From the Bookshelf of J.R.R. Tolkien…

The Children of Húrin

J.R.R. Tolkien,

Christopher Tolkien (Editor)

Start date: September 1, 2012

Finish date: November 30, 2012

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The Children of Húrin

The Children of Húrin
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Tolkien Group Read September-November 2012: The Children of Húrin
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Jan 24, 2008 Aldean rated it it was amazing · 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 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. ...more

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Jun 05, 2008 Terence rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: speculative-fiction, tolkieniana

I recently purchased a libary's discarded copy of The Children of Hurin, Christopher Tolkien's edited version of his father's tale of Turin Turambar and his sister/wife Nienor Niniel, which he worked on for much of his adult life, and was prompted to revisit my review here because I don't think I adequately conveyed why I didn't greet its publication with as much enthusiasm as other fans of Tolkien. (The original review has been placed in italics; what follows thereon is the new stuff.)

The "prob ...more

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May 08, 2009 Kevis Hendrickson rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, novel, action, adventure, favorites, 5-star-reads, best-books-i-ve-ever-read

As a person who read the previous incarnations of this tale in The Silmarillion and The Unfinished Tales, it's safe to say that I was already a fan of this book before it was ever released. However, I'm pleased to see that this was more than just a cheap attempt to milk the cow by putting out the same story multiple times as George Lucas keeps doing with his Star Wars re-releases. The Children of Hurin contains several never before seen chapters and illustrations which help to further expand the As a person who read the previous incarnations of this tale in The Silmarillion and The Unfinished Tales, it's safe to say that I was already a fan of this book before it was ever released. However, I'm pleased to see that this was more than just a cheap attempt to milk the cow by putting out the same story multiple times as George Lucas keeps doing with his Star Wars re-releases. The Children of Hurin contains several never before seen chapters and illustrations which help to further expand the story.

As it goes, this is probably the darkest of the tales J.R.R. Tolkien ever wrote. It's very bleak and grim, but that's where the magic of this story takes place. Rather than manufacture artificial escapes for the heroes of this book as he did in The Lord of the Rings, the heroes in this book really get their butts handed to them. The heroism of the good guys in this story stems from their resilience in the face of overwhelming odds, not necessarily their victories. The one thing I truly love about Tolkien's fantasy universe is that evil is not this single entity that you can confront and destroy. It's built into the very fabric of the world and proves to be indestructible by any means known to the inhabitants of Middle-earth.

The main character Turin, is as complex a character as has ever been devised in fantasy. Because of his father's defiance of Morgoth, the original dark lord of Middle-earth, Turin spends the better part of his life trying to dodge the curse that has been called down upon him by Morgoth. Turin's family suffers dearly because of Morgoth's curse. Turin's greatest defense against the power of Morgoth, is his resilience, which proves to be the highest level of valor that he can acheive in the face of Morgoth's unrelenting evil.

This is a tragedy not unlike Hamlet or Oedipus, except it draws upon familiar Tolkienesque conventions for its impact. This book takes place during the First Age of the Middle-earth when the world was just taking shape and the race of men had just been introduced into it. The world is ruled by all-powerful gods called Valar. Hence, the battle between good and evil is more primeval than in the later ages of the world.

As in Tolkien's previous books, Middle-earth proves to be a world rich with history. It's a joy to be able to take a glimpse into his world in its founding days long before Hobbits or Ring Wraiths roamed the earth. It's a showcase of the best that Tolkien has to offer and clearly points to the fact that his tales are less about magic than they are about the power of the human spirit and our role in the unfolding of the world's history.

I would recommend The Children of Hurin to any lover of classic fantasy, especially since it's unlikely we'll ever see books like this written again by any writer of our generation. ...more

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Apr 04, 2008 Jesse Booth rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2007, 2023

The Children of Hurin is one of the most compelling stories written by J.R.R. Tolkien. There are three main stories he wanted to expound upon the most: The Lord of the Rings (which he completed in his life-time) The Children of Hurin (finally compiled by his son, Christopher) and The Love Story of Beren and Luthien (has yet to be officially compiled and released to the public).

In 2007, a few weeks after release, I finally found and purchased a copy. I was captivated over the next day. I couldn' ...more

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Apr 05, 2008 Rossrn Nunamaker rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, fantasy, middle-earth

I finished J.R.R. Tolkien's The Children of Hurin, edited by Christopher Tolkien. I had not realized when the books' release was announced that this was essentially the story of Turin Turambar. 'Of Turin Turambar' was a story in The Silmarillion about 30 pages in length depending on your version of the book, and a favorite of mine since I first read it. The story is also told in the "Unfinished Tales of Numenor and Middle-Earth" in Part One, Chapter II - Narn I Hin Hurin. This story parallels th ...more

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May 27, 2008 Rob rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

It's great to have this tale from Middle-earth's history brought together from Tolkien's notes in a meaningful way. It is a dark and tragic tale, very different than Tolkien's other work, and I really appreciated that aspect... but unfortunately, it's not written in the same kind of prose as The Lord of the Rings , nor with the same kind of character development, thus only the more hard core Tolkien fans are likely to get through it and enjoy it. It's a great idea for a story at its heart, an ...more

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Feb 12, 2008 Angela rated it liked it · review of another edition

Only true Tolkien fans will enjoy this book. If you want to tackle it I would suggest reading The Silmarillion first, as it will give you a good background into much of what is spoken about.

It is a tragic tale of Turin, son of Hurin. The beginning is a little slow, but it picks up later on. The book was compiled by JRR Tolkien's son from writings he found. He did a good job with what he had.

I liked the story, although times things moved quite slowly. I can't resist reading whatever I can by Tol ...more

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