Rating: 
Summary: The Greatest!
Review: This is a must have for all Tolkien Fans. It has everything you need to know about characters and places to make you a Middle Earth expert!
Rating:
Summary: Better name: Glossary of the middle Earth
Review: This is a companion for any serious tolkien reader. After I got it, I read "The Hobbit" for the second time and the Guide threw new light on many of the characters, places and events that I found obcure at first. Page references to several common paperback editions of Tolkien's best books are included. It is intended to be a lightweight, handy, quick reference; so if you expect drawings and pictures you'll have to get another book.
Rating:
Summary: The Greatest!
Review: My thirteen-year-old daughter has become a solid Tolkien fan, and picked up this book for further study. Organized into dictionary form, this wonderful book contains all of the information on people, places and things found in J.R.R. Tolkien's books on Middle-Earth. Do you want to know more about Elrond or the great Wizards? What about the Grey Havens or the Rings of Power? Well, it's all here! The information is nicely organized, including translations (where necessary) and source reference. Now, the one thing I must say is that if you have not read the Silmarillion, then a good deal of the information here will not mean much to you. If you have read it, then this book will be a great resource for you. If you haven't read the Silmarillion (like my daughter), then you will still find this a treasure trove of fascinating information. My daughter and I both highly recommend this book to you!
Rating:
Summary: Well worth purchasing
Review: This guide is extremely helpful for first time readers and absolutely essential for fans who intend to embark on the Silmarillion and other works by Tolkien. It is basically an encyclopedia of every thing, person, and place in Middle Earth. And Foster cross-references where needed. The only thing that this guide does NOT encompass are the literary changes in the legends that occured as Tolkien developed them throughout his life. For example, in the Silmarillion it is Gwindor who guides Turin to Nargothrond after Beleg dies, but in the Lays of Beleriand, written much earlier, his name is Flinding (Tolkien changed the names of people and places a lot during his writings). Foster's encylopedia only has Gwindor and not Flinding. This is in keeping with Foster's goal to stick to the published and official accounts of Tolkien's work: the Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and the Silmarillion proper (along with some other reputable sources). This is probably a good thing though, otherwise the guide would need to encompass the entirety of the 12 volume HoME series, causing its sheer size to become unwieldy. If you are anything more than a causal one-time reader of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, this book definitely belongs in your collection.
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