Favourite Part of Unfinished Tales?

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Morwen

My favourite moment is the meeting between Ulmo and Tuor. I love all that Ulmo has to say to Tuor at this moment, that he Ulmo is a voice that gainsayeth among his brethren, that Tuor should not ask why he was chosen. I love the wording and would quote directly if I had the book with me.

I have to second that. Well, surprise. Personally, I really like Tuor and his tale is just beautiful anyway, even its descriptive parts, like the description of Cirith Ninniach, Tuor's vision granted to him by Ulmo, and other things... I think the way the water is portrayed in the story is exceptionally beautiful in general, which is, of course, fitting for this particular tale. And Ulmo is just great there, he is truly "the voice that gainsayeth" - unwilling to part ways with the Children in Middle-Earth, even though his more rigid brothers (and sisters) are not maintaining any sort of communication and not willing to break the bane.

But aside from this, there are many other parts I really like in the UT, and it is difficult to pick some. Be it some things in the story of Celeborn and Galadriel, in the tale of Túrin the sorrow of Mim (but now it's in the CoH, so maybe it doesn't count so much), the Quest of Erebor, or some things in the Istari chapter... maybe if I was supposed to point out just one more thing, I would mention the part of the Hunt for the Ring describing the encounter of the Black Riders with Saruman in Isengard. It is just on the level of the strongest narrative moments in LotR. My favourite, though, is one of the versions of it, where Saruman, in terror of the Riders, just narrowly misses the chance to repent and ask Gandalf's help (which he would have surely granted him, as we learn from later on in TT!). I mean - imagine how little would have been enough to alter the history of Middle-Earth so dramatically; the way it is written there, it is just so close - and so emotional, I can see Saruman's flight in dread up the stairway in Orthanc, only to find the spire empty and see a great eagle slowly disappearing in the distance... Just amazing.