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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
A great collection of the earliest and revised versions of the Lay of Luthien. It’s a story that shapes Arda’s history, leading to the end of the First Age of Arda. Beren and Luthien’s love causes events that lead to battles between Elves and between Elves and Dwarves, for a Silmaril. That Silmaril helps Earendil and Elwing find Valinor, where Manwe pardons the Noldor and agrees to defeat Melkor for all time. Parts are in prose, parts are in verse. It all has Tolkien’s heavy epic-tale syntax, yet Beren and Luthien’s devotion to each other, and later Earendil and Elwing’s love comes through. Definitely a good read for lovers of Arda’s First Age.
I get it, the story of Beren and Luthien is a cornerstone of the environment of LOTR. As a story, it's ok (although there are plenty of plot holes). And as a complete story, it could take about 40 pages. This book is quite....thorough... in describing how the story changed through development (Characters added, Characters lost, Feanor's sons were only involved in later versions, etc) to the point of a a labor.
I'd only recommend this to the most devoted of fans as you'll end up reading the same story (either in snippets or in whole) about 5 times before you get to the end - and I don't know if the end is Christopher Tolkien feeling like he's completed the compilation or the publisher had a word minimum.
I'd only recommend this to the most devoted of fans as you'll end up reading the same story (either in snippets or in whole) about 5 times before you get to the end - and I don't know if the end is Christopher Tolkien feeling like he's completed the compilation or the publisher had a word minimum.
Epic, especially the poetry
Loved the extracts from the Lay of Leithian in particular. Strongly recommend reading them out loud. Normally poetry doesn’t do much for me, but this sent chills down my spine. Such a shame Tolkien never finished it.
Loved the extracts from the Lay of Leithian in particular. Strongly recommend reading them out loud. Normally poetry doesn’t do much for me, but this sent chills down my spine. Such a shame Tolkien never finished it.
In my humble opinion, The Lay of Luthien has some of Tolkien's most beautiful writing in it and I just want to tattoo it all over my face so that it bleeds into my heart forever. Also, Luthien........ call me
I totally get why Beren fell for Luthien.
I totally don't get why Luthien fell for Beren.
I totally don't get why Luthien fell for Beren.
Interesting to see how the story developed and changed. Definitely not for everyone and not my favorite but it was enjoyable
I find it really hard to rate and review Beren and Luthien. Like a proper fool I assumed that Christopher Tolkien had cobbled a narrative together for this book, but what one really gets is exerts and drafts and summary from Christopher on the tale, so the book includes some repetition, pieces that have been published elsewhere and large sections of the "Lay of Luthien" a long-form poem of the saga.
This was probably obvious to most picking up the book but its worth pointing out to interested parties that this is what you'll be getting into with Beren and Luthien. The book is an absolute must for Tolkien fans who want to dive into his uncompleted works and hear Christopher explaining JRR's history with the work etc.
In terms of the content itself it is actually pretty epic, although somewhat bittersweet knowing that the full tale was never fully realized. There are tastes of North Mythology and Tolkien's signature knack for world-building, and if anything it does provide an interesting context for Aragon and Arwen in LoTRs.
Bring on the mini-series Amazon!
This was probably obvious to most picking up the book but its worth pointing out to interested parties that this is what you'll be getting into with Beren and Luthien. The book is an absolute must for Tolkien fans who want to dive into his uncompleted works and hear Christopher explaining JRR's history with the work etc.
In terms of the content itself it is actually pretty epic, although somewhat bittersweet knowing that the full tale was never fully realized. There are tastes of North Mythology and Tolkien's signature knack for world-building, and if anything it does provide an interesting context for Aragon and Arwen in LoTRs.
Bring on the mini-series Amazon!
One of the most beautiful love stories in literature, and Chris Tolkien takes us through the various stages and forms this story took in his father’s imaginings. There is the poetic version of the Lay of Leithian, and also early versions involving demonic cats, Beren as a Gnome and not a Man, and different stories around what happened to the silmaril-crossed lovers at and after death. Wonderful stuff.
A good reconstruction of the narrative of Beren and Luthien in prose and verse. Very much worth the time for Tolkien fans who have read The Silmarillion and can place the tale on context of the wider narrative of Middle Earth. Quite amazing that Christopher Tolkien is still editing works at 94 years of age too!