The Fall of Númenor

The Fall of Númenor is a collection of writings edited by Brian Sibley, that brings together all the key texts related to Númenor, a legendary island kingdom from Tolkien’s mythology. The book, published in 2022 serves as a comprehensive account of the Second Age of Middle-earth, the time period when the kingdom of Númenor flourished and ultimately met its dramatic downfall.

The volume is organized chronologically, allowing readers to trace the history of Númenor and its people from its rise after the First Age to its tragic destruction. It includes selections from previously published works, such as The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales, and The History of Middle-earth series, but arranges them in a chronological narrative for the first time. The book’s focus on the Second Age provides context for events that are only briefly mentioned in The Lord of the Rings, such as the forging of the Rings of Power and the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron.

The Fall of Númenor is a valuable resource for both casual readers and dedicated scholars. For the former, it provides a clear and accessible summary of a complex and scattered part of Tolkien’s work. For the latter, it offers a definitive single-volume compilation of the source material. By centralizing the accounts of the Númenóreans’ pride, their rebellion against the Valar, and their ultimate catastrophe, the book highlights a central theme in Tolkien’s legendarium: the corruption of power and the tragic consequences of defying divine will.

Dates of January 1st indicate that the exact day of the year is not known.