Customized for Your Edition
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Chronological Tolkien
Customized for Your Edition
Here are the notations to write in the margins of your books. This will enable you to read Tolkien's saga in the correct chronological order!
Each section begins with a two-letter "name". At the end of each section, the note tells you where to jump to next. It gives the name of the section to jump to, the book, and the page number. The book abbreviations are as follows:
If no book letter appears, that means you are jumping to a different page within the same book.
Sections which are not used are indicated with the sign "Ø". I recommend that you write these signs in, or at least put a zero or a dash or some other note, because otherwise you might wonder if you forgot to label that section. But if you omit these signs entirely it won't affect your reading order. (For an explanation of why some sections are omitted, see the FAQ.)
All the "cuts" occur between paragraphs. I never break up a whole paragraph. So when you see "There was Eru ...", the dots indicate that this is the beginning of a paragraph. And the end of a paragraph looks like this: "... their bodies lay."
Two suggestions to consider:
| Page | Paragraph | What to Write |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | There was Eru . . . | AA |
| 226 | . . . their bodies lay. | Go to EA U-57 |
| 226 | In those days . . . | AB |
| 237 | . . . come to him. | Go to EB U-65 |
| 237 | Therefore Hurin was . . . | Ø |
| 237 | And even so . . . | AC |
| 237 | . . . crumbled into rust. | Go to EC U-68 |
| 238 | Rian daughter of . . . | Ø |
| 242 | On the next . . . | AD |
| 243 | . . . them no more. | Go to ED U-96 |
| 243 | Now when Beleg . . . | Ø |
| 245 | In the time . . . | AE |
| 246 | . . . work to do. | Go to EG U-151 |
| 246 | Who knows now . . . | AF |
| 247 | . . . ringed with spies. | Go to EH U-152 |
| 247 | In the waning . . . | AG |
| 248 | . . . and led away. | Go to EI U-154 |
| 248 | And at length . . . | AH |
| 253 | . . . before his face. | Go to EL U-157 |
| 253 | Then the heart . . . | AI |
| 254 | . . . not; nor will. | Go to EM U-158 |
| 254 | Now when Turin . . . | AJ |
| 254 | . . . Sword of Nargothrond. | Go to EK U-155 |
| 254 | In that time . . . | AK |
| 255 | . . . treated with honour. | Go to EN U-159 |
| 255 | Now it came . . . | Ø |
| 255 | Soon afterwards Handir . . . | AL |
| 257 | . . . Well met! | Go to EJ U-155 |
| 257 | Then Turin sprang . . . | AM |
| 259 | . . . turned never aside. | Go to EE U-104 |
| 259 | At last worn . . . | Ø |
| 274 | So ended the . . . | AN |
| 286 | . . . by the sea. | Go to DB U-25 |
| 287 | It has been . . . | Ø |
| 289 | Thus it was . . . | AO |
| 307 | . . . dooms of Mandos. | Go to CA 343 |
| 311 | It is said . . . | BA |
| 316 | . . . with its fragrance. | Go to HA U-218 |
| 316 | Thus it was . . . | BB |
| 316 | . . . their hearts returned. | Go to IA U-234 |
| 316 | Now this yearning . . . | BC |
| 319 | . . . body and mind. | Go to HC U-221 |
| 319 | Then Tar-Ancalimon . . . | BD |
| 321 | . . . legends of Men. | Go to HD U-221 |
| 321 | In this Age . . . | BE |
| 324 | . . . to Ar-Zimraphel. | Go to HE U-222 |
| 324 | The mightiest and . . . | BF |
| 339 | . . . before they died. | Go to CE 349 |
| 343 | Of old there . . . | CA |
| 344 | . . . Quenta Silmarillion. | Go to BA 311 |
| 344 | Elsewhere in . . . | CB |
| 347 | . . . to the One. | Go to IB U-237 |
| 347 | From that time . . . | CC |
| 348 | . . . voices of death. | Go to YA R-437 |
| 348 | Now Sauron's . . . | CD |
| 349 | . . . abode with fire. | Go to BE 321 |
| 349 | Yet there came . . . | CE |
| 355 | . . . the Black Land. | Go to JA U-271 |
| 355 | But Isildur was . . . | CF |
| 357 | . . . world was young. | Go to UA R-388 |
| 357 | Yet at the last . . . | CG |
| 358 | . . . war and destruction. | Go to VH R-407 |
| 358 | Still Minas Tirith . . . | Ø |
| 358 | In all the days . . . | CH |
| 361 | . . . was their peril. | Go to II U-258 |
| 361 | Even as the first . . . | CI |
| 362 | . . . and their history. | Go to VI R-409 |
| 362 | Now the Shadow . . . | CJ |
| 364 | . . . upon the Enemy. | Go to MJ U-350 |
| 364 | But ever the . . . | CK |
| 364 | . . . none save himself. | Go to PC H-Chap. 10 |
| 364 | Orcs were mustering . . . | Ø |
| 366 | Now all these . . . | CL |
| 367 | . . . and of song. | Go to OE U-395 |
| Page | Paragraph | What to Write |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | Rian wife of . . . | DA |
| 25 | . . . that it brings. | Go to AK S-254 |
| 25 | Tuor tarried many . . . | DB |
| 51 | . . . from Ulmo himself. | Go to AO S-289 |
| 51 | NOTES . . . | Ø |
| 57 | Hador Goldenhead was . . . | EA |
| 65 | . . . house no more. | Go to AB S-226 |
| 65 | Many songs are . . . | EB |
| 68 | . . . hidden from you. | Go to AC S-237 |
| 68 | To Brethil three . . . | EC |
| 96 | . . . passed from her. | Go to AD S-242 |
| 96 | After the departure . . . | ED |
| 104 | . . . House of Ransom. | Go to EF 150 |
| 104 | For the story . . . | Ø |
| 104 | At last worn . . . | EE |
| 146 | . . . lays of Beleriand. | Go to AN S-274 |
| 146 | NOTES . . . | Ø |
| 150 | For a long . . . | EF |
| 151 | . . . a jealous eye. | Go to AE S-245 |
| 151 | The text followed . . . | EG |
| 152 | . . . overcame his pride. | Go to AF S-246 |
| 152 | Some slight further . . . | EH |
| 154 | . . . it proved indeed. | Go to AG S-247 |
| 154 | Androg appears again . . . | EI |
| 154 | . . . Mim was fulfilled. | Go to AH S-248 |
| 154 | To the tale . . . | Ø |
| 155 | For fear of . . . | EJ |
| 155 | . . . in the eye. | Go to AM S-257 |
| 155 | In another place . . . | Ø |
| 155 | Gwindor spoke ever . . . | EK |
| 157 | . . . fought, said Gwindor. | Go to DA 17 |
| 157 | The love of . . . | Ø |
| 157 | Finduilas the daughter . . . | EL |
| 158 | . . . of the King. | Go to AI S-253 |
| 158 | A passage follows . . . | Ø |
| 158 | Your eyes are . . . | EM |
| 159 | . . . of the North. | Go to AJ S-254 |
| 159 | Then Turin rebuked . . . | Ø |
| 159 | In the spring . . . | EN |
| 162 | . . . were read aright. | Go to AL S-255 |
| 162 | It is nowhere . . . | Ø |
| 165 | The land of . . . | FA |
| 171 | . . . that follows here. | Go to GB 213 |
| 171 | NOTES . . . | Ø |
| 173 | Meneldur was the . . . | GA |
| 212 | . . . came to pass. | Go to BB S-316 |
| 212 | NOTES . . . | Ø |
| 213 | 3: As is told . . . | GB |
| 214 | . . . the First Age. | Go to GA 173 |
| 214 | 4: The son of . . . | Ø |
| 218 | The realm of . . . | HA |
| 219 | . . . back to Middle-Earth. | Go to FA 165 |
| 219 | V: Tar-Meneldur . . . | Ø |
| 220 | VIII: Tar-Anarion . . . | HB |
| 221 | . . . Numenor be seen. | Go to IF 246 |
| 221 | XIII: Tar-Atanamir . . . | HC |
| 221 | . . . bring ill-fortune. | Go to BD S-319 |
| 221 | XV: Tar-Telemmaite . . . | HD |
| 222 | . . . called Ar-Belzagar. | Go to CD S-348 |
| 222 | XIX: Tar-Ardamin . . . | HE |
| 224 | . . . named Ar-Zimraphel. | Go to BF S-324 |
| 224 | XXV: Ar-Pharazon . . . | Ø |
| 234 | Galadriel was the . . . | IA |
| 237 | . . . defence against Sauron. | Go to CB S-344 |
| 237 | Sauron himself departed . . . | IB |
| 239 | . . . a long time. | Go to CC S-347 |
| 240 | In its concluding . . . | Ø |
| 240 | Amroth was King . . . | IC |
| 243 | . . . memory of it. | Go to IG 247 |
| 243 | The essay continues . . . | Ø |
| 243 | The people of . . . | ID |
| 244 | . . . son became king. | Go to IC 240 |
| 244 | This account is . . . | Ø |
| 244 | But during the . . . | IE |
| 245 | . . . of the Ring. | Go to CG S-357 |
| 245 | In another etymological . . . | Ø |
| 246 | Late and fragmentary . . . | IF |
| 247 | . . . into the mountains. | Go to IJ 261 |
| 247 | In a note . . . | IG |
| 248 | . . . face and mind. | Go to IE 244 |
| 248 | In unpublished writing . . . | Ø |
| 248 | There was in . . . | IH |
| 251 | . . . Sauron rose again. | Go to UB R-389 |
| 251 | This narrative goes . . . | Ø |
| 258 | Something more of . . . | II |
| 259 | . . . had disturbed it. | Go to OD 392 |
| 259 | Nowhere I believe . . . | Ø |
| 261 | The river Gwathlo . . . | IJ |
| 263 | . . . This was Agathurush. | Go to OA 377 |
| 263 | The history of . . . | Ø |
| 264 | Glanduin means . . . | IK |
| 265 | . . . and Minhiriath. | Go to MH 347 |
| 265 | From these discussions . . . | Ø |
| 271 | After the fall . . . | JA |
| 276 | . . . long years after. | Go to CF S-355 |
| 276 | The story of . . . | JB |
| 277 | . . . not his worst. | Go to UF R-395 |
| 278 | NOTES . . . | Ø |
| 286 | A note to . . . | JC |
| 286 | . . . his mother's father. | Go to VN R-414 |
| 286 | Another note remarks . . . | Ø |
| 286 | In another place . . . | JD |
| 287 | . . . of being seen. | Go to UE R-394 |
| 288 | The Chronicle of . . . | KA |
| 289 | . . . by the Wainriders. | Go to VD R-403 |
| 289 | But at length . . . | KB |
| 291 | . . . than it needed. | Go to VE R-403 |
| 291 | Ondoher was aware . . . | KC |
| 294 | . . . and routed them. | Go to VF R-403 |
| 294 | In 1944 King . . . | Ø |
| 295 | While the Eotheod . . . | KD |
| 310 | . . . the Holy Mount. | Go to NF 369 |
| 310 | NOTES . . . | Ø |
| 321 | I have not found . . . | LA |
| 326 | . . . in Middle-Earth. | Go to LD 330 |
| 326 | NOTES . . . | Ø |
| 328 | So Thorin Oakenshield . . . | LB |
| 329 | . . . tale of his wrongs. | Go to YE R-447 |
| 329 | From this meeting . . . | Ø |
| 329 | After the crowning . . . | LC |
| 330 | . . . me) shall I speak more openly. | Go to LA 321 |
| 330 | Then I said . . . | LD |
| 332 | . . . Took of Great Smials. | Go to LG 336 |
| 332 | When Gandalf accepted . . . | LE |
| 335 | . . . his ears too soon. | Go to PA H-Chap. 1 |
| 335 | It was on the morning . . . | LF |
| 336 | . . . have been ruined. | Go to PB H-Chap. 2 |
| 336 | It will be seen . . . | Ø |
| 336 | From this point the . . . | LG |
| 336 | . . . oversights often do. | Go to TH R-305 |
| 337 | Gollum was captured . . . | MA |
| 337 | . . . of the Gladden. | Go to ME 342 |
| 337 | Now Sauron learning . . . | MB |
| 338 | . . . war against Gondor. | Go to MF 344 |
| 338 | Therefore when Osgiliath . . . | MC |
| 341 | . . . him with torture. | Go to IK 264 |
| 341 | Night was waning . . . | MD |
| 341 | . . . Rohan far behind. | Go to RC F-99 |
| 341 | I have chosen . . . | Ø |
| 342 | In D it is said . . . | ME |
| 344 | . . . strength of Gondor. | Go to RB F-68 |
| 344 | In the event Gollum . . . | MF |
| 344 | . . . its main purpose. | Go to MC 338 |
| 344 | My father nowhere . . . | Ø |
| 345 | It seems clear that . . . | MG |
| 345 | . . . when they did. | Go to RD F-403 |
| 345 | The story of the . . . | Ø |
| 347 | When the Black . . . | MH |
| 348 | . . . the Barrow-downs. | Go to MD 341 |
| 348 | Another set of papers . . . | Ø |
| 349 | Saruman soon became . . . | MI |
| 350 | . . . of his grasp. | Go to LB 328 |
| 350 | In another version . . . | Ø |
| 350 | Now because of his . . . | MJ |
| 351 | . . . own sake merely. | Go to MI 349 |
| 351 | In another (struck . . . | Ø |
| 355 | The chief obstacles . . . | NA |
| 355 | . . . death of Theodred. | Go to NE 367 |
| 355 | It was clearly . . . | NB |
| 359 | . . . Uruks had gone. | Go to SC T-52 |
| 359 | So ended the First . . . | NC |
| 363 | . . . await the dawn. | Go to SE T-161 |
| 363 | What followed is . . . | ND |
| 364 | . . . to join Erkenbrand. | Go to SF T-163 |
| 364 | NOTES . . . | Ø |
| 367 | Marshal of the . . . | NE |
| 367 | . . . resist the invasion. | Go to NB 355 |
| 367 | In times of war . . . | Ø |
| 369 | In ancient days . . . | NF |
| 371 | . . . renewed their attacks. | Go to QA F-17 |
| 371 | No alliance of . . . | NG |
| 373 | . . . invasions of 2758. | Go to XD R-432 |
| 373 | It can thus . . . | NH |
| 373 | . . . less against it. | Go to VJ R-411 |
| 377 | The Folk of . . . | OA |
| 384 | . . . name for themselves. | Go to BC S-316 |
| 384 | NOTES . . . | Ø |
| 388 | Wizard is a . . . | OB |
| 390 | . . . of that time. | Go to IH 248 |
| 390 | Indeed of all . . . | OC |
| 391 | . . . came never back. | Go to ZB R-472 |
| 391 | In The Lord . . . | Ø |
| 392 | Most of the . . . | OD |
| 393 | . . . Mandos and Nienna. | Go to ZA R-456 |
| 393 | The meaning of . . . | Ø |
| 395 | Elendil and Gil-galad . . . | OE |
| 396 | . . . as a slow menace. | Go to OC 390 |
| 396 | There is much here . . . | Ø |
| 403 | The palantiri were . . . | OF |
| 405 | . . . domination and deceit. | Go to WA R-416 |
| 405 | Though warned by . . . | Ø |
| Page | Paragraph | What to Write |
|---|---|---|
| Chap. 1 | In a hole . . . | PA |
| End of chap. 1 | . . . he woke up. | Go to LF U-335 |
| Chap. 2 | Up jumped Bilbo . . . | PB |
| End of chap. 9 | . . . to be seen. | Go to CK S-364 |
| Chap. 10 | The day grew . . . | PC |
| End of chap. 19 | . . . the tobacco-jar. | Go to QC F-32 |
If you are reading the three separate volumes, your three books have to be the same edition for this to work!
If you are using the one-volume edition of The Lord of the Rings, then you can omit the "F-", "T-", and "R-" prefixes for jumps within the book – unless you're using the giant red hardcover one-volume edition.
| Page | Paragraph | What to Write |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | This book is . . . | Ø |
| 17 | Hobbits are an . . . | QA |
| 28 | . . . put his mind to. | Go to JD U-286 |
| 28 | The Shire was . . . | QB |
| 30 | . . . that he had found. | Go to RA 39 |
| 30 | As is told . . . | Ø |
| 32 | Now it is a . . . | QC |
| 34 | . . . this History begins. | Go to VL R-411 |
| 34 | At the end of . . . | QD |
| 36 | . . . in Middle-Earth. | "The End!" |
| 39 | When Mr. Bilbo . . . | RA |
| 68 | . . . in the Shire. | Go to XG R-435 |
| 68 | There were rumours . . . | RB |
| 99 | . . . was tall and full. | Go to MB U-337 |
| 99 | Autumn was well . . . | RC |
| 403 | . . . road may wind much. | Go to MG U-345 |
| 403 | After only a brief . . . | RD |
| 529 | . . . the Land of Shadow. | Go to SA T-11 |
| Page | Paragraph | What to Write |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Aragorn sped on . . . | SA |
| 20 | . . . in a stony land. | Go to NA U-355 |
| 21 | Dusk deepened . . . | SB |
| 51 | . . . did not return. | Go to SD 74 |
| 52 | Pippin lay in . . . | SC |
| 73 | . . . many watchful eyes. | Go to SB 21 |
| 74 | Meanwhile the hobbits . . . | SD |
| 161 | . . . be a black night. | Go to NC U-359 |
| 161 | As the second day . . . | SE |
| 163 | . . . said the other. | Go to ND U-363 |
| 163 | The host turned . . . | SF |
| 390 | . . . black night fell. | Go to TA R-15 |
| 391 | Gollum was tugging . . . | SG |
| 442 | . . . taken by the Enemy. | Go to TF R-205 |
| Page | Paragraph | What to Write |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Pippin looked out . . . | TA |
| 115 | . . . through the dark. | Go to TC 122 |
| 115 | Messengers came again . . . | TB |
| 121 | . . . had come at last. | Go to TD 134 |
| 122 | It was dark . . . | TC |
| 133 | . . . even to the City. | Go to TB 115 |
| 134 | But it was no . . . | TD |
| 175 | . . . been but a dream. | Go to SG T-391 |
| 176 | The morning came . . . | TE |
| 203 | . . . eyes saw no more. | Go to TG 238 |
| 205 | Sam roused himself . . . | TF |
| 238 | . . . deep untroubled sleep. | Go to TE 176 |
| 238 | They woke together . . . | TG |
| 304 | . . . come to fulfilment. | Go to ZC 473 |
| 305 | When the days . . . | TH |
| 378 | . . . back, he said. | Go to CL S-366 |
| 379 | Concerning the sources . . . | Ø |
| 388 | Eriador was of old . . . | UA |
| 389 | . . . keeping of Arthedain. | Go to VA 396 |
| 389 | It was in the . . . | UB |
| 391 | . . . people of fishers. | Go to VB 398 |
| 391 | In the days of Argeleb II . . . | UC |
| 391 | . . . war of 1409. | Go to VC 402 |
| 391 | In 1974 the . . . | UD |
| 394 | . . . our reckoning (1979). | Go to VG 405 |
| 394 | After Arvedui the . . . | UE |
| 395 | . . . by Bandobras Took. | Go to NG U-371 |
| 395 | There were fifteen . . . | UF |
| 396 | . . . old was renewed. | Go to XH 436 |
| 396 | There were thirty-one . . . | VA |
| 398 | . . . never fully repaired. | Go to CH S-358 |
| 398 | Minalcar son of . . . | VB |
| 401 | . . . spent in exile. | Go to UC 391 |
| 402 | The second and . . . | VC |
| 403 | . . . of the Harad. | Go to KA U-288 |
| 403 | The third evil . . . | VD |
| 403 | . . . re-entered Mordor. | Go to KB U-289 |
| 403 | Calimehtar son of . . . | VE |
| 403 | . . . in great force. | Go to KC U-291 |
| 403 | Many of the . . . | VF |
| 405 | . . . are united again. | Go to UD 391 |
| 405 | In Gondor also . . . | VG |
| 407 | . . . that was revealed. | Go to YB 438 |
| 407 | It was thus . . . | VH |
| 409 | . . . beneath seven stars. | Go to CI S-361 |
| 409 | After Mardil Voronwe . . . | VI |
| 410 | . . . after his father. | Go to XA 426 |
| 410 | After him began . . . | Ø |
| 411 | In the days of Beren . . . | VJ |
| 411 | . . . dwelt in Isengard. | Go to XE 433 |
| 411 | It was in the days . . . | VK |
| 411 | . . . could be found. | Go to YD 445 |
| 411 | In the days of Turin . . . | VL |
| 412 | . . . and fortified it. | Go to XF 434 |
| 412 | Ecthelion II . . . | VM |
| 414 | . . . to supplant him. | Go to WB 421 |
| 414 | When Denethor became . . . | VN |
| 415 | . . . Tower of Ecthelion. | Go to MA U-337 |
| 416 | Arador was the . . . | WA |
| 421 | . . . from the rock. | Go to VM 412 |
| 421 | It came to pass . . . | WB |
| 423 | . . . the next spring. | Go to QB F-28 |
| 423 | Thus the years . . . | WC |
| 426 | . . . days of old. | Go to YG 450 |
| 426 | Eorl the Young . . . | XA |
| 426 | . . . of their home. | Go to XB 428 |
| 426 | In the two . . . | Ø |
| 428 | Many lords and . . . | XB |
| 429 | . . . West over Sea. | Go to KD U-295 |
| 429 | Of the Kings . . . | XC |
| 432 | . . . creatures more evil. | Go to NH U-373 |
| 432 | 1. Eorl the Young . . . | XD |
| 433 | . . . son, became king. | Go to XC 429 |
| 433 | 10. Frealaf Hildeson . . . | XE |
| 434 | . . . that it gave him. | Go to YC 439 |
| 434 | 14. Folcwine . . . | XF |
| 435 | . . . supporting its enemies. | Go to OF U-403 |
| 435 | 17. Theoden . . . | Ø |
| 435 | In 2989 Theodwyn . . . | XG |
| 436 | . . . had called Steelsheen. | Go to JC U-286 |
| 436 | 2991 - FA 63 (3084) Eomer . . . | XH |
| 437 | . . . Eomer grew old. | Go to ZE 476 |
| 437 | Concerning the beginning . . . | YA |
| 438 | . . . began to dwindle. | Go to HB U-220 |
| 438 | It came to pass . . . | YB |
| 439 | . . . great cold-drake. | Go to ID U-243 |
| 439 | Not long after . . . | YC |
| 445 | . . . little or none. | Go to YF 450 |
| 445 | Of this Ring . . . | YD |
| 447 | . . . at last he died. | Go to CJ S-362 |
| 447 | So Thorin Oakenshield . . . | Ø |
| 447 | But at last . . . | YE |
| 448 | . . . grandson of Thror. | Go to LE U-332 |
| 448 | The story is told . . . | Ø |
| 450 | Dis was the . . . | YF |
| 450 | . . . in their crafts. | Go to VK 411 |
| 450 | Gimli Gloin's son . . . | YG |
| 452 | . . . of this matter. | Go to ZF 477 |
| 453 | The First Age ended . . . | Ø |
| 456 | These were the fading . . . | ZA |
| 457 | . . . I will await you. | Go to OB U-388 |
| 458 | 2: Isildur plants a . . . | Ø |
| 472 | After the fall . . . | ZB |
| 472 | . . . in Caras Galad[h]on. | Go to ZD 475 |
| 473 | At the same time . . . | ZC |
| 473 | . . . King of the West. | Go to LC U-329 |
| 473 | March 27: Bard . . . | Ø |
| 475 | 1422: With the beginning . . . | ZD |
| 476 | . . . honour to Queen Arwen. | Go to JB U-276 |
| 476 | 1441: Master Samwise . . . | ZE |
| 477 | . . . great in Gondor. | Go to WC 423 |
| 477 | 1541: In this year . . . | ZF |
| 477 | . . . of the Ring. | Go to QD F-34 |
| 478 | The names given . . . | Ø |
Now you can read! Start at the beginning of The Silmarillion, section "AA". And then just keep reading, and jump to a new section whenever you come to a note in the margin. At the end of the final section, you will see "The End" written in the margin....
Namárië!
Chronological Tolkien . . . . . Customized for Your Edition