Christopher Tolkien to finish lost Middle Earth novel

[Sauron the White]

I would like to be able to take the two film references from Adam Tolkien as a very positive sign. It appears that Adam may well be in the same place Christopher was three decades ago. The fact that he cites Lees work with Jackson by name is positive. The fact that he makes a joke about his fathers feelings for film also shows some very welcome openness.

[davem]

Just seen on the Tolkien.co.uk forum that the words of CT quoted on Adam Tolkien's statement is from the Preface of CoH - & the guy who posted it is the translator of the Croation edition.

EDIT

I found CT's words interesting:

`It is undeniable that there are a very great many readers of The Lord of
the Rings for whom the legends of the Elder Days (as previously published
in varying forms in The Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales, and The History of
Middle-earth) are altogether unknown, unless by their repute as strange and
inaccessible in mode and manner. For this reason it has seemed to me for a
long time that there was a good case for presenting my father's long
version of the legend of the Children of Húrin as an independent work,
between its own covers, with a minimum of editorial presence, and above all
in continuous narrative without gaps or interruptions, if this could be
done without distortion or invention, despite the unfinished state in which
he left some parts of it.

& Adam's unambiguous statement:

The words are one hundred percent J.R.R. Tolkien's,

Its clear that CT is aware that the postumous works he has so far given to the public have a reputation for being 'strange & innaccessible'. Can we take this to imply that CT feels he has not achieved what he set out to do - make his father's great work (The Sil) accessible to the general reader - & especially to many of those who Love LotR & TH? Is this, perhaps, the real reason that he has prepared CoH for the public - he wanted the general reader to have a glimpse of his father's work outside of LotR & TH that is 'accessible'?

Or am I reading too much into CT's statement?

[Lalaith]

Oh, not fair! Mine is still awaiting dispatch...

[William Cloud Hicklin]

Originally Posted by davem

Its clear that CT is aware that the postumous works he has so far given to the public have a reputation for being 'strange & innaccessible'. Can we take this to imply that CT feels he has not achieved what he set out to do - make his father's great work (The Sil) accessible to the general reader - & especially to many of those who Love LotR & TH? Is this, perhaps, the real reason that he has prepared CoH for the public - he wanted the general reader to have a glimpse of his father's work outside of LotR & TH that is 'accessible'?

Or am I reading too much into CT's statement?

No, that's exactly the case. Christopher views this book as a bridge for the ordinary reader from the Lord of the Rings to The Silmarillion, and felt that the general public could use at least part of his father's prized First Age legendarium in a form less 'rebarbative' (his word) than The Silmarillion. He was also partly motivated by the perception that, in the wake of the films, 'Tolkien' and 'Lord of the Rings' had become nearly synonymous, although his desire to publish a complete Narn dates back many years. (This is straight from the horse's mouth, BTW).

[davem]

Originally Posted by William Cloud Hickli

No, that's exactly the case. Christopher views this book as a bridge for the ordinary reader from the Lord of the Rings to The Silmarillion, and felt that the general public could use at least part of his father's prized First Age legendarium in a form less 'rebarbative' (his word) than The Silmarillion. He was also partly motivated by the perception that, in the wake of the films, 'Tolkien' and 'Lord of the Rings' had become nearly synonymous, although his desire to publish a complete Narn dates back many years. (This is straight from the horse's mouth, BTW).

But does CT feel he has 'failed' in what he set out to do - make his father's Sil accessible? We had The 77 Sil, presented without notes & background analysis/info, & that is seen as 'difficult', & we've had UT & HoM-e with notes & analysis by CT & they are viewed as even more difficult. CoH seems to be CT's final attempt at making his father's work available to the general reader. So, does he in some way feel that he has 'let his father down' in that the stuff he has given us so far has in many eyes the reputation of being either difficult or boring (or simply 'unreadable' )?

It also occurs to me whether some of us fans haven't contributed to that impression, with our in depth discussions & references to 'HoM-e vol 6 chapter 17.....' stuff which very few Tolkien fans actually know or have access to.

I'd hate to think that CT did feel he had in some way 'failed' his father. I think I've read everything CT has published of his father's work, & I'm immensely grateful for CT for the work he's done.

[davem]

Here we go - Sunday Times 'review'. http://entertainment.timesonline.co....cle1639071.ece

[Bêthberry]

Techy he is. Maybe his advance copy wasn't one of the signed ones?

[Lalwendë]

Maybe it displays a certain level of contempt on behalf of the Sunday Times as this guy is not even one of the 'literati', he's a schoolteacher (in music, not even English!) who works as an 'adviser' for an LEA and writes in the reactionary journal also known as the Times Educational Supplement (that teachers only buy to read the job ads...). They could have at least deigned to give it to someone with some knowledge to review...

Typical Sunday paper fodder for the ever-smug Tarquins and Jocastas of Islington who will enjoy scoffing at this while filling their faces with focaccia and organic whatnot this morning...