Monthly Book Review: Children of Hurin

Walk into a bookstore. There's a huge pool of people around one shelf. You peep in to see what's gripping these people. What else, but..................Tolkein mania again :))))))))))))))))

Children of Hurin, Tolkein's latest book to hit the world bookstores, has taken the readers' imaginations by storm. However, this time the mania didnot quite work its magic on me. Children of Hurin proved to be a disappointment, to say the least. Perhaps because the benchmark for comparison was the LOTR trilogy. Children of Hurin doesnot match the standards of LOTR, but what is commendable is the way Christopher, JRR's son, has taken cues from notes left behind by JRR, and compiled those to weave yet another fantasy tale. While reading Children of Hurin, you will be left in limbo at times because of the break in the flow of the story. However, to give credit to Christopher, he worked on a vision, that of his father. He beautified the story conceived by someone else.

So, what is Children of Hurin about?

Set during the First Age of the Middle Earth, Children of Hurin is a tale of time when Men was still a respected race. Hurin, the Chieftain of Men, is held captive by Morgoth. Hurin must now live his biggest nightmare, for his family is destroyed by the curse of the Dark Lord. The story then shifts focus on the children of Hurin, Turin in particular. Turin displays greatness from a very young age, and grows up to be a force to reckon. Turin is aptly supported by his sister, Nienor.

How Turin and Nienor come out as the heroes is something that cannot be described in any writeup. You have to read the book and experience it.