Unfinished Tales was published posthumously in 1980 as an edited collection of Tolkien’s Middle-earth legends.
The volume was prepared by Christopher Tolkien from writings left by J.R.R. Tolkien. It gathers narratives and background material that expand or illuminate events from the First, Second, and Third Ages, including stories connected with Númenor, the Rohirrim, and the Wizards.
Unlike a single finished novel, Unfinished Tales contains texts in different states of development. Christopher Tolkien included explanatory commentary to show where versions differ, where passages are incomplete, and how particular ideas changed during his father’s writing.
The title is sometimes confused with The Silmarillion because both were assembled after J.R.R. Tolkien’s death. The Silmarillion presents a more unified account of the mythology, whereas Unfinished Tales emphasizes additional episodes, variants, and historical details.