# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2007, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/21 "2007-04-18T17:10:07Z")
I’m a Tolkien junkie and will certainly read it eventually - my reading stack is just a bit too high at the moment, though. _The Silmarillion_ is a book that improves with each re-reading, I’ve found. The first time through, I was flummoxed by all of the names and interrelationships. The second time, the pieces started to fall into place. The third time, everything came together beautifully, and I loved it. It’s understandable, but unfortunate, that most readers don’t give it the time it needs. It’s certainly not light reading, but I’ve found it very rewarding. ---
**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 18, 2007, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/22 "2007-04-18T17:55:28Z")
[QUOTE=Chronos] 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. [/QUOTE] I agree. People should be advised that, if they don’t like the first part of the Silmarillion, they should skip ahead. Not just give up! Personally, I love that mythology stuff. But not everybody does. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2007, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/23 "2007-04-18T20:04:03Z")
[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan] Sorry dear, but unless finances constrain you, then you’re not a huge Tolkien nut. 😉 [/QUOTE] _lower lip wobbles_ But-but-but tuition next year and school books… ☹ ---
**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 18, 2007, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/24 "2007-04-18T21:01:02Z")
> [@](#): > > But-but-but tuition next year and school books… You mean this _isn’t_ one of your school books? Clearly, you’re in the wrong major ;). ---
**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 19, 2007, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/25 "2007-04-19T00:54:01Z")
Okay, now when and why did it renamed “Narn i _chin_ Hurin”?? It was “Narn i hin Hurin” in **UT**!! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2007, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/26 "2007-04-19T01:20:16Z")
[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan] Okay, now when and why did it [get] renamed “Narn i _chin_ Hurin”?? It was “Narn i hin Hurin” in **UT**!! [/QUOTE] I blame Jay Leno. ---
**Author:** ![Orual](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orual](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orual)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2007, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/27 "2007-04-19T01:27:43Z")
The Alan Lee illustrations are lovely. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2007, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/28 "2007-04-19T01:37:33Z")
[QUOTE=Chronos] You mean this _isn’t_ one of your school books? Clearly, you’re in the wrong major ;). [/QUOTE] The worst thing is, you _can_ take a special seminar on J.R.R. Tolkien in your first year here… Is there linguistically a difference between ‘chin’ and ‘hin’? _can’t remember Sindarin/Quenya off the top of my head_ ---
**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 19, 2007, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/29 "2007-04-19T02:31:32Z")
[QUOTE=Kythereia] Is there linguistically a difference between ‘chin’ and ‘hin’? _can’t remember Sindarin/Quenya off the top of my head_ [/QUOTE] :dubious: It’s _sindarin_. My most readily accessible sindarin texts all have ‘hin’ meaning ‘children’. I really can’t find much at all in either Quenya or Sindarin that starts with ‘ch’. But I’m not a deep Eldarin linguist like Salo or the guys at Ardalambion. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2007, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/30 "2007-04-19T02:35:55Z")
[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan] :dubious: It’s _sindarin_. My most readily accessible sindarin texts all have ‘hin’ meaning ‘children’. I really can’t find much at all in either Quenya or Sindarin that starts with ‘ch’. [/QUOTE] Begging your pardon. 🙂 I was about 95% sure it was Sindarin (sindarin?) but wasn’t completely sure… I guess we can only hope this is the biggest thing that’s changed from the original manuscripts. _bites lip_ ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2007, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/31 "2007-04-19T03:54:55Z")
\*The burning… the inflammation… the embarrassing redness. When Anglo-Saxon myth strikes, you need relief fast. Try new **Non-Itching Hurin** , for sensitive skin. \*_Non-Itching Hurin \*\* combines hypoallergenic ingredients with soothing aloe gel, providing all the power of tragic heroism with no painful itch. **Non-Itching Hurin** : also available for Children of Hurin._ I got mine. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2007, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/32 "2007-04-19T04:26:34Z")
[QUOTE=Terrifel] \*The burning… the inflammation… the embarrassing redness. When Anglo-Saxon myth strikes, you need relief fast. Try new **Non-Itching Hurin** , for sensitive skin. \*_Non-Itching Hurin \*\* combines hypoallergenic ingredients with soothing aloe gel, providing all the power of tragic heroism with no painful itch. **Non-Itching Hurin** : also available for Children of Hurin._ I got mine. [/QUOTE] Did it work? ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2007, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/33 "2007-04-19T09:18:12Z")
[QUOTE=Cerowyn] Did it work? [/QUOTE] I feel better. ---
**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 19, 2007, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/34 "2007-04-19T12:47:44Z")
[QUOTE=Kythereia] Begging your pardon. 🙂 [/QUOTE] Granted, of course. 😃 I was being facetious about the geekiness of JRRT fanatics, in chastising you with not automatically being able to differentiate a Sindarin phrase from a Quenyan. I have to look it up myself to be sure. ---
**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 19, 2007, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/35 "2007-04-19T13:18:15Z")
I just got a call from the bookshop that they’ve got my copy. Yay! But I’ve finally really got into _The Baroque Cycle_, but still have about 2000 pages to go. Boo! What to do? What to do? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2007, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/36 "2007-04-19T13:40:44Z")
Read each on alternate days? ---
**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 19, 2007, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/37 "2007-04-19T13:49:58Z")
[QUOTE=Elendil’s Heir] Read each on alternate days? [/QUOTE] I think I’ll finish _Quicksilver_ and then do the _Narn_. Panic over. ---
**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 21, 2007, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/38 "2007-04-21T01:16:28Z")
My Precious… I picked up the Book Tonight, I will probably start reading it this weekend. ---
**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 22, 2007, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/39 "2007-04-22T01:24:11Z")
Finished it today at a leisurely pace. No surprises. Virtually everything in it could be found in **Sil** , **UT** , and **HOMES**. But it was really quite pleasant to be able to read it all in one place (rather than flipping through 14 volumes) straight through, without being distracted by footnotes, editorial inserts, alternate versions, and debates and expositions about name changes. I found it even more powerful than before, and its continuity is the chiefest reason, IMHO. Seeing every passing possible moment of redemption being sabotaged by pride, hubris, ignorance, or the malice of Morgoth, just kept building to the climax. **A Túrin Turambar turun ambartanen** : Master of doom by doom mastered. A most appropriate epithet. ---
**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 22, 2007, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005/40 "2007-04-22T01:31:39Z")
[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan] Finished it today at a leisurely pace. No surprises. Virtually everything in it could be found in **Sil** , **UT** , and **HOMES**. But it was really quite pleasant to be able to read it all in one place (rather than flipping through 14 volumes) straight through, without being distracted by footnotes, editorial inserts, alternate versions, and debates and expositions about name changes. I found it even more powerful than before, and its continuity is the chiefest reason, IMHO. Seeing every passing possible moment of redemption being sabotaged by pride, hubris, ignorance, or the malice of Morgoth, just kept building to the climax. **A Túrin Turambar turun ambartanen** : Master of doom by doom mastered. A most appropriate epithet. [/QUOTE] I just started it late last night. You got me on a Terry Pratchett reading kick. I’ve knocked out about a dozen in the last month. Curse thee **QtM** , curse thee. Thank Erü for a new Tolkien book. Then I have been putting off a bio of Teddy Roosevelt. That is next, then I might devour another ½ dozen Discworld books. Jim [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-jrr-tolkien-book/400005.md?page=3)