Beren and Luthien

[Valandil]

Hmmm... barely been paying attention, but I guess this book is a thing:

https://www.tolkiensociety.org/2017/06/beren-and-luthien-published/

And on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Beren-L%C3%BAthien-J-R-R-Tolkien/dp/1328791823

Anyone own it yet? Anyone read it yet? Comments?

Anyone about to go get it now?

[Varnafindë]

I bought it earlier this summer and read until page 52 - then I've been too busy with other projects to continue, but I'll definitely read all of it.

Some comments have said that the book goes through a few versions of the story - I don't know, but if so, I'm still in the first version.

[Valandil]

I bought it earlier this summer and read until page 52 - then I've been too busy with other projects to continue, but I'll definitely read all of it.

Some comments have said that the book goes through a few versions of the story - I don't know, but if so, I'm still in the first version.

Yes - I read notes that there are major differences in the nature of characters with the earliest versions.

[Earniel]

I've read it this summer. There is a nice succession of versions and I think enough effort has been made to avoid repetitions while keeping the flow of the story intact. IMO Christopher Tolkien made quite some effort to keep this book readable for people not steeped in Silmarillion-lore.

Much of the poetry read as new to me, so I dare say it was not in HoME, or not in its intirety. Tevildo, prince of Cats (Sauron's predecessor) finally gets some limelight. You get a wider view on how the evolution of the different characters progressed and how Tolkien slowly connected Beren and Lúthien's story into his Silmarillion cycle.

I did get a new appreciation for this story in so much I now feel the oroginal Silmarillion indeed couldn't give it the extended attention it deserved. So IMO this book is rather a welcome addition, all things considered.

Also, my paperback had some really nice artwork that I had not yet seen before.

[Varnafindë]

Reminds me that I still haven't finished this book - and what you said here, encourages me even more to read the rest of it! :)

It's possible that some of the illustrations are new and were made for this book.

[Earniel]

Potentially, yes.

The copyright notition for Alan Lee is the same as for the texts, although I am unaware whether older works would perhaps not get an older copyright notification.

But then I am not aware of Alan Lee's full scope of Tolkien work and a good deal that the artwork in this book is not exclusive to the events in it. Some certainly would fit the published Silmarillion as well.