The Children of Hurin

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Overview

The Children of Húrin is the first complete book by J.R.R.Tolkien since the 1977 publication of The Silmarillion. Six thousand years before the One Ring is destroyed, Middle-earth lies under the shadow of the Dark Lord Morgoth. The greatest warriors among elves and men have perished, and all is in darkness and despair. But a deadly new leader rises, Túrin, son of Húrin, and with his grim band of outlaws begins to turn the tide in the war for Middle-earth—awaiting the day he confronts his destiny and the deadly curse laid upon him.

The paperback edition of The Children of Húrin includes eight color paintings by Alan Lee and a black-and-white map.

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Overview

The Children of Húrin is the first complete book by J.R.R.Tolkien since the 1977 publication of The Silmarillion. Six thousand years before the One Ring is destroyed, Middle-earth lies under the shadow of the Dark Lord Morgoth. The greatest warriors among elves and men have perished, and all is in darkness and despair. But a deadly new leader rises, Túrin, son of Húrin, and with his grim band of outlaws begins to turn the tide in the war for Middle-earth—awaiting the day he confronts his destiny and the deadly curse laid upon him.

The paperback edition of The Children of Húrin includes eight color paintings by Alan Lee and a black-and-white map.

Editorial Reviews

From Barnes & Noble
The Barnes & Noble Review
For fantasy fans young and old, the much-anticipated release of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Children of Húrin (begun in 1918 and never fully completed) is like the unearthing of a long-lost holy book. The dark, wartorn epic of love and loss, set in the First Age of Middle-earth, is one of Tolkien's three Great Tales of the Elder Days (along with Beren and Lúthien and the Fall of Gondolin), and according to Christopher Tolkien in the novel's preface, it is "integral" to understanding the complex history of Elves and Men in Middle-earth.

While fighting side by side with Elven allies against the evil Morgoth and his minions of Orcs, Húrin Thalion -- one of the greatest warriors of the First Age -- is captured and brought back to Morgoth's stronghold, where the Great Enemy places a curse, a "dark doom," on the hero and his offspring. Imprisoned atop a mountain peak, Húrin is forced to witness the horrific ordeals that beset his son Túrin and his daughter Nienor…

Easily the most monumental publishing event of 2007, The Children of Húrin is an absolute must-read for fans of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, as well as for genre historians and fantasy aficionados alike. Featuring spectacular illustrations from the legendary Alan Lee, Tolkien's oldest -- and arguably darkest -- Middle-earth tale is replete with grand-scale adventure, awe-inspiring magic, and one the most unforgettably heroic (and tragic) story lines genre fans will ever experience. This heartrending tale of Túrin and Nienor will undoubtedly become one of the most popular chronicles of Middle-earth. Classic Tolkien. Paul Goat Allen
Elizabeth Hand
If anyone still labors under the delusion that J. R. R. Tolkien was a writer of twee fantasies for children, this novel should set them straight. A bleak, darkly beautiful tale played out against the background of the First Age of Tolkien's Middle Earth, The Children of Hurin possesses the mythic resonance and grim sense of inexorable fate found in Greek tragedy.
—The Washington Post
Publishers Weekly

What could be more apropos than hiring the face of Sauron from The Lord of the Rings to read Tolkien's newly complete version of these pre-Ringstales? Christopher Lee, the British actor beloved for his role in Peter Jackson's trilogy as well as his numerous turns in Hammer fright films, reads Tolkien's Ringsprecursor as if still in full makeup. Booming and vaguely menacing, Lee sounds like Sauron around the campfire, entertaining his minions with a tale of adventure and woe. Even Lee cannot sound entirely convincing bellowing some of Tolkien's invented languages, but his reading is suitably ominous. Tolkien's son, Christopher, who edited his father's book, also contributes a preface and introduction he reads himself. His voice-phlegmy and rough-provides a taste of what it might have sounded like had the author himself been available to read his own work. Simultaneous release with the Houghton Mifflin hardcover (reviewed online). (Dec.)

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Booklist

Read by Lee in delightfully melancholy and beautifully sonorous tones.

Library Journal

Drawing on a manuscript that his father began in 1918 and reworked throughout his life, Christopher Tolkien, who has edited 14 posthumous volumes of his dad's work, spent decades shaping the story's many drafts into this final form, which was released in a beautiful, illustrated hardcover in April 2007. HarperCollinsUK Audiobooks has kept that same spirit, and this audio version is equally alluring, featuring a booklet sporting all of the book's illustrations by Tolkien artist Alan Lee and a fold-out map of Middle-earth, as well as an introduction read by the younger Tolkien. Equally glorious is the reading by actor Christopher Lee, already associated with Tolkien through his performance as Saruman in the Lord of the Rings films. His deep voice brings the proper sense of woe to this dark tale. A nice extra is hearing the proper pronunciation of the player and place names in the author's mythical world. Set centuries before Rings, the plot unfurls the lives of Túrin and Niënor, son and daughter to Húrin, a great warrior held captive by Morgoth, the Dark Lord, whose malice dooms his enemy's children as well. Highly recommended.
—Michael Rogers

Library Journal
Having rummaged through his father's multitudinous papers for 30 years, Christopher Tolkien was finally able to pull together the various pieces (some previously published) that make up this story-important background for the creation of Middle-earth. Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
School Library Journal

Adult/High School -While much of the material here was published posthumously in books like The Silmarillion (1985) and Unfinished Tales (1988, both Del Rey), Tolkien delivered it in a loosely connected way that made it difficult to read. Edited by his son, this new volume draws from both of these earlier sources to pull together a complete single narrative set in pre-Hobbit Middle Earth. Túrin, son of the human lord Húrin and the elven lady Morwen, becomes a pivotal force in the ongoing battle against evil in an epic adventure full of intrigue and clever battle scenes. The early parts of the story focus on Túrin's young life. As an adult, he is wrongly judged for the death of an elf and banished for the rest of his life. He manages to become the leader of a ragtag band of forest outlaws that cause no end of problems for forces of evil trying to usurp the kingdom. Túrin is charismatic, brave, cocky, and as equally skilled at getting into trouble as he is at getting out of it. Lee's black-and-white drawings and full-color paintings come from the traditions of fantasy illustration and offer dramatic visuals throughout the book. The language and vocabulary, especially in the dialogue, might intimidate casual readers, but ambitious fans of fantasy will find a work that reminds them why we continue to place Tolkien at the zenith of fantasy literature after so many years.-Matthew L. Moffett, Pohick Regional Library, Burke, VA

Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
All your old T-shirts and bumper stickers inscribed "Frodo Lives" may have to be replaced. Old Hobbits do die hard-but there are none even born yet in this reconstructed tale of Middle Earth during the Elder Days (i.e., thousands of years prior to events immortalized in Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy). Begun in 1918, revised several times, never published (though a capsule version of its narrative appears as a chapter in the posthumously published volume The Silmarillion), this appealing yarn is very nearly vintage Tolkien. To be sure, Middle Earth is under siege early in its history. The reigning villain is Dark Lord Morgoth (Sauron is merely one of his lieutenants), a demonic sort who rules a huge northern fortress ringed by mountains and destroys his enemies through the focused power of his malevolent will-more often than not incarnated in the figure of Glaurung, an exceedingly nasty "dragon of fire." Their vengeful energies seek out two inordinately plucky youngsters-stalwart Turin and his beautiful sister Nienor-who share the curse pronounced on their father Hurin, an intrepid Elfin warrior who had brazenly defied Morgoth. The episodic narrative takes off when Hurin leaves his sister and their mother Morwen (a veritable Penelope patiently awaiting her Ulysses's return) to undertake a series of adventures that involve him with a brawling band of outlaws, the memorable Battle of Unnumbered Tears against what seem innumerable hordes of invading Orcs-remember them?), a duplicitous dwarf who offers the "shelter" of his underground stronghold and a terrific climactic encounter with the . . . uh, inflamed Glaurung. Strong echoes of the Finnish epic Kalevala, the tales of Robin Hood,Homeric epic and the matter of Wagnerian opera charge the text with complexity as well as vigor. And introductory and textual notes provided by the volume's editor, Tolkien's son Christopher, add welcome clarification. A fine addition to a deservedly well-loved body of work.

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780345518842
  • Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
  • Publication date: 5/25/2010
  • Format: Mass Market Paperback
  • Pages: 320
  • Sales rank: 100,991
  • Product dimensions: 7.02 (w) x 4.36 (h) x 0.89 (d)

Meet the Author

J.R.R. Tolkien
J.R.R. Tolkien

CHRISTOPHER TOLKIEN is the third son of J.R.R. Tolkien. Appointed by Tolkien to be his literary executor, he has devoted himself to the editing and publication of unpublished writings, notably The Silmarillion , Unfinished Tales , and The History of Middle-earth .

J.R.R. Tolkien (1892-1973) is the creator of Middle-earth and author of such classic and extraordinary works of fiction as The Hobbit , The Lord of the Rings , and The Silmarillion . His books have been translated into more than fifty languages and have sold many millions of copies worldwide.

Biography

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born on the 3rd January, 1892 at Bloemfontein in the Orange Free State, but at the age of four he and his brother were taken back to England by their mother. After his father's death the family moved to Sarehole, on the south-eastern edge of Birmingham. Tolkien spent a happy childhood in the countryside and his sensibility to the rural landscape can clearly be seen in his writing and his pictures.

His mother died when he was only twelve and both he and his brother were made wards of the local priest and sent to King Edward's School, Birmingham, where Tolkien shine in his classical work. After completing a First in English Language and Literature at Oxford, Tolkien married Edith Bratt. He was also commissioned in the Lancashire Fusiliers and fought in the battle of the Somme. After the war, he obtained a post on the New English Dictionary and began to write the mythological and legendary cycle which he originally called "The Book of Lost Tales" but which eventually became known as The Silmarillion.

In 1920 Tolkien was appointed Reader in English Language at the University of Leeds which was the beginning of a distinguished academic career culminating with his election as Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford. Meanwhile Tolkien wrote for his children and told them the story of The Hobbit. It was his publisher, Stanley Unwin, who asked for a sequel to The Hobbit and gradually Tolkien wrote The Lord of the Rings, a huge story that took twelve years to complete and which was not published until Tolkien was approaching retirement. After retirement Tolkien and his wife lived near Oxford, but then moved to Bournemouth. Tolkien returned to Oxford after his wife's death in 1971. He died on 2 September 1973 leaving The Silmarillion to be edited for publication by his son, Christopher.

Author biography courtesy of HarperCollins (UK).

    1. Also Known As:
      John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (full name)
    1. Date of Birth:
      January 3, 1892
    2. Place of Birth:
      Bloemfontein, Orange Free State (South Africa)
    1. Date of Death:
      September 2, 1973
    2. Place of Death:
      Oxford, England

Read an Excerpt

Hador Goldenhead was a lord of the Edain and wellbeloved by the Eldar. He dwelt while his days lasted under the lordship of Fingolfin, who gave to him wide lands in that region of Hithlum which was called Dor-lómin. His daughter Glóredhel wedded Haldir son of Halmir, lord of the Men of Brethil; and at the same feast his son Galdor the Tall wedded Hareth, the daughter of Halmir.

Galdor and Hareth had two sons, Húrin and Huor. Húrin was by three years the elder, but he was shorter in stature than other men of his kin; in this he took after his mother’s people, but in all else he was like Hador, his grandfather, strong in body and fiery of mood. But the fire in him burned steadily, and he had great endurance of will. Of all Men of the North he knew most of the counsels of the Noldor. Huor his brother was tall, the tallest of all the Edain save his own son Tuor only, and a swift runner; but if the race were long and hard Húrin would be the first home, for he ran as strongly at the end of the course as at the beginning. There was great love between the brothers, and they were seldom apart in their youth.

Húrin wedded Morwen, the daughter of Baragund son of Bregolas of the House of Bëor; and she was thus of close kin to Beren One-hand. Morwen was dark-haired and tall, and for the light of her glance and the beauty of her face men called her Eledhwen, the elven-fair; but she was somewhat stern of mood and proud. The sorrows of the House of Bëor saddened her heart; for she came as an exile to Dorlómin from Dorthonion after the ruin of the Bragollach.

Túrin was the name of the eldest child of Húrin and Morwen, and he was born in that year in which Beren came to Doriath and found Lúthien Tinúviel, Thingol’s daughter. Morwen bore a daughter also to Húrin, and she was named Urwen; but she was called Lalaith, which is Laughter, by all that knew her in her short life.

Huor wedded Rían, the cousin of Morwen; she was the daughter of Belegund son of Bregolas. By hard fate was she born into such days, for she was gentle of heart and loved neither hunting nor war. Her love was given to trees and to the flowers of the wild, and she was a singer and a maker of songs. Two months only had she been wedded to Huor when he went with his brother to the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, and she never saw him again.

But now the tale returns to Húrin and Huor in the days of their youth. It is said that for a while the sons of Galdor dwelt in Brethil as foster-sons of Haldir their uncle, after the custom of Northern men in those days. They often went to battle with the Men of Brethil against the Orcs, who now harried the northern borders of their land; for Húrin, though only seventeen years of age, was strong, and Huor the younger was already as tall as most full-grown men of that people.

On a time Húrin and Huor went with a company of scouts, but they were ambushed by the Orcs and scattered, and the brothers were pursued to the ford of Brithiach. There they would have been taken or slain but for the power of Ulmo that was still strong in the waters of Sirion; and it is said that a mist arose from the river and hid them from their enemies, and they escaped over the Brithiach into Dimbar. There they wandered in great hardship among the hills beneath the sheer walls of the Crissaegrim, until they were bewildered in the deceits of that land and knew not the way to go on or to return. There Thorondor espied them, and he sent two of his Eagles to their aid; and the Eagles bore them up and brought them beyond the Encircling Mountains to the secret vale of Tumladen and the hidden city of Gondolin, which no Man had yet seen.

There Turgon the King received them well, when he learned of their kin; for Hador was an Elf-friend, and Ulmo, moreover, had counselled Turgon to deal kindly with the sons of that House, from whom help should come to him at need. Húrin and Huor dwelt as guests in the King’s house for well nigh a year; and it is said that in this time Húrin, whose mind was swift and eager, gained much lore of the Elves, and learned also something of the counsels and purposes of the King. For Turgon took great liking for the sons of Galdor, and spoke much with them; and he wished indeed to keep them in Gondolin out of love, and not only for his law that no stranger, be he Elf or Man, who found the way to the secret kingdom or looked upon the city should ever depart again, until the King should open the leaguer, and the hidden people should come forth.

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 85 )

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(38)

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(19)

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(17)

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(6)

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(5)

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 180 Customer Reviews
  • Posted February 12, 2009

    A superb final encore to Middle Earth and Tolkien

    I will begin by saying this is far from a feel-good riece of literature as the heroes of this story undergo a number of grueling trials that result in unhappy endings, often brought upon them by their own flaws and errors in judgment. But it is still a grand adventure involving a great warrior fighting in a darkness wrought by Morgoth, an enemy to whom Sauron was only a lieutenant.

    The writing is closer to The Silmarillion in style than The Lord of the Rings, but still bears Tolkien¿s unparalleled gift for description, dialogue, and philosophy. It is easily one of my favorite books but I would only recommend it to fans of Tolkien as it would be difficult, even impossible, for newcomers to Middle Earth to appreciate or understand.

    9 out of 10 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Posted October 14, 2008

    I Also Recommend:

    J.R.R Tolkien does it again!

    I thought that this was a very entertaining book. I found myself wanting to reach the next page. However, the book is very grim and is full of surprises that leave you distraught. The book is written so well that you can feel the sadness that is happening and it adds greatly to the effect it has on you. Also, there is a lot of action in the book. Time and time again Turin is faced with a new enemy. When this happened I became eager to find out how the battle turns out because in the book you never know when it can take a turn for the worse. At times I found the book hard to read because of the numerous names and places that were so unfamiliar. If you get confused to the extent that you can no longer understand the story anymore, there are pages in the back of the book where you can find answers. I think this is a great read and extremely interesting. I would recommend this to people without hesitation.

    2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  No   Report this review
  • Anonymous

    Posted September 20, 2008

    Wonderful story!

    It reminded me much of a Greek tragedy. Some people dislike the archaic style, but I for one loved it. It is now one of my favorite books. The characters, especially Turin, were deep and complex. It is hard at first to distinguish his actions, but you must remember his curse.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted August 13, 2008

    Not An Easy Read But Well Worth The Effort

    Set in the first age of Middle Earth, The Children Of Hurin recounts the life of Turin, Hurin¿s son. Nearly 7,000 years before the Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit, men and elves struggle against Morgoth, the enemy who has placed a curse on Hurin¿s family. Raised as a fosterling by a king of elves, Turin tries to escape the doom set upon him and in doing so ensnares friends and family in the evil plots and designs of Morgoth. For the avid Tolkien reader, The Children Of Hurin adds yet more detail and substance to J. R. R. Tolkien¿s creation. The same stunning and descriptive language used in both the Lord Of The Rings and The Silmarillion invests the reader in the tale. The Children Of Hurin is not an easy book to read, but like Beowulf or Le Morte d¿ Arthur it is well worth the effort. It is rare to find such mythic and compelling work among the flotsam and jetsam of current fantasy writings. For those who love the ¿old¿ tales, or for those who love mythology, The Children Of Hurin is a must read. Quill says: Christopher Tolkien (J. R. R. Tolkien¿s son) has brilliantly edited, compiled and presented his late father¿s unfinished works. One can only hope that there are more gems yet to be mined from that source!

    2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 27, 2011

    To old

    Dont get tricked by the headline. I believe it is a little old for my 11 year old age. It has a really descriptive writing done so well that i dpnt know what it means. (This is where the look up comes in.) Maybe ill read it when im older...

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted September 15, 2009

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    Perfect Tragedy

    If you like fantasy or tragedy this book is for you. The tale is beautiful, timeless. As always, Tolkien created another masterpiece.

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted July 19, 2009

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    All around 5 star book.

    After reading the hobbit and lord of the rings a lot of people seem not to read anymore Tolkien. This was quite an amazing book really, In the first few pages they hit you with a lot of information, but don't stop reading try to understand as best you can, It will get easier. I loved the entire storyline, I enjoyed the characters of this book quite a lot, that should be noted. Lastly, the deluxe edition has been quite a nice addition to my little library, looks simple yet just looks so awesome. It has Awesome illistrations and sketches. The fold out map in the back really helps you to know whats going on and where, and the little dictionary in the back definitely helps you to understand the book. I would highly recommend this book, especially if you already enjoy Tolkien books.

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted June 4, 2009

    Okay, you've FINALLY finished the Silmarillion. What now?

    If you've finished the Silmarillion, congratulations. You've accomplished something even die-hard Tolkien fans find daunting. Give yourself a quick breather, then read The Children of Hurin - if only to tie up some of the loose ends Tolkien left in the Silmarillion and to saturate your brain even more with pseudo-Biblical tales of the trials of Elves and Men. Don't wait too long, though - and DON'T try to read this one first just because it's thinner. The relationships in this pre-Elrond world are so complex and numerous as to necessitate yet another genealogical diagram or three in the Appendix.

    In short, you're looking at "Silmarillion v1.5" here - and tales that are more of a DUTY to read than a pleasure.

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 4, 2008

    The Mythical Adventure

    The book The Children of Hurin is about a boy Turin, whose family is put under an evil curse. Turin grows up to become an adventurer. During his adventures he meets elves, dwarves, dragons, and other humans. To find out the rest of Turin¿s adventures you will have to read the book. I will say this right off the bat, I didn¿t like the book at all. The book did not capture my attention at all. It was also very hard to follow because it kept switching characters and places in an instance. This book is about what happened before The Lord of the Rings series took place. This boo also reminds me off The Lord of the Rings movies. I would have to say that this book is for older readers about the age of sixteen just because of the fact that it is so hard to follow. Another author similar to J.R.R. Tolkein is R.A. Salvatore, the author of the Forgotten Realm series.

    1 out of 10 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 29, 2012

    BRHIE

    Go to the book of lost tales part two by j.r.rtolkien and we'll talk there

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  • Posted December 27, 2011

    Pretty good, interesting stylistic writing approach

    Let me premise this review with the fact that i'm a huge nerd for all things LOTR. it's one of my favorite series and i've read it through three times.

    The Children of Hurin is not like LOTR at all. It's written with a distinctly "mythic" voice that makes it feel thousands of years old (which is when the story takes place in the history of Middle-Earth). While I found this really cool and it made me think even more of JRR Tolkien's range as a writer, it sometimes annoyed me. Description like, "this made him sad." or something similar just seemed lazy to me, if though it fit the voice of the novel perfectly.

    The story itself is actually really good. it's a tragedy of sorts and I liked that there was no "happy ending".

    Overall, only true die-hard LOTR fans will appreciate what tolkien did here i think...

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  • Posted July 3, 2011

    must-read for dedicated Tolkien fans

    This is a very grim and gruelling tragedy, fleshing out some of the oft-referenced legends from the ancient past of middle-earth. It has a more novelistic structure and flow than the Silmarillion and various errata, and is comperable to LOTR in terms of readability. However it is unique in Tolkien's work for its darkness and relentless fatalism. This book is definitely a downer. It is almost shockingly bleak.

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  • Posted July 1, 2011

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    im buying this for my older brother in paperback i hope he enjoys it

    awesome from begining to the very end!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  • Posted June 23, 2011

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    amazing from begining to the very end!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    awesome from begining to the very end!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  • Posted June 22, 2011

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    will this book stay in print in hardcover?????

    i love tolkiens books im a big fan of his books including the hobbit and the lord of the rings i just wanna know how long this book will stay in print in hardcover format

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 15, 2011

    The Perfect Tragedy

    I was an innocent shopper probing the fantasy shelves of my local Barnes & Noble when I saw J.R.R. Tolkien's name in glossy ink and "The Children Of Hurin" inscribed on the spine. His name was on it.. After that, nothing else mattered. I had to buy it. Little did I know that something tremendously dark and terrible lied between the epic, frenzied cover and stygian back. Oh, innocent shopper, beware!

    Reasons to be wary:
    1. Professor Tolkien so beautifully.. I dare not attempt to describe it. Even books revered for their "excellent" writing will seem thin and wanting after reading most ANYTHING by Tolkien.. Especially "The Children of Hurin".

    2. It is impossible to read this without crying. Utterly impossible. "The Children of Hurin" was beautifully written with darkness overwhelming each page. Trust me, friend -- you tell yourself you wont cry now, but oh, just you wait.

    It is, in essence, the perfect tragedy. (Yikes! I know someone else already said that, but it's so true.)

    Side note: people have mentioned that this is more of a sixteen + older sort of book, but I wouldn't discourage younger readers from it. I'm fourteen and it is easily one of my favorites.

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  • Posted March 1, 2011

    TRAGEDY!!!

    I loved the book (except for the fact that it is a TRAGEDY)! I think the storyline is great and that Tolkien did a great job but he could have made it a little bit less of a tragedy. I only recomend this if you can handle a tragedy.

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  • Posted December 31, 2010

    disappointment

    i am a huge fan of the lord of the rings and the hobbit but this book is like reading a history lesson. it was very boring and there was no suspense whatsoever. i was very disappointed.

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  • Posted April 9, 2010

    Didn't like it.

    I'm probably not being totally fair since the book is "advertised" as a tragedy, but the unremitting doom and gloom for 320 pages wore me down.
    Though I consider "The Hobbit" and the "Lord of the Rings" to be the greatest fantasy novels (and also among the great novels of any genre) and have read and re-read both many times, I am not remotely a Tolkien scholar. I say this because a Tolkien scholar would probably find "The Children of Hurin" to be an interesting and informative addition to the Tolkien mythology.

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  • Posted February 25, 2010

    I Also Recommend:

    Riveting, awesome, amazing, a must for any tolkien fan (of middle-earth).

    In this book you'll read about the coming about and ultimate demise of the children of Hurin. This is not your typical happy-ending Tolkien book. The stray from the norm keeps the reader on edge the whole time.

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