For all of those who are new to Tolkien's world the Hobbit is the most obvious choice to make for beginning on this adventure. Even if you have read the book over and over as I have many times it is still good to recount Bilbo's journey. The audio book makes doing all of this very easy. The biggest advantage I can see from listening the audio book is that you take it almost anywhere you go. Have a spare moment and you can be in the Shire in seconds flat. The cast and sound affects really bring the story to life and keep you waiting to see what happens next, even if you already know.

In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, the Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell into the hands of Bilbo Baggins, as told in THE HOBBIT. In a sleepy village in the Shire, young Frodo Baggins finds himself faced with an immense task, as his elderly cousin Bilbo entrusts the Ring to his care. Frodo must leave his home and make a perilous journey across Middle-earth to the Cracks of Doom, there to destroy the Ring and foil the Dark Lord in his evil purpose.

The Fellowship was scattered. Some were bracing hopelessly for war against the ancient evil of Sauron. Some were contending with the treachery of the wizard Saruman. Only Frodo and Sam were left to take the accursed Ring of Power to be destroyed in Mordor – the dark Kingdom where Sauron was supreme. Their guide was Gollum, deceitful and lust -filled, slave to the corruption of the Ring.

The Companions of the Ring have become involved in separate adventures as the quest continues. Aragorn, revealed as the hidden heir of the ancient Kings of the West, joined with the Riders Rohan against the forces of Isengard, and took part in the desperate victory of Hornburg. Merry and Pippin, captured by the orcs, escaped to Fangorn Forest and there encountered the Ents.Gandalf returned, miraculously, and defeated the evil wizard, Saruman. Meanwhile, Sam and Frodo progressed towards Mordor to destroy the Ring, accompanied by Smeagol - Gollum, still obsessed by his ' preciouss ' . After a battle with the giant spider, Shelob, Sam left his master for dead; but Frodo is still alive - in the hands of the orcs. And all the time the armies of the Dark Lord are amassing.

The tales of The Silmarillion are set in an age when Morgoth, the first Dark Lord, dwelt in Middle-Earth, and the High Elves made war upon him for the recovery of the Silmarils, the jewels containing the pure light of Valinor. Included in the book are several shorter works. The Ainulindale is a myth of the Creation and in the Valaquenta the nature and powers of each of the gods is described. The Akallabeth recounts the downfall of the great island kingdom of Númenor at the end of the Second Age and Of the Rings of Power tells of the great events at the end of the Third Age, as narrated in The Lord of the Rings.

This recording was inspired by the Novelty title of the same name, published Christmas 1995.

Every December an envelope bearing a stamp from the North Pole would arrive for J.R.R.Tolkien’s children. Inside would be a letter in strange spidery handwriting and a beautiful coloured drawing or some sketches. The letters were from Father Christmas. They told wonderful tales of life at the North Pole. Young or old, you will be charmed by the inventiveness and ‘authenticity’ of Tolkien’s Letters from Father Christmas.

Two of Tolkien’s most popular and charming stories, full of wit and humour, available together for the first time as downloadable audio. Smith of Wooton Major tells of the preparation of the Great Cake to mark the Feast of Good Children and the magical events which follow. Leaf by Niggle recounts the strange adventures of the painter, Niggle.

Farmer Giles of Ham is one of Tolkien’s most popular stories, full of wit and humour, set in the days when giants and dragons walked the earth. He did not look like a hero. He was fat and red-bearded and enjoyed a slow, comfortable life. Then one day a rather deaf and short-sighted giant blundered on to his land. More by luck than skill, Farmer Giles managed to scare him away. The people of the village cheered: Farmer Giles was a hero. His reputation spread far and wide across the kingdom. So it was natural that when the dragon Chrysophylax visited the area it was Farmer Giles who was expected to do battle with it!

While on holiday in 1925, four-year-old Michael Tolkien lost his beloved toy dog on the beach at Filey in Yorkshire. To console him, his father, J.R.R.Tolkien, improvised a story about Rover, a real dog who is magically transformed into a toy and is forced to seek out the wizard who wronged him in order to be returned to normal. This charming tale, peopled by a sand-sorcerer and a terrible dragon, by the kingof the sea and the Man-in-the-Moon, went through several drafts over the years. Now, many years on, the adventures of Rover – or, for reasons that become clear in the story, ‘Roverandom’ – is available as downloadable Audio for the first time.