The Book of Lost Tales contains the first forms of the myths that came to be called The Silmarillion. These include early accounts of Gods and Elves, Dwarves, Balrogs, and Orcs; of the geography and cosmography of their invented world, J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. Includes Beren and Luthien, Turin and the Dragon, and full narratives of the Necklace of the Dwarves and the Fall of Gondolin. Also includes commentary and poems associated with each tale....

The Lays of Beleriand are epic stories in verse form of the Elder days of Middle-earth. Contained herein is The Lay of the Children of Hurin, which tell the tale of Turin Son of Hurin and Glorund the Dragon. The Lay of Leithian tells of Thingol, of the meeting of Beren and Luthien, and of the battle between Fiingolfin and Morgoth. Together these Lays form an important backdrop to The Silmarillion, and illuminate some of the oldest tales of Middle-earth....

This is the first of two volumes which documents later writing of The Silmarillion, Tolkien's epic tale of war. Christopher Tolkien documents the history of The Silmarillion, from the time when his father turned again to 'the Matter of the Elder Days'.