The Children of Húrin was published this week and you can read a short excerpt at freep.com. Reviews of the new book include Bryan Appleyard at Times Online who states “This is Tolkien in Wagnerian mode” and Bruce DeSilva at CNN.com describes the book as “splendidly rewarding”.
If you haven’t purchased your copy of The Children of Húrin, the book is available for purchase in CoE’s store.
For a chance to win a copy of The Children of Húrin enter the contests at Blackwell (closing date 30th April) and Guardian Unlimited (closing date 26th April).
The JRR Tolkien Estate’s official website has been launched. At present it’s a temporary version, with the complete website to follow later this year.
In an interview at EW.com director Sam Raimi has confirmed that as long as Peter Jackson and Bob Shaye were both okay with him “picking up the reins” he is seriously interested in directing The Hobbit.
Comingsoon.net report that according to David Brawn, director at publishers Harper Collins, Hollywood film makers are eager to buy the film rights to the new book.
It has been confirmed on the RingCon UK website that Andy Serkis is to attend the event. Ring Con UK takes place on the 23rd-25th November 2007 at the Radisson Edwardian Heathrow Hotel.
The Realms of CoE cordially invites you to visit the General Realms Forum and participate in their new project. Come read and vote on your favorite short essay here!
While on his way to Mordor with Mr. Frodo, Sam thoughtfully dwells on whether or not the people of Middle-earth will remember them and their dangerous quest in stories and tales to be told to their children.
Having already mentioned this possibility to Mr. Frodo, but wanting more of the elder Hobbit’s input, Sam tries to catch up with him. But poor Sam, who was not as fit as Frodo, had a hard time of it. After he caught up with Frodo and regained his breath, he asked, “How do you think they’ll tell our story, Mr. Frodo?”
“I’m not sure if I know what you mean, Sam,” replied Frodo, glancing thoughtfully at his companion. He could see that Sam was thinking hard on this.
“Well,” returned Sam after a short while, “what will they say about us? I mean, they don’t know how we do things; what we’re like; where we’ve been. Do they know what Tom Bombadil’s house looks like? How homely it is? How withered and bare the Dead Marshes are? What Faramir’s really like? What eating lembas bread day after day is like? How ponderous that Ring of yours is? I suppose we could tell ‘em when we get back. Do you think they’ll want to hear it? Do they really want to know? Will they understand? I know our story isn’t as exciting as someone like Strider’s would be, with lots of battles and the like, if you take my meaning. But it’s still worth remembering.”
“Of course it is, Sam,” said Frodo. “Battles aren’t what makes a story worth telling, even though some may like it more if it had several fights with curved swords, bows with feathered arrows, or a Dwarf’s poleaxe in it; nor are thrilling stories of places like Angband with it’s cauldrons full of mysterious brews, scary noises that would shatter glass, or a hidden Palantir the only kind of story any one would care to hear. I’m certain that all of the Hobbits back home in The Shire would prefer to hear about Sam, the famous Hobbit-chef who loves to cook potatoes.”
After saying this, Frodo glanced over at Sam and saw that he was quite pleased with this observation, and content to leave it at that.
So on they went, getting ever closer to the land of Mordor; Frodo content to have Sam by his side, smiling despite their grim circumstances; and Sam with his thoughts dwelling on the various stories that would be passed down from generation to generation of Mr. Frodo and himself and their courageous quest to destroy the Evil that plagued all of Middle-earth.