The Fall of Gondolin

Fans of Tolkien and his Silmarillion will not be too disappointed in this book. It's not as recursive as Beren and Luthien and the strong descriptions of Gondolin's destruction are really quite fun.

I mean, who DOESN'T love balrogs and hosts of orcs descending upon and destroying the hidden city of elves in a grand bloody rout? Sure, there's mighty good sendoff and defense, but what we really wanted to see is all those stupid kinslaying elves get theirs.

Hmmm. I might be a bit bloodthirsty today. :) Rah, rah, Melkor?

My only complaint is not directed at Christopher but at J.R.R.

I really wanted not Tuon's story, although it was rather epic, but his son's story: Earendil, with the Silmaril on his brow. Am I asking too much? The way the show more later victors lose or use the recovered Silmarils? All of that stuff is more interesting to me than how the god of the waters set the first King of Men on a quest. :)

Still. Despite the repeats that show up in other books, I did have a good time with a lot more detail in certain areas. Only by reading ALL of them do we get the idea that big detailed tellings are portioned out for different areas despite getting a good feel in the primary publications. And I mean the Silmarillion. If you like the primary and always wanted to see the tales stretched out and also analyzed, then this is definitely for you.

I'm happy to have read it, although I am filled with a sense of loss. I wish Tolkien was back among us, getting not just credit, but support for more stories. show less

On the scale of Silmarillion-chapters-turned-into-books this comes below Children Of Hurin but above Beren And Luthien, simply by dint of at least having a complete, if early, version of the story to kick off with. It isn't a bloody patch on the later, gorgeous, rich, vivid and witheringly incomplete version, and the frustration will literally make your eyes bleed, so I'm sorry about that, but be warned.

A narrativa principal da missão de Tuor, e a que começa renarrando com mais detalhes sua viagem são ambas notáveis e de fato, se costuradas, dariam um bom livro, que possivelmente poderia prosseguir narrando os infortunados aficcionados por Silmarilions, Maedhros e Maglor (embora isso fosse efetivamente entulhar a construção da saga). Então, diferentemente da fraca história de Lúthien e Beren, temos um bom material aqui. Mas o fato de Tolkien pai ter levado a sério demais seu próprio mundo ficcional a ponto de não terminar quase nada, combinado com um filho demasiado escrupuloso, que quer dar um tratamento quase-científico aos textos, torna de novo a leitura truncada, incompleta, e meramente para fãs. Como disse em outra show more ocasião, não que os fãs não gostem, mas talvez parte deles sejam como eu - que gostam fazendo cara feia. show less

This book will probably appeal mainly to serious Tolkien fans. It presents three different versions of the story The Fall Of Gondolin, one of which is complete but written in a very 'old world literary' style that I found hard going, and another of which is easier to read, more verbose, but incomplete. The book also includes a lot of commentary from Christopher Tolkien about the various versions, the reasons behind the final one being unfinished, as well as some other related works.

In The Fall of Gondolin, Christopher Tolkien continues his project of editing his father’s three great tales of the First Age of Middle Earth. He writes in his introduction, “When the time had come, as I supposed, to end at last this long series of editions it occurred to me to try out, as best as I could, a different mode: to follow, using previously published texts, one single particular narrative from its earliest existing form and throughout its later development” (pg. 13). In this, Tolkien follows the method he used in Beren and Lúthien (2017) rather than that of The Children of Húrin (2007), which told a more-or-less coherent story adapted from the various alterations (using the appendix to explain those changes).

The story show more focuses on the secret Elven city of Gondolin and the arrival of Tuor, one of Húrin’s kinsfolk, who comes to the city at the behest of Ulmo, the Vala who rules over the waters and the sea, in order to warn of Morgoth’s planned attack. Turgon, who built the city, refuses to abandon it and Tuor settles among the people. Tuor weds Idril Celebrindal and fathers with her Eärendel the Mariner. Their union is the second between Elves and Men following that of Beren and Lúthien (and thus also helps to foreshadow the union of Aragorn and Arwen). At the time of Morgoth’s sack of Gondolin, Tuor defends Idril and Eärendel as they flee the city under the onslaught of Morgoth’s Balrogs and fire drakes. Glorfindel defends them against a Balrog in the mountains, enabling them to flee to the sea.

In his conclusion, Tolkien refers to the Lost Tale of Eärendel, never written, before discussing how it relates to the Fall of Gondolin. Though he cautions, “To set out and discuss these often contradictory outlines in their clipped phrases would be contrary to the purpose of these two books [the present one and Beren and Lúthien]: the comparative histories of narratives as they evolved” (pg. 241). He does, however, focus on the two main variants of the conclusion in order to complete his story. As the final of the three tales of the First Age, The Fall of Gondolin more than measures up to expectations. J.R.R. Tolkien’s prose is as ever a delight to read and Alan Lee’s illustrations compliment the text as no other. A must-read for Tolkien fans. show less

I really likes this deep dive into the last of the Great Tales. Christopher Tolkien's research through what must surely be thousands of pages of written and re-written pieces of paper, to fit some hundred of them into this one narrative is truly impressive.
Giving the evolution of the story, since this tale was never truly finished, also gives a very interesting look into the life of Tolkien.
Alan Lee again delivers his very best work in the beautiful illustrations that are found inside the book.
Needless to say, really good book for any Tolkien fan.

Years ago I tried reading The Simarillian after having consumed LOTR and The Hobbit. I failed miserably to enjoy the story, so I did not have a whole lot of hope when starting The Fall of Gondolin. Happily, I loved every minute of it. Almost 40 years of living gained me a greater appreciation of the detailed work that went into Tolkien's masterpiece, LOTR, and the extensive world that he created.

The Fall of Gondolin tells through 3 different tales written by JRR Tolkien during his lifetime of the decimation of the Noldor elves but ultimately where hope would be found 6500 years later. The main character is Tuor, grandfather of Elrond and how he made his way to Gondolin, partook in protecting the city as it fell and ultimately led the show more remaining elves out of the city.

Christopher Tolkien's commentary about his father and the construction of Middle Earth and the tales set it was also fascinating. show less