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News from Bree
spymaster@theonering.net
May 22 2013, 11:03am
Post #1 of 20
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Tolkien's 'The Fall of Arthur' comes out tomorrow, May 23rd
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 As we all know, J R R Tolkien was, from an early age, fascinated by myth and heroic legend, reading all he could of the romances and epics of many nations. In a letter to Milton Waldman, which appears in the Preface to the second edition of The Silmarillion, he wrote that he was 'grieved by the poverty of my own beloved country: it had no stories of its own ... Of course there was and is all the Arthurian world, but powerful as it is, it is imperfectly naturalized, associated with the soil of Britain but not with the English; and does not replace what I felt to be missing...'
The Professor, then, had little time for the legends of King Arthur; but he did make one foray into those tales, and we are about to be able to read for ourselves the results of those labours! Tomorrow, publishers Houghton Mifflin Harcourt release Tolkien's narrative poem The Fall of Arthur, edited as ever by his son Christopher. HMH's press release tells us:
'The Fall of Arthur, the only venture by J.R.R. Tolkien into the legends of Arthur, king of Britain, may well be regarded as his finest and most skillful achievement in the use of Old English alliterative meter, in which he brought to his transforming perceptions of the old narratives a pervasive sense of the grave and fateful nature of all that is told: of Arthur’s expedition overseas into distant heathen lands, of Guinevere’s flight from Camelot, of the great sea battle on Arthur’s return to Britain, in the portrait of the traitor Mordred, in the tormented doubts of Lancelot in his French castle.'
Alas, Tolkien never finished his poem; but amongst his manuscripts were sketches and drafts, which included 'significant tantalizing notes. In these notes can be discerned clear if mysterious associations of the Arthurian conclusion with The Silmarillion, and the bitter ending of the love of Lancelot and Guinevere, which was never written.'
It's a day of celebration for Tolkien fans whenever we have a chance to read more of the Professor's work, and gain further insight into the explorations which lead to his great myth of Middle-earth. You can read Houghton Mifflin Harcourt's full information about the book here; and you can order your copy from Amazon by clicking here. The Fall of Arthur will also be available as an e-book. Happy reading!
[Order The Fall of Arthur from Amazon]
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Brethil
Gondolin
May 22 2013, 5:19pm
Post #2 of 20
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Mine shipped last night!
Thanks for posting the info!
Manwe, when asked a simple "Yes" or "No" question, contemplated, and responded "the middle one."
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Voronwë_the_Faithful
Doriath
May 22 2013, 6:18pm
Post #3 of 20
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I'm holding my copy in my hands right now
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Yay!
'But very bright were the stars upon the margin of the world, when at times the clouds about the West were drawn aside.'
The Hall of Fire
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Brethil
Gondolin
May 22 2013, 10:40pm
Post #4 of 20
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Manwe, when asked a simple "Yes" or "No" question, contemplated, and responded "the middle one."
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Voronwë_the_Faithful
Doriath
May 22 2013, 10:59pm
Post #5 of 20
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Enjoy it.
'But very bright were the stars upon the margin of the world, when at times the clouds about the West were drawn aside.'
The Hall of Fire
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Elessar
Doriath
May 23 2013, 12:02am
Post #6 of 20
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Amazon delivered mine a day early. 
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noWizardme
Gondolin
May 23 2013, 12:36pm
Post #7 of 20
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Do I feel a Reading Room readthrough coming on?//
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Disclaimers: The words of noWizardme may stand on their heads! I'm often wrong about things, and its fun to be taught more....
"nowimë I am in the West, Furincurunir to the Dwarves (or at least, to their best friend) and by other names in other lands. Mostly they just say 'Oh no it's him - look busy!' "
Or "Hold off! unhand me, grey-beard loon!"
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Brethil
Gondolin
May 23 2013, 4:33pm
Post #9 of 20
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Was giving everyone some time to get it delivered and read it through...! But I think it would make a great topic. I read it last night and will read it again today.
Manwe, when asked a simple "Yes" or "No" question, contemplated, and responded "the middle one."
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Brethil
Gondolin
May 23 2013, 10:17pm
Post #10 of 20
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Wow - I wished he finished it!
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Enjoyed Mordred's characterization very much, especially that part in the storm.
Manwe, when asked a simple "Yes" or "No" question, contemplated, and responded "the middle one."
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Voronwë_the_Faithful
Doriath
May 23 2013, 10:21pm
Post #11 of 20
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It is very powerful, and I think somewhat more accessible than Sigurd & Gudrun. While I too wish that he finished it, I am grateful that what he did write has finally been made available publicly. Many thanks to Christopher Tolkien once again.
'But very bright were the stars upon the margin of the world, when at times the clouds about the West were drawn aside.'
The Hall of Fire
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Brethil
Gondolin
May 23 2013, 10:23pm
Post #12 of 20
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It is very powerful, and I think somewhat more accessible than Sigurd & Gudrun. While I too wish that he finished it, I am grateful that what he did write has finally been made available publicly. Many thanks to Christopher Tolkien once again.
Very glad its available, so I second that thank you. And I see CT agrees as well, that of all the projects not finished this had a rare power in it.
Manwe, when asked a simple "Yes" or "No" question, contemplated, and responded "the middle one."
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imin
Doriath
May 24 2013, 8:34am
Post #13 of 20
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But i got it delivered to parents house so it's about 180 miles away, d'oh!
Can't wait to get stuck in and read it though in about a months time! 
And Iluvatar spoke to Ulmo, and said: 'Seest thou not how here in this little realm in the Deeps of Time Melkor hath made war upon thy province? He hath bethought him of bitter cold immoderate, and yet hath not destroyed the beauty of thy fountains, nor of my clear pools. Behold the snow, and the cunning work of frost! Melkor hath devised heats and fire without restraint, and hath not dried up thy desire nor utterly quelled the music of the sea. Behold rather the height and glory of the clouds, and the everchanging mists; and listen to the fall of rain upon the Earth! And in these clouds thou art drawn nearer to Manwe, thy friend, whom thou lovest.
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Malveth
Ossiriand
May 24 2013, 12:37pm
Post #14 of 20
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Hope to start reading today!
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Brethil
Gondolin
May 24 2013, 2:58pm
Post #15 of 20
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I think you will really enjoy it!
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Waiting a month though? 
Manwe, when asked a simple "Yes" or "No" question, contemplated, and responded "the middle one."
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Brethil
Gondolin
May 24 2013, 3:22pm
Post #16 of 20
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Thinking of putting together a chat about it one of these days...!
Manwe, when asked a simple "Yes" or "No" question, contemplated, and responded "the middle one."
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Elwen
Menegroth
May 24 2013, 3:37pm
Post #17 of 20
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As a lover of Arthurian lore as well as a Tolkien fan, I'm excited about this.
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Need to finish what I'm reading though. I don't like having multiple books going at once.
Before kids, exercising with LOTR meant listening to the soundtrack while I ran.
After kids, exercising with LOTR means having an all out dance party with the little ones to the "Break the Dam Release the River" disco mix form the Lego game.
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Malveth
Ossiriand
May 24 2013, 4:22pm
Post #18 of 20
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Gawain loudly
cried as a clarion. Clear went his voice
in the rocks ringing above roaring wind
and rolling thunder: ‘Ride, forth to war,
ye hosts of ruin, hate proclaiming!
Foes we fear not, nor fell shadows
of the dark mountains demon-haunted!
Hear now ye hills and hoar forest,
ye awful thrones of olden gods
huge and hopeless, hear and tremble!
From the West comes war that no wind daunteth,
might and purpose that no mist stayeth;
lord of legions, light in darkness,
east rides Arthur!’ Echoes were wakened
* * * *
.......................................Why more need we?
Though thou legions levy through the lands of Earth,
fay or mortal, from the Forest’s margin
to the Isle of Avalon, armies countless,
never and nowhere knights more puissant,
nobler chivalry of renown fairer,
mightier manhood under moon or sun
shall be gathered again till graves open.
Here free unfaded is the flower of time
that men shall remember through the mist of years
as a golden summer in the grey winter.
(This post was edited by Malveth on May 24 2013, 4:22pm)
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SirDennisC
Gondolin
May 24 2013, 9:36pm
Post #19 of 20
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It's really coming across like Beowulf, moreso than even Gawain. Great stuff so far!
(having trouble tracking down a copy so may have to order from Amazon, which I have never done before)
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Hooray!
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