If there's any version of LotR we all should own, it should be the illustrated version! I first realised Alan Lee's paintings were absolutely riveting when the painting on the RotK EE struck me (the other paintings were good but that one stood out), maybe because it's a visual interpretation of one of my fave scenes in the entire story, whether book or movie. Anyway, I finally wormed up the money for it and got it. It's pretty expensive here, but I figure it's worth it. Now it's one of my most treasured possessions. tehe. I also own the normal books, the three separately (I've decided they're going to be mainly for travelling- because I take it everywhere when it's that time of the year when I read it, and I really can't imagine carrying a huge heavy bulk of a book around) which I had before. What book versions does everyone have? My normal ones have illustrations by John Howe on the covers, not the ones which movie covers, but Alan Lee's paintings are so much more beautiful ;) They capture everything so perfectly. I was flicking through the Hobbit illustrated at a bookstore once. It was beautiful! If they ever make it into a movie, that has to be something they should refer to. Actually, I've never actually figured out what the painting done by John Howe on the cover of my versionof FotR is. There's a gushing river or stream spraying water over rocks, and on the far bank there are two figures, Gandalf and Frodo maybe, and ahead of them in the background is a tower. I've puzzled over it for ages but never
figured it out. I wish I'd gotten the Illustrated Version first up, though. It's vital to any book collection. tehe. Does anyone else own it? What's your favourite painting?