J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings novels (as well as The Hobbit) have been my favorite books since I first discovered The Fellowship of the Ring back in 1969. I brought the set down from the shelf the other day and decided to compare the scanned copies of these old covers with some of the newer ones issued over the years. You can probably tell by the condition of the first covers in the rows below just how often I read this set. If you look closely you’ll also note the cost of these mass market paperbacks at just .95 each. The book covers on this post are only a few examples of the many issued since the first printing in 1965. Go to Adazing.com for a more thorough list through 2002.
1971
1991
Reissue 2012
2013
1969
1986
2005
Reissue 2012
1970
1986
2005
Reissue 2012
1972
1986
2005
Reissue 2012
Speculative Fiction Writer
KL Wagoner 
I may be a bit of a book geek, but I find this interesting.
You’re not a geek, you’re a book lover! When I did the research for this post, I was amazed at all the different cover variations for the series.
I love this post because these were the books that hooked me on reading. I would never have become an author without them. The 1970’s versions have a special place in my heart, and I have to say my favorite covers are the one’s from the 80’s.
I didn’t fall in love with fantasy until I read Lord of the Rings. They will always be my favorite set of books. In fact, to clear my head of other “unworthy” writing, I will often read from Tolkien’s work before sitting down to write. Thanks for stopping by!
I like the 1986 versions and the 2013 version!
It’s always interesting to see how styles change over time. I thought the 1970s covers were pretty nifty when I first saw them, but the 2013 one for the Hobbit really stands out. Thanks for the comment.
How can the books from 1986 have the 2001 file screenshot in them?
Thanks for pointing this out. It looks like I made a mistake in my research four years ago. I’m away from my main computer right now, but I’ll update the post when I return from vacation.