The Fall of Gondolin by J.R.R. Tolkien
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Here it is, the third and final Great Tales of Middle-Earth in its full form. Not really.
This was my first time reading The Fall of Gondolin and I must say it reminded me of the Trojan War. I’ll be honest that I don’t have a lot of things to say regarding this book. I can seriously copy paste my Beren and Luthien review with a few tweaks and it would describe my thoughts on the book appropriately. …
Beren and Luthien by J.R.R. Tolkien
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Unlike The Children of Hurin, unless you’re a lover of poetry or you’re a diehard Tolkien fans, I doubt the overall content of this book will be enjoyable to read.
The Children of Hurin has a novel format with a standalone story. The novel begins with a preface from Christopher Tolkien, then the story starts and continues until the end without break in prose form. It’s pretty much a standard standalone fantasy novel format with a self-contained story that can be read and enjoyed by anyone who loves fantasy novel. Beren and Luthien isn’t like The Children of Hurin. Although I’m super happy that I approached The Children of Hurin without knowing anything about it and ended up loving it, I wish I have known about the overall content of Beren and Luthien before I bought it; because I wouldn’t have bought it. …
Year One by Nora Roberts
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
You had me scared there for a while, Nora, but you came through. Just in a way that was different from what I was expecting.
Have you ever picked up a book by an author you love and when you start reading it you keep having to remind yourself that said author wrote it? That was what I struggled with at the beginning of this book. Yes, the writing style I had come to love was still undoubtedly present. There’s just something about Nora’s prose that always resonates with me. As I’ve stated in previous reviews of her work, Nora’s novel’s are like a bubble bath for my brain; they’re what I turn to when I’m stressed or sick or just in the mood for comfort. …
The Children of Hurin by J.R.R. Tolkien
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is one of Tolkien’s best works. Maybe even the best. I never expected Tolkien to write a story as dark and tragic as the one portrayed in The Children of Hurin.
First, a full disclosure that might anger Tolkien fanatics. During the time of writing this review, despite the fact that I’ve watched The Lord of the Rings trilogy more than ten times, I’m sorry to say that I wasn’t able to finish reading The Fellowship of the Rings because I was extremely bored with it. It’s most likely because the movie has tainted me with its fast pacing; I have no idea why but the book was so boring that it drowsed me to sleep several times, not even halfway. I blame Tom Bombadil, really. I also failed to finish The Silmarillion. Twice I almost made it halfway—the first time was more than ten years ago, the second time was just a few days ago—through the book, and twice I gave up.
For the past few years, I have asked some fans of Tolkien whether it’s necessary to read (not watch) the main trilogy and The Silmarillion first or not before attempting the three Great Tales of Middle-Earth. Some answered as long that I’ve watched the movies and I have the basic knowledge from the first half of The Silmarillion or thorough Wikipedia research (which I did on both accounts), they should be enough. Some even said it’s better to not read The Silmarillion first to get the maximum surprise experience of going into the story as blind as possible. Of course, some weren’t keen—some even felt offended, only Morgoth knows why—on the idea that I’m reading The Silmarillion, or attempted this, without actually reading The Lord of the Rings first. Well, guess what? I’m going to offend them more. I finished The Children of Hurin without reading The Silmarillion or The Lord of the Rings trilogy first, and I totally loved it.
I should note, though, that I’ve now finished reading The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings, and I enjoyed them both, but this review is written with the knowledge and experience when I haven’t read the two.
Picture: The Land of Bow and Helm by Alan Lee
With that knowledge in mind, until I do a reread, this review will be shorter and less detailed than my usual reviews; a lot of readers have done a better job than me in explaining the importance of The Children of Hurin and its connections to the larger story of Tolkien’s Middle-Earth. The Children of Hurin is one of the three Great Tales of Middle-Earth written by J.R.R. Tolkien and edited by Christopher Tolkien, the son of Tolkien. The Children of Hurin is a relatively short book. Excluding the preface, appendices, and glossary, the main story is only 200 pages long; what’s incredible and interesting, though, is how much depth, impact, and emotions are contained in it. Most of the storyline revolves around the curse bestowed upon the children of Hurin, specifically on the story of Turin Turambar that begins from his childhood.
“A man that flies from his fear may find that he has only taken a short cut to meet it.”
As I said, I knew close to nothing when I first read this book, and I think it’s the best way to enjoy it. All I did know was that the story was dark, but I never knew how tragic and brutal it gets. Although the beginning felt a bit rough, I still think the prose was able to grab my attention so much more than The Silmarillion did. Don’t get me wrong, the writing style does feel similar, but The Silmarillion felt too much like reading a bible. In my opinion, The Children of Hurin is more approachable, and I found the second half of the book to be full of engaging drama, an intensely gripping narrative, heartbreaking twists and turns, and it’s utterly unputdownable. Also, TúrinTurambar is one of the most memorable protagonists I’ve ever read.
“False hopes are more dangerous than fears.”
Lastly, I want to praise Alan Lee’s illustrations. The narrative itself already offered a mythical and distinct atmospheric experience, and Lee’s illustrations enhanced the immersion even further. They’re beautifully drawn, placed at the right moments, and it felt easy for me to feel like I was inside a dark tale of Middle-Earth when I was reading through this book.
Picture: Glaurung by Alan Lee
I have no idea whether finishing the ‘required’ reading would enhance or diminish my reading experience. But as far as my first reading goes, knowing nothing about the content has greatly worked in my favor. And I will have to say that I absolutely loved this book. The Children of Hurin is a superbly written tale. A fantastic, mythical, powerful, and atmospheric reading experience. For me, The Children of Hurin is one of Tolkien’s best books, and it’s certainly one of my favorite books now. I look forward to rereading it one day.
You can order the book from: Book Depository (Free shipping)
ARC provided by the publisher—Pan Macmillan— in exchange for an honest review.
A Time of Blood by John Gwynne
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A Time of Blood earned my absolutely undying praise for its impeccable, top-notch quality.
Currently, there are only three fantasy authors in the world who can compel me to drop every book in my reading plan and start their newest published work instead; John Gwynne is one of them. There will never be a shortage of praises I can give towards Gwynne’s books. I’m serious, I have insanely high expectations towards his books and yet somehow each of his newest works never fail to not only meet but also exceed my expectations. If you believe in my recommendations and somehow you still haven’t read any of Gwynne’s books, you need to redeem yourself immediately. A Time of Blood was such an incredible and riveting reading experience that I finished it in less than 24 hours; it made me totally ignore reality. …
Leverage in Death by J.D. Robb
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
There is something about Nora’s writing, both as herself and as J.D. Robb, that hooks me from the first sentence and doesn’t let me go until I’ve read the final chapter. So it’s no surprise that Leverage in Death worked incredibly well for me and broke my first ever (and hopefully last!) reading slump. While I’ve picked up some great books in the past month, nothing grabbed me enough to entice me further into its pages. I should’ve known that Nora would prove to be the cure to my dilemma. …
ARC provided by the publisher—Tor Books—in exchange for an honest review.
A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Easily one of the cleverest sci-fi debuts I’ve read so far.
A Memory Called Empire is Arkady Martine’s debut novel and the first instalment in the Teixcalaan series. Ambassador Mahit Dzmare arrives in Teixcalaan only to find out that the previous ambassador from the same mining station as hers has died. Contrary to her belief, nobody wants to admit that his death wasn’t an accident, and now it’s up to Mahit to uncover who’s behind the murder. At the same time, she also has to save the place where she came from—Lsel—from the Teixcalaan expansion. A Memory Called Empire at its core is a murder mystery story. If you start this book expecting tons of action, there’s a chance that you’ll be sorely disappointed. The main charm of the book lies in Mahit’s challenges in navigating the unfamiliar culture of Teixcalaan; it’s a book heavily centered on politics. In my opinion, this novel was a bit reminiscent of The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson. The main difference between the two is that while I disliked The Traitor Baru Cormorant, I highly enjoyed reading this one due to a superb prose that clicked with me. …