Is everyone aware of this? Announced late last year, Christopher Tolkien has compiled enough of his father's notes and manuscripts to produce yet another posthumous work--The Fall of Arthur. This is J.R.R. Tolkien's version of the final days of the legendary King Arthur's rein in verse. It will be released in May.

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Is this Arthur the famous King Arthur or is this just a similar name in Middle-Earth?

It is about the famous King Arthur.

Oh dear,

I'm really going to have to read this! It would be interesting to see if there are any notable comparisons to Lord of the Rings etc?

Heres a link :

http://www.harpercollins.co.uk/Titles/7 ... 0007489947

This has been out for a while--I haven't purchased the book yet, but I did spot it at a local bookstore today. The book clocks in at around 250 pages at US$25. About 40 pages are devoted to "The Fall of Arthur," the rest are commentaries. I was interested, but for such little actual content by Tolkien for such a high price, I just got the impression that Christopher is (and has been) milking his father's legacy.

I wonder did a hoard of Compensation Lawyers (No Win No Fee) turn up at his house to see if he wanted to put in a claim for falling?

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Published ebooks:
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A Note of Defiance
Phantom Ships, Ghost Flotilla
More to come!

This was published in May 2013. The fall of Arthur is basically a 1000 line poem written in the style of Beowulf, not a hundred percent sure, but I believe there is other stuff in the book too.

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There are fouler things than Orcs in the deep places of the world

I have it and The Legend of Sigurd & Gudrun I have not started either.
I have not finished The Song of Fire and Ice Saga. I Have only Scanned The One Ring Roll Play Game So I need to catch up on my reading.

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Sigurd and Gudrun was pretty good, if memory serves. May revisit it soon. Fall of Arthur just didn't seem worth $25. Then again, Sigurd and Gudrun was $26 for about 100 pages of actual content.

I do not believe J.R.R. has a more devoted fan than his son. Sadly his work does not have the wide appeal of his fathers. None can fault his scholarship. We would have very little to read of J.R.R.'s work with out him. I hope Christopher can remain with us long enough to publish some of the Beowulf notes.

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"the same as a duck you must be made of wood"

I think you're right and agree with you. Christopher is a huge fan and is trying to get everything his father wrote out there for followers of his work. It's a noble effort.

But the cynic in me, aroused by the price tag, can't help by imagine Christopher digging through his father's old notes eagerly trying to find something publishable to make a quick buck. "Hey, guys! I found another set of old notes I can whip up into a marketable book!" Really, how many more books can Tolkien write?

Don't get me wrong!! I do agree with you, Oldman--and I know Christopher likely had nothing to do with the book costing $25. I'm just a bit of a pessimist.

The price of the book has more to do with inflation/stagnation and high taxes than any thing Christoper wants. If Christoper wanted a fast buck he would sell the movie rights to the rest of J.R.R.'s work. I think he believes that would appose his fathers wishes.
I don't like the price of the book but I can remember when a Coke was nickel.
Save the pessimism for politicians promising change.

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"the same as a duck you must be made of wood"

You're right, I hope you know I'm not trying to start an argument, I was just imagining a cynical scenario.

I did not think we were having an argument. I was just trying to convince you to redirect your pessimism.

a cynical scenario is sometime unfair

I looked at that post again. It came off more sardonic than I intended so I apologize.

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"the same as a duck you must be made of wood"

I read The Children of Hurin. It was a major expansion of the story as laid out in The Silmarillion. It was a decent read but like a lot of the stories, it tends to have more sorrows and disasters than happy parts.
Tolkien was a perfectionist and had many other things going on in his life so a host of his ideas were never refined or developed to the point of where they could be published. His son, and I believe some other people, have been trying to organise and collate that work for a very long time. There are so many volumes of Tales of Middle-earth, lost tales, pieces of poetry, linguistic and map outlines - and all on paper, some of which may have been lost. I could see this going on for decades yet.

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Published ebooks:
Instrument of the Empire
A Note of Defiance
Phantom Ships, Ghost Flotilla
More to come!

So, the 'Anti' Chris Tolkien folks...would you rather Tolkien's unfinished works just never surfaced?
Or would you want to read them and know about them ?

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There are fouler things than Orcs in the deep places of the world

I am pro - the Professor sent parts of LotR to his son even as he was working on it as he obviously valued his opinion. Good enough for JRRT, more than good enough for me.

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Published ebooks:
Instrument of the Empire
A Note of Defiance
Phantom Ships, Ghost Flotilla
More to come!

Extremely well put. I does however bring up the question of what JRRT personally felt merited printing, and what he felt failed his own quality control!

I am not sure how to compose a short answer. There are twelve volumes of the History of Middle Earth devoted to that question. I don't think any one cares more about it than Christopher Tolkien.

Merited printing or commercially marketable?

Quality control is part of a production process not a creative process but I think I know what you meant. The short answer is J.R.R was never satisfied with any of his work.



I don't think any one here is really anti Chris.
I wish he would change his mind about the movie rights. I understand why he will not.

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"the same as a duck you must be made of wood"