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A review by athousandgreatbooks
Beren and Lúthien by J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien
4.0
Beren is a mortal man, Luthien an immortal Elf, and between them lies an impossible task.
Thingol, the Elven King of Doriath, imposes on Beren an impossible task that he must fulfil before he can wed his daughter, Luthien. Undaunted by the enormity of the task, Beren sets out to do what no Elf nor Man nor Dwarf has ever dared – attempting to rob a Silmaril, a hallowed jewel, from the crown of the Dark Enemy, Morgoth’s crown.
But Beren cannot manage alone where all else have hitherto failed. With the help of Huan the Hound of Valinor, the oath of Finrod the Elven King of Nargothrond, and the undying love and magic of Luthien, Beren manages what could not be accomplished in the two great battles theretofore, of Dagor Aglareb (Glorious Battle) and Dagor Bragollach (Battle of Sudden Flame).
The story is painstakingly restored from Tolkien’s manuscripts by his son Christopher Tolkien, presented in both prose and lyrical form. In actuality, I thought the book could be 100 pages short, for Christopher Tolkien goes on to elaborate how the different sections of the story are put together, at what times his father could have written them, and why some sections were left out in The Silmarillion. All this seemed unnecessary to me, and other than reminding the reader of the numerous threads of the Silmarillion, it didn’t do much.
Nevertheless, the story is beautifully told, as can be expected from Tolkien. Needless to say, one must read this only after reading The Silmarillion. The illustrations by Alan Lee were truly a delight that caught critical moments of the story splendidly.
Thingol, the Elven King of Doriath, imposes on Beren an impossible task that he must fulfil before he can wed his daughter, Luthien. Undaunted by the enormity of the task, Beren sets out to do what no Elf nor Man nor Dwarf has ever dared – attempting to rob a Silmaril, a hallowed jewel, from the crown of the Dark Enemy, Morgoth’s crown.
But Beren cannot manage alone where all else have hitherto failed. With the help of Huan the Hound of Valinor, the oath of Finrod the Elven King of Nargothrond, and the undying love and magic of Luthien, Beren manages what could not be accomplished in the two great battles theretofore, of Dagor Aglareb (Glorious Battle) and Dagor Bragollach (Battle of Sudden Flame).
The story is painstakingly restored from Tolkien’s manuscripts by his son Christopher Tolkien, presented in both prose and lyrical form. In actuality, I thought the book could be 100 pages short, for Christopher Tolkien goes on to elaborate how the different sections of the story are put together, at what times his father could have written them, and why some sections were left out in The Silmarillion. All this seemed unnecessary to me, and other than reminding the reader of the numerous threads of the Silmarillion, it didn’t do much.
Nevertheless, the story is beautifully told, as can be expected from Tolkien. Needless to say, one must read this only after reading The Silmarillion. The illustrations by Alan Lee were truly a delight that caught critical moments of the story splendidly.