The Lord of the Rings and Middle-earth audiobooks in order
Two complete recordings are on sale side by side. Andy Serkis recorded the sequence in 2020-21 and the store leads with it; the older Rob Inglis reading is still there, and he sings the songs rather than speaking them.
J.R.R. TolkienNarrated by Andy Serkis (2020 recordings) or Rob Inglis (the older set) — both on the UK store · 5 booksPhoto: Unknown photo studio commissioned by Tolkien's students 1925/6 (private communication from Catherine McIlwaine, Tolkien Archivist, Bodleian Library) · Public domain · Wikimedia CommonsWhich order should you listen in?
The Hobbit first, then the three volumes of The Lord of the Rings. The Silmarillion is not a novel and is a hard listen — treat it as optional and last.
The Lord of the Rings and Middle-earth in publication order
- 1
The Hobbit (1937) - 2
The Fellowship of the Ring (1954) - 3
The Two Towers (1954) - 4
The Return of the King (1955) - 5
The Silmarillion (1977)
Which recording should you buy?
Several books in this series are sold as more than one recording, with very different running times: