The Hobbit → Lord of the Rings
Move to The Silmarillion only after the central narrative.
Enter the Middle-earth universe
Walk from creation to the Fourth Age.
Middle-earth
The oldest legends, the rise and fall of Númenor, the War of the Ring and later imagined journeys all belong on one navigable map of Middle-earth.
Last editorial check
Universe orientation
Every age leaves a story behind.
The quick answer
Read The Hobbit before The Lord of the Rings. For film-first viewers, start with The Fellowship of the Ring—not the chronological Hobbit trilogy.
You land on the full chronology. Switch to release order—or turn on Starter Mode only when you need a shorter run.Universe explored
The Middle-earth universe, story by story
No sampler platter and no screen-only shortcut. This is everything currently mapped, with adaptations and editions folded into the same story card instead of repeated down the page.
Story chronology · Full mapped list
Stories follow their most useful in-universe chronology as one continuous numbered list. Era and continuity remain labelled inside each record without interrupting the sequence.
Showing 19 of 19 released stories.
- Book / audiobookCanon
The Silmarillion
ReadBook / comic↗Search Open Library — edition not verified · Opens search resultsCanonListenAudiobook / audio↗Search Audible — edition not verified · Opens search resultsCanonThe creation of Arda, the Silmarils and the wars of the First Age form the mythic foundation beneath the later stories.
- Book / audiobookCanon
Beren and Lúthien
ReadBook / comic↗Search Open Library — edition not verified · Opens search resultsCanonListenAudiobook / audio↗Search Audible — edition not verified · Opens search resultsCanonMultiple versions trace the mortal Beren and immortal Lúthien’s quest for a Silmaril.
- Book / audiobookCanon
The Children of Húrin
ReadBook / comic↗Search Open Library — edition not verified · Opens search resultsCanonListenAudiobook / audio↗Search Audible — edition not verified · Opens search resultsCanonA complete First Age tragedy follows Túrin and Niënor under Morgoth’s curse.
- Book / audiobookCanon
The Fall of Gondolin
ReadBook / comic↗Search Open Library — edition not verified · Opens search resultsCanonListenAudiobook / audio↗Search Audible — edition not verified · Opens search resultsCanonTolkien’s evolving accounts of the hidden city’s destruction gather one of the legendarium’s central First Age stories.
- Chronological compilation / audiobookCanon
The Fall of Númenor
ReadBook / comic↗Search Open Library — edition not verified · Opens search resultsCanonListenAudiobook / audio↗Search Audible — edition not verified · Opens search resultsCanonA chronological compilation assembles Tolkien’s major Second Age writings about Númenor and the Rings of Power.
- Television adaptationAdaptation continuity
The Rings of Power — Season 1
A separate Second Age screen continuity condenses and reimagines the rise of Sauron and Númenor’s final era.
- Television adaptationAdaptation continuity
The Rings of Power — Season 2
The Prime Video branch continues through the forging of more rings and the open return of Sauron.
- Animated filmAdaptation continuity
The War of the Rohirrim
An animated story expands the history of Helm Hammerhand and Rohan within the Jackson screen continuity.
- Book / films / audiobook / gamesCanon unclear
The Hobbit
ReadTolkien novel↗Specific Open Library editionCanonListenAudiobook editions↗Search Audible — edition not verified · Opens search resultsCanonWatchPeter Jackson film trilogy↗TMDB collection recordAdaptation continuityPlayLicensed game adaptations↗Search IGDB — game page not verified · Opens search resultsAdaptation continuityBilbo joins Thorin’s company on the road to Erebor. The source novel and its screen, audio and game adaptations share one story card but keep their separate continuities.
- Full-cast radio dramaAdaptation continuity
The Lord of the Rings — BBC Radio dramatisation
BBC Radio 4’s distinct 26-part full-cast adaptation follows the complete Lord of the Rings narrative; this is a drama, not an audiobook reading.
- Licensed game storyNon-canon
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
Talion and Celebrimbor begin a separate licensed story set between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
- Licensed game storyNon-canon
Middle-earth: Shadow of War
The Monolith game continuity continues its war against Sauron and departs further from Tolkien’s text.
- Licensed game storyNon-canon
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum
A separate licensed interpretation follows Gollum between his capture and the search for the Ring.
- Book / films / audiobook / gamesCanon unclear
The Fellowship of the Ring
ReadTolkien novel↗Specific Open Library editionCanonListenAudiobook editions↗Search Audible — edition not verified · Opens search resultsCanonWatchThe Fellowship of the Ring (2001)↗TMDB title recordAdaptation continuityPlayLicensed game adaptations↗Search IGDB — game page not verified · Opens search resultsAdaptation continuityThe Ring leaves the Shire and a fellowship forms. Choose Tolkien’s source text, its audiobook, the Jackson film or a licensed interactive adaptation below.
- Book / film / audiobook / gamesCanon unclear
The Two Towers
ReadTolkien novel↗Specific Open Library editionCanonListenAudiobook editions↗Search Audible — edition not verified · Opens search resultsCanonWatchThe Two Towers (2002)↗TMDB title recordAdaptation continuityPlayThe Two Towers (2002 game)↗IGDB title recordAdaptation continuityThe fellowship’s separated paths continue toward Isengard, Gondor and Mordor across the source and adapted versions.
- Licensed online role-playing storyNon-canon
The Lord of the Rings Online
A long-running licensed game builds an expansive parallel journey through Middle-earth beside the War of the Ring.
- Book / films / audiobook / gamesCanon unclear
The Return of the King
ReadTolkien novel↗Specific Open Library editionCanonListenAudiobook editions↗Search Audible — edition not verified · Opens search resultsCanonWatchThe Return of the King (2003)↗TMDB title recordAdaptation continuityPlayThe Return of the King (2003 game)↗IGDB title recordAdaptation continuityThe War of the Ring reaches its conclusion; Tolkien’s appendices preserve histories beyond the adapted ending.
- Licensed game storyNon-canon
The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria
Dwarves return to reclaim Moria in a licensed story set after the fall of Sauron.
- Story collection / audiobookCanon
Unfinished Tales
ReadBook / comic↗Search Open Library — edition not verified · Opens search resultsCanonListenAudiobook / audio↗Search Audible — edition not verified · Opens search resultsCanonPosthumously edited narratives and background expand characters and events across all three ages.
Useful ways through
Chronology is a map. This is where to begin.
The full list is for reference. These shorter routes preserve the reveals and relationships that make the universe work.
Fellowship before Hobbit
Release order creates the stronger introduction to Jackson’s continuity.
Rings of Power stands alone
It is not a prequel in the Jackson film continuity.
One title, all its doors
Pick the version that fits your evening.
When a story has researched editions or adaptations, those routes stay together. Some universes currently have richer version coverage than others; each page’s coverage note states the boundary.
See how stories are organised →Receipts, not vibes
Where this map gets its bearings.
Official franchise, creator and publisher sources anchor the chronology. When those sources disagree—or stay suspiciously quiet—we say so instead of inventing certainty.
Spot a missing branch?
Help expand Middle-earth.
Request a title, comic run, game, audio story or continuity note that deserves the next research pass.
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