atlases and maps

Then I first heard that JRR Tolkien prided himself in his attention to specific details, I was somewhat skeptical. When I found out that Tokien had drawn his own map of Middle-Earth, I realized that the man was an obsessed freak (but in a good way). The Atlas of Middle-Earth does live up to it's title as an atlas, providing the proper distance scales, descriptions, and directions (Tolkien had even developed unique symbols for north, south, east, and west). Every place mentioned in Tolkien's works is wonderfully explored in this book. From the plains of Mordor to the halls of Bag End. Even the city of Minas Tirith and the volcano Mount Doom are examined. Fans of The Silmarillion will delight in the maps of Valinor. There are even maps tracking the paths of the journeys in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. This book is an excellent addition to the library of anyone who admires and loves the works of JRR Tolkien.

The Atlas of Middle-Earth is an excellent work of geographic reasoning in the great tradition of Eratostenes. The attention to detail, the realism in the drawings, and the breadth of topics in this book are difficult to measure. I am a professional geographer, and I understand how labor-intensive the completion of this book must have been. Literally thousands of decisions made by Mrs. Fonstad had to fit with Tolkien's descriptions and intentions. That Tolkien's descriptions can stand up to such scrutiny of accuracy and internal consistency is a testament to Tolkien's magic (many authors' designed worlds do not).

I also wish to dispell a misconception by an earlier reviewer. The review by Linards Ticmanis from Germany is in error about Mrs. Fonstad's portrayal of the world maps. He suggested that her maps show a world "only half as large as the real earth" and that Tolkien has designed Arda to be Earth (although Tolkien denied that Middle-Earth was Europe in The Lost Road, p. 25). However, the radius of the planet can be calculated from her maps by placing an orthographic projection diagram with lines of latitude and longitude on top of her maps (her world maps are orthographic projections). When a degree of longitude or latitude is compared to its ground distance (supplied by reading Tolkien), it is quite easy to calculate the radius of the planet, approximately 4200 miles (6770 km). This compares to 3963 miles (6378 km) radius for the earth. These two measurements are very similar, and the idea that Mrs. Fonstad's maps show a world that is "only half as large as the real earth" is in error. In any case, the Atlas of Middle-Earth is about as "Tolkien Purist" as you can get; and this adds to its value immensely.

If your interest is in the Mythology of Middle Earth, this book with its extensive illustrations and commentary increase your understanding of the story. If you are only passing through the Tolkein universe through the guidance of the films by Peter Jackson, you can be brought further understanding of the depth of Dr. Tolkein's masterwork. I hope you purchase the book, and enjoy it as much a I.