The Fall of Númenor shows the forging of the rings of power and the rise of Sauron through storytelling, beautiful artwork, and Tolkien’s notes.

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Part fiction, part notes, all history, The Fall of Númenor captures Tolkien’s legacy lives on through his notes, his son, and Brian Sibley.

Fictional History

Here’s a little something about me: I’m not into history. I know history because it’s essential to know and learn from it. You know the saying, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” But it is a topic that, for the most part, bores me.

But fictional history? I love that stuff. Learning more about this universe is a beautiful experience reverberating through this narrative.

There is storytelling in The Fall of Númenor, and the story was put together from the notes of J.R.R. Tolkien. You see his thought process pulled together through his son’s contributions and Sibley’s work. While focusing on Númenor, we see this kingdom’s impact on Middle Earth. Long-lived, these humans were descendants of Elrond’s brother, who chose a mortal life.

Then there is the creation of the rings of power and the rise of Sauron. Then, finally, we see his role in the fall of Númenor and the creation of the rings of power.

Seeing all these bits of history that Lord of the Rings fans already knows of tied together was brilliant.

However, because it is a history, The Fall of Númenor is slow. This is not a book that can be skimmed. It is a history with fiction and non-fiction parts pulled together, so the reading goes slow. It is not just focused on storytelling but also on the notes created by Tolkien himself. So, again, while interesting, it does make for a slow read.

Final Thoughts

The Fall of Númenor is the perfect read for any Lord of the Rings fans. It captures the essence of Tolkien’s work, building off of his notes and completed with beautiful artwork that brings the story to life.