Amph "The Children of Hurin" to be published

The story could easily be made into a movie. The definate distinction would have to be made from LotR and, if it's made, the Hobbit, as it is over 6000 years prior to the events at the end of the Third age, and the story material is a lot different to said movies, being darker and more tragic. Now it's in book form, I'd say it's much more likely than when it was simply one of many story's in the Silmarillion.

If they did make the Narn i Hin Hurin it could open up the possibility of doing more Silmarillion tales in a loose franchise way - the Tale of Beren and Luthien, of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin and of the Voyage of Earendil and the War of Wrath.

 

I really enjoyed this read, even though I knew pretty much exactly what was going to happen it still managed to be a real page turner. It is undeniably Tolkien and it's very difficult to judge where the cracks have been papered over and where bits of narrative have been stuck together. By its nature of originally having been an epic poem it does lack some of the incredible detail seen in LOTR, but the beauty (and uglier sides) of middle earth are still there to enjoy and unlike a lot of Tolkien material there isn't really a chance to catch your breath as Turin seemingly falls from one grand adventure straight into the next one. Darkness and tradgedy run right through this story and it leaves you with a very different feel than LOTR/Hobbit, but it is no less powerful and exciting for the change in themes.

I would love to see this made into a movie, but can't get the thought out of my head that it would be changed too much for Hollywood and would lose some of the darkness and tragedy that run centrally through the story in favour of something more audience-friendly. Maybe that wouldn't be the case (and I would watch it regardless), but I just get the feeling that it is too morbid and dark in places to appeal to sections of the LOTR film fanbase who love the "triumph against adversity", "good defeating evil in total righteousness" feel which is totally absent for the most part of this story. On the other hand I love this story because of the very personal feel and the tragic nature of Turin's struggle. I just hope it doesn't get butchered into a cash cow, but then I feared that when the LOTR films came out and whilst there were some small changes I didn't like, they were superb and much better than I had feared.

 

I have the book but I've not read it yet (got a load of others to read and it really depends on my mood). I managed to get it from a Sci-Fi bookclub that I'm in - I ordered it before it was published, but still, it ended up being late.

 

I'm about half-way through (the Outlaws chapter). Like it quite a bit so far. Though the tangential stories that are referred to (Gondolin, Beren & Luthien, etc) interest me more.

 

Just a quick question - how many of you that have read this read the Silmarillion prior?

 

I attempted to read the Silmarillion, but didn't get beyond the first few pages, which is why part of me thinks I've set myself up for reading something that is well, unreadable....I just hope that I'm wrong....

 

I read the Silmarillion, love it. Though the Turin chapter is my least favorite (other than the first two about Illuvatar and Ainur -- those probably stop more people dead in their tracks than any opening chapters ever written).

 

I read it and love it, gives a story to the huge history that is only barely hinted at during The Hobbit/LOTR. I've also read some of the history of middle earth books, including the ones which basically became the Simarillion, some very interesting stuff in there, but you really have to want to know the history of middle earth, the books are full of information, but have no real flow or structure.

Admittedly I can see why the opening parts focusing on Illuvatar and the creation put people off, those chapters are very complex and the first time I read it I remember thinking "what's going on" and "do I really want to read the rest of this". For whatever reason I kept on reading and found the stories to be very interesting and I've always wanted to see them expanded upon in greater detail. Though maybe not my favourite story I really liked Turin's chapter, it's a very powerful story.

Also Turin was clearly a character Tolkien loved well, I think it was Mandos that prophecised that at the end of the world when Morgoth attacked the Valar and children of Illuvatar for the last time it would be Turin who killed Morgoth.

 

Tolkien's works are too good to be butchered into something commercial and with very very little of its original value. Peter Jackson's job was not bad, for a movie, but he destroyed the books. ELVES IN HELM'S DEEP!?!?!?!?! I shudder at the mere thought of what he might do to the beauty of old Lays like Narn i Chin Hurin and Silmarillion...

 

I've never really had a problem with the Elves at Helm's Deep. I generally diddn't like the bigger changes Jackson made from the book, but I understood the need to condense things or else have 3 movies of 5 hours each.

Depending on what would be in a hypothetical film (just the current book, or a series including more form the Silmarillion) I don't think the need to condense would be there. Childre of Hurin is only about 200 pages.

That said, I doubt it would be made into a movie -- way too depressing a story. If anything from the Silmarillion gets made, I'd think it would be Beren and Luthien.

 

I don't think that the other Tolkien books should be made into movies. The trilogy was fantastic, but quick while you're ahead and all.

 

I just picked this book up from the library and I'm ready to start. After trying to read the Silmirillion, and, you know what happened, I'm a bit bleak.

 

I doubt Túrin's story can be made into a movie. The incest thing will have the FCC folks jumping all over it.

 

^Good point.

Just finished it last night, really enjoyed it, which is a small surprise since it was one of my least favorite parts of the Silmarillion. The fleshed-out story works alot better. It does it gets a bit repetitive, though -- Turin gets cocky, Morgoth attacks and kicks his butt, Turin goes into hiding, gets cocky again ... lather, rinse, repeat. At least he takes out the dragon, though. Also like that he put in a essentially a short epilogue about Hurin. In the Silmarillion, thaat's in another chapter, and kind of gets lost. I'm now reading the appendixes, which are sort of a history of the story, very interesting.

 

If it was just the incest part, that can always be changed (I haven't read the book, but I'm assuming that it doesn't play a huge part).

 

It is actually quite important, to the point where I don't think you could have the story told properly without it. It is the final tragedy in Turin's life, when he finally thinks that everything has at last turned good, it's the final twist of the knife in his heart. It ultimately cause the death of Nienor and through her death causes Turin's death as well, in fact it actually causes them both to commit suicide. Nienor learns the truth of Turin as the dragon's final evil trick and being pregnant with his child and thinking Turin dead kills herself, Turin comes to, then also learns the truth and subsequently kills himself. They would have to totall butcher the last section of the story to edit that section out and the story just wouldn't be right without it tbh.

 

Ah, in that case . . . Romeo and Juliet like ending. Probably won't be reading it, then

 

Basically, changing that would be worse than if Jackson had gone ahead with his idea to have Arwen fight at Helm's Deep.

 

I so agree. Tolkien's other works, Childern of Hurin (which I'm reading right now but already read the lay) and especially The Silmarillion are too complex pieces to be made into movies and I would hate to see them so shamelessly altered like Jackson did to the LOTR trilogy.

Except it is more deeper and less cheasy than Romeo and Juliet.

 

Does anyone know if/when this will be published in paperback? I'm pretty sure I found out a while ago but I can't find anything now.

 

moosemousse, it will be published eventually. It might just take a little while.

I've read some of the stories in the Silmarillion but not all. I had not read the story of Turin and his family so the plot of Children of Hurin was very unspoiled territory when I read it.


Regarding the incest and NYCitygurl's question, that's the reason why the story is called 'The Children of Hurin' and not 'The Son of Hurin' or just 'Turin'. It's pretty essential to the plot of the story and leads to the big climax with the double suicide.


Talking about the characters, I can't help but lay the most blame on Morwen. It was her pride that really doomed her children. If she had only gone to Turin in Doriath in the first place, a lot of the misfortunes that befell Turin would never have happened. If she had only remained in Doriath, the misfortunes that befell her daughter would certainly never have happened.

 

Well, I'd say her pride and her stubborness, plus that of Turin -- which he of course inherited from Mommy.

 

I didn't see any dates yet. But you can always get the leatherbound one, if you don't want the HC.

 

If I had the power to make this into a movie, I'd cast Hugh Jackman as Turin and Keira Knigtley and Mischa Barton as the elf-princess and Turin's sister respectively.