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The Children of Hurin by J. R. R. Tolkien (2008, Paperback, Reprint)
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Author: J. R. R. Tolkien
Publisher: Mariner Books
Publication Date: 2008-10-14
Language: English
Format: Paperback
ISBN-10: 0547086059
ISBN-13: 9780547086057
Product ID: EPID57588317
Description: J.R.R. Tolkien's THE CHILDREN OF HURIN was begun in 1918, and has since been pieced together from his estate by his son, Christopher. The book has been greatly anticipated by Tolkien's legions of fans: the LORD OF THE RINGS crowd is sure...
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Gorgeous and impressive!
) 
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
When I first saw the image of the deluxe edition, it looked very plain: the cover and box are a subdued grey-blue with apparently no cover picture/design on the outside. I thought at the time, "What makes this one better than the regular HC version?", which had a very impressive cover artwork by Alan Lee. Fortunately the seller had placed many photos including pics of the inside pages and colour plates. There was one pic that was so beautiful and Tolkien-esque, that I realised this was a whole new Tolkien experience and I wanted to experience with not just any book with a typical glossy cover and big title, but a Tolkien-esque book, with a hard cover inside a solid box and with its distinctive Elvish helmet design emblem in pale gold on the front cover of the book and the outside of the box. The book also has the iconic JRRT logo on the back cover and the spine of the book.
I was not disappointed when I unpacked it and felt the weight and solidness and bookishness of it! And there was something else. The smell. It had the same wonderful distinctive smell of some hard-cover Dungeons and Dragons books of my childhood and instantly took me back to memories of goblins, dragons and guarded treasure! So not only does it look Tolkien, but it even smells Tolkien! I was deligted also to find the Alan Lee illustration used for the cover of the regular edition, is presented as the first colour plate on one of the title pages upon opening the book.
So, what at first glance, didn't grab the attention, has actually proved to be a gorgeous and very impressive Tokien edition.
The Children of Hurin is one of Tolkien's unfinished works, that has now been reconstructed and completed by his son, Christopher Tolkien. It is a stand-alone piece that is entirely separate to The Lord of the Rings, although it is also about a world of elves, men and a dark lord. I have not had the chance to read it yet, but at a quick perusal, is looks like if Lord of the Rings was about good heroicly vanquishing evil, then Hurin seems to say, "Well, sometimes it doesn't". I can't wait to plunge into this new Tolkien world.
I was not disappointed when I unpacked it and felt the weight and solidness and bookishness of it! And there was something else. The smell. It had the same wonderful distinctive smell of some hard-cover Dungeons and Dragons books of my childhood and instantly took me back to memories of goblins, dragons and guarded treasure! So not only does it look Tolkien, but it even smells Tolkien! I was deligted also to find the Alan Lee illustration used for the cover of the regular edition, is presented as the first colour plate on one of the title pages upon opening the book.
So, what at first glance, didn't grab the attention, has actually proved to be a gorgeous and very impressive Tokien edition.
The Children of Hurin is one of Tolkien's unfinished works, that has now been reconstructed and completed by his son, Christopher Tolkien. It is a stand-alone piece that is entirely separate to The Lord of the Rings, although it is also about a world of elves, men and a dark lord. I have not had the chance to read it yet, but at a quick perusal, is looks like if Lord of the Rings was about good heroicly vanquishing evil, then Hurin seems to say, "Well, sometimes it doesn't". I can't wait to plunge into this new Tolkien world.
Review ID: 10000000007479881
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Thank you for voting. If your vote meets our Christopher a worthy heir of JRRReview created: 08/06/07
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1 of 2 people found this review helpful.
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
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
Review ID: 10000000004145980
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