The Lord of the Rings Location Guidebook [Paperback]

“With its maps, directions, visitor information and exclusive stills of the locatuibs as they apper in reality, this was obviously a labour of love for the author, who has bent over backwards to make this the definitive Rings guide…it’s easy to se why this was voted New Zealand Book of the Year!”
- Film Review

The only authorised guide to the many New Zealand locations used in the filming of all three Lord of the Rings films.

Since the first screening of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in 2001, New Zealand has become the embodiment of Middle-earth to millions of moviegoers and Tolkien readers the world over.

This definitive full-colour guidebook, completely updated and expanded since it was first published as a New Zealand exclusive edition for Christmas 2002, showcases the principal movie set locations around New Zealand as seen in all three films. A perfect book for those swept away by the beauty of the locations in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, it includes:

• Maps and location directions
• Useful touring information including accommodation, food and entertainment suggestions
• GPS references to location sites
• Exclusive movie photographs, plus stunning before-and-after photos by the author
• Sections written specially by Peter Jackson (Director), Alan Lee (Designer), Richard Taylor (Special FX) and Barrie Osborne (Producer), plus contributions from all the actors

It has been interesting reading the reviews of my book. As a Tolkien fan for the last 32 years I wanted people to enjoy the scenery of New Zealand as it relates to Middle-earth.
Certainly there are more than 3 locations easily accessible. In fact, 90% of the locations listed in this book are accessible by car. There are very few that are only helicopter accessible.
The GPS co-ordinates are listed to enable some fans to find the exact spots. They have been checked to within 5 metre accuracy.

The book is not intended as a travel guide to NZ, hence the sparseness of maps. I would recommend any visitor purchasing a good NZ atlas as well.
My major disappointment with this book is the small pictures - but the book is a guide to allow people to put it in glove-boxes or backpacks.
A much larger coffee-table version will be released later this year with more pages and much bigger pictures.

Ian Brodie is a former Air Force pilot who has become a renowned expert on this native New Zealand. His interest in photography and in The Lord of the Rings led him to write and compile this guide, which was then authorised and embraced by Peter Jackson and New Line Cinema. He is now the official Middle-earth spokesperson for Air New Zealand, the official airline of the movies, and he even has a small walk-on part in The Return of the King.