Narn I Chin Hurin: The Tale of the Children of Hurin
by J.R.R. Tolkien
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Book Reviews of Narn I Chin Hurin: The Tale of the Children of Hurin
Book Review: One of my favorite stories of all time
Summary: 5 Stars
First and foremost I'm a Tolkien fan. I've read mostly all his writing, and I like all of it, (though I haven't read Roverandum or Leaf by Niggle or whatever they're called). His fantasy, in my opinion, is top notch. So that should give you some idea of my personal biases. But on to the present book.
If there could be any criticism on Lord of the Rings, it would be one of two things - either the book is too long (or, as some of my friends have said who have tried to read it and didn't like it, "Tolkien spends 2 pages writing about scenery!!"), or the author is too "kind" to his characters. Personally, I think Tolkien's writing style is pleasing to read. I enjoy the descriptions of Middle Earth, since Tolkien is such a good writer, but I can see how it can wear on readers who are more interested in dialogue or characters. As to the second criticism, I also understand, although I like the way Lord of the Rings ends.
Anyway, those "problems" or "criticisms" or whatever you want to call them are absent in The Children of Hurin. The book is completely, more than any other book I have read I think, character driven. It is a relatively short read, though packed full of story - there are no 2 to 3 pages of fluff (though, as I said, I would have no objection).
The book is about the life of Turin, the son of Hurin, a man who has been captured and his family cursed by (drumroll...) "The Dark Lord" Morgoth. Throughout his life, Turin experiences many sorrows - encountering death, driven out of his village, surviving alone, warrior, betrayer, unjustly accused, broken hearted. His fate is doomed by Morgoth's evil will. Wherever he goes, sadness follows him. BUT, Turin's strength of will is remarkable, and the transformations he undergoes are interesting. I will not say the book ends happily, but I will say the story ends beautifully. I'll put it this way. You may read the book and feel sad at the end, but you won't feel cynical. You won't feel pessimistic or depressed (at least I don't think the book gives that affect). Instead, you'll feel that, though you just read a sad book, it really illuminated some very good things about life. By being sad, it adds value to happy things.
I actually think this book gives us a better understanding of how good of a STORYteller Tolkien was. Sure, everyone knows he can write well, but, if there were any doubts about his talents as a creater of complex, compelling, original tales, those are undoubtedbly dispelled in this book.
Never before have I read a book of such an appealing length (being not too short or not too long), dealing with so much going on, written so well, filled with such classic scences.
Certainly one of my favorite stories.
Book Review: A Dark Masterpiece
Summary: 5 Stars
The Children of Hurin is a perfect, dark masterpiece for those that enjoy straight forward stories that aren't littered with happy-go-lucky themes; however, this book is not for readers of all ages. The Children of Hurin is not a happy or feel-good story as it is just dripping with violence, death, sorrow, and even adds other mature themes (i.e. incest) that may be too much for children or to those that are familiar with and think this is a Lord of the Rings-type story because it is written by JRR Tolkien. True, it takes place in Middle-Earth, but it's during a time that is well before the events of the Hobbit and LotR.
The story mainly follows Hurin's son, Turin, during his life of revenge and hope. Hurin's daughter, Nienor, comes in the latter stages of the story, but does make a significant impact to the books finale. Without any spoilers, the story is about Hurin, who is being held captive by Morgoth, an evil and powerful being that makes him watch his people and family being slaughtered and enslaved. Turin is sent off to safety of the elves while his mother stays behind as she carries her newborn (Nienor). As Turin grows up, he is determined and destined to seek the truth about his father's fate as he searches for his mother. Along the way, Turin comes across many places and individuals where when it seems that positive things may come about for him, something bad always happen and Turin ends up moving on. Where this isn't anything bad for the reader, the only negative that's generated from this type of story is that in every place Turin goes to, he calls himself something different (even the narration goes by his "new name"; thus making the reading difficult--this is a Tolkien story so you know the names are going to be rather complex) if you put the book down for a day or two as you can get confused as to who is being called what (the story is so good though, you won't have to worry about this because you probably won't put the book down for too long).
Those familiar with Tolkien's work will be pleased to find that there's plenty of fighting against orcs and even an epic battle against a dragon (as in the Hobbit), named Glaurung. However, as mentioned before, there is a tragic twist to the entire story at the end. The settings are well described and character development is pretty well done for such a short story.
This is a classic story of hope, determination, and love for one's family. The story is rather tragic and dark with the amount of sorrow and death involved in the plot. If you like serious stories that don't get hampered with trying to add feel-good elements into it, then you will truly enjoy this dark masterpiece by JRR Tolkien, The Children of Hurin.
Book Review: A Final and Successful Return to Middle Earth
Summary: 5 Stars
Especially after the success of recent movies, a new book set in Middle-Earth is a remarkable event. Children of Hurin takes place 6,500 years before the Council of Elrond which sent Frodo to Mount Doom to destroy the Ring. Editor Christopher Tolkien pieces together sources from his father's works to achieve an exciting story and create an enduring new character. The tale is based on a poem written by the father, abandoned in 1924. After completing the Rings Trilogy, JRR Tolkien devoted almost all of his thought, according to Christopher, on expanding the story of Turin which he felt should be told in fuller form. Although knowledge of The Silmarillion is not needed to enjoy this book, it is expanded from The Book of Lost Tales and is "integral to the history of elves and men in the Elder Days," according to son Christopher.
He describes the composition process in the appendix: "I have reconsidered the original manuscripts and reconstituted the text, in many (usually very minor) places restoring the original words , introducing sentences or brief passages that should not have been omitted, correcting a few errors, and making different choices among the original readings." Christopher Tolkien tells us that "there is no element of extraneous 'invention' of any kind...The text is nonetheless artificial, as it could not be otherwise."
Children of Hurin is the story of the struggles of elves and men against Sauron's predessor Morgoth who is the mightiest of the Valar made incarnate and potentially vulnerable. It takes place in lands west of the Blue Mountains where Treebeard roamed in his youth.
Hurin of the House of Haldor almost defeats Morgoth in the Battle of Unnumbered Tears. Fallen and captured, he is bound and cursed by Morgoth. Children of Hurin is the story of his son Turin's struggle against the curse and minions of Morgoth.
The book has battles, a Gollum like character in the petty-dwarf Mim, the best fight with a dragon since Bilbo's in The Hobbit and enough action and character development to create an enduring addition to Middle Earth lore.
The character of Turin is more tragic than other Tolkien creations and almost Elric-like in temperment. It takes the reader longer to take him to heart but once done, he becomes as memorable as Aragorn or Treebeard.
The language is elegant and mythic. Tolkiens facility in creating place and people names is extraordinary as always.
Read this book. It is an authentic return to a land that we love to visit through the hands of a master and in the company of new characters soon to become part of Middle Earth lore.
Book Review: Heroism & tragedy
Summary: 4 Stars
The Children of Hurin proved hard going at first, but after some perseverance it did reveal the Tolkien genius and things began falling into place. In my opinion, one needs to have read the The Silmarillion for background in order to fully understand where this history fits into the greater scheme of things. A fold-out map helps with the geography.
In the preface it is explained when and how JRR Tolkien worked on the long version of the legend of the children of Hurin as an independent work and how the current text came about, whilst the introduction provides a brief discussion of Beleriand and its peoples near the end of the elder days. There is also a note on pronunciation.
The narrative takes the reader through the lands of Hithlum, Mithrim, Dor-Lomin, Dimbar, Brethil, Doriath, Talath Dirnen and Dorthonion. It begins with the childhood of Hurin and the Battle of Unnumbered Tears which marked the decline of the Eldar when Hithlum was lost. Hurin and his descendants were cursed by Morgoth whose evil realm was then expanding.
As a young boy, Turin left Hithlum for the hidden Elvish kingdom of Doriath where he stayed some years. After a dispute with an Elf, he left to become an outlaw. He eventually established a home on the mountain Amon Rudh, the domain of the petty dwarf Mim. This outpost was lost to the orcs through treachery.
Thereafter, Turin dwelt in the Elvish city of Nargothrond until its fall. Afterwards he established a home amongst the people of the forest of Brethil. At this time his sister left Doriath, lost her memory in an encounter with the dragon Glaurung and came to Brethil, with tragic consequences.
The wingless dragon made its way toward Brethil, intending to destroy this outpost, when the highlight of the book occurs: Turin's slaying of Glaurung. If one perseveres through the first difficult pages one will certainly enjoy this great tale of tragedy. It has all the Tolkien trademarks - an intricate plot, gripping imagery and elegant use of language.
There are beautiful colour plates and black & white illustrations throughout the text. The Genealogies section includes the House of Hador & People of Haleth, the House of Beor and the Princes of the Noldor. The Appendix includes The Evolution of the Great Tales and The Composition of the Text, and the book concludes with a List of Names.
Tolkien Bestiary by David Day
Book Review: The Tragic Tale of a Flawed Hero
Summary: 5 Stars
Based on Tolkien's unfinished notes and published 30 years posthumously, The Children Of Hurin is an important addition to his body of work. He saw the story as one of the major legends of the Elder Days and one of the three longest and fullest among the Lost Tales. A briefer version is found in the Silmarillion, The Book of Lost Tales and elsewhere.
I came to the Lord of the Rings 20 years ago and to the Silmarillion soon after. The Children of Hurin comes as a fresh treat. Set some six and a half thousand years before the Lord of the Rings, The Children of Hurin deals with the lives of Turin and Nienor as they struggle with Morgoth (a Vala and mentor of Sauron) following his decisive victory over an army of elves and men. Their father, Hurin, was one of its commanders and is condemned by Morgoth to watch their travails in impotent grief.
This is a quite different work than the Lord of the Rings and provides a contrasting oeuvre into Tolkien's world. The Lord of the Rings is replete with heroes and damsels but Turin is a gravely flawed hero unlike any in the Lord of the Rings, unless it is Boromir whose small part may not be perceived as heroic at all. The tragedy that unfolds is as much a product of his own pride and obstinacy as it is of Morgoth's curse. Perhaps, however, that is how curses work. Whom the Gods would destroy they first make blind and the important point is that Morgoth is a deity, even if a dark one. Elves and mortals that strive with him are ultimately doomed, though they may win some victories. Here, then, we get a sense of the true nature of the dark power. In the Lord of the Rings it is simply physical strength, the power of armies, spies and successful deceit. In the story of Turin we sense that it is something more. Morgoth was not originally a corporeal entity and even now his will is able to go out into the world and work upon his foes. Perhaps he is able to influence men's minds and to arrange seemingly chance events to his advantage. Such then is the power of the Valar.
This portrayal of the heroic but flawed Turin and of the subtlety of Morgoth's power makes The Children of Hurin an important addition to Tolkien's body of work and essential reading for serious fans. That said, it is pointless to read this book if you have not already read the Lord of the Rings and undesirable if you have not read the Silmarillion. The Children of Hurin lives within the larger framework of those legends. Twenty years after my first encounter with the works of the Master, this addition does not disappoint.