New York Times Bestseller

“A good introduction to LOTR fans nervous about taking on  The Silmarillion , and also gives longtime fans a fascinating look at the Tolkiens’ myth-making process.”— EntertainmentWeekly.com  

“A beautiful book.” —San Antonio Express-News

“With eloquence and diligence and care, the son reconstructs and retraces the father’s journey, pursuing the tale through draft after draft as Tolkien pursued his vision of Middle-earth.”—NPR.org

The epic tale of Beren and Lúthien became an essential element in the evolution of The Silmarillion , the myths and legends of J.R.R. Tolkien’s First Age of the World. Always key to the story is the fate that shadowed their love: Beren was a mortal man, Lúthien an immortal Elf. Her father, a great Elvish lord, imposed on Beren an impossible task before he might wed Lúthien: to rob the greatest of all evil beings, Melkor, of a Silmaril.
                  Painstakingly restored from Tolkien’s manuscripts and presented for the first time as a continuous and standalone story, Beren and Lúthien reunites fans of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings with Elves and Men, along with the rich landscape and creatures unique to Tolkien’s Middle-earth. Christopher Tolkien tells the story in his father’s own words by giving its original form as well as prose and verse passages from later texts that illustrate the narrative as it changed. **

Review

Praise for The Children of Hurin: I hope that its universality and power will grant it a place in English mythology' Independent on SundayThe darkest of all Tolkien's tales. Alan Lee's illustrations complement the writing splendidly' Times Literary Supplement

About the Author

J.R.R. TOLKIEN (1892-1973) is the creator of Middle-earth and the author of such classic and extraordinary works of fiction as The Hobbit,   The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion. His books have been translated into more than fifty languages and have sold many millions of copies worldwide.

CHRISTOPHER TOLKIEN is the third son of J.R.R. Tolkien. Appointed by Tolkien to be his literary executor, he has devoted himself to the editing and publication of unpublished writings.