[boffincash]

I believe this is his new novel which was just published..

J.R.R. tolkein has had a few posthumously published novels, which were put together by his son, but I was wondering if anyone had read this new one, or heard anything about it?

Thanks.

[sarasaraseda]

I believe this is his new novel which was just published..

J.R.R. tolkein has had a few posthumously published novels, which were put together by his son, but I was wondering if anyone had read this new one, or heard anything about it?

Thanks.

I have the book - plan on reading it this weekend!

I saw a 'review' in USA Today - the reviewer gave it a hearty recommendation.

It will be interesting to see how Tolkien's son, Christopher, has managed to piece this together and whether it fits/meshes well with the 'canonical' texts (esp. the Silmarillion [which may or may not be 'canonical' - depending on your pov]).

Erik Tracy
Tolkien fan w/ modest website http://erikt.cts.com/tolkien/me_lore.htm

[bQXHsKzS]

I have the book - plan on reading it this weekend!

I saw a 'review' in USA Today - the reviewer gave it a hearty recommendation.

It will be interesting to see how Tolkien's son, Christopher, has managed to piece this together and whether it fits/meshes well with the 'canonical' texts (esp. the Silmarillion [which may or may not be 'canonical' - depending on your pov]).

Erik Tracy
Tolkien fan w/ modest website http://erikt.cts.com/tolkien/me_lore.htm

Thanks for the info.

I also heard that it is very different in its atmosphere compared to LOTR and The simarillion. But Im probably going to pick it up soon.

I was suprised when I heard about it, because I thought all of his writing had allready been published in the Silmarillion and the book of lost tales, ect.

[forumsfavoriteall]

Tolkien had piles and piles of notes and drafts and scribbles - some were early versions of stories that he abandoned, some were expansions of ideas that he may never really intended anyone beside himself from reading.

His son, as executor of his father's estate, has managed to collate, compile, edit and publish a portion of this massive amount of information in the twelve volume series: The History of Middle-earth:
The Book of Lost Tales, Part One, The History of Middle-earth (Vol. 1)

The Book of Lost Tales, Part Two, The History of Middle-earth (Vol. 2)

The Lays of Beleriand, The History of Middle-earth (Vol. 3)

The Shaping of Middle-earth, The History of Middle-earth (Vol. 4)

The Lost Road and Other Writings, The History of Middle-earth (Vol. 5)

The Return of the Shadow, The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part One: The History of Middle-earth (Vol. 6)

The Treason of Isengard, The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part Two: The History of Middle-earth (Vol. 7)

The War of the Ring, The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part Three: The History of Middle-earth (Vol. 8)

Sauron Defeated: The End of the Third Age, The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part Four: The History of Middle-earth (Vol. 9)

Morgoth's Ring: The Later Silmarillion, Part One, The History of Middle-earth (Vol. 10)

The War of the Jewels: The Later Silmarillion, Part Two, The History of Middle-earth (Vol. 11)

The Peoples of Middle-earth, The History of Middle-earth (Vol. 12)

And if you can manage to slog thru all of this, then you can better appreciate what it took to get The Children of Hurin published - as there were many versions and drafts that Christopher Tolkien must have struggled with to come to some sort of single publishable version. That, and you will better see that Tolkien's vision of Middle-earth was truly completely realized and consistent.

If I do manage to finish the book this weekend, I'll try to report back here!

Erik

[Texdolley]

I managed to get through some of the The Simarillion and some of the book of lost tales. And few other things, but I allways felt them to not realy be novels, but collections of stories, put together to be a history.

I am more interested in "The children of Hurin" because it is supposed to be a "story" even though it was peiced together by Tolkeins son.

But I could be totally off-base.

[xqkAY7Lg]

Have you read 'Bored of the Rings? (BotR)

Hmm, anyhoo, I read a Tolkein biography many years ago, by a guy named Carpenter I think. I found it interesting to read that Tolkein's place names etc. were inspired by the coal trucks that trundled past the back of his house. They were on route from Wales!

[Lidawka]

Have you read 'Bored of the Rings? (BotR)

Hmm, anyhoo, I read a Tolkein biography many years ago, by a guy named Carpenter I think. I found it interesting to read that Tolkein's place names etc. were inspired by the coal trucks that trundled past the back of his house. They were on route from Wales!

I remember reading all about Frito in BotR. I liked LotR better though and loved the films. If his "new" book is as good then it's worth buying. If it's like the Silmarillion then I will pass.

[cialesxtr]

When I was a kid, many thousands of years ago back when the elves were shinning up the ents, I became vaguely aware of the great man's works and thought I would buy one of his 'middle earth books'. The first one would be good i thought, not knowing the title.

I took myself off to a large bookstore in the City and having browsed for a while with no success asked an assistant for the first book in the tolkein list. So, instead of giving me The Hobbit or even The Fellowship, the basturd sold me the Silmarillion!

It took me 7 years to recover.

[Blotassefesek]

When I was a kid, many thousands of years ago back when the elves were shinning up the ents, I became vaguely aware of the great man's works and thought I would buy one of his 'middle earth books'. The first one would be good i thought, not knowing the title.

I took myself off to a large bookstore in the City and having browsed for a while with no success asked an assistant for the first book in the tolkein list. So, instead of giving me The Hobbit or even The Fellowship, the basturd sold me the Silmarillion!

It took me 7 years to recover.

They're like that in Nottingham!

[Wgnhqhlg]

Haven't read it. No Longer wish to.

Got older. Had kids. Grew up.

Shit.....................


|Sigh........

[ScosyGissiok]

"Have you read 'Bored of the Rings? (BotR)"

And the Sodditt, I quite enjoyed it. Especially the Tom Bombadil character and his Crack Addict wife. I got through a bit of the Silmarillion but the rest of its rotting on my shelf somewhere. I quite liked the love story about half way through. Sons taking over their father's work isn't always good though, see Frank Herbert's sons efforts

[JJascaxal]

Haven't read it. No Longer wish to.

Got older. Had kids. Grew up.

Shit.....................


|Sigh........

I loved reading LoTR as a younger person, but I actually found it to be sad as a whole; The decline of magic, the departure of the elves, the goodbyes of Frodo and Bilbo, leaving the other hobbits behind, etc. Although, stories like Children of Hurin probably deal with the First Age of Middle Earth, and not with these aforementioned events.

I might pick it up

[Fdmnrnba]

I read the Silmarillion when I was 7 Very Geeky.

I have the new book but haven't read it yet - it's small enough to read in one hit so I want to arrange a time to enjoy it properly.

[jeepgrandch]

Have you read 'Bored of the Rings? (BotR)

Hmm, anyhoo, I read a Tolkein biography many years ago, by a guy named Carpenter I think. I found it interesting to read that Tolkein's place names etc. were inspired by the coal trucks that trundled past the back of his house. They were on route from Wales!

He based the Quenya language on Welsh and Sindarin on Finnish. You can also see how he used Anglo-Saxon runes as inspiration for the Cirith and South Asian scripts as a basis for the Tengwar.
The basis for The Silmarillion actually predates even The Hobbit, but no-one would publish it because of its dark and Celtic feel.
Apparently, he considered writing a sequel to The Lord of the Rings, but decided that resurrecting the evil would be a disservice to LOTR.

Tolkien's works are hobbit forming!

[defenderfors]

I loved reading LoTR as a younger person, but I actually found it to be sad as a whole; The decline of magic, the departure of the elves, the goodbyes of Frodo and Bilbo, leaving the other hobbits behind, etc. Although, stories like Children of Hurin probably deal with the First Age of Middle Earth, and not with these aforementioned events.

I might pick it up

I have read LOTR more times than I care to remember and the Silmarillion twice and most of the other books noted in an earlier post. I loved them to bits and probably still would if I could find the time to sit down and enjoy them. I found that they are the kind of read you need to be able to totally immerse yourself into. I am afraid three children do not normally allow for such indulgence.

I found some solace in the Harry Potter books which my kids loved me to read out to them - not on such an epic scale as LOTR books but still have a similar magic about them.

I also remember enjoying books on the Belgariad series and wasn't there a series called Dragonlance which were in a similar vein?

Lee

[jokiruss]

I like Harry Potter for the fact that it gets kids reading again. Not a fan for myself.

The Belgariad was almost a clone of LOTR!