Children of Hurin

It's odd, to finally read a completed version of a story that I'm already very familiar with. Is this what editors feel like? I am quite impressed with the cohesiveness of the final product: although I am sure that if I was looking for the joins I could spot them : the most obvious style shift is from annalistic at the start gradually to a near full-on narrative towards the end; which is I judge a deliberate change of mode as events come faster. I wonder how long it is. My guess would be 40,000 words?

It namedrops a lot of people and places that it doesn't properly introduce; but then so does The Lord of the Rings, to no harm and to great effect. I'd be interested to see what people who haven't read the Silmarillion (or tried and failed) make of it.

As to the story itself?

( spoilers for the Silmarillion, The Children of Hurin )

In summary: grim, mythic, probably non-mass-market. I hear they are talking about making a film of it. It seems unlikely Christopher Tolkien is going to sell the film rights; his successors in management of the estate would be another matter. At least this is not quite as absurd as seeing talk of a film adaption of the Silmarillion.

( how to make a bunch of films out of the Silmarillion - are you listening Peter Jackson?, spoilers )

Finally, let us end on a quote. "[Tolkien]'s written work is characterized by disputes over the ownership of jewelry, and the hand injuries that occur as a result." - uncyclopedia