The Unfinished Tales give more material to known stories, like the hobbit, while narrating new ish ones, like Turin's. Some of the stories are not smoothly narrated, given that they are fragments, but others are more cohesive and interesting. But, still, it's a nice addition to the beloved story.

И въпреки че ми бе една идея по-трудно за четене от "Силмарилион", всъщност тази книга ме накара още повече да оценя геният на Толкин. Не съм сигурна, че подобен човек ще се роди отново и съм благодарна, че имаме досег с творчеството на Професора. Начинът, по който придава важност и детайли, дори на най-незабележимите герои и събития, кара читателя да вярва, че историята е реална. Толкова плътност има между страниците, че на базата на реалните събития в 21 век, се чудиш кое е истина и кое не.

Наздраве за Бащата на фентъзито.

09-10-19
Review to come on this... and man oh man, and boy oh boy is it going to be mixed.

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10-10-19
Well. Hum. Hmm..

I am wavering with this book. It is important, first, to note that this book fills in certain gaps by including more tales that are featured within the Silmarillion.

These unfinished tales include stories from the first second and third age of middle earth. It is imperative that anyone who reads this FIRST reads the Silmarillion, and before that have read the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings.

Now having gotten this all off my chest.

I absolutely loved the story of the fall of Gondolin. With tuor and meeting the ocean god and meeting the messenger and going to the gates of Gondolin and all the 7 gates, etc etc.

But then, the stories of the Childen of Hurin stressed me out. When you read the almost entire story featured within the Silmarillion, you, at that time, become shocked and astonished and perplexed and probably traumatized but that is that. Because the Silmarillion is a history of Middle Earth etc. etc going into order.

But darn. I have to go through AALLL that trauma again!? I mean Tolkien. This story really is whack! Especially since the reader KNOWS what is going to happen, from previous knowledge and from just reading it itself (dramatic irony), it is a horrendous experience. So spoiler here. I mean I already know that Turin marries his sister and she him without they even knowing because of the curse of morgorth which is really the evilly devised plan with that darn dragon.

Now. If that wasn't enough. The story of the mariners wife, was a mixed one for me as well.

You see the problem isn't Tolkiens writing style or anything as such. But its the darn content which is yet again, in this instance, is irritating.

I found in turns in taking the side of the mariners wife and then in turn the mariner. You have to read it to find out. But the short of the long is that he is the kings son of numenor, heir to the throne, loves the ocean and sea. Goes frequently. Falls in love. But girl knows that she has to either fight the sea who has hold of him or she will be lost. And guess who wins THAT one.

Sigh.

Then. You get to galadriel and celeborn and man. Now it's getting boring.

So the gist of the matter is this. This book is MUCH MUCH MORE denser than the Silmarillion.

I really enjoyed the Silmarillion. And did not put it down. But this one. This one distressed me considering especially the children of hurin story. I really found it overwhelming and what not

So. This book does indeed follow from the Silmarillion. So it is important to read after that book. But good luck to you all. Because this one was good in its way and yet. Oppressive, woeful and depressing in turns.

I am now finished with Tolkien until I meet him again God willing In the fall of Gondolin. And thats it for me. Because, .... I THINK I have had enough now.