It has become a nice tradition that with every new release of a Tolkien book, we get the hardback edition and its deluxe equivalent.
Which got me thinking …
What happened with the deluxe edition of The Lay of Aotrou and Itroun?
I’ve professed my love for that book numerous times, and was quite disappointed when no news emerged of a possible release date for the deluxe.
The paperback edition is set for release in November this year, and it would be a real shame if we never get to see this beautiful book given the high quality treatment it deserves.
If anyone has any news, or has read something about a potential deluxe release, I would be very grateful!
Till next time …
A Tolkienist's Perspective 
Agreed. I would love one. I have all of the others, and it feels incomplete without the Lay.
Reblogged this on Stormfields.
Well, can they even *make* a deluxe edition out of that one?? It’s so THIN. Heck, the standard hardback is more dusjacket than book. It’s annoying that a deluxe edition isn’t published on the same day as the standard edition, ebook, etc. [Looks at Kullervo].
Also, not every Tolkien book has had a deluxe edition: what about A Secret Vice?? Or, digging into past titls: Sir Gawain, Letters From father Chrismtas, and others? I think HarperCollins does it for the titles (not the format, but the titles) that they KNOW will sell really well.
Hmmm good point. I just thought that with the recent spate of Tolkien releases, and the tradition of releasing them in deluxe, they wouldn’t avoid this (of all books!).
One of my followers mentioned the Easton Press deluxe edition… https://www.eastonpress.com/prod/2C3/3321/J-R-R–TOLKIEN-S-THE-LAY-OF-AOTROU-AND-ITROUN
I will ask HarperCollins if they have any plans, but I really doubt it – standard edition sales not high enough to justify.
Thanks Jeremy for the link! That Easton Press copy looks lovely … 😀
Very true – however, how would they know that if USUALLY the special edition and standard edition come out the same day??
@inusrrbution – A long track record of the scholarly/medieval titles selling many fewer copies than the Middle-earth legendarium ones… a lesson learned with the S&G deluxe/super deluxe copies that are still sitting in warehouses.
Probably not by itself, but I definitely can see it being included with other, future, works.
it would be better if they actually included it along with “A Secret Vice”, “Sir Gawain” and maybe add something else too but make it in a box set compilation(In my opinion). I think HarperCollins would definitely see a profit if they make something like this.Make them in a dusjacket format like LOTR/Hobbit. Sounds awesome to me.
Sounds awesome to me too 🙂
Indeed!
I was actually thinking If HarperCollins aim at making a nice profit. Why not make a box set similar to “The Complete History Of Middle-Earth” ? but in this case “Tolkien:The Complete Poems And Short Stories” for example.100% sure most fans would love the idea. If not someone else recommend another idea. I’d personally buy this if it were released.
I like the deluxe version of Father Christmas letters. They included beautiful reproductions of the original letters and art work.
I would love to see a deluxe version of Letters of JRR Tolkein. Perhaps they could expand it with some new letters and reproductions of original letters.
Absolutely agree Eric!
I assume that the next deluxe version that we will see will be next year’s The Nature of Middle Earth. That will be a large volume and I imagine that they will release it both in hardback and deluxe at the same time. Looking forward to reading that one!