New Tolkein book to be published in April

[AllegroRondo]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070325/ennew_afp/entertainmentbritain

The Children of Hurin", which Tolkien began in 1918, will be in bookshops on April 17, the Independent on Sunday added. The author's son, Christopher, spent 30 years completing the story from the many drafts produced by his father.

Publisher HarperCollins is keeping exact details of the story under close wraps but its description as "an epic story of adventure, tragedy, fellowship and heroism" will be familiar to the legions of Tolkien fans.

Artist Alan Lee has provided 25 pencil sketches and eight paintings for the book.

[LWolf]

1. I started it last night

but didn't get all the way through the prologue before dozing off. I'll try again tonight.

[Beetwasher]

2. I'm Enjoying It!

The art work is really cool too!

[AllegroRondo]

3. I just bought my copy

havent had a chance to read anything other than the forward by Christopher yet, but the artwork is amazing.

[LWolf]

4. I finished it this week. Some thoughts:

It is more back story, dealing with names that we hear of as historical figures in lotr. It made me feel the need to pull out the silmarillion and others again; I had a little trouble keeping all of the names straight, and aligning it with what I remembered.

While the primary focus is Turin, females are given a little more attention than in lotr. Or there are more of them.

It read more like a Shakespearian tragedy written in more modern English than anything else of Tolkien's I've read.

[evilkumquat]

5. I Think I Have Read Everything Published Posthumously by JRRT

The Silmarillion

Unfinished Tales

The History of Middle Earth (all volumes)

I have read them so many times that I can, at a glance, tell when a fellow World of WarCraft player copped some lesser-known Tolkien character's ID.

Having said that, I do not think I will be purchasing Children of Hurin.

The story of Turin and his mother and sister after Hurin's capture by Morgoth is some of the most depressing stuff ever set down on paper (that had nothing to do with World War II).

I know enough of the story from what has already been published to know I will not enjoy what I read.

Please do not hate me; I still have plenty of Tolkien street-cred.

I just do not like reading stuff THAT depressing.

Evil Kumquat

[shenmue]

6. I got it

Does anyone else love the book design? I think it's one of the nicest I've ever seen. The art is terrific.