# A new JRR Tolkien book ...? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 13, 2007, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005 "2007-04-13T19:54:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/1 "2007-04-13T19:54:54Z")
I just read mention that JRRT, dead lo these thirty-odd years, is coming out with a new book: [The Children of Húrin](http://tinyurl.com/2f3ngp), based on material “stitched together” by his son Christopher. The blurb reads: _Presented for the first time as a complete, standalone story… Though familiar to many fans from extracts and references within other Tolkien books, it has long been assumed that the story would forever remain an unfinished tale. Now reconstructed by Christopher Tolkien, painstakingly editing together the complete work from his father’s many drafts, this book is the culmination of a tireless thirty-year endeavor by him to bring J.R.R.Tolkien’s vast body of unpublished work to a wide audience._. All good and well, but I wonder how different this will be from _The Silmarillion_? Will this basically be an expansion of the stories of Beren and Luthien, Turin Turambar, and the Fall of Gondolin? Who’s buying it? I already loved the stories from _The Silmarillion_, and I wonder how the prose style of this particular (re-)telling will be different in this book from what’s already been printed. ---
**Author:** ![Gukumatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/74df32/32.png) [@Gukumatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gukumatz)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/2 "2007-04-13T20:02:39Z")
I’ve got it on my Interest List, meaning I’ll buy it unless it gets overwhelming bad press between now and release day. Edit: My reasoning is basically that it was the sheer scope, overwhelming imagination and creative zest that made J.R.R. Tolkien one of my favourite authors - not his writing style. If Christopher Tolkien can reproduce his father’s creative vision, all the more power to him and all the more pleasure to me. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/3 "2007-04-13T20:19:59Z")
I am buying it the first week it is available. I plan to put in immediately at the top of my reading queue. I was asking about it at B&N last night. Jim ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/4 "2007-04-13T20:23:08Z")
Ordered fro Science Fiction Book Club. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/5 "2007-04-13T20:28:50Z")
Pre-ordered at Waterstones. Can Christopher have found enough stuff, or written it himself, to reach the standard of the _Narn_ stuff already published in \*Unfinished Tales \*? _re-crosses fingers_ ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/6 "2007-04-13T20:37:32Z")
[With illustrations by Alan Lee.](http://www.amazon.com/Children-Hurin-J-R-R-Tolkien/dp/0618894640/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-6060729-8091140?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1176496572&sr=8-1) More, further down on the page. Yes, I’ve pre-ordered it. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/7 "2007-04-13T22:20:43Z")
From the title, I thought that this was going to be just the story of Hurin and Morwen (the parents) and Turin and Nienor (the siblings) - expanded on what is found in the Silmarillion. I haven’t read anything besides The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and the Silmarillion - are these books “re-written” by Christopher Tolkien comparable to the books written solely by the father? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/8 "2007-04-13T22:52:24Z")
[QUOTE=Arnold Winkelried] From the title, I thought that this was going to be just the story of Hurin and Morwen (the parents) and Turin and Nienor (the siblings) - expanded on what is found in the Silmarillion. I haven’t read anything besides The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and the Silmarillion - are these books “re-written” by Christopher Tolkien comparable to the books written solely by the father? [/QUOTE] There are some fully realised (by father) bits in Unfinished Tales that are seriously worth reading. I’d also recommend getting \*Lays of Beleriand \* ---
**Author:** ![Lilacs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Lilacs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lilacs)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/9 "2007-04-13T23:08:54Z")
Speaking of the _Lays of Beleriand_, I love them! I have to get this one. If it’s like the other books in HOMES it will really go into more depth than in _The Silmarillion_. The whole metamorphasis of the story fascinates me. If you’re satisified with what you get in _The Silmarillion_, then this probably won’t be for you. Also, if you’re not fond of his poetry. Again, that’s not a problem for me. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2007, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/10 "2007-04-13T23:20:24Z")
I’m not sure that there’s anything in this book that hasn’t already appeared in **Sil** , **UT** , or **HOMES**. I’ll still pick it up, because it’ll put all the “essential” story (hopefully with some decent editing by CJRT) of the Narn i Hin Húrin in a single volume. And because I can. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2007, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/11 "2007-04-17T14:51:47Z")
Today is the Day and CNN has a very favorable review of the book. [http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/books/04/17/review.tolkien.ap/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/books/04/17/review.tolkien.ap/index.html) I will be picking it up before the week is out. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2007, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/12 "2007-04-17T15:05:39Z")
review: [http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6434315.html](http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6434315.html) Brian ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2007, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/13 "2007-04-17T15:18:04Z")
I’ll get mine tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Dave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/46a35a/32.png) [@Great\_Dave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Dave)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2007, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/14 "2007-04-17T15:26:40Z")
The review heard on BBC News Hour this morning makes me leary. I like the vividness of LOTR and the Hobbit, but couldn’t get started on Silmarillon. A.S. Byatt indicated that if you like LOTR+H, you won’t like this one- the characters are flat, and change names every chapter. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2007, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/15 "2007-04-17T16:48:29Z")
[QUOTE=Great Dave] The review heard on BBC News Hour this morning makes me leary. I like the vividness of LOTR and the Hobbit, but couldn’t get started on Silmarillon. A.S. Byatt indicated that if you like LOTR+H, you won’t like this one- the characters are flat, and change names every chapter. [/QUOTE] I thought the first part of _The Silmarillion_ was the most difficult. It’s more or less mythology & can be a bit dry. But tales of adventure follow. Fairly grim stuff, but stirring. However, you can’t get to that part if you gave up earlier. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2007, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/16 "2007-04-17T17:00:03Z")
I’m a huge Tolkien nut, but I think I’ll wait to get this one from the library… ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2007, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/17 "2007-04-17T16:59:36Z")
> [@](#): > > However, you can’t get to that part if you gave up earlier. Actually, you can. It’s my opinion that if you just skip over the _Ainulindule_ and _Valaquenta_, you won’t actually miss much in the _Silmarillion_ proper. There are a few spots where the Valar (effectively, gods) interfere directly, but only a few, and when they come up you can more or less just make a mental note “Oh, ok, deus ex machina”, without needing to keep too much track of who’s who. All you really need to know is that Morgoth, the Great Enemy, was the most powerful of the Valar before his rebellion, Manwe is the leader of the good Valar (everyone except Morgoth), Melian is a Maia (one step below the Valar) who fell in love with an Elf and hangs out with him in Middle-Earth, and above them all is Eru Illuvatar, the One, who created them all and ultimately has the last word. Of course, if you do like mythology, by all means read it; it’s very good. It just isn’t for everyone. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2007, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/18 "2007-04-17T17:55:21Z")
[QUOTE=Kythereia] I’m a huge Tolkien nut, but I think I’ll wait to get this one from the library… [/QUOTE] Sorry dear, but unless finances constrain you, then you’re not a huge Tolkien nut. 😉 The densest part of **Sil** is my favorite part! Chock full of juicy lore! ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2007, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/19 "2007-04-18T13:45:05Z")
Salon review: > **[Lord of the ruins](https://www.salon.com/2007/04/17/hurin/)** > > J.R.R. Tolkien's son Christopher spent more than 30 years piecing together fragments his father left behind. Now readers can learn what happened 6,000 years before Bilbo Baggins found the One Ring. Brian ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2007, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/20 "2007-04-18T16:08:29Z")
Barnes and Noble sent me a 46% off coupon, so why not? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005.md?page=2)