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Doomed to Die

An A–Z of Death in Tolkien
By Tom Racine
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Brief Description
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien meets Edward Gorey's The Gashlycrumb Tinies in this darkly satirical illustrated parody of the Tolkien universe: ‘A is for Arwen broken by sorrows; B is for Boromir punctured by arrows. C is for Celebrimbor hung out to dry;... Read More
Format: Hardback
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J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings meets Edward Gorey's The Gashlycrumb Tinies in this darkly satirical illustrated parody of the Tolkien universe: ‘A is for Arwen broken by sorrows; B is for Boromir punctured by arrows. C is for Celebrimbor hung out to dry; D is for Denethor…'

An A–Z of Death in Tolkien

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien meets Edward Gorey's The Gashlycrumb Tinies in this darkly satirical illustrated parody of the Tolkien universe: ‘A is for Arwen broken by sorrows; B is for Boromir punctured by arrows. C is for Celebrimbor hung out to dry; D is for Denethor…'

‘Stories – frankly, human stories are always about one thing – death. The inevitability of death.’ J.R.R. TOLKIEN

A distinguished linguist and scholar, J.R.R. Tolkien is celebrated as the father of the fantasy genre, drawing on his knowledge of legends and folklore to create a new mythology and write the ultimate epic novel. He populated his books with Hobbits, Orcs, Elves, Dragons, and Dwarves, but as in all epic tales, there can be only one fate for Mortal Men…

Doomed to Die is a uniquely irreverent glance at the world of Tolkien. It started life as an innocent Inktober 2024 project, but somehow grew in the telling to become a book.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780008783730

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 23 October 2025

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: HarperCollins

Contributors:

  • Created by J. R. R. Tolkien

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 9.0mm

Width: 146.0mm

Height: 176.0mm

Weight: 260g

Pages: 96

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2025 Best Sellers Best Sellers at Book Hero Fantasy Fiction General Fiction Graphic Novels Humour In Stock Books In-Stock Fiction Books Moving Day Sale Moving Day Sale: Books Moving Day Sale: Sci-Fi & Fantasy New Release Fiction New Zealand's Best Selling Books Sci-Fi & Fantasy Tom Racine

About the Author

J.R.R.Tolkien (1892-1973) was a distinguished academic, though he is best known for writing The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion, plus other stories and essays. His books have been translated into over 60 languages and have sold many millions of copies worldwide.

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  • To Die or Not to Die?
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    To Die or Not to Die?
    In the footsteps of Doomed to Die: An A-Z of Deaths in Tolkien, and inspired by the works of Edmund Gorey, this insightful parody breathes life into Shakespeare with an illustrated ABC of the Bard's more gruesome deaths. ‘Woe, destruction, ruin, and decay; The worst is death, and death will have his day.’ RICHARD IIUniversally regarded as the greatest writer...
    By Tom Racine
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    Out 13 Oct 2026

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