The Children of Húrin
by J.R.R. Tolkien
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Book Reviews of The Children of Húrin
Book Review: Less Fantasy, More Classic Tragedy
Summary: 5 Stars
Those who approach this book with the expectation of getting some kind of sequel (or rather prequel) to The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings, or even an add-on to the Silmarillion, will be disappointed.
This is much more a classic tragedy than a work of Fantasy literature. I was reminded of the Greek tragedies by Sophocles, Euripides, and Aeschylus. As with those authors, it is best to read The Children of Hurin with the EXPECTATION of a "bad" ending. In a classic tragedy, it does not spoil one's reading to know that most of the main characters are going to die in a most tragic way, just like it's no spoiler to know that there'll be a murder in a mystery novel or jokes in a modern comedy.
Reading The Children of Hurin in any other way is like watching a serious WWII drama and waiting the whole time for a bunch of fluffy jokes to crack you up.
If you haven't developed a taste for tragedies, don't read this book.
But as a tragedy, it absolutely delivers the goods of its genre. It makes you step into another time, feel with other hearts, and taste death - and through it, grow more appreciative of the life that has been given you.
By the end of the book, I felt enriched. Somberly enriched.
- Jacob Schriftman, Author of The C. S. Lewis Book on the Bible: What the Greatest Christian Writer Thought About the Greatest Book
Book Review: Not An Easy Read But Well Worth The Effort
Summary: 5 Stars
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!
Book Review: The Children of Hurin
Summary: 5 Stars
I LOVED this book. As a fan of Tolkien, this book just completed the picture that was originally painted in the Silmarillion. It fleshed out the story that made it much more rich and satisfying to read. There are more personal details, and fuller accounts of events that make you feel more connected to Turin and his inescapable doom. When reading the account in the Silmarillion, I had always felt it very dark and depressing. This version has many lighter notes in it that are a relief in the tale, making it less oppressive, but still full of impact. If you have never read the Silmarillion, you will want to read it after reading this book. If you have read the Silmarillian, you will enjoy this richer account of The Children of Hurin.Book Review: Tragically interesting
Summary: 5 Stars
I just read this in a little over a week and I found myself not being able to put it down. I got lost in the introduction and the 1st chapter, but once I got into the 2nd Chapter it was like flying a plane.
I advise everyone to avoid from(or cover up) reading any chapter titles. Most of them tell you what will happen.
If you've read any of Tolkien's works, then this book is for you. I've only read Fellowship, half of Two Towers, some of the Appendices, and just started reading the Hobbit.
If you haven't read any Tolkien then find this at a bookstore and read Chapter 1 and some or all of Chapter 2 then decide for/against purchasing it. I do advise reading at least the Fellowship though.
Book Review: A Dark, Gripping Tragedy
Summary: 4 Stars
Anyone expecting to read a happily ending Tolkien tale of Hobbits returning home at the end of a grand adventure and setting things right, will be disappointed. However, if you want to read a tragedy that is as gripping as Oedipus, then you have found your book. Tales as ancient as Oedipus have been woven into a coherent story on a Northern European canvas; Tolkien created a story loaded with hubris. It is time well spent reading a modern interpretation of excessive human pride and the damage it can create. Alan Lee has several illustrations which draw out some of the inner details of the characters.