Practically everyone knows who J.R.R. Tolkien is these days. If you don't, you might live in a jar...under a rock...with a blindfold over your eyes and your fingers in your ears. The best of the rest of us recognise him to be quite simply one of the greatest literary authors of all time.
Some say he is the father of modern fantasy writing as we know it and I'm not inclined to argue with them. The man makes such masterpieces in his life as The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings...and yet nearly 34 years after Tolkien's death his fan base does nothing other than exponentially grow.
Of course, having a list of posthumous publications as long as the arm of an Ent doesn't hurt, and it's largely in thanks, if that be your view, to his son, Christopher Tolkien. Chris has devoted (seemingly) his life to the digestion of everything his father ever wrote, whether it be a full manuscript typed on loose sheets of paper or the premise of a book hand-written in within the margins of a college textbook.
These notes and bits and pieces of the work of J.R.R. Tolkien that never saw the light of a publishing company prior to the author's death are now taken by his son and painstakingly poured over, meticulously transcribed, and in all other ways combed over with a very fine tooth into something cohesive that Tolkien's rabid fan base are waiting to lap up like so many starving dogs waiting for someone to throw them a bone. I count myself amongst them...I am one such puppy.
In the past, Christopher Tolkien has given us The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales, and not least of all The History of Middle-earth. His latest endeavour...for apparently the last 30-odd years...has been The Children of Húrin, published 17 April 2007. (3 days ago)
I've read it...absorbed it...digested it. Not that it was a particularly daunting task, mind you, when you compare it to things like the latest instalments of the Harry Potter series of books which are getting on to the length of a standard dictionary, or indeed when you read works of Tolkien himself such as The Silmarillion, which reads very like a history book instead of a fantasy novel. Nor even when you consider the fact that the story of Húrin and his offspring has already been told, albeit in brief form, in previous works.
No, TCOH was not a particular difficult read, but it was absolutely 'unputdownable', as people like to say these days. Having a great Tolkien classic told, once again, in the form of a story...a novel...was extremely refreshing. I read the bulk of it this morning when I woke up. (The first two chapters I read the night previous)
It's a tragic tale, as are many of Tolkien's stories. The tale of Beren and Lúthien, for example; or more famously amongst those that haven't delved deeper into Middle-earth is the tale of Aragorn and Arwen. Tragedy seems to plague so many of Tolkien's most famous characters, and this tale is no different.
It revolves, primarily, around a young man named Túrin, who is the son of Húrin. If you're getting confused by the similarities of names already, don't fret. I won't delve too deeply in this review. Basically, Húrin defied the Enemy, Morgoth. (Seen LOTR? Think Sauron's predecessor and boss...he's a big bad-ass) He was captured by Morgoth and tortured as a means of information extraction...only he didn't break under the pressure.
So instead of killing Húrin like most normal baddies, Morgoth shows just how evil he is by keeping him alive, cursing his children, and then granting him the ability of far sight and hearing so that he is forced to watch his children's tragic lives unfold from afar whilst still prisoner and incapable to escape or do anything to help them...even if they are at death's door.
Yep...he's really mean. (Spoilers to follow....you've been warned)
Enter Túrin. Here's a kid that saw his daddy go off to war and never return, and decides to grow up to be just like him and fight the enemy. Along the way is told the tale of TCOH, which basically consists of Túrin (and to a lesser extent, his siblings) getting utterly crapped on the whole of his life. He moves all over Beleriand (think of it as California of Middle-earth...before it slides off into the ocean) seeking refuge and solace from his tormented life. He lives with the elves of the south, but he ends up accidentally killing one of the king's counsellors and flees in order to preserve what he believes to be his endangered freedom.
He moves on and eventually ends up wild and untamed, living off the land and living for himself...joining a band of savages. They kill innocents and ravage farms...a real bunch of creeps. While he doesn't actively participate in the maniacal goings-on, he doesn't do much to stop it until he manages to kill their captain and take over. It's about this time that he hears from an old Elf-friend from the south that the King has pardoned him and never wished him harm. In his pride he cannot return, but turns his band of 'soldiers' into orc-killers. His friend joins him in his fight against the enemy, but during a tragic happenstance, Túrin mistakes him for an enemy and kills his own best friend.
He moves on to live with the elves in the North in their hidden fortress. He becomes high-ranked in the King's council and even falls in love. But it's not to last. Not only does the enemy end up finding out where the fortress is, but he sends in a giant dragon to completely decimate it...and and everyone.
****End Spoilers****
The tragedies continue like this for the remainder of the book. Just when poor ol' Túrin gets his head above water, something comes along to crap on everything again. This is not an upbeat story. For every step forward, the poor guy seems destined to take three steps back...and it's all thanks to this curse that Morgoth laid on the children of Húrin because of his defiance.
This was an emotionally compelling tale and extremely readable. There was action, love, drama, and even humour, all wrapped up in a tragic little package. I recommend it to anyone who is a fan of sci-fi/fantasy, and especially to anyone who calls themselves a fan of Tolkien's works. It took Christopher Tolkien a long time to put this story between its own covers, but the result is exceptional and worthy to be sitting on the same shelf as those J.R.R. Tolkien Classics we've come to know and love.
Showing posts with label Tolkien. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tolkien. Show all posts
20 April, 2007
20 February, 2007
Tolkien's 'other' works...pt. III
Started this post back in early January...but things happened like Weddings and Honeymoons and Visas and job searches and house movings (yes, that's a word now)...okay those are all still happening...but I'm finally getting 'round to posting it! I hope you enjoy!
So I've finished reading "Tales from the Perilous Realm"... which includes four short stories by J.R.R. Tolkien that are much lesser-known than say, "The Hobbit" or "The Lord of the Rings"...or even "The Silmarillion".
Farmer Giles of Ham - An absolutely charming tale about a farmer turned dragon-fighting knight. Farmer Giles is a simple man in the town of Ham that only ever wanted his simple life...until one day when a giant showed up roaming his fields. Through sheer serendipitous luck, Giles managed to both scare off the giant and become the overnight hero of the town. He is soon living the life of fame with everyone in town singing his praises and buying him free drinks...even the King sends Farmer Giles a reward for being so brave: an ancient and beautiful sword.
Things change when a dragon, having heard from a certain boastful giant, that the lands around Ham are unguarded and that one can roam freely causing as much damage and destruction as one wishes with no fear of penalty. I suppose you can guess where this is going...the people of Ham quickly turn to their local hero to help dispatch the new threat terrorizing the countryside and Farmer Giles must face a choice: either he faces the danger as the capable and confident hero that he is famed for, or he hangs his head in shame and broken pride.
The interesting thing about Farmer Giles is that apart from Dragons and Giants, there are very few crosses between this short story and Tolkien's well-known world based in Middle-earth...at least to an untrained person such as myself. Perhaps a true Tolkien scholar...which I readily admit I am far from...could tell you better ways to link the different tales, but this story is quite a step apart from what you're used to reading from Tolkien. I believe it to be even further apart than even Roverandom. Yet Tolkien's impressively descriptive storytelling and charm matched with a flair for languages...that which he is known for...are still very apparent.
Leaf by Niggle - A tale perhaps even further from Tolkien's 'norm' than Farmer Giles. Niggle is a little man in a little town. His heart is in the right place...even if his grumblings and mutterings tell otherwise. Niggle is the type of person that can always be relied upon to do a favour for a friend or neighbor...even at his own great inconvenience. He is a good man, but that is his downfall, for people tend to take advantage of it. Niggle may not take pleasure in the act of helping out his neighbors, but he does so because he knows that he should.
One thing that Niggle takes great pleasure in is his painting. He's not the world's greatest painter...in fact he's not very good at all. But what he does paint well are leaves. He can paint a leaf as if it were alive.
But the detail of a leaf was not enough for Niggle...he wished to expand to a tree full of these leaves...each individual and extraordinary as the next. He would expand further to the branches of the tree, to the trunk, to the hilltop on which it stood, to the surrounding countryside...ever further and further into the painting he would go.
The painting eventually became so large that he had to store it in a separate building from his house. Yet Niggle couldn't spend all his time on his painting. Indeed only a fraction of the time he wished to spend on his work. For one thing, he was constantly being 'interrupted' by other people needing help, and then there was this long journey he was supposed to take that he should have been preparing for...but wasn't.
Eventually the time came for the journey...and Niggle was not ready. But it could not be helped. Niggle had to leave his home...his belongings...his painting...far behind him.
The remainder of the story is a clear allegory to the afterlife. Niggle spends countless years in a 'workhouse'...learning how to cope with his time better and reflecting on his life and the way he behaved towards other people.
This is a very stark tale...and for the majority of the tale, you're left feeling worried for poor little Niggle. The emotions are a bit low and sad for a good chunk of the story...thank goodness it is so short!
Niggle is probably the least 'Tolkien-like' work I've read, at least if one to compare the text to those more famous of Tolkien's works. There are no direct correlations between what happens to Niggle or the other characters in the story, and anything that happens to the people of Middle-earth. There are no 'fantastical' elements to the story...no elves, dwarves, faeries, dragons or otherwise. The only thing 'magical' about this story comes in the 'afterlife' portion of the story already mentioned...so one could likely draw a more spiritual conclusion from this story rather than a fantastical one.
Still, it is an incredibly moving story...and very much worth a read. I can see how it would be a good moral value for children...and I highly encourage it as the sort of story you would read to a child...so that you can explain the fundamentals and moral values that are carried throughout the tale.
Smith of Wooton Major - Here is a tale much closer to the world of Tolkien that we know and love than the previous two here mentioned. Smith is a fantastical story involving faeries and magical lands...warriors and the like.
We are presented with the protagonist of our story...a small child of the small town of Wooten Major. Every quarter-century or so, there is festival held for all the children, the showpiece of which is a large, delicious cake made by the master baker in town...a very prestigious position. In the cake are several trinkets...coins mostly...for the children to delight in...and all are distributed randomly upon the cutting of the cake. Some children may find several trinkets...some none at all.
Our hero finds himself in possession of a magical star...the only one of its kind baked into the cake. No one really knows anything about the star...in fact the baker himself only came across it by chance and thought it would make a nice addition. Eventually the baker retires and is replaced, as is the custom, by his apprentice.
The star token, which the child stuck to his own forehead, has a lasting effect on the child. It makes the child very beautiful in face and stature...very well and eloquently spoken...but what nobody else knows is that it also allows him to travel to a far-off land...the land of Faery...where he discovers wonders no-one else knows of.
He does this for years...on into adulthood. He travels the mountains, lakes and valleys...the forests deep and shaded. He meets the faeries...their Queen...is given magical gifts...and generally leads an enchanted life.
Eventually the time comes for the next big festival...the star is passed on to a new child...and the cycle repeats. This is a short and charming tale...very much in the vein of what we are used to seeing from Tolkien...and one that will be appreciated by enthusiasts and casual Tolkien readers alike.
The Adventures of Tom Bombadil - Quite contrary to its title, this is no fictional tale, not even a short story. It has little to do with Tom Bombadil at all, and 'adventures' is questionable in and of itself.
This, quite simply, is a collection of poetry written by Tolkien. Not all of them directly concern themselves with our dear friend from The Fellowship of the Ring, Tom...in fact there's only 2 of the...18?...poems that do. But it is a fascinating read in that it expands upon the myth and lore of Middle-earth. The Hobbits in particular had a fondness for old lays, poems and tales of the days of old...and here we find several examples.
This is not a story...it won't get you from A to B. You probably to have either a love of poetry in order to appreciate the form...or a love of Tolkien's world to appreciate the subject matter...to truly appreciate this collection of work. But it is truly a lovely collection of writing, and while short, very worth a read for any Tolkien enthusiast.
So I've finished reading "Tales from the Perilous Realm"... which includes four short stories by J.R.R. Tolkien that are much lesser-known than say, "The Hobbit" or "The Lord of the Rings"...or even "The Silmarillion".
Farmer Giles of Ham - An absolutely charming tale about a farmer turned dragon-fighting knight. Farmer Giles is a simple man in the town of Ham that only ever wanted his simple life...until one day when a giant showed up roaming his fields. Through sheer serendipitous luck, Giles managed to both scare off the giant and become the overnight hero of the town. He is soon living the life of fame with everyone in town singing his praises and buying him free drinks...even the King sends Farmer Giles a reward for being so brave: an ancient and beautiful sword.
Things change when a dragon, having heard from a certain boastful giant, that the lands around Ham are unguarded and that one can roam freely causing as much damage and destruction as one wishes with no fear of penalty. I suppose you can guess where this is going...the people of Ham quickly turn to their local hero to help dispatch the new threat terrorizing the countryside and Farmer Giles must face a choice: either he faces the danger as the capable and confident hero that he is famed for, or he hangs his head in shame and broken pride.
The interesting thing about Farmer Giles is that apart from Dragons and Giants, there are very few crosses between this short story and Tolkien's well-known world based in Middle-earth...at least to an untrained person such as myself. Perhaps a true Tolkien scholar...which I readily admit I am far from...could tell you better ways to link the different tales, but this story is quite a step apart from what you're used to reading from Tolkien. I believe it to be even further apart than even Roverandom. Yet Tolkien's impressively descriptive storytelling and charm matched with a flair for languages...that which he is known for...are still very apparent.
Leaf by Niggle - A tale perhaps even further from Tolkien's 'norm' than Farmer Giles. Niggle is a little man in a little town. His heart is in the right place...even if his grumblings and mutterings tell otherwise. Niggle is the type of person that can always be relied upon to do a favour for a friend or neighbor...even at his own great inconvenience. He is a good man, but that is his downfall, for people tend to take advantage of it. Niggle may not take pleasure in the act of helping out his neighbors, but he does so because he knows that he should.
One thing that Niggle takes great pleasure in is his painting. He's not the world's greatest painter...in fact he's not very good at all. But what he does paint well are leaves. He can paint a leaf as if it were alive.
But the detail of a leaf was not enough for Niggle...he wished to expand to a tree full of these leaves...each individual and extraordinary as the next. He would expand further to the branches of the tree, to the trunk, to the hilltop on which it stood, to the surrounding countryside...ever further and further into the painting he would go.
The painting eventually became so large that he had to store it in a separate building from his house. Yet Niggle couldn't spend all his time on his painting. Indeed only a fraction of the time he wished to spend on his work. For one thing, he was constantly being 'interrupted' by other people needing help, and then there was this long journey he was supposed to take that he should have been preparing for...but wasn't.
Eventually the time came for the journey...and Niggle was not ready. But it could not be helped. Niggle had to leave his home...his belongings...his painting...far behind him.
The remainder of the story is a clear allegory to the afterlife. Niggle spends countless years in a 'workhouse'...learning how to cope with his time better and reflecting on his life and the way he behaved towards other people.
This is a very stark tale...and for the majority of the tale, you're left feeling worried for poor little Niggle. The emotions are a bit low and sad for a good chunk of the story...thank goodness it is so short!
Niggle is probably the least 'Tolkien-like' work I've read, at least if one to compare the text to those more famous of Tolkien's works. There are no direct correlations between what happens to Niggle or the other characters in the story, and anything that happens to the people of Middle-earth. There are no 'fantastical' elements to the story...no elves, dwarves, faeries, dragons or otherwise. The only thing 'magical' about this story comes in the 'afterlife' portion of the story already mentioned...so one could likely draw a more spiritual conclusion from this story rather than a fantastical one.
Still, it is an incredibly moving story...and very much worth a read. I can see how it would be a good moral value for children...and I highly encourage it as the sort of story you would read to a child...so that you can explain the fundamentals and moral values that are carried throughout the tale.
Smith of Wooton Major - Here is a tale much closer to the world of Tolkien that we know and love than the previous two here mentioned. Smith is a fantastical story involving faeries and magical lands...warriors and the like.
We are presented with the protagonist of our story...a small child of the small town of Wooten Major. Every quarter-century or so, there is festival held for all the children, the showpiece of which is a large, delicious cake made by the master baker in town...a very prestigious position. In the cake are several trinkets...coins mostly...for the children to delight in...and all are distributed randomly upon the cutting of the cake. Some children may find several trinkets...some none at all.
Our hero finds himself in possession of a magical star...the only one of its kind baked into the cake. No one really knows anything about the star...in fact the baker himself only came across it by chance and thought it would make a nice addition. Eventually the baker retires and is replaced, as is the custom, by his apprentice.
The star token, which the child stuck to his own forehead, has a lasting effect on the child. It makes the child very beautiful in face and stature...very well and eloquently spoken...but what nobody else knows is that it also allows him to travel to a far-off land...the land of Faery...where he discovers wonders no-one else knows of.
He does this for years...on into adulthood. He travels the mountains, lakes and valleys...the forests deep and shaded. He meets the faeries...their Queen...is given magical gifts...and generally leads an enchanted life.
Eventually the time comes for the next big festival...the star is passed on to a new child...and the cycle repeats. This is a short and charming tale...very much in the vein of what we are used to seeing from Tolkien...and one that will be appreciated by enthusiasts and casual Tolkien readers alike.
The Adventures of Tom Bombadil - Quite contrary to its title, this is no fictional tale, not even a short story. It has little to do with Tom Bombadil at all, and 'adventures' is questionable in and of itself.
This, quite simply, is a collection of poetry written by Tolkien. Not all of them directly concern themselves with our dear friend from The Fellowship of the Ring, Tom...in fact there's only 2 of the...18?...poems that do. But it is a fascinating read in that it expands upon the myth and lore of Middle-earth. The Hobbits in particular had a fondness for old lays, poems and tales of the days of old...and here we find several examples.
This is not a story...it won't get you from A to B. You probably to have either a love of poetry in order to appreciate the form...or a love of Tolkien's world to appreciate the subject matter...to truly appreciate this collection of work. But it is truly a lovely collection of writing, and while short, very worth a read for any Tolkien enthusiast.
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