter on sex scenes that I found inspiring. The TLDR is that they don’t actually have to include sex to be sensual and intimate. If you can find a pdf, it might be worth checking out.
We're all obligated to chime in here because OP is a new reader and might not get the joke :-)
OP, avoid all the works of David Day like the plague, he will lead you astray. But do go ahead and buy the wonderful Atlas of Middle-earth by Karen Wynn Fonstad, you won't regret it!
I haven’t seen all editions of LOTR, obviously, but all of my copies have the same small maps. If you really want a good resource for tracking their travels, I’d recommend “The Atlas of Middle-earth” by Karen Wynn Fonstad.
The Atlas of Middle-Earth (Revised Edition) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0618126996/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_WV6A129ZBPV2JRDPXGEZ
Could it be Edith Hamilton's Mythology? It's the first book that sprung to mind that's as comprehensive as you've described and would have been around in the 80s and 90s - a quick google search says that there have been green covers in the past, though maybe not matching your description entirely!
This was made by Karen Wynn Fonstad, a geographer/cartographer and serious Tolkien student. It's from her Tolkien atlas, which is not infallible but is widely praised and seen as one of the best resources we have. She based her work on not just the published "canon" but also on the additional materials that came out in HoMe.
The Wheel of Time Companion: The People, Places, and History of the Bestselling Series https://smile.amazon.com/dp/0765314614/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_Z8JXAJ60P30MJE7HYKDE?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Can pick it up via this link and have a read then.
I don't think you can rely at all on any game maps, except for in-game use. Those "fantastic details" aren't necessarily accurate, and if anything is "not covered in the books" then it is inaccurate by default, as in "made up." Not that that makes them bad per se - I'm sure in the game it's loads of fun - but the game is no more accurate in terms of maps than it is terms of story.
The only non-Tolkien-authored source that might be useful for out-of-game convos like this one would be Karen Wynn Fonstad's Atlas of Middle-earth. It's not flawless but it's the best thing out there and based on tons of indepth research. If you're into maps (which it seems like you might be) it's a page-turner, maybe you'd enjoy it!