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Children of Hurin Reading Group

Plato to MacDonald to Chesterton, Tolkien and the Boys in the Pub.
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Children of Hurin Reading Group

Postby Adam Linton » April 24th, 2007, 11:31 pm

Well, it's arrived.

NARN I CHIN HURIN: The Tale of the Children of Hurin

A beautifully produced volume. Even if familiar with the outline of the tale from The Silmarillion or with its development in The History of Middle-earth, to have it as an integrated volume - a new reading adventure with J. R. R. T. - is a delight.

Anyone here interested in sharing reflections of their first reading?
we have not loosely through silence permitted things to pass away as in a dream
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Postby A#minor » April 25th, 2007, 12:40 am

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Sounds like a plan...

Postby pedestrian73 » April 25th, 2007, 4:40 pm

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Postby Adam Linton » April 25th, 2007, 7:43 pm

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Postby A#minor » April 26th, 2007, 1:01 am

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Postby A#minor » April 26th, 2007, 2:44 pm

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Postby A#minor » May 1st, 2007, 3:11 am

Got it in the mail today! It's just beautiful, and oh! the illustrations are lovely!
I'm ready whenever everyone else is! :read:
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Postby The Pfifltrigg » May 1st, 2007, 3:38 am

It took you longer than I thought it would, Miss Minor: I bought mine Thursday night at B&N (Borders was sold out of 'em already) after seeing my new nephew at the hospital. Already at Ch. VII ("Of Mîm The Dwarf"). Y'all comin'?
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Postby A#minor » May 4th, 2007, 12:54 am

Thoughts on Chapter I:
I find it quite typical of Tolkien that he adds in a character like Sador. Someone who is not too bright, not particularly talented, not really admired; but he's wholesome and loyal and strong of heart. (Samwise Gamgee comes to mind.) Among all the heroes and the immortals, he's someone we can all identify with on some level; someone we recognize.

I find it interesting that Sador is treated "more kindly", and perhaps with a little more respect after Turin gives him the knife as a present. Already people take note that the heir to the tribe has a favorite, and they respect that. Turin's leadership is already evident.

Morwen is a complete mystery to me. I don't understand her personality at all. It's like she has no emotions whatsoever. Her character is unrealistic to me, but perhaps that is only because I've never met anyone like that.

I'm wondering what jests or elven words and "half-meanings" Hurin used at home that made him so strange to his son. Why would he be gone from home so much? I can understand training with the elves in the art of warfare, but why wasn't he at home training his men? He's a good man trying to do his best in his position of leadership, but his poor kids barely knew him! Perhaps that's another character that some of us recognize.
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Postby Adam Linton » May 4th, 2007, 1:26 pm

I've completed the first three chapters (up through "The Words of Hurin and Morgoth") and am deliberately taking a slower reading pace to take in (and ponder) the feel of it. I'll have more to share later. The writing so far is all that I would expect it to be.
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Postby A#minor » May 4th, 2007, 2:35 pm

I think I'm also going to take it slow, since I'm reading some other books at the same time. :read: :toothy-grin:
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Postby A#minor » May 7th, 2007, 10:08 pm

Chapter II Thoughts:
I get so caught up in the vivid wording that Tolkien uses:
"... and his elven-sight saw afar off a dust and a glint of steel like stars in a mist..."

"The light of the drawing of the swords of the Noldor was like fire in a field of reeds; and so fell and swift was their onset..."

"...the Noldor of Gondolin were strong and their ranks shone like a river of steel in the sun..."

:read: :pleased:

I wonder why a white flame came out from Fingon's helm when they killed him. Was that his soul leaving him? Maybe he was just such a high elf with so much passion that his soul was visible leaving his body, although it was not visible in other elves less passionate or high?

I have to hand it to Tolkien for creating beautiful ideas, places, people; but he can also write about some of the most disgusting, most evil things I've ever heard of! Orc hands that "clung to him still, though he hewed off their arms... till he fell buried beneath them." ??!! Ewwww....
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Postby A#minor » May 20th, 2007, 9:55 pm

Y'all still with me? Anyone?

Chapter III:
I like the bit about Morgoth being unable to follow Men beyond the Circles of the World.
Morgoth tells Hurin that beyond the Circles there is Nothing. It's a classic lie of Satan that there is no life after death. Interesting that Hurin says the truth about life after death was "put into his heart in this hour." Perhaps an analogy of the Holy Spirit speaking to him, or some instinctive self-knowledge?


Moving along slowly, but surely. I'm doing other reading at the same time.
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Postby A#minor » May 24th, 2007, 11:30 pm

Adam? Pfifltrigg? pedestrian? Anyone!? *shivers alone in the dark*Image
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Postby Adam Linton » May 25th, 2007, 2:14 am

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