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The Great Tales Never End: Essays in memory of Christopher Tolkien
This collection of essays, family stories, and archival documents sheds new light on Christopher Tolkien’s contributions to the Tolkien legendarium.
Over more than four decades, J. R. R. Tolkien’s son and literary executor Christopher Tolkien completed some twenty-four volumes of his father’s work, much more than his father had succeeded in publishing during his own lifetime. Thanks to Christopher’s extraordinary publishing efforts and scholarship, readers today can survey and understand the vast landscape of Tolkien’s legendarium.
The book is illustrated with color reproductions of J. R. R. Tolkien’s manuscripts, maps, drawings, and letters, as well as photographs of Christopher Tolkien and extracts from his works. Many of these documents have never been seen before, making this volume essential reading for Tolkien scholars, readers, and fans.
[From the front flap of the book]
Over more than four decades, J. R. R. Tolkien’s son and literary executor Christopher Tolkien completed some twenty-four volumes of his father’s work, much more than his father had succeeded in publishing during his own lifetime. Thanks to Christopher’s extraordinary publishing efforts and scholarship, readers today can survey and understand the vast landscape of Tolkien’s legendarium.
The book is illustrated with color reproductions of J. R. R. Tolkien’s manuscripts, maps, drawings, and letters, as well as photographs of Christopher Tolkien and extracts from his works. Many of these documents have never been seen before, making this volume essential reading for Tolkien scholars, readers, and fans.
[From the front flap of the book]
232 pages, Hardcover
First published June 24, 2022
5 people are currently reading
327 people want to read
About the author
Richard Ovenden
9 books33 followersRichard Ovenden is Director of the Bodleian Libraries at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Balliol College. He was awarded the Order of the British Empire in 2019, is a member of the American Philosophical Society, and serves as Treasurer of the Consortium of European Research Libraries and President of the Digital Preservation Coalition.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 24, 2022
Lots to talk about with this one.
The short version; a thoughtful, insightful collection of essays ranging from the personal to the academic based around the life and career of Christopher Tolkien, with contributions from his family, friends and the A-list of Tolkien scholars.
For those who don’t know, anything you read from Tolkien’s legendarium outside of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit was essentially pieced together and made publishable from Tolkien’s notes and manuscripts through the tireless work of his son Christopher Tolkien, an endeavour which took over forty years from the publication of The Silmarillion in 1977 to The Fall of Gondolin in 2018. It was clearly a labour of love, and breathtaking in scope. Christopher Tolkien passed away in January of 2020 aged ninety-five.
There’s a lot to love in this collection though I’m unsure as to how a casual fan, as it were, would respond to this. While the earlier parts can be appreciated by anyone who recognises the importance of Christopher in cementing his father’s legacy (including a small memoir written by Priscilla Tolkien about her brother) the bulk of this volume, and the parts focusing on Middle-earth, is largely academic. Attention is not just given to The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings, but also to more obscure stories in the twelve volume History of Middle-Earth series.
I particularly enjoyed ‘The Son Behind the Father’ by Vincent Ferré which analysed Christopher’s contributions and writing style, comparing passages from HoME and the published Silmarillion to draw attention to Christopher’s critical contributions and how he was clearly an accomplished writer in his own right (I’d love to read a longer essay on this!). Furthermore, Brian Sibley’s essay on portal images in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings tickled me in exploring an aspect of Tolkien’s writings I’ve always found curious (where where you when I was writing my dissertation and had a piece on threshhold imagery in Moria! Kidding). The essays range in topic from maps to the forgotten BBC radio drama of LOTR to the creation of the mythology, and includes essays by Tom Shippey and John Garth. Carl F. Hostetter providing examples and analysis of Tolkienian manuscripts, detailing what a herculean task editing such papers was for Christopher, is also a highlight.
Maps, paintings, letters and photographs of the Tolkien family are also on display here in high quality.
I’m glad I read this collection and it will certainly hold a special place on my Tolkien shelf. Christopher Tolkien’s impact on the field of Tolkien studies and the greater understanding of his father’s mythology cannot be understated. Thankfully, that’s being recognised by the experts in the field and thus relayed to those who may not have realised. We would not have much, if any, of the quantities and quality of Tolkien’s work available to us now if it were not for Christopher Tolkien’s time, effort and care.
And to top it all off, the name of this volume comes from a much loved LOTR quote:
“‘Don’t the great tales never end?’
‘No, they never end as tales,’ said Frodo. ‘But the people in them come, and go when their part’s ended.’”
The short version; a thoughtful, insightful collection of essays ranging from the personal to the academic based around the life and career of Christopher Tolkien, with contributions from his family, friends and the A-list of Tolkien scholars.
For those who don’t know, anything you read from Tolkien’s legendarium outside of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit was essentially pieced together and made publishable from Tolkien’s notes and manuscripts through the tireless work of his son Christopher Tolkien, an endeavour which took over forty years from the publication of The Silmarillion in 1977 to The Fall of Gondolin in 2018. It was clearly a labour of love, and breathtaking in scope. Christopher Tolkien passed away in January of 2020 aged ninety-five.
There’s a lot to love in this collection though I’m unsure as to how a casual fan, as it were, would respond to this. While the earlier parts can be appreciated by anyone who recognises the importance of Christopher in cementing his father’s legacy (including a small memoir written by Priscilla Tolkien about her brother) the bulk of this volume, and the parts focusing on Middle-earth, is largely academic. Attention is not just given to The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings, but also to more obscure stories in the twelve volume History of Middle-Earth series.
I particularly enjoyed ‘The Son Behind the Father’ by Vincent Ferré which analysed Christopher’s contributions and writing style, comparing passages from HoME and the published Silmarillion to draw attention to Christopher’s critical contributions and how he was clearly an accomplished writer in his own right (I’d love to read a longer essay on this!). Furthermore, Brian Sibley’s essay on portal images in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings tickled me in exploring an aspect of Tolkien’s writings I’ve always found curious (where where you when I was writing my dissertation and had a piece on threshhold imagery in Moria! Kidding). The essays range in topic from maps to the forgotten BBC radio drama of LOTR to the creation of the mythology, and includes essays by Tom Shippey and John Garth. Carl F. Hostetter providing examples and analysis of Tolkienian manuscripts, detailing what a herculean task editing such papers was for Christopher, is also a highlight.
Maps, paintings, letters and photographs of the Tolkien family are also on display here in high quality.
I’m glad I read this collection and it will certainly hold a special place on my Tolkien shelf. Christopher Tolkien’s impact on the field of Tolkien studies and the greater understanding of his father’s mythology cannot be understated. Thankfully, that’s being recognised by the experts in the field and thus relayed to those who may not have realised. We would not have much, if any, of the quantities and quality of Tolkien’s work available to us now if it were not for Christopher Tolkien’s time, effort and care.
And to top it all off, the name of this volume comes from a much loved LOTR quote:
“‘Don’t the great tales never end?’
‘No, they never end as tales,’ said Frodo. ‘But the people in them come, and go when their part’s ended.’”
August 27, 2022
An absolutely lovely book, nicely bound on heavy paper, a beautiful thing. Almost all of the essays are quite good.
January 20, 2025
Christopher Tolkien dával Středozemi lásku přes dlouhých čtyřicet let. Dost často pracoval s neoriginálními dokumenty, protože originály daroval knihovně. A já si říkám, jak málo uznání za to všechno dostává?
Díky druhý otče Středozemě. Za tvoji péči, píli a neskutečnou trpělivost.
Díky druhý otče Středozemě. Za tvoji péči, píli a neskutečnou trpělivost.
November 24, 2022
A touching tribute.
August 3, 2022
A book of tremendous physical beauty and high academic quality, shot through with affection and respect for the incredible work of Christopher Tolkien in bringing us his father's legendarium. The best book I have read this year.
August 30, 2025
Not everything in here was incredible but there was some very very good stuff. In particular:
Introduction
Listening to the Music*
I Wisely Started With A Map***
Editing the Tolkienian Manuscript**
King Sheave
Introduction
Listening to the Music*
I Wisely Started With A Map***
Editing the Tolkienian Manuscript**
King Sheave
February 1, 2023
This is a beautifully printed book issued by the Bodleian Library in honor of Christopher Tolkien’s work on his father’s literary history. Tolkien lovers will recognize several of the names of the authors. One of the biggest enjoyments is the color illustrations throughout.
Late in his life, I tried to write to Christopher Tolkien twice, to express my personal appreciation for bringing so much of J. R. R. Tolkien’s unfinished writings to us. I used the addresses that publishers put on their websites for contacting authors. Both letters were returned as “no such address.” So Christopher never had my personal thanks. But I feel closer to him now, and appreciate him better.
Late in his life, I tried to write to Christopher Tolkien twice, to express my personal appreciation for bringing so much of J. R. R. Tolkien’s unfinished writings to us. I used the addresses that publishers put on their websites for contacting authors. Both letters were returned as “no such address.” So Christopher never had my personal thanks. But I feel closer to him now, and appreciate him better.
October 27, 2025
4.5 stars. This book should be read by all the morons on Facebook who slag off Christopher Tolkien just because he doesn’t think the Peter Jackson films are the best things produced in the history of cinematography. (I loved the LotR films when they first came out, but still not a patch on the feeling you get when you read the book.)
For those who don’t know (unlikely I realise for anyone bothering to read this review) Christopher contributed some 20 books, or 8,000 pages, based on the unpublished papers of his father. Without him all we would know about Middle-earth are The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. No Silmarillion, no Unfinished Tales, no History of Middle-earth and none of the Three Great Tales, The Children of Húrin, Beren and Lúthien nor The Fall of Gondolin.
The book was planned as a collection of essays in honour of Christopher Tolkien, with contributors invited to write about the works of both father and son, with the intention that Christopher would enjoy reading them. Very sadly Christopher died before the book was ready, so it was published in his memory instead.
Which aspects a reader will enjoy the most will be very personal, dependant upon their own sympathies and interests. These are my thoughts:-
1) Maxine H. Pascal’s Eulogy at Christopher’s funeral, translated from the original French by Baillie Tolkien, Christopher’s widow and wife for 53 years.
I was largely unmoved on a first reading, but it should be revisited after reading the rest of the book to gain a much greater appreciation of its content and to so much better understand each stanza. 5 stars on reread.
2) Priscilla Tolkien’s personal memories. How can these be anything but 5 stars. Great insights nobody else could have given.
3) Vincent Ferré Christopher Tolkien as a writer. Whilst correctly recognising Christopher’s own contributions necessary to turn The Silmarillion manuscripts into a readable book by filling in the gaps as well as selecting, arranging and editing the relevant material I found some parts too technical for my limited knowledge of literary criticism and hence enjoyed this less than other essays. 3 stars.
4) Verlyn Flieger Listening to the Music. Superb. An essay that makes you read the last chapter of LotR in a wholly different light. Knowledge of the planned Epilogue of LotR (see the HoMe series) greatly helps, but I will never read “Well, I’m back” the same way again. 5 stars
(I also have to thank Verlyn Flieger for her contribution to the Tolkien Society’s 2024 conference in memory of Christopher which persuaded me to read book 10 of HoMe, bought some 30 years ago but left unread after being thoroughly put off by book 2 in the series. What a revelation and what a motivation to finally read all of HoMe, which is so much better (for me) after book 2).
5) John Garth The Chronology of Creation. A very interesting and forensic dive into discovering the timing for the original writing of “The Music of the Ainur” - highlighting the fallibility of human memory and shedding light on just how difficult it is to piece together when different parts were written, especially in the face of the author’s own inaccurate recollection. 4 stars.
6) Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull I Wisely started with a Map. Fascinating, but much assisted if one has already read the HoMe series and Christopher’s own observations on his father’s maps. The maps were crucial, but not always accurate to the text, and so sometimes either text of map had to be reworked (indeed the maps were frequently subject to change during composition). Again, so much is owed to Christopher for giving us the maps in LotR and pulling an all-nighter to get the final map ready in time for the publication of The Return of the King. 5 stars.
8) Carl F. Hostetter Editing the Tolkienien Manuscript. If Christopher’s own words in HoMe weren’t enough, nothing brings home just how hard it was to decipher JRRT’s manuscripts than this essay, highlighting just how colossal Christopher’s task was as his father’s literary executor. From indeterminate dates, to indecipherable handwriting and constantly re-worked passages, with ink over pencil and both vowels and consonants appearing as nothing more than indeterminate squiggles the challenge was immense and would have defeated anyone but his son. 5 stars.
9) Stuart D. Lee A Milestone in BBC History? An examination of the very first radio adaptation of LotR in 1955/56. A broadcast barely known about today, this gives fascinating details on the challenges involved, JRRT’s support, reaction and disappointment, and the response from listeners. A thoroughly interesting and informative analysis. 5 stars.
10) Tom Shipley ‘King Sheave’ and ‘The Lost Road’. My least favourite essay requiring rather more interest in and sympathy with JRRT’s Catholic Christian beliefs and devotion than I have, not to mention more familiarity with the poem in question. 2 stars.
11) Brian Sibley Down from the Door where it Began. A mildly interesting analysis of the use of doors and portals by JRRT in his writings which makes some interesting points without ever being truly thought provoking. The concept seems stretched a little too thinly at times, whilst giving me some new insight at others. 3 stars.
So, overall a little bit of a mixed bag but it is largely thoroughly readable, includes many truly illuminating and original observations and is a fitting tribute to Christopher. I recommend without hesitation to any Tolkien fanatic.
For those who don’t know (unlikely I realise for anyone bothering to read this review) Christopher contributed some 20 books, or 8,000 pages, based on the unpublished papers of his father. Without him all we would know about Middle-earth are The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. No Silmarillion, no Unfinished Tales, no History of Middle-earth and none of the Three Great Tales, The Children of Húrin, Beren and Lúthien nor The Fall of Gondolin.
The book was planned as a collection of essays in honour of Christopher Tolkien, with contributors invited to write about the works of both father and son, with the intention that Christopher would enjoy reading them. Very sadly Christopher died before the book was ready, so it was published in his memory instead.
Which aspects a reader will enjoy the most will be very personal, dependant upon their own sympathies and interests. These are my thoughts:-
1) Maxine H. Pascal’s Eulogy at Christopher’s funeral, translated from the original French by Baillie Tolkien, Christopher’s widow and wife for 53 years.
I was largely unmoved on a first reading, but it should be revisited after reading the rest of the book to gain a much greater appreciation of its content and to so much better understand each stanza. 5 stars on reread.
2) Priscilla Tolkien’s personal memories. How can these be anything but 5 stars. Great insights nobody else could have given.
3) Vincent Ferré Christopher Tolkien as a writer. Whilst correctly recognising Christopher’s own contributions necessary to turn The Silmarillion manuscripts into a readable book by filling in the gaps as well as selecting, arranging and editing the relevant material I found some parts too technical for my limited knowledge of literary criticism and hence enjoyed this less than other essays. 3 stars.
4) Verlyn Flieger Listening to the Music. Superb. An essay that makes you read the last chapter of LotR in a wholly different light. Knowledge of the planned Epilogue of LotR (see the HoMe series) greatly helps, but I will never read “Well, I’m back” the same way again. 5 stars
(I also have to thank Verlyn Flieger for her contribution to the Tolkien Society’s 2024 conference in memory of Christopher which persuaded me to read book 10 of HoMe, bought some 30 years ago but left unread after being thoroughly put off by book 2 in the series. What a revelation and what a motivation to finally read all of HoMe, which is so much better (for me) after book 2).
5) John Garth The Chronology of Creation. A very interesting and forensic dive into discovering the timing for the original writing of “The Music of the Ainur” - highlighting the fallibility of human memory and shedding light on just how difficult it is to piece together when different parts were written, especially in the face of the author’s own inaccurate recollection. 4 stars.
6) Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull I Wisely started with a Map. Fascinating, but much assisted if one has already read the HoMe series and Christopher’s own observations on his father’s maps. The maps were crucial, but not always accurate to the text, and so sometimes either text of map had to be reworked (indeed the maps were frequently subject to change during composition). Again, so much is owed to Christopher for giving us the maps in LotR and pulling an all-nighter to get the final map ready in time for the publication of The Return of the King. 5 stars.
8) Carl F. Hostetter Editing the Tolkienien Manuscript. If Christopher’s own words in HoMe weren’t enough, nothing brings home just how hard it was to decipher JRRT’s manuscripts than this essay, highlighting just how colossal Christopher’s task was as his father’s literary executor. From indeterminate dates, to indecipherable handwriting and constantly re-worked passages, with ink over pencil and both vowels and consonants appearing as nothing more than indeterminate squiggles the challenge was immense and would have defeated anyone but his son. 5 stars.
9) Stuart D. Lee A Milestone in BBC History? An examination of the very first radio adaptation of LotR in 1955/56. A broadcast barely known about today, this gives fascinating details on the challenges involved, JRRT’s support, reaction and disappointment, and the response from listeners. A thoroughly interesting and informative analysis. 5 stars.
10) Tom Shipley ‘King Sheave’ and ‘The Lost Road’. My least favourite essay requiring rather more interest in and sympathy with JRRT’s Catholic Christian beliefs and devotion than I have, not to mention more familiarity with the poem in question. 2 stars.
11) Brian Sibley Down from the Door where it Began. A mildly interesting analysis of the use of doors and portals by JRRT in his writings which makes some interesting points without ever being truly thought provoking. The concept seems stretched a little too thinly at times, whilst giving me some new insight at others. 3 stars.
So, overall a little bit of a mixed bag but it is largely thoroughly readable, includes many truly illuminating and original observations and is a fitting tribute to Christopher. I recommend without hesitation to any Tolkien fanatic.
March 8, 2023
This collection offers a number of essays that make it worth the price of the book (which is unfortunately considerable). I particularly loved John Garth’s chapter on dating Tolkien’s earliest stories and Verlyn Flieger’s chapter on interpreted the sea and the music of the Ainur. This book also offered great insight into Christopher Tolkien’s life, with more biographical information than anywhere else I’ve read. Worth the price of admission!
March 1, 2025
Published shortly after Christopher Tolkien's death, this's a set of essays praising his work editing and publishing his father's work, and analyzing it.
The essays here span the spectrum of topics. My favorite was probably John Garth's analysis of the beginning of Tolkien's mythology, arguing (with strong evidence) that he'd misremembered and actually written "The Music of the Ainur" (his creation story) two years earlier than he remembered, second of all his stories - which has implications for how he organized his worldbuilding as he started drawing it out. Verlyn Flieger's analysis of the motif of music was also rewarding (tying the music Sam hears in the waves to the mention of the Music of the Ainur heard in Ulmo's seas), and Tom Shippey's speculations on Tolkien's "King Sheave" poem were interesting.
(Conversely, Brian Sibley's essay on the motif of doors, and Wayne Hammond's essay on Tolkien's mapmaking, were largely forgettable.)
Nothing here is a treasure I'd recommend to all fans, but this rewarded my reading greatly.
The essays here span the spectrum of topics. My favorite was probably John Garth's analysis of the beginning of Tolkien's mythology, arguing (with strong evidence) that he'd misremembered and actually written "The Music of the Ainur" (his creation story) two years earlier than he remembered, second of all his stories - which has implications for how he organized his worldbuilding as he started drawing it out. Verlyn Flieger's analysis of the motif of music was also rewarding (tying the music Sam hears in the waves to the mention of the Music of the Ainur heard in Ulmo's seas), and Tom Shippey's speculations on Tolkien's "King Sheave" poem were interesting.
(Conversely, Brian Sibley's essay on the motif of doors, and Wayne Hammond's essay on Tolkien's mapmaking, were largely forgettable.)
Nothing here is a treasure I'd recommend to all fans, but this rewarded my reading greatly.
March 23, 2024
This book was originally intended to be essays "in honor of" Christopher Tolkien, but sadly, he passed away before it could be published, so it became "in memory of" instead.
I enjoyed some of the essays more than others. Verlyn Flieger and Tom Shippey are always excellent, along with other notable names in the field of Tolkien scholarship. The crown jewel, in my opinion, is "Down From the Door Where It Began, Portal images in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings," by Brian Sibley.
I enjoyed some of the essays more than others. Verlyn Flieger and Tom Shippey are always excellent, along with other notable names in the field of Tolkien scholarship. The crown jewel, in my opinion, is "Down From the Door Where It Began, Portal images in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings," by Brian Sibley.
January 20, 2024
One of three Tolkien books I got for Christmas, it's always hard to rate an essay collection. None of these are bad (as can happen), and some of them are excellent. The crowning gem is probably Garth's essay, which is a definitive re-dating of the Book of Lost Tales texts (contra Tolkien's oft-flawed recollections).
January 14, 2024
3.5 stars. I enjoyed several of the essays, especially the one about Christopher Tolkien’s editorial work, the 1950s BBC radio adaptation, and the final essay about the role of doors as portals in Middle-earth.
November 1, 2022
Finished this fine collection of essays.
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