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Tolkien Audiobooks
18 hours ago
(edited)
2026-6-4 2:35:53 AM UTC
2026-6-4 2:35:53 AM UTC
I was encouraged to share my Tolkien audiobook collection here. I love physical media - especially when digital items can be removed from storefronts at any time. Right now in the US, The Fall of Gondolin hasn't been available to purchase on Audible for several months, and I do not own it there. Just today I saw that The Silmarillion, read by Martin Shaw, is no longer available for purchase in the US on Audible.
I also like the bonuses you get with some of them. For The Children of Húrin, Christopher Tolkien reads his own introduction. That is missing from the digital audiobook version (at least the one I have on Audible). Some of the audiobooks also come with maps and booklets.
The most difficult audiobook to find was The Silmarillion narrated by Andy Serkis (especially for me being in the US). The Hobbit and LotR narrated by Serkis is sold brand new in the US as a print on demand title by a company called Downpour (they print for Recorded Books). They arrived quickly and packaged really well! I know some may take offense to the Amazon Rings of Power artwork on the LotR (ready by Andy Serkis) cases. I would prefer the printing with Alan Lee's artwork on the cases, but I can't be choosy on this side of the pond!
I love Samuel and Timothy West (a father/son duo) - they also read The Letters of JRRT and their performance is fantastic. Samuel reads for Tolkien and Timothy reads all the letter information and notes. Samuel infuses just the right emotion into it making it an engrossing audiobook. Sadly that one is digital only as of now - I wish Letters had a physical audiobook release too!
I have Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Letters from Father Christmas on order. I also want to collect the BBC and NPR radio dramas, as well as the BBC Tales from the Perilous Realms. I really want to get the Tolkien Audio Collection on CD but I haven't been able to find one for sale yet!
Front row -
The Hobbit, LotR, and Silmarillion all narrated by Andy Serkis
Unfinished Tales, Beren and Lúthien, and The Fall of Gondolin narrated by Timothy and Samuel West
The Fall of Númenor narrated by Samuel West and Brian Sibley
The Children of Húrin narrated by the incomparable Sir Christopher Lee
Back row -
The Hobbit, LotR narrated by Rob Inglis
The Silmarillion narrated by Martin Shaw
I also like the bonuses you get with some of them. For The Children of Húrin, Christopher Tolkien reads his own introduction. That is missing from the digital audiobook version (at least the one I have on Audible). Some of the audiobooks also come with maps and booklets.
The most difficult audiobook to find was The Silmarillion narrated by Andy Serkis (especially for me being in the US). The Hobbit and LotR narrated by Serkis is sold brand new in the US as a print on demand title by a company called Downpour (they print for Recorded Books). They arrived quickly and packaged really well! I know some may take offense to the Amazon Rings of Power artwork on the LotR (ready by Andy Serkis) cases. I would prefer the printing with Alan Lee's artwork on the cases, but I can't be choosy on this side of the pond!
I love Samuel and Timothy West (a father/son duo) - they also read The Letters of JRRT and their performance is fantastic. Samuel reads for Tolkien and Timothy reads all the letter information and notes. Samuel infuses just the right emotion into it making it an engrossing audiobook. Sadly that one is digital only as of now - I wish Letters had a physical audiobook release too!
I have Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Letters from Father Christmas on order. I also want to collect the BBC and NPR radio dramas, as well as the BBC Tales from the Perilous Realms. I really want to get the Tolkien Audio Collection on CD but I haven't been able to find one for sale yet!
Front row -
The Hobbit, LotR, and Silmarillion all narrated by Andy Serkis
Unfinished Tales, Beren and Lúthien, and The Fall of Gondolin narrated by Timothy and Samuel West
The Fall of Númenor narrated by Samuel West and Brian Sibley
The Children of Húrin narrated by the incomparable Sir Christopher Lee
Back row -
The Hobbit, LotR narrated by Rob Inglis
The Silmarillion narrated by Martin Shaw
Not adding my cassettes or adaptations here, these are the cd readings I have. Strangely I’ve still not gotten around to the Rob Inglis readings yet!
I can add some Hobbit CD sets read by Martin Shaw and Rob Inglis, all these have Smaug on Hoard covers.
The first 3, by Martin Shaw, have cover images by John Howe.
The next 3, by Martin Shaw, have cover images by David Wyatt.
The final 2, by Rob Inglis, have cover images by Alan Lee.
The first 3, by Martin Shaw, have cover images by John Howe.
The next 3, by Martin Shaw, have cover images by David Wyatt.
The final 2, by Rob Inglis, have cover images by Alan Lee.
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