Reviews

The Fall of Arthur by J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien

todl's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

kbbru's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Fun to read aloud.

hannah_dillard's review against another edition

3.0

This was hard for me to get through and I did skim the second half. I think maybe because it was poetry, maybe because it was unfinished—whatever the reason, this will go down as “I have read it, but most likely won’t again.” However, another Tolkien book conquered!

serafim's review against another edition

adventurous informative

4.5

theeverglow17's review against another edition

4.0

this rating is for the poem itself, which is beautiful and epic. it is a shame that the professor never finished it... and a shame that we only have 40 pages of it to read!

authorannafaundez's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective slow-paced

4.75

eyan_birt's review against another edition

4.0

I have a lot to think about with Tolkien's rendition of The Fall of Arthur. The emphasis on relationships between Arthur/Lancelot/Mordred is fascinating, while maintaining the origin of the poems that Tolkien here translated. Christopher's explanations and notes, as well as the inclusion of connections to Tolkien's more well known original works (Namely the Simarillion) makes the text more relatable to a more modern audience.

ladyvictoriadiana's review against another edition

4.0

Really liked this one. I’m a big fan of the Arthurian legends and though I’m not a lover of poetry, the poem itself was enjoyable. And the explanations and little excourses at the end were helpful and informative as always.

quoththegirl's review against another edition

5.0

I guiltily paid full price for this book at B&N (something I'm practically allergic to after spending far too much time in secondhand shops), but after reading it, I have no regrets. It was worth every cent. Latest in a line of posthumous publications edited and compiled by Tolkien's son Christopher, The Fall of Arthur is a (tragically incomplete) alliterative poem in the Northern and Anglo-Saxon tradition. Think Arthurian Beowulf. If there's any combination more perfectly calculated to make me fall in love, I've never encountered it. The poem is absolutely exquisite, and I'm not sure I'll be able to forgive Tolkien for dying without finishing it. Aside from the subject matter, the poem itself is an astounding piece of skill. English alliterative meter is no joke, and according to Christopher, his father just dashed large chunks of it off without batting an eyelash. Christopher's extremely detailed (if a little dull) analysis of the evolution of the poem is still worth a read, and if you read nothing else of the supplementary materials, at least check out the Appendix on the verse form so that you can appreciate the difficulty of writing alliterative verse.

angelwolf45's review against another edition

4.0

I really enjoyed this book.

This is a book that deals with King Arthur and Tolkien's take on this legend.

I have not read anything about this legend before reading this and I really enjoyed reading this. I love reading Tolkien's writing and I really enjoyed this story. Even though it is not finished I really enjoyed this poem and Christopher Tolkien's commentary after the story really helped to understand where J.R.R was going with the story even though it is unfinished.

I feel like I have learned a bit more about this legend through reading this book and I am so excited to read the other books that I have not read yet of his.