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but both were editions that predated UT~Mith
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True, I was more trying to refer to the differences between how Foster handles what he didn't know and Tyler (since both guides were out before Unfinished Tales).
When Foster didn't 'know' something for sure, he would make a suggestion, have some input and give the references for people to go and look at where he's getting the info and judge just how 'accurate' he is. Foster doesn't jump to any conclusions when he doesn't have enough info, he says it 'could be this' or maybe something else.
While, Tyler did jump to conclusions at times and presented those 'conclusions' as unquestionable facts. For the most part Tyler's guide is a good guide, but his approach does lead to some inaccuracies. Foster doesn't present his conclusions as 'unquestionable facts,' and better yet he gives the reader references to find and reach their own conclusions. And I think that's what puts The Complete Guide to Middle-earth above all the other guides out there.