 | |
| A Tolkien Bestiary | |
|---|---|
| Publication Information | |
| Author | David Day |
| Publisher | Mitchell Beazley |
| Released | 1979 |
| Format | Hardcover, paperback |
| Pages | 288 |
| ISBN | 0517120771 |
A Tolkien Bestiary is an A-Z guide to the flora and fauna of Middle-earth, written by David Day and first published in 1979.
The book contains monochrome and full-colour illustrations by Ian Miller, Michael Foreman, Allan Curless, Lidia Postma, John Blanche, Pauline Martin, Sue Porter, Linda Garland, Jaroslav Bradac, Victor Ambrus and John Davis.
The book has been published under different titles, by different publishers, including:
- Guide to Tolkien's World: A Bestiary (2002, 2010)
- Characters from Tolkien (2001)
Reception
The book has been accused of containing extrapolations and thus deviating from Tolkien's writings.[1] For example, there is a reference to "Kraken" referring to the Watcher in the Water, but the word does not appear as a species in Tolkien's works.[2]
While fans have argued that the book is less reliable as a Tolkien reference than similar works by Robert Foster and J.E.A. Tyler, many are fond of its illustrations.[3]
References
- ↑ Steuard Jensen, "Notes on David Day's Tolkien Books", Tolkien Meta-FAQ, accessed 11 April 2012
- ↑ "Tolkien Bestiary (forum thread)", The Tolkien Forum, accessed 11 April 2012
- ↑ "A guide to Tolkien by David Day (forum thread)", The Lord of the Rings Fanatics Plaza, accessed 11 April 2012