Lord of the Rings Fans Rejoice! Hobbit Box Set Deal Too Good to Miss?

Okay, Tolkien fans, gather 'round! Remember that gorgeous illustrated "The Hobbit & Lord of the Rings" box set that vanished faster than Lembas bread at a hobbit picnic during Black Friday? Well, good news from Middle-earth (via Amazon and Walmart): it's back in stock! And the price? Let's just say it's enough to make even Smaug consider parting with some treasure.

Lord of the Rings Fans Rejoice! Hobbit Box Set Dea...

Published back in October by William Morrow, "The Hobbit & The Lord of the Rings Illustrated by Alan Lee Box Set" is currently on sale for a whopping nearly 50% off. You can snag this beauty, complete with its slipcase, for just $78.33. Considering it usually retails for $150, that's a steal worthy of Bilbo Baggins himself. I actually gasped when I saw the price. My original set cost me way more, so definitely check it out.

Thinking about gifting it for the holidays? Amazon's delivery estimate is a bit…optimistic, spanning from December 22nd to January 5th. Walmart, on the other hand, is promising delivery sometime next week. So, if you need it under the tree, Walmart might be your best bet. Choose your delivery date and shop wisely!

Now, let's be clear, this isn't quite as extravagant as "The Lord of the Rings Deluxe Illustrated Box Set" from last year. But this set offers something arguably even more valuable: matching editions of both "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" in one cohesive collection. And let's not forget the main draw: the iconic artwork by Alan Lee. The guy basically *is* Middle-earth visualized, having served as a conceptual designer for Peter Jackson's movie trilogies. His illustrations bring a whole new layer of depth and emotion to Tolkien's already rich world.

This four-volume collection features redesigned editions of "The Lord of the Rings Centenary Edition" (published in 1992 to commemorate Tolkien's 100th birthday) and "The Hobbit 60th Anniversary Edition" (1997). Inside, you'll find Lee's stunning watercolor illustrations gracing the pages, bringing those memorable scenes to life with vivid detail. "The Lord of the Rings" boasts 50 illustrations, while "The Hobbit" features 27 full-page illustrations, plus smaller watercolor plates at the start of each chapter. And of course, each book is complete with those essential, detailed maps of Middle-earth as endpapers. Seriously, you could get lost in those maps for hours!

One last thing, if you're a completist (and let's be honest, many Tolkien fans are!), "The Complete History of Middle-earth," a massive 5,440-page box set, is still available at its Cyber Monday discount of $80.64 (originally $250). Just saying… Happy reading (and gifting)!