books:

	The Children of Húrin J.R.R. Tolkien Houghton Mifflin, 2007 - 320 pages average customer review:based on 258 reviews view larger image
	for more information click here

highly recommended

The Children of Hurin, begun in 1918, was one of three 'Great Tales' J.R.R. Tolkien worked on throughout his life, though he never realized his ambition to see it published. 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drafts, this book is the culmination of a tireless thirty-year endeavor by him to bring J.R.R.Tolkien's vast body of unpublished work to a wide audience.

Having drawn the distinctive maps for the original The Lord of the Rings more than 50 years ago, Christopher has also created a detailed new map for this book. In addition, it will include a jacket and color paintings by Alan Lee, illustrator of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings Centenary Edition and Academy Award-winning designer of the film trilogy.

for more information click here

One of my favorite stories of all time

First and foremost I'm a Tolkien fan. I've read mostly all his writing, and I like all of it, (though I haven't read Roverandum or Leaf by Niggle or whatever they're called). His fantasy, in my opinion, is top notch. So that should give you some idea of my personal biases. But on to the present book.

If there could be any criticism on Lord of the Rings, it would be one of two things - either the book is too long (or, as some of my friends have said who have tried to read it and didn't like it, "Tolkien spends 2 pages writing about scenery!!"), or the author is too "kind" to his characters. Personally, I think Tolkien's writing style is pleasing to read. I enjoy the descriptions of Middle Earth, since Tolkien is such a good writer, but I can see how it can wear on readers who are more interested in dialogue or characters. As to the second criticism, I also understand, although I like the way Lord of the Rings ends.

Anyway, those "problems" or "criticisms" or whatever you want to call them are absent in The Children of Hurin. The book is completely, more than any other book I have read I think, character driven. It is a relatively short read, though packed full of story - there are no 2 to 3 pages of fluff (though, as I said, I would have no objection).

The book is about the life of Turin, the son of Hurin, a man who has been captured and his family cursed by (drumroll...) "The Dark Lord" Morgoth. Throughout his life, Turin experiences many sorrows - encountering death, driven out of his village, surviving alone, warrior, betrayer, unjustly accused, broken hearted. His fate is doomed by Morgoth's evil will. Wherever he goes, sadness follows him. BUT, Turin's strength of will is remarkable, and the transformations he undergoes are interesting. I will not say the book ends happily, but I will say the story ends beautifully. I'll put it this way. You may read the book and feel sad at the end, but you won't feel cynical. You won't feel pessimistic or depressed (at least I don't think the book gives that affect). Instead, you'll feel that, though you just read a sad book, it really illuminated some very good things about life. By being sad, it adds value to happy things.

I actually think this book gives us a better understanding of how good of a STORYteller Tolkien was. Sure, everyone knows he can write well, but, if there were any doubts about his talents as a creater of complex, compelling, original tales, those are undoubtedbly dispelled in this book.

Never before have I read a book of such an appealing length (being not too short or not too long), dealing with so much going on, written so well, filled with such classic scences.

Certainly one of my favorite stories.

for more information click here

It's better than lord of the rings

It's very depressing but once I began reading I couldn't stop. There are
bits where I saw huge chances for the characters to have a good life; it's a pity they didn't. when Beleg died I almost couldn't bear to even pick up the book, but after I finished I just had to read it all over again. Children of Hurin is the best book in the world. I really swear.


Fantasy-tastic....

After getting in to this book (it is NOTHING like LOTR, more like Silmarillion) I was sad when it ended.

I really hope that Chris can put together the rest of his fathers notes and bring us another story.

for more information click here

Heart Felt Epic in a Long Lost History

A complete and fluid epic has finally arrived from the history of Middle Earth. Strong and sad characters pitted against a bitter fate. Just, another heart breaking lay as only the elves could write. The story of Hurin's children is put together in a flowing narrative form that traces over many of the other great stories of the early ages of Middle Earth.

My only negative is that the story left me wanting to know more about the times prior to and leading up to the war of the Ring. I guess that most of that history is lost in a fantastically imagined realm we will never fully comprehend.

for more information click here

reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

products you might be interested in

recommendations

Excellent Fantasy Movies, and the Books They're Based On.
Correction: 55 Books to Read in a Year PART TWO
2008 - Books I've Read So Far This Year
Books I Read in 2007, Part I
What I'm Currently Reading

children

	New Moon (The Twilight Saga, Book 2) New Moon (The Twilight Saga, Book 2) Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga, Book 4) The Shack Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1)

search for books
children of húrin, children, húrin