special unjacketed hardback edition of the prelude to j.r.r. tolkien's epic masterpiece, the lord of the rings. this edition of the silmarillion features the complete work with a unique cover design and black and red endpaper maps. the silmarillion is an account of the elder days, of the first age of tolkien's world. it is the ancient drama to which the characters in the lord of the rings look back, and in whose events some of them, such as elrond and galadriel, took part. the tales of the silmarillion are set in an age when morgoth, the first dark lord, dwelt in middle-earth, and the high elves made war upon him for the recovery of the silmarils, the jewels containing the pure light of valinor. this special 'collectors hardback' edition of the work includes a unique cover design that illustrates telperion and laurelin, the two trees of valinor, and the three silmarils.