18 replies to this topic

[av_nefardec]

Ahh, I just bought the Lays of Beleriand and The Shaping of Middle-earth today.

I was going to buy Peoples of Middle-earth and either Morgoth's Ring or the War of the Jewels, but all that the store had was hardcover, and I'm too cheap to spend $30.00 on each book :/

How many of you guys have these? Are they interesting?


I really wanted War of the Jewels for Tolkien's Essay - Quendi and Eldar. I am really interested in the linguistic history of the elves and the evolutions of Tolkien's several languages, so that would have been a good buy for me.

And I'd like to read about the Northmen/Dwarven alliance and the war with the Orcs of Hithaeglir, so I would have liked to have bought PoME, but oh well. I'll try to find cheaper versions online.

PoME is the most recently published, right? Anyone know if C. Tolkien is doing any more?

[Sam]

I have the Shaping of Middle- Earth but I only read it once and can not remember much from it except that I was confules most of the time mostly by the footnotes.

The Peoples of Middle- Earth is an awesome book, though, it is not really a book to read but more of a reference if you ask me.

[Enarwaen]

i've recently (back in october - during my visit in London) bought the final two volumes of the HoME series (mainly as reference for our little project here). but i've not yet progressed far - just paged through it a bit - but there IS interesting stuff to be found in there.

alas - i wish there was more time for me to spend on study than on work and on the other daily chores

suilad
-Bernd

[Curufinwe]

Well, to me the Peoples of Middle Earth is a "real" book ... but it is true that I use it now mainly as a reference book ... very interesting in my opinion especially the chapter about languages ... quite huge and so precise !

[av_nefardec]

I am quite entertained by what many would call "academia" so I think if it confuses you ph4ntom, I'd probably like it

I really need to get PoME next.

[Sam]

hmmm. now that you are throwing around big words im even more confused....Anyways I think I was mainly confused because for some God awful reason I read it before I read the Silmarillion...Maybe Ill look into it after Beowulf

[av_nefardec]

If you get Beowulf, I strongly suggest the Seamus Heaney translation. Not only is it extremely poetic and well-crafted in the modern english, but the original anglo-saxon is printed on the left page for comparison the translated right. Quite interesting if you are into language and reading things in their original languages like me

[Sam]

Ahhh... That is the one I got...

[Sukkit]

I've read "Lays of Beleriand", but only the Spanish translation. Obviously, if prose loses a lot when translated, poetry loses even more, so I have to find an English version.

[av_nefardec]

I need to find some time to start reading them :/ I'm quite busy right now.

[Halmirion]

What in your guys' opinions are the best HoME books? I've got Lost Tales 1 and 2, but I don't think I'm too interested in the LT 1 because of the incredibly early stage of his mythology (with gnomes and all that), and LT 2 only interests me because of the Fall of Gondolin, in which the only full narrative of that fall is given, and it's something that can't be found anywhere else. I really love UT, or at least what I've read of it because it deals more directly with a fairly late conception that's real close to his published myth, and sheds more light on things that aren't given in either LotR or S.

I'm a bit curious as to some of the seemingly LotR era HoME books, like Treason of Isengard, but I don't really know what's in them at all. Are they merely early drafts of parts of the published LotR? Is there much unique information that I couldn't find elsewhere?

Thanks for your help

[Enarwaen]

Quote

I'm a bit curious as to some of the seemingly LotR era HoME books, like Treason of Isengard, but I don't really know what's in them at all. Are they merely early drafts of parts of the published LotR? Is there much unique information that I couldn't find elsewhere?

If you are interested in the "Making of Lord of the Rings" (the book) i'd recommend you get HoME vol 6 to 9. But beware its sometimes very dry and repetive (especially the first book - if i remember correctly it covers Tolkiens first stumblings into the narrative of Book 1 and features atleast 3 different major versions of Book 1.) sure its interesting but it can get stuffy at times. the other volumes are a "lighter" read but they very often fall back on Vol. 6 so this would be (atleast IMO) a required read.

personally i enjoy the latter volumes (10, 11 and 12) of the HoME series the most. because it has LotR out of the way and covers Tolkiens late writings on various topics that concern the Elder Days (my favorites). which reminds me - i should start on Vol.11 (argh ... where's the time when i need it)

hope i could help

suilad
-Bernd

[Curufinwe]

I agree 100% Enarwen ... HoME 12 - The Peoples of ME is probably my favourite, maybe for its linguistic part ...

[Mithrandil]

I'm not following... So Vol.6 until 9 is just about Tolkien's history? Wich books contain new information (that's not in S)? I would really like to hear the complete story of Túrin and of Tuor and all :-(

[Black Op]

Basicly, HoME contains old versions of what's in Sil and LOTR. I'm not sure what new info is actually in HoME I'm afraid.

[av_nefardec]

Mithrandil - read Unfinished Tales for the stories of Tuor and Túrin in their entirety, and then HoME II: Lost Tales 2 for the history of the tale of Tuor (that is the stages of development) and Túrin Turambar, and then this tale carries over into HoME III: The Lays of Beleriand.

[Mithrandil]

but that isn't a complete story in Unfinished Tales, is it :-( Couldn't mister Christpher complete it (or is he dead allready )

[Sukkit]

Nah, that'd be a heresy!

[Caedus]

I agree, though I wouldn't mind if he wrote something new about this topic himself.