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: A beautiful, somber book
Summary: 4 Stars
Long before Bilbo Baggins left his hobbit hole, the Men and Elves of Middle Earth struggled valiantly against the Great Enemy, Morgoth (the fallen Valar and master of Sauron, the eventual "Lord of the Rings"). One man in particular, Húrin, brazenly defied Morgoth, who imprisoned him and laid a dire curse upon his children. First told--in a lesser form--in The Silmarillion, this tale chronicles their efforts, especially those of Húrin's son, Túrin, to defy the curse--driven largely by the malicious dragon Glaurung--and, perhaps, to escape it.
In this instance, it is worth reviewing both the story and the form in which it is published. With regard to the former, the tragedy of Túrin is a beautiful and powerful tale, told as by a master-bard in a classical, omniscient voice well-suited to descriptions of nature and events that span decades. Although the language is often archaic, and the myriad names of characters and places almost overwhelming, the tale steadily moves forward and is relatively short. (Túrin's many aliases are also fine artistic touches.) Ultimately, it earns its shadowed place on the vast, rich, and poignant tapestry that is the history of Middle Earth.
And, as a rare achievement, the physical presentation--the book itself--is equal to the story. Beginning with a gorgeous cover painting of Túrin, standing alone beneath a leaden sky and armed with his black sword and dragon-helm, that captures the grandeur and solemnity of the tale, illustrations--both color and black-and-white--abound. A particularly useful feature is a map that can be unfolded from within the back cover so as to be visible during reading. Finally, introductions and appendices provide information which should satisfy all but Middle Earth's most ravenous fans. (In short, this is a book one should not buy as a mass market paperback, if ever released as such.)
Together, the tale and book constitute a beautiful work that should be a fine gift to fans of epic, medieval fantasy. Recommended for all fantasy readers (of sixth grade age or older), except those frustrated by archaic language or numerous, fictitious names. Four stars, ancient but bright.
Book Review: Unnecessary addition to the Tolkien canon
Summary: 3 Stars
The Children of Húrin is set in the same world as The Lord of the Rings and is part of a story already published 30 years ago as a chapter in the Silmarillion, Tolkien's first posthumous book. It tells the story of Turin Turambar and his sister Niniel both cursed by Morgoth (an evil all powerful god) because their father had dared fight him. It is a tragic saga of a man pitted against fate and monsters but prey to his own self-destructive impulses. In itself, the story is two dimensional and, well I think, a little boring but as part of the whole of the Silmarillion it worked very well.
TCoH and the Silmarillion are set in Middle Earth, a world of its own born entirely out of J.R.R. Tolkien's education and imagination, a world he explored to the point of obsession. Tolkien lived such a large part of his life in this make-believe place that its stories and details dwarf even the epic Lord of the Rings. Following the 1973 death of the author, it was a great thing to publish the Silmarillion because it gave Middle Earth's background in one coherent (but difficult) volume. Then over the following years Tolkien's son Christopher published volume after volume of the edited scraps from his father's notes, of interest only to the more fanatic fans.
So why publish TCoH? The story has been told in the Silmarillion and the minor fleshing out of the tale into something closer to a novel does not really add enough new information to justify the effort. We do hear Turin converse with other characters from the Middle Earth legends, but the conversations are not much more familiar in tone than they are in the Silmarillion. Even the one piece of introspection in the book was not new, merely repeating the theme of Tolkien's "Leaf by Niggle".
The only good I can see coming of this is the possibility of Peter Jackson turning the story into a movie, though it's a little too dark for that. But who knows... The Children of Húrin is of interest only to Tolkien fans but it's presented for a more general readership; from that perspective I can in good conscience only give it three stars.
Vincent Poirier, Dublin
Book Review: Grand and tragic
Summary: 5 Stars
Warning: There are spoilers ahead, although if you are a serious Tolkein reader (and I am not sure that this book can be really appreciated by someone who is not) then you already know enough of the story that the spoilers should come as no surprise; it has already been told in large part (and in somewhat alternative versions) in "Unfinished Tales" and "The Silmarillion".
Although titled "The Children of Hurin," this tale can be more accurately be said to be mostly about one of those children: Turin, Hurin's elder son; Turin's siblings enter into the story only rather marginally. Turin might be seen as something of an anti-Aragorn. Both lost their fathers early, both were fostered in the homes of Elven kings, both dedicated themselves to war against the Great Enemy (although Turin's foe was Morgoth, long, long before Sauron), both lived for time as wanderers in the wilderness, both became great captains of war. But where Aragorn was destined to ultimately succeed and to win glory and kingship, Turin was doomed to find glory and death -- and to bring death to anyone close to him. Doom, doom, all is grand doom. If this book were a musical composition, it would be a great, sweeping, even bombastic, romantic symphony perhaps from Beethoven or Wagner.
The moody, evocative full-page color illustrations by Alan Lee superbly match the tone of the book.
"The Children of Hurin," although not a long novel, demands to be read slowly as we watch Turin strive onwards to his inevitable end. "Tragedy" is aptly applied to Turin; doomed by the curse of Morgoth, his own flaws (aided by the jealousy of others) repeately steer him into new paths of danger and failure and to bring death to his dearest companions.
It has been a long wait for a new complete and coherent tale from Tolkien (the book was carefully assembled by Christopher Tolkien from decades of his father's writings and revisions), but it has been a wait now well rewarded. "The Children of Hurin" is both grand and satisfying tragic, not to be missed by the serious Tolkien reader.
Book Review: Poignant mythological masterpiece
Summary: 5 Stars
Another Tolkien masterpiece, unlike the Hobbit and LOTR, more epic, archaic and poetic. If you have not read the Silmarillion, the Unfinished Tales or the History of Middle of Earth, all its not lost as Christopher Tolkien nicely explains the necessary background to understand the story as JRR planned. Almost Greek (ie Greek tragedy) in its tragic scope, it is a worthy addition to the Tolkien field. Even though most of the book has previously been published in the Silmarillion (much compressed) and the other posthumous works, this is the best and most accessible version. The other version require a true dedication to work through. Turin and Hurin are the classic heroic archetypes, proud, brave, foolish and doomed to tragic and epic deaths. Powerful images illumine the story:Turin's face when he realises he has killed Beleg, Hurin scorning Morgoth, the death of Glaurung and more. For a full appreciation of this story, it would be well worth reading the Silmarillion as it explains the bigger picture - who and what Morgoth was, the reason the Noldor came back to Middle Earth etc.
As Bilbo and Sam said in the LOTR (the return of the King to be specific), no great story every ends, it just continues on and in itself is a continuation of the great saga of Middle Earth.
This story is really one of the core three First Age sagas that JRRT worked on long before and long after the LOTR. I only hope that Christopher puts together a similar version of the Beren and Luthien story as well as the Fall of Gondolin. If we are lucky, these stories would make superb movies, provided someone with a true love and respect of the author does it, ie Peter Jackson.
For those of you you might be motivated to read the other posthumous works, you will find out that: Turin is destined to destroy Morgoth in the Last Battle and so be avenged, that Morgoth/Melkor's evil infuses the very substance of Middle Earth which is why his curse is not a curse in the traditional sense; that Morgoth had corrupted men, before they reached Beleriand and lots of other interesting facts.
Book Review: Tolkien as he should be remembered...
Summary: 5 Stars
My first complement for this work will be that it is written in an easy to understand manner. This is NOT the unbearable Silmarillion, which requires a Ph.D. in Tolkien-ology to read. Children of Hurin is written in a normal narrative structure and thus enjoyable and entertaining.
Children of Hurin is a tragic and brutal, yet still beautiful, piece of Middle Earth fiction set about 6,500 years before Bilbo's famous journey. The story of Hurin and his cursed children (which I won't spoil here) is sad, painful, and yet incredibly interesting. We finally meet Sauron's old boss Morgoth and we see just why he was the ultimate evil in Middle Earth. The tone is by far darker here than The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings but the characters and creatures of Middle Earth that we know and love are all familiar. There are elf-hating dwarves, noble elves, lordly men, scummy men, balrogs, cruel orcs, Sauron is referenced, and smack talking dragons just like in Tolkien's other two main works. Though most of the characters in this story are by far more stoic, ruthless, and mirthless than in his previous works.
My sole complaint with this book would be it's clear unfinished nature. Christopher Tolkien ultimately decided not to re-write any part of the tale. Since only about 60% of it was actually written in finalized, dialouge filled narrative, he relies on rough drafts and overviews to fill in the blanks. At times this leads to a disjointed read. In addition this also leads to some important events being rather glossed over instead of fully covered (Battle of Unnumbered Tears & Hurin's release from Angband come to mind). It makes me wonder if Christopher wouldn't have been better off just biting the bullet and fully writing out those scenes?
Alan Lee's illustrations make this book extra special. All in all this is a fine addition to your Tolkien collection right next to The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings (both Alan Lee illustrated as well of course).