New Fall of Gondolin book coming in August?

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I did not post about this before because I honestly thought it was an April Fools prank, despite the fact that there was postings on various Amazon pages (not Amazon.com, but including Amazon.uk.co) that allowed for preorders, but now I see that there is a listing at Harper Collins UK page (though not on their US page) so I believe it might be real after all.

https://www.harpercollins.co.uk/9780008 ... -gondolin/

I'm skeptical at applying the same treatment that Christopher did to Beren and Lúthien to this work, but I was skeptical about that one too so we'll see. I guess when Christopher said B&L was "presumptively" his last book editing his father's work he was premature.

[Eldy]

Man, after Beren and Lthien last year, I can't wait to read about the escape of Trin and Idril from Gondolin with their child Erendel!

In the Tale of The Fall of Gondolin are two of the greatest powers in the world. There is Morgoth of the uttermost evil, unseen in this story but ruling over a vast military power from his fortress of Angband. Deeply opposed to Morgoth is Ulmo, second in might only to Manwë, chief of the Valar.

Central to this enmity of the gods is the city of Gondolin, beautiful but undiscoverable. It was built and peopled by Noldorin Elves who, when they dwelt in Valinor, the land of the gods, rebelled against their rule and fled to Middle-earth. Turgon King of Gondolin is hated and feared above all his enemies by Morgoth, who seeks in vain to discover the marvellously hidden city, while the gods in Valinor in heated debate largely refuse to intervene in support of Ulmo's desires and designs.

Into this world comes Tuor, cousin of Trin, the instrument of Ulmo's designs. Guided unseen by him Tuor sets out from the land of his birth on the fearful journey to Gondolin, and in one of the most arresting moments in the history of Middle-earth the sea-god himself appears to him, rising out of the ocean in the midst of a storm. In Gondolin he becomes great; he is wedded to Idril, Turgon's daughter, and their son is Erendel, whose birth and profound importance in days to come is foreseen by Ulmo.

At last comes the terrible ending. Morgoth learns through an act of supreme treachery all that he needs to mount a devastating attack on the city, with Balrogs and dragons and numberless Orcs. After a minutely observed account of the fall of Gondolin, the tale ends with the escape of Trin and Idril, with the child Erendel, looking back from a cleft in the mountains as they flee southward, at the blazing wreckage of their city. They were journeying into a new story, the Tale of Erendel, which Tolkien never wrote, but which is sketched out in this book from other sources.

Following his presentation of Beren and Lthien Christopher Tolkien has used the same 'history in sequence' mode in the writing of this edition of The Fall of Gondolin. In the words of J.R.R. Tolkien, it was the first real story of this imaginary world’ and, together with Beren and Lthien and The Children of Hrin, he regarded it as one of the three 'Great Tales' of the Elder Days.

[Eldy]

Cover art from Amazon UK. Click images for full size.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fall-Gondolin- ... 008302758/

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Particularly odd is the statement that "the Tale of Erendel [sic], which Tolkien never wrote ... is sketched out in this book from other sources."

Really? That sounds way out of Christopher's usual bailiwick. But we'll see.

There's now a notice on the J.R.R. Tolkien Facebook page about a "big announcement" tomorrow saying "can you guess what it is." Why yes, we can. The funniest thing is that they tease the top of the cover illustration that Eldo posted, as if we can't tell what it is!

https://www.facebook.com/officialtolkie ... 86/?type=3

[Jude]

Erendel [sic]

It looks like the article comes from a source that is unable to display extended characters. Notice the "Trin", "Hrin", and "Lthien" instead of "Túrin", "Húrin", and "Lúthien". I don't think the character's name was actually "Erendel" from some early version - it just seems that the medium of the source article is unable to reproduce the "ä".

[Anduril]

https://www.tolkiensociety.org/2018/04/ ... published/

[Voronwë the Faithful]

It's now listed at Amazon.com.

https://www.amazon.com/Fall-Gondolin-J- ... 8&qid=&sr=

[Inanna]

I will buy the physical copy. That book is beautiful, and it's a tale, I actually like from the Sil (as compared to the weep-fest of Húrin and Túrin..)

[Voronwë the Faithful]

If you haven't read Beren and Lúthien, be prepared for it to not be a continuous tale (as The Children of Húrin is), but rather a series of different versions of the same basic story as it developed over time (presumably culminating with the unfinished version already published in Unfinished Tales), followed by an outline of the never-written Tale of Eärendil.

That having been said, I've already made my pre-order for the physical copy.

[Inanna]

Groan. Never mind. It’s still a beautiful book.

[Alatar]

Just realised this is out now. First review I've found.

https://ew.com/books/2018/08/25/fall-of ... en-review/

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Thanks, Al. Amazon informs me that my copy is on its way and is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. I'm sure I'll post some preliminary thoughts here, and I'll post a link to my review in the Journal of Tolkien Studies once that is written and published.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

I may have some quibbles, but my overall reaction thus far is great joy that Tolkien's first -- and perhaps best -- tale has been give a full book treatment. And it does give me a little charge to see my namesake with such a prominent role throughout.

[N.E. Brigand]

Just realised this is out now. First review I've found.

https://ew.com/books/2018/08/25/fall-of ... en-review/

I was surprised and pleased to see it reviewed in Entertainment Weekly.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

Me too! (Nice to see you here, N.E.B.!)

[yovargas]

Hey, I've been rereading The Sil recently for the first time in maybe 15 years and just happened to finish the chapter on Gondolin last night. Nice timing on this.

[Smaug's voice]

And I recently read the chapter from Unfinished Tales that deals with Tuor's arrival in Gondolin. I don't know why, but it's not releasing here till the end of this month.

[IdylleSeethes]

I got my copy 10 days ago, but got distracted by an extended visit to the hospital. Still waiting for the drugs to wear off. I hope to read it one day this coming week.

As V said at the start of the thread, this was a shock. I thought Christopher retired, but I'm glad he fit one more in.

[Voronwë the Faithful]

He says in the introduction that while he said in Beren and Lúthien that it would "presumably" be his last work, he can now change "presumably" to "indubitably". I think this time we can take him at his word.

I for one am quite glad that "presumably" turned out to have some wiggle room.

Hope you have a quick and completely successful recovery, Idyll, and welcome back!

[Inanna]

Feel better soon, Idyll.