J.R.R. Tolkien: 'The Children of Hurin'

If this is your first exposure to Tolkien, turn back. If you liked The Lord of the Rings but found the 15-hour extended DVDs too long, do not pick up this book.

It’s not for the casual fantasy reader, nor even the Tolkien hobbyist, but only the serious Middle Earth intellectual who loves tracing casual references from the obscure song and verse of lesser-known characters (such as Tom Bombadil) back to their forgotten origins. And unless you’re a linguist who also specializes in archaic narratives, you’re still going to miss the finer points.

Set in the early days of Man when the Enemy was a creature named Morgoth (master of the more familiar Sauron), warrior Hurin loses the Battle of Unnamed Tears, is bound to an all-seeing chair, and is cursed to watch his family come to ruin. Mostly the ruin appears to be of their own making, first by Hurin’s boast that nothing Morgoth does is really lastingly evil - thus prompting the curse - and then by the individual family members’ pride and bad judgments.

The story follows Hurin’s intemperate son Turin as he stumbles from rash decision to unfortunate result, bringing about the downfall of all he touches - relatives’ villages, outlawed tribes, walled fortresses, and even entire elven kingdoms. Unwilling or unable to moderate himself, his life takes on truly Oedipal proportions when he unknowingly marries his own sister. The bad times keep on rolling, to the very last word.

This story, adapted by Tolkien’s son from The Silmarillion, extensive notes, and unfinished versions, isn’t a bad story in itself - although Morgoth’s logic doesn’t always make sense, especially at the end - and it features a dragon, outlaws, elves, and also a fold-out map, beautiful color plates, a dictionary of names and a genealogy. However, it’s definitely for the true fan only. All others should start with a more unpredictable fantasy adventure, like The Hobbit.

Published on 1st April 2008 by HarperCollins.

Written by W. L. Clark.