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The Children of Húrin (Middle-earth Universe)

by J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (Editor), Alan Lee (illustrator)

3.82 of 5 stars 3.82 · rating details · 20,965 ratings · 1,273 reviews

Tolkien fans are sure to treasure this tale of Middle-earth's First Age, which appeared in incomplete forms in the posthumously published The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales. Those earlier books, also edited by Tolkien's son, Christopher, only hinted at the depth and power of the tragic story of Túrin and Niënor, the children of Húrin, the lord of Dor-lómin, who achieved...more

Hardcover, 313 pages

Published April 17th 2007 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

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Apr 12, 2012 Stefan rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Children of Hurin provides some great historical material to Tolkien's world of Middle-Earth and adds even more richness to the Lord of the Rings. This addition to Tolkien's extensive historical background of Middle-earth fills in the gaps and fleshes out stories that have been mentioned and hinted at in other works by giving us a detailed and colorful look at the tragic story surrounding Túrin and Niënor (Hurin's children) and the ongoing battle against Morgoth, the master of the Lord of th...more

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Jun 05, 2008 Jake rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, series, epic, favorite-titles, favorite-authors

It has been said that all good things must come to an end. In this case, the end of Children of Hurin also marks the end of my quest to read a book by each of my five favorite authors. It seems like a fitting way to end this journey, in that Tolkien is the oldest of my favorites, and if there was ever a modern author suited to end-of-quest tales, it was Tolkien. He was also the author on my list that gave me the greatest concern—not only has he passed away, but his body of published work is rela...more It has been said that all good things must come to an end. In this case, the end of Children of Hurin also marks the end of my quest to read a book by each of my five favorite authors. It seems like a fitting way to end this journey, in that Tolkien is the oldest of my favorites, and if there was ever a modern author suited to end-of-quest tales, it was Tolkien. He was also the author on my list that gave me the greatest concern—not only has he passed away, but his body of published work is relatively small. I didn’t want to re-read the Hobbit or Lord of the Rings, not because I don’t love them, but because I wanted to be able to read something new, just as I had with the other authors. Having read the Silmarillion several months earlier, I was hard pressed to think of what else to read. Sure, I could have gone for Letters From Father Christmas, or Farmer Giles of Ham, but neither of those somehow felt right. Tolkien’s tales of Middle-Earth were what cemented him as one of my favorite writers, and I wanted to go back to Middle-Earth as part of this project.

Fortunately, the publishing gods smiled upon me, and gave me Children of Hurin. This is another in a line of books composed by Tolkien’s estate, taken from various notes, fragments, and other unfinished writings and molded into a coherent whole. In that respect, for the record, it’s very well done. The text flows seamlessly from chapter to chapter, and I never once had the sense that I was reading something out of place or inauthentic. This feels like Tolkien’s writing, and if it isn’t exactly what he intended, I have to believe it’s pretty damn close.

But what of the story itself?

The story of Hurin and his offspring is told as part of the Silmarillion, but not in the detail that Tolkien intended. Tolkien believed that this story was one that could be told apart from the Silmarillion as a whole—that it was strong enough and vibrant enough to stand on it’s own. And he is absolutely correct.

Children of Hurin is an epic. It’s also a tragedy. If you come into this book expecting glorious battles and happy endings, you will be sorely disappointed (though if you come to Tolkien expecting nothing but happiness and light, I submit you haven’t read Tolkien very often or carefully). This is not a tale of good triumphing over evil, but a tale of a family brought down by an epic curse. More Macbeth than Star Wars, in other words.

The writing itself is epic—Children of Hurin reads a lot like Beowulf or the Iliad. Tolkien apparently originally tried to write the tale as an actual epic poem, but was never quite able to make it work. Still, his prose captures that same spirit, rhythm, and cadence. As a huge fan of epic and epic poem, I love it.

Despite the epic prose and tragic scope, the characters of Children of Hurin are very well crafted, and ultimately, very human. Their actions, while not always rational, are often understandable, and while the tragedy has its origins in the supernatural (it is Morgoth who curses the line of Hurin), there is not a strong sense that the plot is forced simply by supernatural means. Instead, we get the sense that these are perhaps well meaning, but ultimately deeply flawed people, who suffer for their choices, and the choices of others. The final scene of the book, when Hurin is finally reunited with his dying wife, is absolutely heartbreaking.

There’s also a wonderful scene, much earlier, which really stuck with me, and I need to mention it here just because it’s so wonderfully crafted. It occurs shortly after Hurin’s capture by Morgoth, when Morwen, his wife, is trying to figure out what to do with herself and her children. Turin, the son, says something to the effect of “I know my father is dead. He must be, because I know that his love for us is so strong that if he were alive, no chains could hold him, and no amount of enemies could keep him from returning to us.”

And Morwen’s answer is “I do not think either of those things is true, my son.”

It’s a wonderful, if completely heartbreaking moment, where a child-like view of heroism clashes completely with the harsh realities of the world. It strikes me as a very Tolkien-esque moment; in many ways much of Tolkien’s work deals with the interplay between heroics, and the personal cost or realities of those heroics. At least, that’s my initial thought. In any case, it’s an immensely powerful scene.

The text of the book is aided by the wonderful illustrations done by Alan Lee, who has done a lot of Tolkien-related art in the past. His illustrations are interspersed in no particular order throughout the book, but each one of them is gorgeous, and really adds to the flavor of the text. It would have been neat to see some more of them.

This is yet another Tolkien book I’ll be re-reading in the future. It’s a fine addition to the Middle Earth canon.(less)

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Sep 03, 2007 Beggs rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Hardcore Tolkien fans.

The Children of Hurin is not a for people who saw the Lord of the Rings movies and then read the book. It's for hardcore fans. The people who remember all the names from the The Silmarillion. Or for the few people out there who reread Beowulf a lot. The Children of Hurin reads like a Nordic Saga.

As a self proclaimed Tolkien Fanatic I enjoyed The Children or Hurin. The Heroic, epic and ultimately tragic life of Turin and his sisters. It's not more The Lord of the Rings but it continues to paint a...more

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Feb 06, 2013 Riku Sayuj rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

After watching Hobbit, I desperately wanted to get some Tolkien fare, and I was (strangely enough) not up to reading LOTR for a thirteenth time (though I plan to soon enough). So I turned to the Children of Hurin and boy, was it fun.

Deriving from the Finnish national epic Kalevala and the tragic Kullervo, The Children of Hurin proves again what Tolkien can do with ancient legends and myths. I have to confess that I was looking for parallels with Beowulf through most of my readings and found man...more

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Jan 16, 2013 Joseph rated it 4 of 5 stars

Now I will sing the doom song.

This is probably the grimmest tale of Middle-earth, filled with treachery and betrayal and evil glamours and shocking revelations and all other manner of doom and tragedy. If you read The Silmarillion, you know the gist of the story. (If you didn't read The Silmarillion I'm not sure why you're reading this book in the first place.) This volume presents the tale of Túrin Turambar in a longer, more complete narrative (although it's still relatively short by modern sta...more

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Feb 14, 2008 Carter Krummrich rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Tolkein fans

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The Children of Hurin is a beautiful book. I bought the hardcover collector's edition for a small fortune as books go ($75) and let me just say that Alan Lee's illustrations are exquisite. I read the book immediately and will say that it is a must for any lifelong Tolkein fans. Tolkein's works were a huge part of my childhood and my mom would read them to me before I could read. She had to stop reading them because I would ask too many questions so I read them myself when I was eight or nine.

Thi...more The Children of Hurin is a beautiful book. I bought the hardcover collector's edition for a small fortune as books go ($75) and let me just say that Alan Lee's illustrations are exquisite. I read the book immediately and will say that it is a must for any lifelong Tolkein fans. Tolkein's works were a huge part of my childhood and my mom would read them to me before I could read. She had to stop reading them because I would ask too many questions so I read them myself when I was eight or nine.

This story is one of Tokein's oldest. He started the tale of Turin Turambar in 1910 in the form of epic poetry (iambic pentameter if I remember correctly). The story appears in condensed form in The Silmarillion. Here, the narrative is fleshed out and edited by Christopher Tolkein because J.R.R never finished it. This is really strange to me because it is said that J.R.R. most identified with the tale's hero, Turin, out of any of his other characters.

That being said, I wouldn't recommend this work to anyone except hardcore Tolkein fans. The narrative is mired tightly within Tolkein's obscure legends of Middle Earth. The narrative reads like a Greek tragedy. Turin is cursed from the start. Hurin, Turin's proud and valiant father, is captured by Morgoth, the enemy, after the loss of the War of Unnumbered Tears. Morgoth curses Hurin's children and keeps him alive to watch their misery from atop a mock throne for most of his life.

Turin becomes a great warrior both proud and noble yet falls victim to the curse of Morgoth. He accomplishes many great deeds yet destroys or perverts everything close to him. He slays his best friend unawares, marries his sister having never known her, and causes the destruction of one of elf kind's greatest civilizations. These are just some of the many of the consequences of Morgoth's curse. One could argue that Turin's own pride brought these horrors upon his own head. I really enjoy Tolkein to this day because of these crisp complexities. You can choose to read the book on its most simple levels and be just fine. But if you choose to delve into its deeper themes, I promise you will be rewarded with gold (or mithril - if you're a true fan).(less)

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Dec 15, 2008 Aldean rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: tolkien, possessions

As a general rule I try to write my reviews "in a vacuum" as much as possible, that is, before I read through the other reviews already here. I am not going to be able to do that here. I have spent more than twenty years with this story (since my mother first read the Unfinished Tales version aloud to me when I was eight years old), and if Christopher Tolkien had not put this volume together, I might have eventually had the hubris to do so myself.

Let me start by making a couple of points. First...more As a general rule I try to write my reviews "in a vacuum" as much as possible, that is, before I read through the other reviews already here. I am not going to be able to do that here. I have spent more than twenty years with this story (since my mother first read the Unfinished Tales version aloud to me when I was eight years old), and if Christopher Tolkien had not put this volume together, I might have eventually had the hubris to do so myself.

Let me start by making a couple of points. First: this is not a new book in any sense of the word, other than it is now standing on its own between two covers and without visible editorial apparatus for the first time. Second: Christopher Tolkien cannot be said to have written any portion of the narrative of this book, despite many reviewers intimations to the contrary. The bulk of this text appeared in Unfinished Tales, with significant gaps; Tolkien the son has filled in these gaps using the relevant sections from the (much more concise) version that was used in assembling The Silmarillion, as well as framing material at the beginning and end of the current volume, also from The Silmarillion. Christopher Tolkien has done little more here than the literary equivalent of very carefully stitching a few patches to mend the gaping holes in an otherwise noble and beautiful garment.

On to the story itself, then. This is, as so many others have already noted with varying degrees of enthusiasm, a very dark tale. If you don't like very dark tales, well then, you will quite likely not like this. It is also in a prose style, as is the vast bulk of Tolkien's work, that is very susceptible to being called "stilted", because compared to contemporary prose, it is. But as at least one reviewer here has wisely noted the tone is in keeping with the tone of the Nordic sagas of which Tolkien was so fond of and inspired by. And like so many ancient sagas and myths, this tale is about an entire family haunted by a doom they cannot escape.

Or is it? I think that Tolkien has done a wonderful job here of subverting the curse of Morgoth and the doom of Húrin and his kin with another motif: free will. Tolkien, who strenuously avoids almost any hint of allegory throughout his vast imaginative work, nevertheless imbued almost every corner of that world with reflections of his own deeply-held Catholic convictions and sensibilities. The core of the story is the tension between doom/fate on the one hand and free will on the other. Túrin makes decision after decision that invariably lead to tragic consequences. But does he do so because he is doomed to do so? Or because he is a man of haughty pride who stubbornly refuses to consider any viewpoint but his own, using his considerable gifts (natural charisma and rightfully-legendary physical/martial prowess) to charge willfully forward regardless of even foreseeable consequences to anyone and everyone around him? I believe that it is very much the latter, but without necessarily completely repudiating the former.

The malice of such a being as Morgoth is a very real force in the tale of the Silmarils, and such malevolence bent upon a single family, and largely upon a single individual as Túrin rises to prominence, can be understood to have tangible effect on individuals and events. And even on a more mundane level, the incursions and aggressive actions of Morgoth's forces, both the marauding armies of Orcs and the Easterlings who occupy Túrin's childhood homeland, can be understood to push Túrin in a particular direction in his life that he might not have gone had circumstances in his life and in his world been otherwise. So there is some range to the senses in which Morgoth can be said to have cursed the children of Húrin.

But Túrin has also grown up the proud child of a proud mother; effectively orphaned from the age of nine, he receives ostensibly every advantage, yet the pride instilled in him from the earliest age tragically unravels every opportunity he is presented with from his youthful fostering in the halls of Thingol onwards. It is his human choices, not the supernatural force of an evil will, that guide him on his tragic path, and this complex narrative thread is what makes this, to my mind, one of the greatest of all of Tolkien's tales.(less)

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Apr 28, 2008 Dustin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Having read most of Christopher Tolkien's other editions of his father's work, I was eager to read this prose rendering of the Narn i Chin Hurin, which may be familiar to anyone who has read the Silmarillion, or any of the Lost Tales/Unfinished Tales/History of Middle Earth volumes.

What always strikes me about the early writings of Tolkein's (JRR, not Christopher) is the love and tenderness with which he writes his characters. No matter how awful their acts, whether voluntary or fated, it is cle...more

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Jun 21, 2008 Andrew rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So, I decided to take the next step of Tolkien nerdom and read one of his non-Lord of the Rings books. At first I was emotionally detached from this story because, let's face it, Tolkien's never really been that great with character development. I was bored, and I thought I should probably quit. But I persevered. Good thing I did! The last half of the book picks up speed, and it turns into something reminiscent of a Greek tragedy - which is something I did not expect. It shocked me, disturbed me...more

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Feb 12, 2012 Giuseppe rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: genre-fantasy-fiction, literature-english, 1980-s

Avviso ai naviganti: questo libro e questa recensione sono espressamente consigliati agli amanti della materia tolkieniana. Tutti gli altri è meglio che se ne tengano alla larga

Infatti sono tanti e tali i riferimenti agli avvenimenti ed ai personaggi presenti negli altri tomi di Tolkien (principalmente "Il silmarillion" e "I racconti perduti"), che senza un robusto background la lettura sarebbe troppo faticosa e dispersiva.

Ed è un peccato in realtà.

Perchè al di là dell'aspetto mitologico che fa...more Avviso ai naviganti: questo libro e questa recensione sono espressamente consigliati agli amanti della materia tolkieniana. Tutti gli altri è meglio che se ne tengano alla larga

Infatti sono tanti e tali i riferimenti agli avvenimenti ed ai personaggi presenti negli altri tomi di Tolkien (principalmente "Il silmarillion" e "I racconti perduti"), che senza un robusto background la lettura sarebbe troppo faticosa e dispersiva.

Ed è un peccato in realtà.

Perchè al di là dell'aspetto mitologico che fa sì che questa storia appartenga al corpus cosmologico di JRR Tolkien, ci sono degli aspetti peculiari che lanciano una nuova luce su questo autore.

Infatti, se l'impostazione del testo pesca sempre fortemente nell'impostazione epica che tanto caratterizza l'high fantasy, a differenza de "Lo Hobbit" (che ha l'impostazione della fiaba) e de "Il Signore degli anelli" (che ha quella del romanzo cavalleresco), qua ci troviamo di fronte ad un'opera che vieppiù ricorda un poema epico di chiara ispirazione norrena (non è un caso trovarvi dei diretti richiami a Beowulf o l'Edda di Snorri). Infatti, anche se la forma è la prosa, non sorprende che Tolkien avesse iniziato a scrivere l'opera sottoforma di poema e che poi ne tradusse una versione in prosa. Versione che mai è stata scritta uniformemente ma nel corso degli anni e sempre alternativamente ad altre opere, tanto che è stato il figlio Christopher, che con un paziente lavoro, l'ha recuperata e "montata" affinché ne potessimo godere.

E quest'opera, che può essere considerata la fonte più ricca di avvenimenti, personaggi storici, luoghi della Prima Era, ha, oltre a una differenza sostanziale di forma rispetto alle altre opere più celebri, una più sottile di contenuti.

Già l'intreccio narrativo è diverso: non vi è un oggetto, un'avventura o un evento storico come protagonisti, ma bensì la vita di alcuni personaggi e nello specifico, come da titolo, i figli di Hurin: Turin e Nienor. Tolkien ci narra la storia di Hurin, re umano, che sfidò Morgoth a sue spese, ricevendone in dono una maledizione sulla sua progenie. I suoi figli infatti non troveranno pace:

Allora Morgoth, puntando il lungo braccio in direzione del Dor-lómin, maledisse Húrin, Morwen e la loro discendenza, dicendo: "Ecco! L'ombra del mio pensiero sarà su di loro ovunque vadano, e il mio odio li perseguiterà sino ai limiti del mondo."

E così ci vengono narrate le gesta di Turin, figlio di Hurin, che più e più volte sarà costretto a cambiare il nome e le sue condizioni di vita, dividendosi dalla sua famiglia e dalla sorella che rincontrerà fino ad un tragico epilogo.

Ed oltre avere come protagonisti le figure di questi personaggi, sono proprio le umane passioni al centro di questa storia. Passioni legate ai legami familiari (il personaggio di Turin ha punti di contatto con Edipo), passioni legate alla conquista ed al possesso, che spaziano dall'ira all'invidia e che la presenza elfica, molto più ragionata e saggia, fanno risaltare oltremodo.

E quindi questo aspetto particolare che dà un sapore tutto suo a questa storia e la rende unica all'interno della produzione tolkieniana.(less)

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Apr 07, 2013 Klytia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Children of Hurin ha i toni di un tragico poema epico.

Non c'è una quest, un tesoro da trovare o una principessa da salvare. I problemi non si risolvono con la magia ma con la spada e spesso con esiti drammatici.

E' la storia di alcuni uomini che lottano per la loro vita, la famiglia e la terra contro un potere più grande di loro, una divinità caduta che vuole estendere il suo potere sull'umanità. Turin, il protagonista, è tutt'altro che un cavaliere senza macchia, ha un carattere cupo e incl...more

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Jan 26, 2013 Kristalia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: for everyone who can bear to read beautiful tragic story

Shelves: own-physical-copy, dark-so-daaark, unique-stories, favorites, reviewed, be-my-hero-plz

Final rating: ★★★★★/★★★★★

The Children of Húrin was one of the beautiful stories taken from The Silmarillion (Children of Húrin actually being the extended version of the story of Túrin Turambar from Silmarillion) , and the most tragic of them all. And i agree, because the fate of the Children of Húrin was not an easy one, and it was full of despair and regret. I don't think this is book for those who don't like tragedy, but i doubt there is another tragedy like this which moved me to tears. A...more

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Nov 01, 2012 Anne Hamilton rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, secret-names

I've always had a mixed reaction to Tolkien. As a reader, I'm a participant, not a viewer of 'story'. So The Lord of The Rings bewildered me from the beginning. Which of the hobbits, in all that crowd at Bilbo's eleventy-first birthday party, were the ones I was supposed to be alongside? Of all Bilbo's friends and relatives which were significant to the unfolding story and which were there simply to fill in the background? What!? Not even Bilbo is the one to watch?

Then I made the fatal error of...more

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Anne Hamilton I've always had trouble with Tolkien. From the opening chapter of The Lord of The Rings (are all these partying hobbits important? which ones should I...more
updated Oct 20, 2012 12:49pm

Oct 09, 2010 Jewel rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I could’ve read this book in one sitting if I had the luxury of time. Like everything I’ve read of Tolkien so far (The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings), I found it engrossing and hard to put down. But don’t expect to have an experience similar to that of reading LOTR. Just as The Hobbit should not be compared in merit with LOTR, so shouldn’t this one, for though they come from the same world (Middle Earth), they’re entirely of different species (much like Elves, Dwarves and Men).

I knew even before...more

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Apr 06, 2008 Heather rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Serious JRR Tolkien fans

This book is only for the serious JRR Tolkien fan. If you've read the Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, Silmarillion, and still want more, then you will probably be interested in this book. It is very different than the above books though. The Hobbit is a very easy read, written for a young audience. Lord of the Rings is a long tale, but keeps you drawn in til the end. The Silmarillion is incredibly complex, and difficult to read, yet fascinating because of all of the history of Middle Earth that it pr...more

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Jan 14, 2008 Lauren Giova rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Tolkien fans

Now, i am a huge fan of the Lord of the Rings trilogy but The Children of Hurin was sorely disappointing. Though i have to give Tolkien credit for starting a good story i would have to give his son two thumbs down in his editing abilities. I don't think i have ever read anything so coldly written in my life. There was no love in the book. I was depressed while reading it and had to make myself finish it. If there were more character building or even just some form of emotion aside from sadness...more

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Dec 11, 2007 Nick rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

This book, based on original manuscripts along with notes and other bits and pieces left by J.R.R. Tolkien, has been brought together into a coherant form by his son, Christopher Tolkien who has done so much good work to bring to light the other writings of Middle-Earth that were as important to Tolkien as his seminal works, The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.

This book sets out one of the longer so called "Lays of Beleriand", stories from that place in the west of Middle-Earth that was later f...more

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Nov 05, 2007 Luis rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Of course as this book came as a must read for any Tolkien fan worth their salt. I bought this within a week of its premiere and while on vacation a few months back it became one of the key books during the trip. I wanted to relish in its reading and linger on the words and history of middle earth. One part of this book that bothered me may in fact be the fact that the book itself is rather short for a Tolkien work. Christopher Tolkien fingers are all over this work for it reads smoothly and ele...more Of course as this book came as a must read for any Tolkien fan worth their salt. I bought this within a week of its premiere and while on vacation a few months back it became one of the key books during the trip. I wanted to relish in its reading and linger on the words and history of middle earth. One part of this book that bothered me may in fact be the fact that the book itself is rather short for a Tolkien work. Christopher Tolkien fingers are all over this work for it reads smoothly and elegantly with little of the complexity that a reader expects from his father. I am not complaining about mainly stating it as more an observation, it turned out that while on vacation this book was perfect because it was never really a challenge. It became instead a light fantasy read steeped in the world of Middle Earth. It deals with a time before the rise of Suaron and deals mainly with the evil before him, Morgoth. I forget the details as to where he ranks in the history of Middle Earth, for unlike some Tolkien fans I have yet to memorize the tome that is the Silmarillon.
This book mainly deals with the life of Hurin how in his battle against Morgoth he is cursed by him and held hostage for years locked to watch the destruction of his land by foreign invaders unable to do anything. His son Turin grows into a man raised by elves and becomes a fierce dark warrior famed throughout the land. His journey is a dark one filled with palace intrigue and the darkness that surrounds his bloodline destined to befoul all his actions. The journey of Turin and his father Hurin is amazing , but ultimately he is a tragic figure within the pages of the Tolkien's word. This story is one apparently written by Tolkien early in his career and helps to create some of the basis for the beauty that is Silmarillon. It seems that after all his other tales have such beautiful endings here is a story steeped in tragedy. It think it is a fitting tale rounding out the mythology that is the genius of Tolkien. Great book, but be careful those looking for the usual Tolkien tales will be pleasantly surprised.
Turin is a character of amazing depth and battles that are described in this book are on par with the battles within the pages Lord of the Rings. Tolkien createss history and legends that are absolutely amazing. The artwork is amazing as well.(less)

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Nov 14, 2008 Dan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: those who liked the Simirillian

Shelves: fantasy

People seem to go both ways on this book, but I can only speak for myself: GREAT.

Great, great, great, great, great. As one who is among the (legions of) people who appreciate the character-driven, powerful portrayal of daily trials, personalities, and themes of friendship and loyalty found in The Lord of the Rings, and those (somewhat smaller number of) people who appreciated the sweeping, cataclysmic majesty of The Simarillion; The Children of Húrin is a most satisfying blend of the two. Set a...more

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Aug 08, 2007 Silvercharmer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Tolkien fans

Shelves: scifi-fantasy, tolkien

Can you imagine my excitement over the prospect of more Tolkien material? The story itself appears in a briefer form in the Silmarillion, and here in it's longer form we get to dwell a lot more on what things were like in the First Age, when the Elves screwed everything up so royally it all had to be sunk beneath the sea. Seriously, for a race that is immortal and thus in theory hip to smart decisions vs. horrendous ones, the Elves FAIL miserably to do anything that ultimately turns out to be ri...more Can you imagine my excitement over the prospect of more Tolkien material? The story itself appears in a briefer form in the Silmarillion, and here in it's longer form we get to dwell a lot more on what things were like in the First Age, when the Elves screwed everything up so royally it all had to be sunk beneath the sea. Seriously, for a race that is immortal and thus in theory hip to smart decisions vs. horrendous ones, the Elves FAIL miserably to do anything that ultimately turns out to be right or smart. They seem doomed to failure, and everyone can just blame Feanor. Well, and I guess Turin, because after reading this you really wonder why in God's name is Hollywood fighting over movie rights, because watching this movie would likely sink you into a horrible depressive cycle that would last for weeks.

I say this all with love, by the way.

The Children of Hurin is stylistically written much like the Silmarillion, so put your Biblical goggles on. In general, and very much in this book, Tolkien conveys honor, fate, chivalry, sorrow and grief with such amazing beauty and grace that it quite frankly leaves you humbled. I cannot overemphasize the beauty and tragedy of Tolkien's writing. This world of his is made so complex and poignant mostly because of all the tragic things that happen within it. The stories of old told throughout The Lord of the Rings are spoken so lovingly and with such nostalgia, but it's the sadness that even remembered victories contain that make them so moving. When characters get that wistful look in their eye, you very badly want to know everything about what it is their mind sees, and in this story, you get that. In a lot more detail than the Silmarillion. (!!!)

But at the same time, these stories are so. so. easy to MST3K, and if you love them dearly like I do, you can do it and not feel bad. For example. One of the issues I have with most of Tolkien's writing is that when it comes to the noble, proud, heroic and yet flawed characters of the First Age, all you read about are the flaws, and the stupid decisions they make as a result of those flaws, without any emphasis on the good qualities that make them so well loved. I can't stand Feanor, and frankly, I cannot find much to like about Turin, the arrogant little prick, despite the fact that out of the Edain, he and Beren are probably the most revered. Yes, their bravery and valor have won them the respect of the elves, but man. If I were an elf and some dinky little man insisted to Orodeth that that no, don't listen to Cirdan's people, we should FIGHT LIKE BANSHEES and not stay hidden and thus avoid certain defeat, and as a result my kingdom was SACKED AND OVERTHROWN BY A DRAGON, I would be pretty damn pissed. But no, they still love the man, no matter how sullen and snotty he gets. And he gets pretty sullen and snotty if you ask me. I still don't understand how a human, who has a couple hundred years less experience than any elf, most especially elves who would be advisers to the king of one of the most powerful elven realms, could offer better military strategy than other fellow elves, but this is a world that after thousands and thousands of years, bows and arrows are still about the most powerful weapons they got.

So, there is a lot about Turin that you have to take everyone's word for, rather than see evidence of yourself. But if you are at all familiar with Tolkien's writing, and love it in the slightest bit, you will be ecstatic about this book, and hopefully equally as horrified as I that they want to make the damn thing a movie (yes! a movie about grief and tragedy and incest and betrayal where nothing good ultimately happens to anyone! whoo!!).(less)

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Jul 10, 2007 Steven rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Beowulf fans

Christopher Tolkien does an excellent job sifting through his father's manuscripts to assemble the tragedy of Hurin -- the first of the three "Great Stories of Middle Earth" according to J. R. R. Tolkien -- into a single coherent narrative. The style and themes have more in common with Beowulf and other Nordic and Anglo-Saxon epics, than it does with the Lord of the Rings or the Hobbit. This is, after all, no children's story. Be advised, however, the first several pages (as is typical of heroic...more

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Apr 10, 2008 ba rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of Middle Earth; even lapsed fans

As a teenager, I was a huge fan of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and fantasy books in general. But that was a long time ago. In the years between, I did read The Silmarillion, and did not enjoy it very much. So when I read that Mr. Tolkein's son had edited yet another book from his father's notes, I was wary. Having read some favorable reviews, I purchased the book, but it sat on my shelves many months as I tried to stave off the impending disappointment.

How wrong I was. I very much enjoye...more

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Jul 20, 2007 Joe rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fantasy lovers

The Children of Hurin will make you cry--it made me cry, and that's saying something. I cry rarely, and only when something is as touching as the movie "Cool Runnings".
If you love the Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit but have not been able to muster the patience and dedication it takes to read the Silmarillion, this book will inspire you to delve deeper into the ancient, tragic and glorious history of middle earth.
The story is one of Tolkien's "Great Tales" and the text was compiled from previou...more

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Feb 03, 2013 James rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

An old friend of mine described the style as "a bit too Old Testament". True enough, perhaps, but the Old Testament includes some of the great archetype tragic stories. This sort of thing is Tolkien's strength, and this instance hits right on target for what I was looking for. It helps that I'm also an untreated language addict -- I love the sound and feel of Tolkien's various Elvish dialects.

Incidentally, I think his son did a fine job adapting and annotating the unfinished story. Also, the har...more

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Apr 04, 2008 Ceridwen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, incest-is-best, tolkien-uber-alles

All of Western thought may be footnote to Plato, but all Western fantasy is a footnote to Tolkien. A "new' book by Tolkien certainly is welcome, and it's interesting to be confronted by his somewhat staggering limitations as a novelist.

After reading the introduction by Chris Tolkien, JRR's editor/son, I learned that this story was severally written as alliterative verse, a lay, several snippets of notes, outlines, etc, and smoothed together later. It's episodic, and ends on an extremely down no...more

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Dec 12, 2008 Adam Heine rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm always sketchy of posthumous Tolkien. It used to be because "it wasn't Lord of the Rings," but later it was because these works involved an awful lot of exposition, telling, and names.

Children of Hurin certainly starts this way (there are 12 names in the opening paragraph alone!), but a few pages in the story started for real. After that I couldn't put it down.

This book is dark and sad and really good. It feels powerful in a way that a lot of stories don't. So I encourage you to slog through...more

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Nov 14, 2008 Sara rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: idk

Shelves: very-much-disliked

I was looking forward to reading this, because heck, Tolkien basically wrote it, his son just edited it, right? I was severely disappointed. Especially with the whole gloom and doom thing. I understand, there are many books out there like this and many people don't mind gloom and doom books. But I really couldn't stand it, and

***********SPOILER WARNING********************************

I thought the way Turin/Thurin died was simply...it was just the dumbest way to die, 'all hope is lost, but I ho...more

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Dec 01, 2008 Valerie rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Why did the family of Hurin wait so long before trying to find each other? To force the story line, that's why. Unless you are an extreme Tolkien fan, pass this one up!

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Apr 18, 2008 Michaela Wood rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Well, I think without the quirky and down-to-earth Hobbits the plight of men and elves are just too SERIOUS. Although I know Tolkien enjoyed the creation of British Lore, this is a Greek tragedy . I felt so bored by the time the main character killed off the last of his friends. It's like speeding to the edge of a cliff, thinking how exciting it will be when the driver pulls off the side, only to find yourself toppling over the edge of the cliff to the canyon below..."but this was supposed to be...more

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May 11, 2011 Coligne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: biblioteca, fantasy

[...] e se la vicenda di Bilbo, di frodo e di Aragorn è un mito, qui approdiamo al mito del mito.
Nella nota questo libro, Quirino Principe ci fa notare quello che secondo me è il nodo centrale della vicenda di Túrin: una leggenda, e come tale questa storia deve essere presa.

La sotria ivi narrata non è altro che la versione riveduta-ed ampliata- del racconto già presente ne Il Silmarrilion e nei Racconti perduti.
La sostanziale differenza tra le tre versioni della storia, oltre alla sua lunghezza,

...more

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About J.R.R. Tolkien

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE, was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the high fantasy classic works The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings .

Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford from 1925 to 1945, and Merton Professor of English language and literature from 1945 to 1959. He was a close friend of C.S. Lewis.

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Books by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings, #1)

The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, #2)

The Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings, #3)

The Lord of the Rings (The Lord of the Rings, #1-3)

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