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| The Children of Hurin | 
| Author: J.r.r. Tolkien
Creators: Christopher Tolkien, Alan Lee
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Category: Book
List Price: $26.00
Buy New: $4.00
You Save: $22.00 (85%)
New (77) Collectible (11) from $4.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  259 reviews
Sales Rank: 6850
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 320
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 8.3 x 5.9 x 1.2
ISBN: 0618894640
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.912
EAN: 9780618894642
ASIN: 0618894640
Publication Date: April 17, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Item is brand new.
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| Customer Reviews:
| Showing reviews 256-259 of 259 | | « PREV 1 ... | | |
 narrative note April 18, 2007
15 out of 32 found this review helpful
the narrative style was not written using the same historical prose as was the silmarillion and seemed to have the colloquial and descriptive blend that i enjoyed in lotr. however, the names and places can be confusing, but a glossary is in the back.
A dark yet glorious addition to the Tolkien canon. April 17, 2007
47 out of 52 found this review helpful
There's been great speculation about this book since its 2006 announcement. Based on a manuscript begun by father J.R.R. in 1918 and reworked throughout his life, son Christopher, who has edited 14 posthumous volumes of his dad's work, spent decades shaping the story's many drafts into this final form. Tolkien's legions of fans--all except those expecting Lord of the Rings Part II--shouldn't be disappointed; it's goooood! But far from hobbits frolicking in the Shire, this is a woeful tale laced with suicide, incest, and murder. Set 6500 years before Rings, the old master delivers new depth to Middle-earth lore, which, by its sheer weight, arguably is modern literature's greatest mythology. Many characters and settings will be familiar to those who've delved beyond Rings, and here we encounter Turin and Nienor, son and daughter to Hurin, a great warrior held captive by Morgoth, the Dark Lord. Once grown, Turin seeks vengeance against Morgoth, and though mighty in arms and the bane of orcs, Morgoth's icy fingers touch all Turin's deeds, and doom and darkness surround him. The destiny of sister and brother are intertwined, and their ultimate fate is a family tragedy worthy of Shakespeare. Production wise, the book is a beauty, with nine color paintings and 25 pencil sketches by Tolkien artist Alan Lee, plus a glossary of names, family trees, and the obligatory appendix and map. The Children of Hurin is a dark and brooding yet glorious addition to the Tolkien canon. Welcome back, old friend (and bravo Christopher for bringing it to fruition!). Highly recommended.
A Tragic Masterpiece April 17, 2007
32 out of 42 found this review helpful
Christopher Tolkien is to be praised for his faithful stewardship of his father's work. "The Children of Hurin" is the somber tale of the travails of Turin his son. Fans of the Silmarillion will delight in Tolkien's epic style of writing. The Casual fan may find himself dismayed a bit by this more elegant style of prose. Wonders await the patient and the devoted fan of JRR Tolkien. A haunting tale.
a review for the curious LOTR fan April 11, 2007
483 out of 512 found this review helpful
Taking place in the distant past of the Middle Earth most people know from the "Lord of the Rings," the "Children of Hurin" is a poignantly beautiful gem from JRR Tolkien's literary world. Before great cataclysms that altered the very substance of Middle Earth, the High Elves were allied with three great Houses of Men in a proud and hopeless struggle against the original Dark Enemy. "The Children of Hurin" begins with the most disastrous defeat of Elves and Men in that war, and how Turin, son of the greatest warrior in the history of Men, tries to take up his father's responsibility and reverse the damage.
One of JRR Tolkien's greatest achievements was the world of Middle Earth itself, which contained endless layers of history and backstory that informed the origin and actions of its characters. What can be easy to miss in reading LOTR is that Middle Earth is a desolate shadow of what it used to be, before time and the mistakes of foolish pride wore down the greatness of Elves and Men to almost nothing. This book takes place in a part of Middle Earth that was later destroyed, to be remembered only in the sad songs and anecdotes that pop up here and there in the background of LOTR. This and the book's maps may initially confuse fans of LOTR, but the journey into unfamiliar territory is more than worth it: "The Children of Hurin" is great all by itself, but will do a lot to help you understand the world of LOTR in general. Fans who have trouble with the drier, historical tone of the "Silmarillion" might be better served with this fleshed-out piece of its story. If you have ever wondered why the Elves are such a small, sad, and reclusive bunch in LOTR, you'll see a bit of the answer here, and did you know the great Sauron was once just a servant of the true and original Dark Enemy? You'll meet the dark god Melkor here, and understand why Sauron was just carrying on a legacy. Be prepared also for the diabolical Father of Dragons, Glaurung. If you enjoyed the combination of guile and physical might that Smaug brought to the table, you'll get more than you bargained for from this dragon.
"Children of Hurin" may also surprise fans that are used to the "plain Hobbit sense" and sober steadfastness of more well-known Tolkien protagonists. The central character, Turin, is in many senses the complete opposite of a Hobbit: a great and proud warrior, born for leadership, but doomed to make poor, rash decisions in the heat of emotion. You might be reminded a bit of Boromir, and rightly so. Turin struggles with moral choices and his pride often gets the better of him. Whereas you could trust the Bagginses to use logic, see the big picture, and keep their heads cool enough to defeat despair... or even the cunning wits and words of a dragon... you'll be horrified to see Turin falter. He's the essence of a tragic hero, and although he'll frustrate you, you might see more of yourself in him than in the nearly-unbreakable Hobbits.
It's altogether a different flavor from LOTR or the Hobbit, but it's no less great, and anyone interested in the world of Middle Earth should give it a go.
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