One of the joys of being a Middle Earth enthusiast is that, over forty years after the death of J.R.R. Tolkien, new works from his papers continue to be published - a feat remarkable for any author. No matter how regularly this happens, news of a new Tolkien book still manages to surprise as well as delight. My own joy at hearing of the forthcoming publication of Beren and Luthien , edited by Tolkien's son and literary executor Christopher Tolkien, left me quite literally jumping up and down with excitement, to the mild bemusement and possible chagrin of my co-workers. The tale of Beren and Luthien was considered by Tolkien to be one of the most important in his mythology. Beren, a mortal man, encounters and falls in love with the immortal elf Luthien, though their union was forbidden by her father. To win his approval, the two embark on a dangerous quest to retrieve one of the Silmarils, jewels prized by the elves, from the very fortress of their great enemy. The story was o...
Occasional author. Lover of coffee.