Books Quote by J.R.R. Tolkien
““When my father was a young man, during the years of the First World War and long before there was any inkling of the tales that were to form the narrative of The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings, he began the writing of a collection of stories that he called The Book of Lost Tales. That was his first work of imaginative literature, and a substantial one, for though it was left unfinished there are fourteen completed tales. It was in The Book of Lost Tales that there first appeared in narrative the Gods, or Valar; Elves and Men as the Children of Ilúvatar (the Creator); Melkor-Morgoth the great Enemy; Balrogs and Orcs; and the lands in which the Tales are set, Valinor ‘land of the Gods’ beyond the western ocean, and the ‘Great Lands’ (afterwards called ‘Middle-earth’, between the seas of east and west).””
About This Quote
The early work of Tolkien introduced a rich mythological world with gods, elves, and epic lands, laying foundations for later legendary narratives.
In simple terms: Early stories created a mythic world.
Key Takeaway
Build deep, consistent worldbuilding.
Themes
mythology
fantasy
creation
legacy
Mood
imaginative
historical
Type
literary
mythic
When to use this quote
- authorial development
- literary history
Key Concepts
legendary worldbuilding
narrative foundations
Questions to Reflect On
- How does early worldbuilding influence later works?
- What elements endure in mythic storytelling?
A Different Perspective
Early drafts may lack polish.
