Stu wrote:

The only downside is that they have rigid spines and are perfect bound.

I don’t see the point of them for the volumes that are available cheaply, but they make sense for Wotj and PoMe (and of course the index)

All good points of course but with the 30% off introductory offer on first purchase I can get a new book at £28 each delivered. Not many of the volumes in very good / fine condition seem to go for that sort of money. Plus you need a fair bit of patience ??
Each to their own I guess. I'm very happy with mine.

Ps at the price I can get them, I could probably buy, read and as I look after them, sell for a little bit less in the future should a cheeky offer be accepted on originals.

Amon Rudh wrote:

Ps at the price I can get them, I could probably buy, read and as I look after them, sell for a little bit less in the future should a cheeky offer be accepted on originals.

Oh, totally agree - the price is very reasonable (and the paper is nicer than the originals).

I have also just bought a 1989 Return of the Shadow at £25 to compare. My main interest is content and decent condition (plus budget of course!).

For info mine is bound in the UK by Martins-the-Printers in Berwick. http://www.martins-the-printers.co.uk/

Amon Rudh wrote:

For info mine is bound in the UK by Martins-the-Printers in Berwick. http://www.martins-the-printers.co.uk/

That's who they have been using all along. I doubt they would change, due to the niche nature of the production process.

Stu wrote:

Amon Rudh wrote:

For info mine is bound in the UK by Martins-the-Printers in Berwick. http://www.martins-the-printers.co.uk/

That's who they have been using all along. I doubt they would change, due to the niche nature of the production process.

Good to know Stu, thank you.

I have finally received my original copy of The Return of the Shadow and would comment as follows.
ROS is case bound and opens flat when read. It's definitely a better binding than the POD version of The Book of Lost Tales which is perfect bound.
The paper is rougher and cream / white coloured in ROS and is whiter and seems better quality in BOLT.
Other than this they are both perfectly good books and I have no issues with either.
For less money than one or two volumes of the more expensive original volumes I am getting brand new books and certainly recommend them at this early stage.

I only just noticed this - tolkien.co.uk is no longer available in its old existence. Would that be good news for readers - or not?

Olwe wrote:

I only just noticed this - tolkien.co.uk is no longer available in its old existence. Would that be good news for readers - or not?

I think the replacement is better as the dedicated tolkien.co.uk website did not get updated, whereas HarperCollins main website does seem to get updates.

Not really a patch on the Tolkien Guide Store https://www.tolkienguide.com/modules/w ... #ukprintondemandhardbacks though