Book Quiz with 10 questions about Author

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Books Quiz - Author - J R R Tolkien (Questions)

How well do you know J. R. R. Tolkien’s life, languages and legends? Try this quiz to see how deeply you know Middle-earth and its remarkable creator.

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Fascinating Fact:

After his death, his son Christopher edited and published The Silmarillion and other Middle-earth writings from his manuscripts.

In Specialist Books, this quiz focuses on J. R. R. Tolkien as an author. You will revisit his life, academic work, invented languages and the enduring impact of Middle-earth on modern fantasy.

Key Terms

Epic fantasy: A large-scale story set in an invented world, often involving quests, battles and powerful forces of good and evil.
Legendarium: A connected set of myths and stories that build one imagined world, such as Tolkien’s tales of Middle-earth.
Philology: The study of languages and their history, a subject Tolkien taught and used when creating Elvish tongues.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

What kinds of books did J. R. R. Tolkien write?

J. R. R. Tolkien wrote fantasy stories such as The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, as well as scholarly works on language and medieval literature.

In what order should I read Tolkien’s Middle-earth books?

Many readers start with The Hobbit, then read The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and afterwards explore The Silmarillion and other posthumous Middle-earth collections.

Why is J. R. R. Tolkien important in fantasy literature?

Tolkien shaped modern fantasy by creating a detailed world with history, languages and maps, inspiring countless later writers, films, games and role-playing settings.

Try These Related Quizzes

In which country was Tolkien born?

[ ]	Canada
[ ]	New Zealand
[ ]	Norway
[ ]	South Africa

The Misty Mountains, part of his fantasy world Middle Earth, were based on Tolkien's 1911 holiday in which country?

[ ]	Austria
[ ]	Italy
[ ]	Germany
[ ]	Switzerland

Who is the hero of the 1937 story The Hobbit?

[ ]	Balbo Baggins
[ ]	Balbo Biggins
[ ]	Bilbo Baggins
[ ]	Bilbo Biggins

Published in 1954, what is the title of the first volume in The Lord of the Rings trilogy?

[ ]	The Brotherhood of the Ring
[ ]	The Fellowship of the Ring
[ ]	The Return of the Ring
[ ]	The Secret of the Ring

Who directed the three Lord of the Rings films, made between 2001 and 2003?

[ ]	James Cameron
[ ]	Jonathan Demme
[ ]	Peter Jackson
[ ]	Sam Mendes

What is the name of the wizard who appears in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings?

[ ]	Gandalf
[ ]	Gollum
[ ]	Grendel
[ ]	Grundel

In the Middle Earth universe, what is the name of the volcano in Mordor, the dwelling place of Sauron?

[ ]	Mount Death
[ ]	Mount Desolation
[ ]	Mount Despair
[ ]	Mount Doom

What is the first name of Tolkien's son, who edited and published The Silmarillion after his father's death?

[ ]	Christian
[ ]	Christopher
[ ]	Clement
[ ]	Conrad

In The Hobbit, what type of creature is Smaug?

[ ]	A dragon
[ ]	An elf
[ ]	A goblin
[ ]	A troll

10.

What is the name of the painter who appears in Tolkien's 1964 book Tree and Leaf?

[ ]	Naggle
[ ]	Niggle
[ ]	Noggle
[ ]	Nuggle

Books Quiz - Author - J R R Tolkien (Answers)

In which country was Tolkien born?

[ ]	Canada
[ ]	New Zealand
[ ]	Norway
[x]	South Africa

He was born in Bloemfontein in 1892

The Misty Mountains, part of his fantasy world Middle Earth, were based on Tolkien's 1911 holiday in which country?

[ ]	Austria
[ ]	Italy
[ ]	Germany
[x]	Switzerland

In a letter he wrote 57 years later, Tolkien says that the journey across the Misty Mountains described in The Hobbit is directly based on his own adventures as he hiked from the town of Interlaken to the village of Lauterbrunnen

Who is the hero of the 1937 story The Hobbit?

[ ]	Balbo Baggins
[ ]	Balbo Biggins
[x]	Bilbo Baggins
[ ]	Bilbo Biggins

Bilbo was the uncle, the first cousin and the second cousin of Frodo Baggins, the hero of The Lord of the Rings

Published in 1954, what is the title of the first volume in The Lord of the Rings trilogy?

[ ]	The Brotherhood of the Ring
[x]	The Fellowship of the Ring
[ ]	The Return of the Ring
[ ]	The Secret of the Ring

Tolkien had wanted The Lord of the Rings to be published as one volume but a shortage of paper after World War Two meant that it had to be split into three parts

Who directed the three Lord of the Rings films, made between 2001 and 2003?

[ ]	James Cameron
[ ]	Jonathan Demme
[x]	Peter Jackson
[ ]	Sam Mendes

Jackson made many changes to the story. Much is condensed and a very large amount is left out whilst some new material, not found in Tolkien's book, is added

What is the name of the wizard who appears in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings?

[x]	Gandalf
[ ]	Gollum
[ ]	Grendel
[ ]	Grundel

Gandalf the Grey is one of the five wizards sent to Middle Earth by the Valar, along with Saruman the White, Radagast the Brown and the two Blue wizards whose names are unknown

In the Middle Earth universe, what is the name of the volcano in Mordor, the dwelling place of Sauron?

[ ]	Mount Death
[ ]	Mount Desolation
[ ]	Mount Despair
[x]	Mount Doom

It's where Sauron forged the One Ring

What is the first name of Tolkien's son, who edited and published The Silmarillion after his father's death?

[ ]	Christian
[x]	Christopher
[ ]	Clement
[ ]	Conrad

Tolkien had four children, John, Michael, Christopher and Priscilla