The Great Tales of Middle-earth Hardback Boxed Set - By HarperCollins? (Real This Time??)

Oh gee! Enough of this incessant repackaging of previously released material.

Just give me the Nature of Middle-earth already. ?

eorl wrote:

Just give me the Nature of Middle-earth already.

It's still on schedule

[@uruloke edit to make clear which book is still on schedule]

That's just the same blurb from 2019, right? HarperCollins have 100% previously stated they have no plans for this (and I'm aware - but cannot share - the specific reason given at the time), but that doesn't mean plans won't change.

Sounds good Stu, thanks for clearing that up. I guess we'll take any listings such as these as false, until/unless officially unveiled by HarperCollins themselves.

I am curious to know what those reasons are, though I'll respect the confidentially you have.

I have heard nothing recent from HarperCollins on a "Great Tales" set, but I haven't asked since 2019 when the US edition came out (and they clearly stated there were no plans for it at that time).

It seems more likely that HarperCollins have plans now to release it, then a couple of (reputable) bookselling sites decided to fabricate a listing for it.

[@uruloke edit] HarperCollins confirmed with me that the project is still dead and this was just the 2019 data resurfacing.

Urulókë wrote:

I have heard nothing recent from HarperCollins on a "Great Tales" set, but I haven't asked since 2019 when the US edition came out (and they clearly stated there were no plans for it at that time).

It seems more likely that HarperCollins have plans now to release it, then a couple of (reputable) bookselling sites decided to fabricate a listing for it.

Yeah, I agree. They may well have simply changed their minds. Given Tolkien is the flavour of the month, I imagine they are exploring every possible option for relatively easy monetisation.

[@uruloke edit] Striking through due to HC clarifying there is no boxed set coming.

The listing from Blackwell's is the 2019 listing with the same ISBN that was cancelled by HarperCollins. As stated HarperCollins have no plans at the moment to release this edition.

They may decide to release it, if that is the case then I would expect them to issue a press-release or mention it in upcoming publications. The 2019 listing by itself is not an indication that they are releasing the box-set.

What is enticing about this? Since I'll go out on a limb and say that 99% of us here have the great tales already.

...the slipcase does look nice though. I do have the HMH boxset and it annoys me that the books are smaller than the HC LOTR/Hobbit set from last year that I have it sitting next to.

It's enticing to new readers that are starting out with the new illustrated editions, that don't yet have the Great Tales books. That, and HarperCollins will be ramping up various editions of Tolkien's works the closer we get to Amazon's attempt.