~ April Issue ~
 

The Children of Hurin: the Book Which Should Have Remained Unpublished
By Kim Ip, Staff Writer
 

J.R.R. Tolkien has been cemented in fantasy/science fiction history as the gifted writer of The Lord of the Ring Trilogy. While it has been 34 years since his death and 30 years after the publication of his last novel, his much anticipated novel Children of Hurin disappoints even his most hard core fans.

Tolkien in this novel attempts to map out Middle-Earth and describes the land as war torn. This relates to Tolkien’s own experiences serving in the trenches of WW1. Tolkien’s constant musings on good and evil most likely stems from his obsession with war and violence.

6,000 years before anyone has even heard of a hobbit, Middle-Earth is panic stricken over the terror brought on by the dark lord Morgoth. Hurin the leader of an elfin army has been taken prisoner by Morgoth. Morgoth attempts to break Hurin’s strength and will, but when Hurin continues to defy him Morgoth puts a curse on him, his future children, Turin, and his sister Nienor. This curse of doom is what sends the Heir of the House of Hador, Turin, into hiding in the land of the elves and starts the adventure.

Turin as a character is the typical hero, he never makes a mistake, which is annoying, and all of his adventures are blasé. After the second chapter anyone, even the most unliterary person could figure out the ending. This novel was predictable and had long run ons. Christopher Tolkien the son of the famed author should have kept this book unpublished because it was obviously still a rough and unfinished cut. Perhaps if J.R.R. Tolkien had actually finished the book it would have been more readable.