Another possible alternative is to not financially support them.

Indeed, the product should be good; but if not happy with this (or recent offerings) choosing not to purchase will also indicate dissatisfaction

Having had the boxed set for about a week, my findings are that I really like it, I think the art work is excellent and this is a great set to have on your shelves.

I do not have any issues with the books protruding from the box, but do not personally have any issues if they stick out a bit. The big issue for me that HC has had with boxed sets is sizing the boxes, they need to be sized so that the box is not too big or too small to get the books out easily. This was a problem with HoMe Boxed Set #1 and the US Collected Poems, no issues at all for me with this boxed set.

Looking forward to the last in the series, The Great Tales later this year.

Trotter wrote:

Having had the boxed set for about a week, my findings are that I really like it, I think the art work is excellent and this is a great set to have on your shelves.

I do not have any issues with the books protruding from the box, but do not personally have any issues if they stick out a bit. The big issue for me that HC has had with boxed sets is sizing the boxes, they need to be sized so that the box is not too big or too small to get the books out easily. This was a problem with HoMe Boxed Set #1 and the US Collected Poems, no issues at all for me with this boxed set.

Looking forward to the last in the series, The Great Tales later this year.

I think a small amount of protrusion is pretty normal. Pretty much every multi-volume boxed set by HarperCollins is like this to a degree. I think this one appears to just be a fraction worse in some cases (coupled with the loose jacket). This wouldn't cause me major lost sleep, even though it could all be a bit better. I'd rather this than either of the two issues you mentioned (and I actually think the UK Poems is much too large as the sides have to bow in to make it kinda fit, albeit not as bad as the US one, which was just ridiculous). I'll always take too loose over too tight, though.

Lake Town Geezer wrote:

Personally, I am still recovering from the deluxe History of the Hobbit. I still, over a year later, cannot believe HC had the nerve to serve that one up for us TBH.

That I agree with. It was, IMHO, an absolute insult to the consumer, especially at the price point.

Lake Town Geezer wrote:

Personally, I am still recovering from the deluxe History of the Hobbit. I still, over a year later, cannot believe HC had the nerve to serve that one up for us TBH.

The slipcase on my deluxe History of the Hobbit is pretty wild. I've never seen a slipcase this tight before:



It's first printing, Rotolito.

And here I am still flabbergasted at the ‘deluxe’ Complete History of Middle-earth ‘stunt’ they pulled with ISBN 9780008259846 !

If you examine it against it other titles in that style, you’ll see there’s some design elements (slipcase and the letters on the books themselves) that do not match.

rosshm16 wrote:

Lake Town Geezer wrote:

Personally, I am still recovering from the deluxe History of the Hobbit. I still, over a year later, cannot believe HC had the nerve to serve that one up for us TBH.

The slipcase on my deluxe History of the Hobbit is pretty wild. I've never seen a slipcase this tight before:

It's first printing, Rotolito.

The copy I received had ink blobs and was refunded -- it was tight, but not so tight that you couldn't pull it out (though only just). That said, I have heard multiple stories that the book can no longer be returned to the slipcase once it has been read. Overall, it was just a horrible edition in my opinion. Nasty materials, a page block unnecessarily thick (significantly thicker than the original pre-Nasmith trade) and ill-fitting. Just an unpleasant edition all round.

The late Stu wrote:

rosshm16 wrote:

Lake Town Geezer wrote:

Personally, I am still recovering from the deluxe History of the Hobbit. I still, over a year later, cannot believe HC had the nerve to serve that one up for us TBH.

The slipcase on my deluxe History of the Hobbit is pretty wild. I've never seen a slipcase this tight before:

It's first printing, Rotolito.

The copy I received had ink blobs and was refunded -- it was tight, but not so tight that you couldn't pull it out (though only just). That said, I have heard multiple stories that the book can no longer be returned to the slipcase once it has been read. Overall, it was just a horrible edition in my opinion. Nasty materials, a page block unnecessarily thick (significantly thicker than the original pre-Nasmith trade) and ill-fitting. Just an unpleasant edition all round.

My copy is now so tight in the slip case - I cannot get the book out without damaging the slip case/book. I guess if I put it in the fridge a few hours I might manage it. It is therefore unreadable and just sits on the shelf. I need to somehow get a trade copy for reading purposes. Mine is a a 1st impression also. I think this book was the last of that deluxe series and likely the death knell.

I cannot say all recent HC efforts are poor, but it does seem to be a bit of a gamble these days and I am now very cautious about what I buy. I gambled on the poems and it was worth it. I passed on all the illustrated by the author deluxe versions except the LoTRs, and luckily got a fair copy of that book. Interestingly, non-HC books are less of a gamble. Loved the Holly Ordway Tolkiens Faith book, for example. The Christopher Tolkien 'The Great Tales Never End' book was really excellent quality also I felt. It is just the HC offerrings that are so risky these days alas.

To be clear, I have not read this book or handled it for more than a minute or two, it came like that new. The video is the second time I've ever removed it from the slipcase. If the spine loosened up a little after a reading, I'm sure I'd need a hydraulic press to get it back in the case.

Lake Town Geezer wrote:

I think this book was the last of that deluxe series and likely the death knell.

The deluxe Maldon was released slightly later (April 2023 vs. March 2023). Last year was the first year since 2015 that there wasn't at least one release in this series. I would guess it's done now as well, with seemingly no plans for a deluxe edition of Bovadium. There's that rumored single-volume illustrated Book of Lost Tales which I assume will be or will have a deluxe edition, we will see what that looks like I guess.

rosshm16 wrote:

To be clear, I have not read this book or handled it for more than a minute or two, it came like that new. The video is the second time I've ever removed it from the slipcase. If the spine loosened up a little after a reading, I'm sure I'd need a hydraulic press to get it back in the case.

HarperCollins did get feedback from this site on the slipcase for the Deluxe History of the Hobbit, when it came out. It looks to me that they have taken on-board issues with the size of slipcases and are trying for new releases to ensure that they are not too tight or too loose, but it is still important to give them feedback if there are problems with slipcases or boxes for books.