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J.R.R. Tolkein's Last Book Finally Published (cnet.com)

An anonymous reader quotes CNET: J.R.R. Tolkien fans can get their hands on what might be the late author's final work. The Fall of Gondolin was published August 30 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in the US and HarperCollins in the UK. J.R.R. Tolkien died in 1973, but since his death, his son Christopher, now 93, has edited a number of his father's works, including this one. The book tells of the founding of the Elven city of Gondolin, and is considered one of Tolkien's Lost Tales... The Fall of Gondolin follows another posthumously published Lost Tale, The Tale of Beren and Luthien, which came out in 2017. At the time, many expected that book to be J.R.R. Tolkien's final published work. Christopher Tolkien even wrote in its preface that it was "(presumptively) my last book in the long series of my father's writings." But now, Entertainment Weekly reports, Christopher Tolkien has written that "The Fall of Gondolin is indubitably the last."

The book is illustrated by Alan Lee, who has illustrated numerous Tolkien books, and along with Grant Major and Dan Hennah won an Oscar for best art direction for the 2003 film, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

The Washington Post includes the book's description of a "hideous mechanical army" deployed in battle against Gondolin, and summarizes the book's plot. "In short, the evil overlord Morgoth -- called Melko here -- seeks to dominate the entire world, but the hidden elvish city of Gondolin remains out of his grasp."

"We are reminded that Tolkien first drafted this story while in the hospital recuperating from the Battle of the Somme."

38 comments

  1. Tolkien, not Tolkein by BDeblier · · Score: 1

    The name is written correctly in the post, but the poster screwed up both the headline and the tags. Probably hasn't even bothered to actually read the books.

  2. Still... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    He's dead and he still writes faster than George R. R. Martin.

    1. Re:Still... by that+this+is+not+und · · Score: 1

      Christopher should get together with Brian Herbert.

      They can fight about whose name goes first on the cover of their joint project books.

      And we can decide if we want to read them or not.

    2. Re:Still... by fibonacci8 · · Score: 2

      It's funny how differently blood relatives are treated compared to other editors that get works published by belated authors.

      Sig oddly relevant for once.

      --
      Inheritance is the sincerest form of nepotism.
    3. Re:Still... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I was actually hoping it was G. R. R. Martin's last book. ;(

    4. Re:Still... by that+this+is+not+und · · Score: 1

      The difference is that blood relatives can sit on their parents' legacy because of inheritance. Other editors need to survive based on the merit of their work.

  3. J.R.R. Tolkein and his books by oldgraybeard · · Score: 1

    I recall seeing the Hobbit on our book shelf at home when I was in grade school. My sister who was in high school had checked the book out. It took me several attempts to get through the first chapter. Then bam! I was hooked stayed up all night and finished the entire book before she had to take it back. I asked her to check out the Load of the Rings and I pushed through all 3 books in short order.

    I will have to check these other books out. Going to be fun ;)

    Just my 2 cents ;)

    1. Re:J.R.R. Tolkein and his books by oldgraybeard · · Score: 1

      funny I just cut and pasted the name and did not even see that ;) me bad lol

    2. Re:J.R.R. Tolkein and his books by sinij · · Score: 5, Funny

      I asked her to check out the Load of the Rings

      When I watched it on PornHub I did not expect there to be a book version.

    3. Re:J.R.R. Tolkein and his books by oldgraybeard · · Score: 1

      me bad ;) typo lol OK Lord of the Rings

    4. Re:J.R.R. Tolkein and his books by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "No matches." How disappointing... How are blind people supposed to get their porn?

  4. Ill certainly be getting it by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The books edited by Christopher Tolkien don’t have the depth or polish that the “real” Tolkien titles do, but that’s understandable - he tries to impose himself as little as possible, focusing on compiling these unfinished tales (which often consist of multiple, conflicting partial stories, sometimes written decades apart) into some sort of a coherent whole while sticking to his father’s words.

    I still appreciate and enjoy that I have a chance to read them.

    --
    #DeleteChrome
    1. Re:Ill certainly be getting it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      To anyone mentioning asterix (1959) ... The Battle of the Somme, when this was written, occurred in 1916.

  5. Re:Why did Gondolin fall? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yes.

  6. Par for the course by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    for editors who won't edit.

  7. Stolen Idea? by R3d+M3rcury · · Score: 1

    "In short, the evil overlord Morgoth -- called Melko here -- seeks to dominate the entire world, but the hidden elvish city of Gondolin remains out of his grasp."

    So, he stole it from Goscinny and Uderzo?

    1. Re:Stolen Idea? by Zero__Kelvin · · Score: 1

      Not even close

      --
      Guns don't kill people; Physics kills people! - John Lithgow as Dick Solomon on Third Rock From The Sun
    2. Re:Stolen Idea? by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 1

      So, he stole it from Goscinny and Uderzo?

      Yes, the big news here is that JRR Tolkien stole a time machine from the Kaiser’s forces (which is how he got wounded at the Somme) so he could leap forward a century and steal ideas from a webcomic.

      --
      #DeleteChrome
    3. Re:Stolen Idea? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      A webcomic? Are you seriously calling Asterix a webcomic?

    4. Re:Stolen Idea? by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 2

      Yes, let’s get worked up over THAT versus not knowing about the Battle of the Somme or who JRR Tolkien was.

      --
      #DeleteChrome
    5. Re:Stolen Idea? by sheramil · · Score: 1

      And then the mechanical army was defeated by a very large red-skinned demon with his horns sawed off, wearing a leather jacket, smoking a cigar and wielding a six-shooter the size of a pillow.

      He never fired a shot. He defeated them with quips.

    6. Re:Stolen Idea? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      JRR Tolkien died in 1973, Asterix was first published in 1959. No time machine needed.

    7. Re:Stolen Idea? by braindrainbahrain · · Score: 1

      Asterix the Gaul is well established and very long running comic strip, having first appeared in 1959, regardless of how recently it may have appeared as a webcomic.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

    8. Re:Stolen Idea? by inking · · Score: 1

      Did you steal a time machine yourself? Not knowing about Asterix is at the very least just as embarrassing. Say hello to Edison from me though.

    9. Re:Stolen Idea? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It was a joke, you nerd. Although you can't be that much of a nerd if you don't even know Asterix. A "webcomic"... hilarious.

    10. Re:Stolen Idea? by crashumbc · · Score: 1

      So he was stealing from 1959?

      Good thanks!

  8. Get a job bud by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "my last book in the long series of my father's writings"

    What? Shouldn't that be his last editing of one of his father's books? The delusion runs deep in this one.

    1. Re: Get a job bud by fj3k · · Score: 1

      It was his father's story, but he made it into a book. It's not an uncommon distinction.

      --
      Two men claimed to have walked into a bar. Only one had the bruises to prove it.
  9. Am I supposed to care? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yea, don't care. Shouldnt be on here anyways.

  10. He's dead. Get over it. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    FANBOY! If Christoper found mouldy shopping list in an old coat pocket you'd hand over your hard earned cash to read it. Even if it was a really shitty shopping list.

    He's dead. He's not writing any more. Get the fuck over it. There's a lot of other good fiction out there.

  11. Already published by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The material in this book (other than the illustrations) was already published in the 12 volume History of Middle-Earth. It isn't new.

    1. Re:Already published by cathector · · Score: 2

      If you're not interested in details behind the stories, you probably shouldn't read this book.

      Given that it was published two days ago i obviously haven't read it yet,
      but i'm certain this book contains material not previously published.
      I've never seen Christopher publish anything that didn't add to the corpus.
      Beren and Luthien is a good example. We all know that story to pieces,
      and last year's publication didn't particularly disrupt anything,
      but it was interesting to read the verse form, and there were many details which aren't surfaced elsewhere.