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The Children of Hurin
- Narrated by: Christopher Lee
- Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins
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The Fall of Gondolin
- Written by: Christopher Tolkien, J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Timothy West, Samuel West
- Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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Story
Gondolin, beautiful but undiscoverable, is central to the enmity of two of the greatest powers in the world. Morgoth of the uttermost evil seeks in vain to discover the marvellously hidden city of his Elven enemies, while the gods in Valinor refuse to support Ulmo Lord of Waters' designs to protect it. Into this world comes Tuor, cousin of Túrin, and guided unseen by Ulmo he sets out on the fearful journey to Gondolin to warn them of their coming doom.
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Excellent
- By Anonymous User on 2021-03-03
Written by: Christopher Tolkien, and others
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Beren and Lúthien
- Written by: Christopher Tolkien, J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Timothy West, Samuel West
- Length: 6 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Beren was a mortal man, but Lúthien was an immortal Elf. Her father, a great Elvish lord, was deeply opposed to Beren, and imposed on him an impossible task that he must perform before he might wed Lúthien. Undaunted by Lord Thingol’s challenge, Beren and Lúthien embark on the supremely heroic attempt to rob Morgoth, the greatest of all evil beings, of a Silmaril, one of the hallowed jewels that adorn the Black Enemy’s crown.
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Good Text, Strange Format.
- By Anonymous User on 2020-11-03
Written by: Christopher Tolkien, and others
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Unfinished Tales
- Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien - editor
- Narrated by: Timothy West, Samuel West
- Length: 21 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Unfinished Tales is a collection of narratives ranging in time from the Elder Days of Middle-earth to the end of the War of the Ring and provides those who have read The Lord of the Rings with a whole collection of background and new stories from the 20th century’s most acclaimed popular author.
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Brilliant handling of complex material
- By Tihemme Gagnon on 2021-05-13
Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien, and others
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The Fall of Númenor
- And Other Tales from the Second Age of Middle-Earth
- Written by: J.R.R. Tolkien, Brian Sibley - editor
- Narrated by: Samuel West, Brian Sibley
- Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
J.R.R. Tolkien famously described the Second Age of Middle-earth as a ‘dark age, and not very much of its history is (or need be) told’. And for many years readers would need to be content with the tantalizing glimpses of it found within the pages of The Lord of the Rings and its appendices, including the forging of the Rings of Power, the building of the Barad-dûr and the rise of Sauron.
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Different ratings for different readers….
- By Anastasia Beaverhausen on 2023-01-29
Written by: J.R.R. Tolkien, and others
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The Silmarillion
- Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien
- Narrated by: Andy Serkis
- Length: 19 hrs and 24 mins
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The tales of The Silmarillion are set in an age when Morgoth, the first Dark Lord, dwelt in Middle-earth, and the High Elves made war upon him for the recovery of the Silmarils, the jewels containing the pure light of Valinor. Included on the recording are several shorter works. The Ainulindalë is a myth of the Creation and in the Valaquenta the nature and powers of each of the gods is described. The Akallabêth recounts the downfall of the great island kingdom of Númenor at the end of the Second Age, and Of the Rings of Power tells of the great events at the end of the Third Age.
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Andy Serkis makes this an easy listen
- By oz on 2023-11-08
Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien, and others
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Tales from the Perilous Realm
- Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Derek Jacobi
- Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Combined into one volume, this is the definitive collection of Tolkien's five acclaimed modern classic 'fairie' tales in the vein of The Hobbit, read by Derek Jacobi. The five tales are written with the same skill, quality and charm that made The Hobbit a classic. Largely overlooked because of their short lengths, they are joined here in one volume which reaffirms Tolkien's place as a master storyteller for listeners young and old.
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The short stories are great, however...
- By Linda in Nepean, Canada on 2023-08-01
Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien
-
The Fall of Gondolin
- Written by: Christopher Tolkien, J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Timothy West, Samuel West
- Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Gondolin, beautiful but undiscoverable, is central to the enmity of two of the greatest powers in the world. Morgoth of the uttermost evil seeks in vain to discover the marvellously hidden city of his Elven enemies, while the gods in Valinor refuse to support Ulmo Lord of Waters' designs to protect it. Into this world comes Tuor, cousin of Túrin, and guided unseen by Ulmo he sets out on the fearful journey to Gondolin to warn them of their coming doom.
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Excellent
- By Anonymous User on 2021-03-03
Written by: Christopher Tolkien, and others
-
Beren and Lúthien
- Written by: Christopher Tolkien, J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Timothy West, Samuel West
- Length: 6 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Beren was a mortal man, but Lúthien was an immortal Elf. Her father, a great Elvish lord, was deeply opposed to Beren, and imposed on him an impossible task that he must perform before he might wed Lúthien. Undaunted by Lord Thingol’s challenge, Beren and Lúthien embark on the supremely heroic attempt to rob Morgoth, the greatest of all evil beings, of a Silmaril, one of the hallowed jewels that adorn the Black Enemy’s crown.
-
-
Good Text, Strange Format.
- By Anonymous User on 2020-11-03
Written by: Christopher Tolkien, and others
-
Unfinished Tales
- Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien - editor
- Narrated by: Timothy West, Samuel West
- Length: 21 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Unfinished Tales is a collection of narratives ranging in time from the Elder Days of Middle-earth to the end of the War of the Ring and provides those who have read The Lord of the Rings with a whole collection of background and new stories from the 20th century’s most acclaimed popular author.
-
-
Brilliant handling of complex material
- By Tihemme Gagnon on 2021-05-13
Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien, and others
-
The Fall of Númenor
- And Other Tales from the Second Age of Middle-Earth
- Written by: J.R.R. Tolkien, Brian Sibley - editor
- Narrated by: Samuel West, Brian Sibley
- Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
J.R.R. Tolkien famously described the Second Age of Middle-earth as a ‘dark age, and not very much of its history is (or need be) told’. And for many years readers would need to be content with the tantalizing glimpses of it found within the pages of The Lord of the Rings and its appendices, including the forging of the Rings of Power, the building of the Barad-dûr and the rise of Sauron.
-
-
Different ratings for different readers….
- By Anastasia Beaverhausen on 2023-01-29
Written by: J.R.R. Tolkien, and others
-
The Silmarillion
- Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien
- Narrated by: Andy Serkis
- Length: 19 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The tales of The Silmarillion are set in an age when Morgoth, the first Dark Lord, dwelt in Middle-earth, and the High Elves made war upon him for the recovery of the Silmarils, the jewels containing the pure light of Valinor. Included on the recording are several shorter works. The Ainulindalë is a myth of the Creation and in the Valaquenta the nature and powers of each of the gods is described. The Akallabêth recounts the downfall of the great island kingdom of Númenor at the end of the Second Age, and Of the Rings of Power tells of the great events at the end of the Third Age.
-
-
Andy Serkis makes this an easy listen
- By oz on 2023-11-08
Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien, and others
-
Tales from the Perilous Realm
- Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Derek Jacobi
- Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Combined into one volume, this is the definitive collection of Tolkien's five acclaimed modern classic 'fairie' tales in the vein of The Hobbit, read by Derek Jacobi. The five tales are written with the same skill, quality and charm that made The Hobbit a classic. Largely overlooked because of their short lengths, they are joined here in one volume which reaffirms Tolkien's place as a master storyteller for listeners young and old.
-
-
The short stories are great, however...
- By Linda in Nepean, Canada on 2023-08-01
Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien
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The Adventures of Tom Bombadil
- Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Sir Derek Jacobi
- Length: 1 hr and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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The Adventures of Tom Bombadil is a collection of poetry written by J. R. R. Tolkien and was first published in 1962. The audio is read by Sir Derek Jacobi and is a collection of 16 poems that contain an assortment of bestiary verse and fairy tale rhyme. It is a stunning recording that captures all the characters in their own charming and mysterious ways.
Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien
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Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
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- Narrated by: Terry Jones
- Length: 4 hrs and 25 mins
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A collection of three medieval English poems, translated by Tolkien for the modern-day reader and containing romance, tragedy, love, sex and honour.
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Interesting but....
- By ELIZABETH L ROSS on 2019-05-09
Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien
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The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth
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- Narrated by: Christopher Tolkien
- Length: 56 mins
- Unabridged
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The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth Beorhthelm’s Son was originally published in the 1953 edition of Essays and Studies. In December of that year, J.R.R. Tolkien took possession of a reel-to-reel tape recorder and, some time during the first few months of 1954, decided to record ‘the whole thing on tape’ as a way of ‘testing’ the performative quality of the dramatic dialogue between Tídwald and Torhthelm.
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Professor Tolkien Time Capsule
- By Severyn on 2023-11-27
Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien
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The Hobbit
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- Narrated by: Martin Shaw
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- Abridged
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Whisked from his comfortable hobbit-hole by Gandalf the wizard and a band of dwarves, Bilbo Baggins finds himself caught up in a plot to raid the treasure hoard of Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon.
Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien
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A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
- A Song of Ice and Fire
- Written by: George R. R. Martin
- Narrated by: Harry Lloyd
- Length: 10 hrs
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Taking place nearly a century before the events of A Game of Thrones, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms compiles the first three official prequel novellas to George R. R. Martin's ongoing masterwork, A Song of Ice and Fire. Before Tyrion Lannister and Podrick Payne, there were Dunk and Egg. A young, naïve, but ultimately courageous hedge knight, Ser Duncan the Tall towers above his rivals - in stature if not experience. Tagging along is his diminutive squire, a boy called Egg - whose true name (hidden from all he and Dunk encounter) is Aegon Targaryen.
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Lacking performance supported by Martin's captivat
- By Anonymous User on 2018-07-20
Written by: George R. R. Martin
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Farmer Giles of Ham
- Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Derek Jacobi
- Length: 1 hr and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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Farmer Giles of Ham did not look like a hero. He was fat and red-bearded and enjoyed a slow, comfortable life. Then one day a rather deaf and short-sighted giant blundered on to his land. More by luck than skill, Farmer Giles managed to scare him away. The people of the village cheered: Farmer Giles was a hero. His reputation spread far and wide across the kingdom. So it was natural that when the dragon Chrysophylax visited the area it was Farmer Giles who was expected to do battle with it!
Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien
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The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Dramatised)
- Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Ian Holm, Michael Hordern, Robert Stephens, and others
- Length: 4 hrs and 29 mins
- Original Recording
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The second instalment of Tolkien's epic tale, adapted from the original BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation. Having fled the Shire in their escape from Sauron's Dark Riders, Frodo and the Fellowship of the Ring have journeyed to Rivendell and beyond
Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien
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The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Dramatised)
- Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Ian Holm, Michael Hordern, Robert Stephens, and others
- Length: 4 hrs and 35 mins
- Original Recording
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Part One, The Fellowship of the Ring, introduces us to Frodo Baggins. With his uncle Bilbo having mysteriously disappeared, Frodo finds himself in possession of a simple gold ring that has great and evil power. It is the Ruling Ring, taken long ago from the Dark Lord, Sauron, who now seeks to possess it again. Frodo must do everything he can to prevent this, and with the help of Gandalf the wizard and a band of loyal companions he begins a perilous journey across Middle-earth.
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This is NOT a reading of the book.
- By Flippy on 2019-12-30
Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien
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The Lord Of The Rings: The Return of the King (Dramatised)
- Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Ian Holm, Michael Hordern, John Le Mesurier, and others
- Length: 3 hrs and 10 mins
- Original Recording
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The evil Saruman has been defeated by Gandalf, but in Mordor the battle for the Ruling Ring continues. Wounded by the giant spider, Shelob, Frodo has been captured by the dreaded orcs
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Radio Drama Style, not a true reading, still love it!
- By Mollie Martin on 2021-07-28
Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien
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Letters from Father Christmas
- Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Derek Jacobi, John Moffatt, Christian Rodska
- Length: 2 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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Can you imagine writing to Father Christmas and actually getting a reply? Every year, the children of J.R.R. Tolkien would write to Father Christmas, and the letters they received told wonderful stories of his adventures at the North Pole. These humorous tales are brought to life by Derek Jacobi as Father Christmas, John Moffatt as Polar Bear, and Christian Rodska as Ilbereth the Elf, complete with specially composed music.
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Too much music...
- By Angel13tnt on 2017-12-24
Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien
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The Science of Middle-Earth
- A New Understanding of Tolkien and His World
- Written by: Roland Lehoucq, Loïc Mangin, Jean-Sébastien Steyer
- Narrated by: Ralph Lister
- Length: 13 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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The world J.R.R. Tolkien created is one of the most beloved in all of literature, and continues to capture hearts and imaginations around the world. From Oxford to ComiCon, the Middle Earth is analyzed and interpreted through a multitude of perspectives. But one essential facet of Tolkien and his Middle Earth has been overlooked: science.
Written by: Roland Lehoucq, and others
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Smith of Wootton Major
- Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Derek Jacobi
- Length: 1 hr and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Tolkien's acclaimed modern classic 'fairie' tale, read by Derek Jacobi. Smith of Wootton Major journeys to the Land of Faery thanks to the magical ingredients of the Great Cake of the Feast of Good Children.
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Great Short Story
- By George F on 2020-10-31
Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien
Publisher's Summary
In that remote time, Morgoth, the first Dark Lord, dwelt in the vast fortress of Angband, the Hells of Iron, in the North; and the tragedy of Túrin and his sister Nienor unfolded within the shadow of the fear of Angband and the war waged by Morgoth against the lands and secret cities of the Elves. Their brief and passionate lives were dominated by the elemental hatred that Morgoth bore them as the children of Húrin, the man who had dared to defy and to scorn him to his face. Against them he sent his most formidable servant, Glaurung, a powerful spirit in the form of a huge wingless dragon of fire.
Into this story of brutal conquest and flight, of forest hiding-places and pursuit, of resistance with lessening hope, the Dark Lord and the Dragon enter in direly articulate form. Sardonic and mocking, Glaurung manipulated the fates of Túrin and Nienor by lies of diabolic cunning and guile, and the curse of Morgoth was fulfilled.
The earliest versions of this Tolkien story go back to the end of the First World War and the years that followed. But long afterwards, when The Lord of the Rings was finished, he revised and greatly enlarged it, enhancing complexities of motive and character. It became the dominant story in his later work on Middle-earth. But he could not bring it to a final and finished form. In this book, Christopher Tolkien has constructed, after long study of the manuscripts, a coherent narrative without any editorial invention.
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What listeners say about The Children of Hurin
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- MistahMojoRyan
- 2018-08-17
Poorly organized
The story and narration are fine, however, the book has 18 chapters while this audiobook is divided into 7 parts. That makes it harder to reference a hardcopy of the book or to know when a chapter is going to end. I would have highly preferred the audiobook have 18 separate chapters.
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10 people found this helpful
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- Caitlin
- 2018-03-03
Tolkien. Christopher Lee. 'Nuff said.
Christopher Lee is the only person I want to hear reading this tale. I had read it in print before, but his flavour and gravitas make the experience even richer. It is a tragic, desperately sad story, as beautiful as any of the others of Middle Earth. If you have read the Lost or Unfinished Tales, you will be familiar with some of the story and the characters. It seems to me that Christopher Tolkien has edited this version to be a little more action-packed and theatrical, but although it is a good story, I doubt Newline would want to film it: too tragic.
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7 people found this helpful
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- shalot
- 2019-12-17
Christopher Lee carries the Story
This audiobook took a few runs to finish. I ended up reading physically along with listening. It helped me understand the names & places better, but the narration also helped me continue reading when I got bored of the text. Neither book or audiobook alone would have made it to completion for me without the other.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Matthew Dobbs
- 2021-04-01
christopher lee
I will listen to literally anything read by christopher lee. he could be reading VCR manuals and I'd be captivated.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Langer MD
- 2023-03-17
A Treat For Tolkien Überfans
This First Age tale is easily the most tragic and pathos-infused in the Middle Earth reality. It is told with a degree of gravity that gives it the weightiness of Scripture - almost too serious for the average Fantasy reader. Adding to it's unsuitability for a car ride with the kids: the book is really only understandable/enjoyable when taken in context - it's too intertwined with Tolkien's overall history to be consumed as a standalone (definitely read 'The Silmarillion' before this one).
Fortunately, Sir Christopher Lee's narration is unsurpassed. True, he reads slightly too slowly (listening at 1.15X is highly recommended) - but his diction, cadence, and tone are spot-on and his rich baritone timbre is genuinely chill-inducing. HarperCollins Publishing Inc orchestrated a legitimate coup when they got Lee to read the book.
Altogether, the audiobook merits 9 stars out of 10. It's an outstanding listen for anyone (like me) that can immerse themselves seamlessly into Tolkien's mythology - but a tough read for readers/listeners who are less familiar (or were led here by a love for the action/whimsy of 'The Hobbit' or 'The Lord Of The Rings').
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1 person found this helpful
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- Luke M
- 2021-09-13
Sir Christopher Lee is excellent.
Saruman's voice narrates a great tale of woe that passed long ago, during the First Age. Great praise indeed to his performance, and praise too of his lore.
Keep safe a map of Beleriand. At times, many locations are named swiftly, and they come all at once, like a thunder issuing forth from the peaks of Thangodrim.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Lifelike Human
- 2020-12-01
Superb!
Christopher Lee's love and respect for the material are plain to hear. He speaks the languages of the mythology as if they're his own, and the sound of his voice is a pleasure to listen to.
As for the story, I read the version in The Silmarillion as a teenager and remember enjoying it, but hearing it now on its own, fully fleshed out, in my thirties, it seems far more epic and far more tragic. I just couldn't wait to get to the next chapter.
Wonderful job all round.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Cales
- 2020-11-30
Would not dare to change anything.. Just perfect!!
I wish the great Christopher Lee would read each and all the books from JRR Tolkien. The passion, the tone, the pace....just fantastic!
My two recommendations; 1. Have the printed version handy as with any Tolkien's books, the names of people and places can be a little confusing, no matter how amazingly enunciated. Sitting with the book while hearing so nicely narrated was such a great experience!! 2. Use the bookmark option in the app, as the audiobook is divided in a different way to the actual book, so if you want to start a specific chapter, you want to make sure it is bookmarked, as it will not necessarily coincide with the audio chapters (i.e. Chapter 1 of the audio book contains chapters 1-4 of the book)
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1 person found this helpful
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- Steven Sitko
- 2019-11-07
A Great Tragedy
A tale of deep tragedy and woe. An amazing story and a pleasure to listen to narrated by Sir Christopher Lee. I cannot recommend this highly enough.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Fraser Simons
- 2019-09-13
Greek tragedy in middle earth!
This is a much darker tale than the other books but I enjoyed it a lot. Christopher lee is a fantastic narrator too. Killed the performance.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall

- Catherine Collins
- 2009-12-19
Powerful and Disturbing
This is a powerful and disturbing novel -- the tragic story of a man crippled by external misfortune and by his own proud and violent temperament. I began this book in paper format when it first came out but soon gave it up. I found the story to be grim and unappealing. I then decided to give Audible a try, and I'm glad I did. Christopher Lee's brilliant narration saved the book for me. He gives full justice to Tolkien's musical prose and The Children of Hurin carried me happily through several weeks of commuting. I have to say that the story is easier to take when split up into 20 minute chunks.
The text that we have was not completed by Tolkien, but was edited by his son from rough drafts and notes. This accounts for a lot. The novel is repetitious. In fact, it feels as if one is hearing the same story several times over. The same themes of heroism, followed by rashness and failure, occur again and again throughout the novel in slightly different episodes. And throughout, Turin, the hero, never seems to learn anything or to be changed by what he experiences. It occurred to me at the end, that perhaps what we have is precisely that: several attempts at the same short story, strung one after the other, rather than a complete novel with a fully realized narrative arc.
I suspect that if Tolkien had managed to finish the work to his liking, it would have been shorter, or more varied. It is one aspect of Tolkien's genius, evident in the Hobbit and the LOTR, that he never tells the same story twice. Every chapter of the Hobbit, for example, is not only a different adventure, but a different kind of adventure. That inventiveness is missing from The Children of Hurin. For this reason, I give the book only 4 stars instead of 5.
Nonetheless, I am glad that I bought this recording. Christopher Lee is first rate and the work is a masterpiece, albeit a flawed and unfinished one.
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218 people found this helpful
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Overall

- Brian
- 2007-11-07
Great read
Wonderful book for Tolkien fans. Christopher Lee, who played Saruman, does a wonderful job narrating. A Tolkien fanatic in his own right his reading lends an almost palpable weight to the story, helped by how easily he reads Tolkien's imagined languages. Non-Tolkien fans or new readers may find this book difficult to follow at times and would be better served to start with his more well known works.
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51 people found this helpful
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- Elithea
- 2007-10-07
at last!
someone got a clue! fabulous, perfect narrator, now please: the silmarillion, the ring "trilogy" and the whole tolkein corpus, unabridged and with narration of this quality, should mr. lee prove unavailable for the enirety of such a mammoth project. how can no one have done this yet?!
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43 people found this helpful
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Overall

- Tom
- 2009-01-07
Couldn't Stop Listening!
An excellent rendition of this newly-reconstructed tale. Tolkien fans should take note, however, that this recording does not include Christopher Tolkien's introduction or notes on the text. You'll want to supplement your listening with a print copy for these, as well as the map, geneologies, reference sections, and beautiful illustrations by Alan Lee.
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35 people found this helpful
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- Sue
- 2008-03-13
Persistance Pays Off
This book requires the listener to be patient and skim over the alien sounding names. Eventually you gain an understanding of the characters and the story line. I have to admit it was a lot easier to listen to than to actually read as pronunciation was handled by the reader. Christopher Lee did a stirling job and presented a wonderful story in a appropriate and entertaining tone.
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33 people found this helpful
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- haesel
- 2008-02-02
Epic Story
I have read many of the reviews and it seems that you will not like this book if a happy ending is essential to you. For me, happy endings are nice, but I dont need them to enjoy the story. I agree that you will enjoy this book more if you have read the Silmarillion-- oh darn, another great book to read... Personally, I prefer these tragic epics to the Ring & Hobbit series -- they are dense and complex and the characters stay with you -- these stories are facinating. The narration is a bit mello dramatic and the music is terrible, but it didnt bother me too much. This is a great winter book to read by the fire.
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- Alyssa
- 2008-06-28
Extraordinary Tale as only Tolkein can contrive
If you want the true experience of Tolkein's genius, you need to read the Silmarillion, not the Lord of the Rings. This is an expansion of one of the tales from the Silmarillion, which deals with the great tragedies of Middle Earth eons before LOTR, and the epic battles between the stranded races of Humans, Elves and Dwarves with Morgoth/Lucifer. If you love true literature, not just modern trash, then this will bring great joy. Those who found this book difficult, need to read the Silmarillion, as you cannot possibly understand what is happening in the "Children of Hurin" without it. Highly Recommended.
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- Chelsea
- 2011-01-21
Christopher Lee makes it!
Christopher Lee's narration really makes this book accessible and enjoyable. His pronunciation of the difficult Elvish words is accurate and spry in a way. I love his different voices for the different characters, especially Morwen. His interpretation of her really adds to the listener's imagining of the character.
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- Euryleia
- 2008-07-17
Difficult to Follow
I really like Christopher Lee's voice and his pronunciation of the taxing Tolkien names and language is excellent. That said, as a purely audio version, this book is really hard to follow. It was much easier for me to actually read than to listen to (much like the Silmarilion, which I loved when I read and couldn't follow in an audio format) although it works remarkably well as a read-along!
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- Bruce
- 2007-12-14
Go Christopher(s)!
Having read "Unfinished Tales," I was familiar with this story already. Christopher Tolkien does a wonderful job with fleshing it out into a full novel. Christopher Lee reads it like only Christopher Lee can do. The only think I would have like better then having him read this story is if Christopher Tolkien had read it himself. I was very happy and now I'll actually have to buy the book while it is still in first edition. Go Christopher(s.)
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- Daniel Nichola
- 2020-07-03
A Tragedy...
"The Children of Húrin" is such a great read, especially to those who have already read "The Silmarillion". An epic story that is full of tragic moments!!!
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As for the narration, having the book read by Christopher Lee (may his soul rest in peace) made it all the more enjoyable!
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