[Mithalwen]

You may find parts of HoME acceptable even if you don't want to say read all the early drafts of LOTR. It is like Unfinished Tales on a grand scale: yes there is stuff that "contradicts" the main works however there are also things that expand on what there is (like the stuff on the Palantirs, and Numenore in UT).



A lot depends on what kind of Tolkien fan you are. I love Middle Earth more than the individual stories and want information on how it worked - and reading essays say on the marriage customs of the elves is fascinating. I really enjoyed the History of LOTR volumes of HoME for the insight into how the world grew in Tolkien's mind. Since we have the "definitive version" in the published work, it doesn't corrupt my vision of that. However I can understand you not wanting to go there.

The works not prepared for publication by JRRT, I treat more as historical sources - which in RL often conflict. Christopher Tolkien has done a great job but if you want more complete stories like the LOTR , after The Children of Hurin, you may find it difficult to go further if you don't want to have alternate versions.