Isildur- the Novel: anyone read it?

Cafe Society
1

With all of the LOTR talk going on, I figured I’d ask. Has anyone has a chance to read the online novel about Isildur during the Last Alliance?
I’ve read it…it’s pretty good, I thought…very much in the style of Tolkien. Really good Elven characters, some of whom are in the LOTR proper. Not canon by any means, but fills in some gaps in the storyline, and I enjoyed it. I’d recommend it if you’ve read through all of Tolkiens’ work (father and son).
Here’s a link to the author’s page:

http://home.comcast.net/~crawford.b//Isildur/isildur.html

I think it’s also been posted at the Grey Havens as well.

2

um…does this mean no?

lots of views…but i guess no one has. I hope that some of you, at least, will give it a try…I’d love to discuss some of the highlights, themes and plot points with fellow Dopers.

I imagine this is going to the bottom of the pack again…but if anyone reads it, please start a thread on it.

3

Blasphemy!

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Yeah. I’m surprised people actually read EU Star Wars.

I would think those books would get the same treatment as any books that set themselves in Tolkien’s world.

Very blasphemous.

5

Of course I meant to add *either to that first sentence.

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More than blasphemous! It’s direct evidence that the lies that Melkor, the mighty and accursed, Morgoth Bauglir, the Power of Terror and of Hate, sowed in the hearts of Elves and Men are a seed that does not die and cannot be destroyed; and ever and anon it sprouts anew, and will bear dark fruit even unto the latest days.

(with appropriate credit to JRRT)

7

so you like it eh ?
:slight_smile:

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[sub]well… yeah. [/sub]

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I’m underwhelmed.

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For the record, I read Star Wars:EU stuff as well…and I have tob admit that a fair amount of my disgust with Lucas has been due to the high caliber work of some ( I said SOME!) of the EU authors, like Zahn, Stackpole, Allston, and Keyes.

Anyway, I understand that it might not be everyon’e cup of tea…but it was a good read, I thought. I actually think that I loved the Silmarillion more than the LOTR Trilogy, and this deals with many of the same themes and characters, if not in the same style.

11

Didn;t read it yet, but wtf is this:

Boy, do I NOT remember that from the Silmarillion, the Tale of Years, or anything else. Did this really happen?

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Tolkien was very sketchy about what actually happens in the Last Alliance.
The basic plot of this novel is:
The black gate is taken, and Barad-Dur has been under siege for 10 years. The plan to break the siege is to have Isildur lead a small army against Sauron along his flank through Minas Morgul, and have the Ringbearers come out against him in the hopes that he will leave his tower to take those rings. Once out on the field, he would meet either Gil-Galad or Elendil in battle, and hopefully be killed.

The central idea is that the stalemate favors Sauron, as men grow old and die in the Black Land.

Nothing in the novel contradicts Tolkien’s work- just fills in the gaps.
Part of me likes it because it describes ‘real’ armies- the Last Alliance has about 100,000 men, elves and dwarves in it.

13

That still doesn’t canonize it. No real point even reading the book. It’s just fiction of OTHER fiction.

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No, it didn’t happen. That’s the point. It’s non-canon.

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I think that is stated in my OP that it’s not canon, nor should it be considered so. As for pointless…I thought that it was a good read…and that’s point enough for me. It’s fan fiction, true, but fairly high-caliber stuff.

Please don’t think I’m witnessing to you guys…I had just never seen any real Tolkien Fan Fiction, and here was a fairly extensive, well put together work, so I thought I’d share.

16

I knew it was non-canon … but this sounded kind of anti-canon (unlike expanding on what happens at Erech, at the Gladden Fields, etc.). Don’t the three rings HAVE to remain idle as long as the One is wielded by Sauron (else their wearers become subject to Sauron’s will)? Or is this supposed to happen after Sauron’s downfall?

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The three Rings are most definitely not “idle.” Because Elrond and Galadriel are wearing Nenya and Vilya, they are able to maintain the sanctity of Rivendell and Lothlorien. When the Rings pass from Middle Earth at the end of the Third Age, that’s it for magical elvish kingdoms.

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Rubystreak, we are discussing events set in the second age, when the elven rings are most definitely idle.

While Sauron wore the ruling ring, the elven rings were not used. The moment Sauron donned the One Ring, the elves perceived the truth about him, and took the rings off. They did not dare wield the rings again until after Sauron lost the ring. That is canon.

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Here’s a nice distillation of facts from JRRT about the elven rings:
http://oakroadsystems.com/genl/ringfaq.htm#H3-Three

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I realize this is a little late for a thread that’s six years old, but I’m the author of the novel Isildur. Many of your statements about my story conflicting with the canon were correct (plus, I never claimed to BE canon). However, working with several very knowledgeable Tolkien enthusiasts as editors, I have now created a second edition that corrects many conflicts and brings the story much more into line with the canon that was published after I wrote Isildur in 1973. The new version of the book is available in paperback at https://www.createspace.com/3399687. Check it out.