Christopher Tolkien to finish lost Middle Earth novel

[lindil]

quote: "This conservatism, you should understand, has little to do with a desire for consistency with the 1977 text, but reflects rather "an extreme scrupulosity" in his handling of his father's manuscripts."

hmm. His editing of the Ruin of Doriath was anything but conservative.

But other than that [which was arguably nec. if he wanted a full story] I must agree.

But I was still a little disappointed he did not clean up his own version of canon at least a bit more.
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thanks for the heads up re: other publishing hopes and lack thereof.

What I am really hoping for is an Annotated Silm, that sidebars and/or includes all the choice bits of HoME w/ out trying to smoothout inconsistencies, but rather puts all the choice bits in next to where the occur [or where left out of the Silm] A sort of Annotated Hobbit but replacing the Commentary and pics from other editions, w/ JRRTs own Silm writings. I think this is perhaps the last thing needing to be done to give JRRT's full work to the public in a manner most befitting the writings.
Thus:
*the new Turin could replace the old [which could be sidebarred [[sp?]] w/ the 77/99 Turin.

*The poetry where it exists and is worth it, also could be along side.

*The Shibboleth could be added alongside the flight of the Noldor where relevant, etc

*The more fascinating Lost Tale amplifications which were never revisited [The Fall of Gondolin for instance] could be boxed and inserted or sidbarred, or included in a special font...

*And the tale of years/Annals could be running along the bottom as well.

*But I think most importantly, alot of real gems: Osanwe-Kenta, Laws and Customs of the Eldar, the Athrabeth etc, could be appendicized in greater Silm, and get the readership they deserve, not tucked away exclusively in 12 volume series' and even more obscure Elvish Lang journals.

Or something along those lines. As long as canon is NOT an issue then the possibilities and the editing [other than layout] could be relatively simple.

And it could get the deluxe box set treatment [3 vol's?] that the Silmarillion so richly deserved, but never got.

Heck, he could even put the Translations from the Elvish title to use.

Anyway, maybe that idea will float in the right direction...

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Until then at least our 'New Silmarillion' forum folks have one more text much closer to 'fulness' than a year ago, and we have some new bits as well.

Mr. Underhill: any new thoughts on trolls in the 1st age?

And a belated welcome to the Downs William!

[Aiwendil]

William Cloud Hickli wrote:

It's not a question of workability or un-, but rather Christopher's decision to present JRRT's Narn as closely as possible. At the time the Narn was written (1951-56 or 57), Orodreth was still Felagund's brother: the revised genealogy arose later. Introducing elements from other, later writings was the sort of editorial 'meddling' CRT sought to avoid this time around.

Good point. And you're right that the fact that he moved the gift of Anglachel indicates that consistency with the '77 was not his supreme principle.

Lindil wrote:

Overall though it may well be the intro to the Silm that has been needed since 77 for so many folks who didn't or had a hard time 'getting it'.

Indeed, it seems to me that the virtue of this publication is that many readers will be exposed to the marvellous Turin saga who otherwise would not have been.

As for a movie? Please lord NO!

You know, I've always thought that the 'Narn' could make a truly incredible movie; actually it strikes me as being more fit for cinematic adaptation than is LotR. However, I'm quite certain that if such a film were made today in Hollywood it would be a complete disaster. But bring, say, Ingmar Bergman back to life and put it in his hands - now that would be great cinema.

Edit: Hang on, Ingmar Bergman's still alive!? Shows what I know . . .

[William Cloud Hicklin]

I was needlessly obscure. What I was trying to say was that CRT's scrupulosity has developed over the years, so that he now regards some of what he did thirty years ago as having "overstepped the editorial function." Therefore he has given us the Narn as written (or as nearly so as possible), without introducing alterations from other sources even when they are later or more 'correct.'

I disagree that this 300-page book should replace Chapter 19 of the 1977 text. The Silmarillion was always supposed to be an epitome, a compressed and summarised account: as CRT points out in the Appendix, his father's intention was to write 'Silmarillion versions' of the Great Tales as abridgments of the 'long versions' (whenever he got around to writing those); he started the ball rolling when he wrote the later entries of the Grey Annals as compressions of the later part of the Narn (the first bit written).

[William Cloud Hicklin]

But bring, say, Ingmar Bergman back to life and put it in his hands - now that would be great cinema.

Yes!! In black and white. With Max von Sydow as Turin. And of course everybody dies.

Puts me in mind now also of Peter Brooks' King Lear, with Paul Scofield. Also B&W, in a stark snowscape- and, again, Lear ends with everybody's corpses strewn around.

[lindil]

Willaim, I was not suggesting a replacement in THE Silmarillion, but suggesting what could be added to an "Annotated" Silm. The whole SIlm would be included...