The Children of Hurin by Christopher Tolkien, J. R. R. Tolkien (2007, Book, Illustrated)

Hurin is one of the most nobel of all humans and a close friend of the high elves. When the elves square off against Morgoth (Tolkien's name for Satan) in an attempt to finish him once and for all, the house of Hurin joins their banners to fight.

But Morgoth outwits the elves and, with the dragon Glaurung in the van, tribe by tribe of elves are slaughtered on the battlefield. Hurin offers to sacrafice himself so that the last of the elvish tribes can escape back to their sanctuary in Gondolin. But Morgoth is angered that a mere man would dare challenge him and he orders Hurin captured alive.

As punishment for defing his plans, Morgoth makes Hurin sit in a chair that sees all in Middle Earth and is given the curse of knowing and seeing what Morgoth knows. In addition, Morgoth curses Hurin's children Turin (son)and Nienor (daughter).

The rest of the story mostly follows Turin in his valiant but futile attempt to break the curse. Wherever he goes, his battle prowness brings temporary relief to those he joins, but eventually his pride brings utter destruction to those he swore to protect.

But Turin's efforts at breaking the curse does cause Morgoth much grief and fear of failure. In the end, Morgoth must send Glaurung forth to guarentee the curse does not fail. Although Turin finally defeats the dragon, Glaurung tells Turin a secret that no man of honor can bear.

The tragedy of Hurin's children is well known, published by Christopher in the Simrileon as well as the many histories of Middle Earth that have been published. What makes this version stick out is that, for the first time, Christopher is filling in the gaps that the original story had.

These previously published gaps, for those that don't know, are because JRR never finished them. Up to now, his son Christopher deciphered the confusing and cryptic notes that his father left behind, showing how the stories developed over time. Now, at long last, Tolkien fans can read of the fate of Hunin's house in a smooth, completed piece.

This is not an easy task. The story of Hurin and his family were smaller parts of a much larger collection of closely inter-related stories. Christopher not only had to tell the main story of Turin's troubled life, but he had to decide just how much to tell about the other stories. Too much, and it is no longer The Children of Hurin, but it becomes Simrileon II. Too little, and readers unfamiliar with the 2nd Age will become lost.

I feel that Christopher has done a marvelous job in achieving the delicate balance. The only point of contention I have is that I believe the death of Mim the Dwarf should have been mentioned. It is foreshadowed by one of Turin's followers, but the reader never sees it happen.

With this one exception, I found the book well written and entertaining. It is a wonderful addition to any Tolkien library.

John Holland-author of The Necklace of Terrersylvanous