10 amazing Lord of the Rings box sets and editions to gift to your friends and family

In the many decades since its publication, there have been dozens of different Lord of the Rings editions, but some of them remain absolute must-haves for diehard J.R.R. Tolkien fans.

From gorgeous paperbacks to iconic hardcovers, these are some of the best Lord of the Rings box sets and deluxe editions you could treat yourself to or buy for your closest friends.

10. The Lord of the Rings (William Morrow 1988 edition)

This hardcover edition of The Lord of the Rings, first published in 1988, has beautiful artwork and comes with folded maps of Middle-earth. You may find small errors in the text throughout, as this is not the most error-proof Lord of the Rings box set out there, but there’s something extremely charming about the cover art that will no doubt compel many people to go for this print.

9. The Lord of the Rings & The Hobbit (HarperCollins 2017 edition)

This box set features hardcover editions of both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. The smaller size, similar to many mass-market books, might appeal to those who wish to take their books everywhere. And indeed, all four of these could easily fit in your small bag or even your pocket. The only downside is that the font is incredibly small, and the papers are a bit thin, which means you’ll get a bit of ghosting from the pages. That said, the minimalistic cover art is absolutely irresistible, not to mention The Hobbit cover artwork by Tolkien himself is gorgeous and authentic to his own vision of what the story should project.

8. The Lord of the Rings & The Hobbit (Mariner paperback)

Now this is what I’d refer to as my Lord of the Rings workhorse reading copy. The cover of the first book features a circular outline alluding to the Rings of Power and the Eye of Sauron. The second book features the Two Towers, Minas Tirith, the Tower of the Sun, and Minas Ithil, the Tower of the Moon. The third book features the emblem of Gondor, drawn in gorgeous detail. If you want a handy Lord of the Rings box set that you can read again and again with ease, then you can’t go wrong with this version.

7. The Lord of the Rings (Clarion 2020 box set)

This is a fairly new addition to the ever-growing collection of Tolkien box sets out there, but it’s steadily going up in our list of all-time favorite Lord of the Rings prints. While most Tolkien books feature minimalistic artwork or, at best, Alan Lee’s naturalistic watercolors, the Clarion set introduces a modern take on the trilogy. The Fellowship of the Ring entertains the gorgeous art of a Ringwraith, while The Two Towers shows the art of Barad-dur in all of its terrifying gloom. The Return of the King features Aragorn’s re-forged Anduril, and all three boast J.R.R. Tolkien’s iconic signature at the top. If you want to introduce a new friend to The Lord of the Rings, this is the box set you should buy for them.

6. The Lord of the Rings (illustrated by the author Deluxe edition)

Frankly, I don’t know why anyone would buy this unless they’re a huge Lord of the Rings fan. This deluxe edition from 2022 is gigantic, but the great thing about its design is that it reminds you of The Red Book of Westmarch, which is the in-universe book containing the accounts of both the stories of Bilbo and Frodo. There are also 30 color illustrations from Tolkien as he was composing his epic magnum opus. The deluxe hardcover further includes two removable maps drawn by Christopher Tolkien, which feature Middle-earth and its various regions in detail. Be forewarned, though; This isn’t a book you hold in your hand and read. This is a book you ever so rarely pick up from your shelf to admire. So, if you have a dear friend or family member who is a huge Tolkien fan, getting this would make them the happiest person in the entire geekdom.

5. The Lord of the Rings (illustrated by the author hardback edition)

Another somewhat deluxe Lord of the Rings edition you could get is the 2021 hardcover by William Morrow. The red, black, and gold engravings on the cover are a joy to drink in, but what makes this print truly unique is the Ring-inscription in Tengwar, painted on a fully red fore-edge. This version also includes the author’s paintings and is overall easier to use or read. J.R.R. Tolkien always intended The Lord of the Rings to be published under a single volume, and I do not doubt that he would’ve been proud of this if he were around to see it.

4. The Lord of the Rings (2013 slipcased and illustrated edition)

It is uncanny how much I love this particular edition of The Lord of the Rings, made complete with Alan Lee’s gorgeous illustrations. The blue spine, featuring the names of the three volumes as well as a circular engraving of the One Ring inscription, is aesthetically pleasing, while the iconic painting of Frodo and Sam approaching the Black Gate graces the front with no other appendage. The illustrations inside are high quality, and the font size is just right. I don’t know how to quite put it, but this edition somehow brings to mind what a definitive Bible-esque version of The Lord of the Rings would look like.

3. The Lord of the Rings (2014 hardcover box set)

While this 2014 hardcover box set may not be the best Lord of the Rings edition objectively, I’d say it has the most gorgeous-looking covers in the book’s entire publication history. The covers are edited versions of the older HarperCollins editions, but it’s exactly those small details that make everything infinitely better. That is especially true of The Return of the King, which has received the biggest refinements. The papers are also extremely thin, making the books all the more easier to handle. Last but not least, this box set comes with the acclaimed Reader’s Companion, which goes from chapter to chapter, examining the structure and the behind-the-scenes process of their evolution.

2. The Lord of the Rings (2020 HarperCollins illustrated edition)

While I’m strongly partial to the 2014 hardcover set (with the Reader’s Companion) and the 2013 slipcased edition, if someone were to ask me what’s the all-time great Lord of the Rings box set, I’d point them to the 2020 HarperCollins illustrated editions, featuring Alan Lee’s gorgeous art on the covers. This is essentially similar to the illustrated one-volume versions, with the exception that they’ve now been divided into three again. The font and page layout are stunning, and the artwork really takes you into the world. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more spectacular and attention-grabbing cover than Lee’s art for Rivendell (on The Fellowship), Frodo approaching Cirith Ungol (on The Two Towers), and the Battle of Pelennor Fields (on The Return) not to mention good old Bilbo Baggins lounging in Bag End on The Hobbit.

1. The Lord of the Rings (50th-anniversary Deluxe edition)

If you’re looking for a one-volume edition of The Lord of the Rings that’s actually practical to read and use regularly, then the 50th-anniversary deluxe edition by William Morrow is your best bet. The cover is somewhere between a paperback and a hardcover, and the binding has been designed in a way to make the experience of opening the book and leafing through it as comfortable as possible. But what ultimately appeals to me about this edition, besides the fact that it includes all three volumes and the appendices while also being handy, is the beautiful, minimalistic grey cover. Out of all the different editions of The Lord of the Rings, this one feels the least showy and the most Tolkien-y I’ve come across, if that makes any sense.