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The Book Of Lost Tales [2/2]
J.R.R. Tolkien

The Book Of Lost Tales [2/2]

Quick Answer

"The Book Of Lost Tales [2/2]" is an optional companion work. It can be read at any time, though it is usually best enjoyed after reading the first few core novels of the The History of Middle-earth (HoME).

Quick Verdict

🟡 Optional side story — not required for main plot

❓ Can I skip this book?
✅ Yes — Optional

This is a side story that can be safely bypassed without losing any context for the main series.

Verdict Insight: This is a comprehensive collection and bundle of the J.R.R. Tolkien's works. It typically offers significantly better value than buying the titles individually.

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1992368 ppOptional Side Story
The stories continues from "Part I", and begins with Eriol, having spent spent many days at the 'Cottage of Lost Play', a house he arrived at while traveling. It is owned by Lindo and VairĂ«. There he has listened to stories by the family that had taken him in. The first story in this book that he hears is "The Tale of TinĂșviel". "The Tale of TinĂșviel" tells the story of Beren a human male who falls in love with LĂșthien TinĂșviel a female elf. He wishes to marry her but is given a seemingly impossible task to get a Silmaril jewel from the crown of a evil being. He succeeds in getting the jewel but loses his hand in the attempt, and after their marriage he dies, and she also dies from heartbreak, and they are returned to life for second chance. Eriol himself tells the next story, that of "Turambar and the FoalĂłkĂ«". "Turambar and the FoalĂłkĂ«" is the story of a warrior that is imprissioned by the evil being and set on a mountain top to watch his family suffer while he watches with the curse of special sight. The story then changes to his son, TĂșrin, who also fights but is betrayed by his men and cursed, after losing a battle with a dragon he changes his name. His sister and mother look for him but are captured and their memories erased by the dragon. He later meets his sister, now strangers to each other, they become married. He finally defeats the dragon, but with that her memory returns. Realizing he's her brother she jumps off a cliff, he kills himself, and the mother goes screaming into the woods. The father then is released by the evil being and he goes and kills the men that betrayed his son. Then goes looking for his wife in the woods. The story ends with the family reunited and dwelling with the spirits.
Next Recommended Book

The Lays Of Beleriand

Book #3 of 12 in Series

Complete Series Reading Order

Publication Order

Preserves character reveals and plot twists exactly as the author intended.

Chronological Order

May spoil surprises but improves timeline clarity for deep lore fans.

Order Confidence

high Confidence

Why this order?

Our team of curators analyzes publication history, author interviews, and internal narrative continuity to establish the definitive reading sequence. This ensures zero spoilers and maximum narrative impact.

Why This Order Is Confusing

Many reading lists for The History of Middle-earth (HoME) conflict because early publishers often labeled short story collections as standalone novels, or rearranged internal chronologies for marketing. This guide follows original author intent and narrative continuity to settle the debate for good.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I skip reading The Book Of Lost Tales [2/2]?

This is a side story that can be safely bypassed without losing any context for the main series.

Can I read The Book Of Lost Tales [2/2] before The Book Of Lost Tales?

Yes. The Book Of Lost Tales [2/2] is an optional side story and can be read at any time without spoiling the main series plot.

Is The Book Of Lost Tales [2/2] required reading for the The History of Middle-earth (HoME)?

No, it is a companion work that enriches the lore but is not essential to the central storyline.

What comes after The Book Of Lost Tales [2/2] in the reading order?

The next recommended book after The Book Of Lost Tales [2/2] is The Lays Of Beleriand (Book #3).