As the admitted least knowledgable person on this forum, I will pose another silly question: is it assumed that any pics at this point don't represent actual planned design elements? I had assumed (and I know I don't know anything etc.) that the page edges as shown (with elvish) were as definite as the cover design by virtue of the fact that HMH saw fit to release these particular pics to Amazon as they were.

I believe there's a strong chance this is how the two editions (standard and collector's) will end up looking.

Typically, in the past, if cover art isn't finalized, HarperCollins indicates it on the product image. Some examples of this include Letters From father Christmas centenary edition, The Hobbit Sketchbook, and the illustrated editions of Unfinished Tales.

St. Troy wrote:

Do we know what the inscription on the page edges says?

Using my very limited translation from the Elvish, I translated it as 'This is a very sumptuous book'.

but it is probably more likely to be this



‘I cannot read the fiery letters,’ said Frodo in a quavering voice. ‘No,’ said Gandalf, ‘but I can. The letters are Elvish, of an ancient mode, but the language is that of Mordor, which I will not utter here. But this in the Common Tongue is what is said, close enough:

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.

It is only two lines of a verse long known in Elven-lore:

Tolkien, J. R. R. The Fellowship of the Ring (p. 50) HarperCollins Publishers

For those of us in the U.S. looking to preorder the deluxe edition, it is now available on Deluxe UK Book Depository. Here is UK Trade Edition Book Depository.

Thanks.

Hooray! That worked. Thanks.

Does anyone here know if Blackwells has put preorders online for these two books? Because me and "the book-depository" it's not a big story of trust (and I won't talk about amazon).

Why are you pre-ordering? There is absolutely no need to so and it will cost more to order now. Even with BD, the price will almost certainly drop from where it currently is.

I will not place my order right away because yes the prices will be adjusted (we can see very well at the moment the glaring differences between the different prices offered by the sales sites). My question is if Blackwells (who have always given me good service) are going or have already put preorders of these books online.

PanSam wrote:

I will not place my order right away because yes the prices will be adjusted (we can see very well at the moment the glaring differences between the different prices offered by the sales sites). My question is if Blackwells (who have always given me good service) are going or have already put preorders of these books online.

Blackwell’s has the UK Trade Edition Blackwells available for preorder, but the UK Deluxe Edition Blackwells is currently showing out of stock.

I’m guessing perhaps they haven’t received the number of deluxe editions they’ll have to sell.