In spring 1965, Ace Books published a PB pirated edition of the Lord of the Rings. Tolkien took notice and conducted a personal campaign against Ace Books in letters to his American fans.
The “War over Middle-earth’ was fought in the popular press, with the publicity contributing to increased sales and popularity.
Within a year, Ace gave in to public pressure. They agreed to print no more copies, and they negotiated royalties to be paid to Tolkien.
This Box Set is the First Authorized paperback edition of The Lord of the Rings, published in 1966 with additional materials by Tolkien.
Over fifty years, J.R.R. Tolkien’s peerless fantasy has accumulated worldwide acclaim as the greatest adventure tale ever written. No other writer has created a world as distinct as Middle-earth, complete with its own geography, history, languages, and legends. And no one has created characters as endearing as Tolkien’s large-hearted, hairy-footed hobbits. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings continues to seize the imaginations of readers of all ages, and this new three-volume paperback edition is designed to appeal to the youngest of them.
