Unfinished Tales

Since I found some of these stories quite interesting and a couple others utterly boring, I've brought my rating to 4 stars. I will say that it isn't a good idea to go into this book unless you are already an avid Tolkien fan. This book is a collection of unfinished pieces (I mean, the title?) from LOTR, The Hobbit, The Silmarillion and other like books.

If reading notes upon notes of what certain things could have meant etc. bores you to death, this book is not for you lol. I did find it all very interesting, however, since it gave me insight into Tolkien's writing process (I mean he started writing The Silmarillion during WWI surrounded by gramophones to distract himself from the war itself.) I'm also a huge geek for history in general whether that be history of the real world or of fictional worlds.

The parts I enjoyed most were ones that directly filled gaps and/or answered questions arisen while reading The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. Such as...Gandalf's reasons for helping Thorin Oakensheild defeat Smaug and take back his home and involving Bilbo in the whole affair directly from his own words. Further history on Galadriel is explored and because she is far more intriguing than she appears in Lord of the Rings, I loved it. Remember that rather confusing part in Fellowship of the Ring where she gets all creepy when Frodo offers her the ring but then says that she passed a test? Yeah, that's all explained among many other things.

There are also included whole sections that speak of the hunt for the ring in LOTR but from the perspective of Sauron in a way and the Nazgul. Another part I heavily enjoyed was that of Haleth and her people who were mentioned in The Silmarillion. I mentioned in that review how much I loved and appreciated her character. More is revealed about their people and culture in this book which honestly bumped up the rating one star even if that section was brief. A few other stories were also very interesting to me. They were all like stories out of a collection of myths.

Overall, I recommended this to anyone who loves Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit and those who have already read The Silmarillion. It is an excellent edition in terms of better understanding the world in history. Almost every so called "plot hole" that people talk about is explained in this book as well as in others. Tolkien, who was such a perfectionist when it came to writing, would not leave so many plot holes as some people think there to be. Of course, Tolkien's main work can be enjoyed without reading this. Also, I think Christopher Tolkien should be given a lot of credit for his likewise carefulness, abundance of notes, and respect for his father's work and the effect it has had on the world of literature.

probably should consider these allegedly unfinished tales to be finished, as the unfinishedness is part of the charm, that is, to 'finish' them beyond their present point is to lessen them, maybe.

anyway, mostly superfluous, except for the essays on the istari and the palantiri.


Revisited as per comments—

I certainly appreciate this more in middle age. No doubt it is supplemental to The Silmarillion, which should be studied first. Duplicative in some ways of other presentations, the editorial commentary here is nevertheless great. One of the best things is the highlighting of inconsistencies in the corpus as alternate traditions of belief within the setting, rather than compositional error or evolution. That’s in keeping with how lived mythologies actually have worked out.

This 2020 hardbound is a slick re-issuance. Great art, maps, and so on.

This is simply a moneymaking scheme. After the success of the Silmarillion, the Tolkien state has published all notes that were in a more or less readable state. This is the only one I bought (besides Chidren of Hurin, which probably has much in common with the bigger part of this book).

I do not think Professor Tolkien would have liked to have these drafts and notes published. Many of them are even obsolete, as he built up and discarded elements in his mythic construct.

There are some great storytelling moments (specially in the tales about Hurin and his children), but mostly it is not so interesting, except in an academic way, to see how Tolkien constructed and evolved his stories.

The Unfinished Tales is an essential addition to any Tolkien fan's library. I wish I had read it sooner.

The best parts: The Tale of Aldarion and Erendis- a story of the early days of Numenor, recounting the life of a Prince who loved the sea more than he loved his wife, and the tragic consequences. This story features Gil-Galad writing to Aldarion's father, King Melendur, to warn him of the shadow rising in the East, a terrible danger he believed to be the return of Sauron.

This is the passage showing his response to it.

"Meneldur let the parchment fall into his lap. Great clouds borne upon a wind out of the East brought darkness early, and the tall candles at his side seemed to dwindle in the gloom that filled his chamber.
‘May Eru call me before such a time comes!’ he cried aloud. Then to himself he said: ‘Alas! that his pride and my coolness have kept our minds apart so long. But sooner now than I had resolved it will be the course of wisdom to resign the Sceptre to him.
For these things are beyond my reach. ‘When the Valar gave to us the Land of Gift they did not make us their vice-gerents: we were given the Kingdom of Númenor, not of the world. They are the Lords. Here we were to put away hatred and war; for war was ended, and Morgoth thrust forth from Arda. So I deemed, and so was taught.

‘Yet if the world grows again dark, the Lords must know; and they have sent me no sign. Unless this be the sign. What then? Our fathers were rewarded for the aid they gave in the defeat of the Great Shadow. Shall their sons stand aloof, if evil finds a new head?
‘I am in too great doubt to rule. To prepare or to let be? To prepare for war, which is yet only guessed: train craftsmen and tillers in the midst of peace for bloodspilling and battle: put iron in the hands of greedy captains who will love only conquest, and count the slain as their glory? Will they say to Eru: At least your enemies were amongst them? Or to fold hands, while friends die unjustly: let men live in blind peace, until the ravisher is at the gate?

What then will they do: match naked hands against iron and die in vain, or flee leaving the cries of women behind them? Will they say to Eru: At least I spilled no blood? ‘When either way may lead to evil, of what worth is choice? Let the Valar rule under Eru! I will resign the Sceptre to Aldarion. Yet that also is a choice, for I know well which road he will take"

Unfinished Tales (p. 193). HarperCollins Publishers. Kindle Edition.

**This is what we should have got in a certain Amazon series. Not the stupid story about fake Galadriel and fake Miriel. This is quality Tolkien.

Aldarion's daughter was Numenor's first reigning Queen, but it was not because of some belief in gender equality that he allowed her to reign, but because she was his only child. His marriage to a woman who was not of the line of Elros meant the Queen had a shorter lifespan and aged more quickly.
During his time, the tradition became established that all future heirs were required to marry only within the line of Elros.

The account of Eorl, an ancestor of the Rohirrim, and Cirion the early Steward of Gondor.
The Disaster at Gladden Fields.: makes me much more sympathetic to Isildur.

The tale of Galadriel and Celeborn shows most ROP fans have not read this book in its entirety. The part that talks about Galadriel being stubborn and hot headed is followed by this:

" Yet deeper still there dwelt in her the noble and generous spirit of the Vanyar, and a reverence for the Valar that she could not forget. From her earliest years she had a marvellous gift of insight into the minds of others, but judged them with mercy and understanding, and she withheld her goodwill from none save only Fëanor. In him she perceived a darkness that she hated and feared, though she did not perceive that the shadow of the same evil had fallen upon the minds of all the Noldor, and upon her own."

They never quote that part. Oddly enough.

There is also a series of notes on the origins of the Drúedain, the "wild men" mentioned in the LOTR, and a section on the Istari. In which Tolkien clearly says they came only in the Third Age. No Istari in the Second Age, Amazon.

Give this book a read now. Get yourself a copy, and understand some of Tolkien's intents and the process of his writing, and don't be put off by the incomplete nature of some of these stories.

It took me ages to read, but it was wholly fascinating how much detail lies behind every individual action in Middle Earth. It has inspired me to reread The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings again. I feel like everything will make so much more sense!

You can find my review on my blog by clicking here.

Published after The Silmarillion, J.R.R. Tolkien’s son Christopher Tolkien achieves a similar posthumous feat in collecting and editing multiple unfinished tales by his father and presenting them in chronological order while also preserving their content and soulful essence. Guiding readers into his father’s epic legacy, further elaborating the unequivocal Middle-earth legendarium, he unveils numerous tales from the Elder Days of Middle-earth to the end of the War of the Ring. Despite these stories remaining unfinished, only portions of larger ideas that have never taken shape, he does a formidable job of giving passionate fans a taste of all that could’ve been within his father’s world. In this 40th anniversary edition, on top of Christopher Tolkien’s redrawn maps with additional features and names, 18 full-colour paintings by John Howe, Alan Lee, and Ted Nasmith are also interspersed across the myriad of chapters giving this book a premium touch.

What is Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-Earth about? Split into four parts with each tale followed up with notes and appendices, the first section of the collection begins with the story of Tuor Eladar, son of Huor and Rían, who sets off on a quest to find the city of Gondolin, bearing a message from Ulmo. This is then followed up with a lengthier version of the tale of The Children of Húrin (Narn i Hîn Húrin), as it follows the tragic fates of Húrin and his children Túrin Turambar and Nienor. The second part of the collection contains a description of the Island of Númenor, the story of the mariner Aldarion and his wife Erendis, a brief presentation of the line of Elros, and the history of Galadriel and Celeborn. The third section begins with Isildur’s tragic death in the Gladden Fields and follows up with the story behind Cirion and Eorl, the quest of Erebor, the hunt for the ring, and the battles of the Fords of Isen. The final part contains three chapters exploring the race of men called the Drúedain, the origin behind the wizards known as the Istari, and the history of the artifacts known as the Palantíri.

Although many of these tales end abruptly or lack the delicate narrative flow reminiscent of The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings, it’s what readers are rewarded in Middle-earth lore that makes this endeavor all the more worthwhile. Further accentuating the epic and unimaginable scope of J.R.R. Tolkien’s world and his unparalleled imagination, these stories help further flesh out some of the most fascinating, at times quintessential, events that led to what’s better known as the Third Age. A huge portion of this collection also pertains to a lengthier version of The Children of Húrin, which was not only already summarized in The Silmarillion (it is highly recommended to read it before cracking open this book if you are to grasp an iota of the references that it beholds) but also later merited its own book, containing even more details and twists that fans will happily indulge in and dream about.

Unlike The Silmarillion, this collection highlights far less of the plethora of creatures that once roamed this world, with only Glaurung playing a crucial role in The Children of Húrin, but introduces and delves deeper into the numerous characters and their destinies, the complex relationships they had with others and themselves, and the motives that drive them and are at the heart of countless conflicts. Some of the far more enthralling elements also reside in the knowledge pertaining to several events that occur but aren’t disclosed in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, such as Gandalf’s discussion with Thorin to convince him to bring Bilbo with him to the Lonely Mountains, the events that lead to the death of Theodred, or even the unexpected exchange between the Witch-King and Grima Wormtongue. Fervent fans of J.R.R. Tolkien’s world will find this collection indispensable to further discover this beloved man’s imagination and the finer points of his creation.

Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-Earth is a wondrous collection of tales unearthing enchanting lore material within J.R.R. Tolkien’s spellbinding world.

خواندن درباره ی آردا و جهان خیالی و در عین حال واقعی تالکین، مثل نشستن سر کلاس های تاریخ است! هر کدام از شخصیت ها خاندانی دارد که می توان ردش را حتی تا ظهور الف ها در سرزمین میانه دنبال کرد. برای خواندن کتاب های تالکین (به خصوص یادداشتهایی که پسرش در قالب کتاب چاپ کرده) به قلم و کاغذ و اطلس سرزمین میانه نیاز است. حتی ریشه یابی اسامی و کلمات هم می تواند یکی از کلیدی ترین کار های حین خواندن باشد!
این کتاب درباره ی حوادث نومه نور و دوران دوم آرداست. جالب ترین ویژگی کتاب تشابه بسیار سلطنت نومه نور به خاندان سلطنتی انگلستان بود. این که مهم نیست فرزند ارشد پسر باشد و یا دختر، در هرصورت فرزند ارشد به سلطنت می رسد. وجود ارندیس به عنوان اولین شخصیت فمنیست افراطی که به دور از همه ی مردان زندگی می کرد و دخترش را به تنهایی بزرگ می کرد نیز از نکات قابل توجه این کتاب بود.
خواندن سرگذشت گالادریل و کله‌بورن برایم سخت بود. سیلماریلیون را حدود پنج شش سال پیش خوانده ام و نژاد های مختلف الف ها را به یاد نمی آوردم. اگر زمانی حوصله داشته باشم و بتوانم دوباره سیلماریلیون را مرور کنم، باز هم به سراغ گالادریل برمی‌گردم.

پ.ن: ترجمه ی کتاب مثل همیشه کاری بی‌نقص بود از رضا علیزاده. مهم ترین ویژگی برای ترجمه ی آثار تالکین اطلاع از جهانِ اوست که فکر می کنم آقای علیزاده این اطلاعات را دارد. تنها ایرادی که می توانم به کتاب بگیرم مشکلات ویرایش است. به نظرم نشر روزنه باید یک ویراستار خبره استخدام کند تا آن همه ویرگولِ جا افتاده و اشتباهات تایپی و... در کتاب هایش دیده نشود. ارباب حلقه ها و سیلماریلیون و فرزندان هورین هم اشکالات ویرایش بسیاری داشتند.

******************POSSIBLE SPOILERS***********************


Unfinished Tales of Numenor and Middle-earth is exactly that - a collection of tales from Tolkien's Middle-earth universe that didn't make it into the Silmarillion, the Hobbit or the Lord of the Rings. The book is split into the First, Second and Third Ages, and miscellaneous sundry material.

We have a more fleshed out narrative of Tuor's journey to find Gondolin, and the trials of Turin son of Hurin in the First Age, followed by a geography and history lesson on Numenor and the tragic love story of Erendis and Aldarion (Erendis is a bitch!). There is additional information on Galadriel and Celeborn (Tolkien couldn't make up his mind!) and the ruin of Eregion (the elf who made all the magic rings ends up in Sauron's clutches).

I found the sections involving the Third Age most interesting. These include a fuller narrative of what happened to Isildur on the Gladden Fields (and the interesting things Aragorn finds in Saruman's tower), several extended narratives on the politics and friendship between Gondor and Rohan, a "missing chapter" of the Battle of the Fords of Isen where Theodred was slain, and a hilarious extra "chapter" on Gandalf's quest to convince Thorin to take a hobbit with him to claim his Kingdom Under the Mountain. There is additional juicy information about Ringwraiths, Gollum, wizards, Seeing-Stones and a peculiar race of humans called the Druedain.

It really is a pity that Tolkien didn't manage to add some of these "unfinished tales" into his novels, even as appendices. This book provides a selection of additional material for those who need to know more about Middle-Earth. However, I do suggest reading The Silmarillion, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, before reading Unfinished Tales to get the most out of this book.

NOTE: To celebrate its 40th anniversary, the first ever illustrated edition of this collection of tales has been published in October 2020.

NOTE: Re-read. First copy of this book has been read and loved to death.