Middle-earth Journeys

I'm sure I've never read any scholarship on this, Iolanthe. There's a paper waiting for you to write it!

Do you mean particularly about the hound/wolves aspect? It is interesting. I've been doing more digging. There are a lot of mythical predecessors for Carcharoth guarding the entrance to the underworld, or dogs guarding ancient barrows (also seen as entrances to the otherworld or faerii) and a very wide ranging tradition of dogs (especially black dogs) as guides to the gates of death, or fortelling death by their appearance. They also figure in the 'wild hunt' where they are the dogs of the king of the underworld. But there is nothing I can find that really parallels Huan.

Huan has a great and brave heart, comes from the Valar and is given to a bad master. He is the traditional faithful companion until he sees Luthien mistreated. He is given grace to speak three times before death. There is really nothing like this anywhere that I can find .

Here are a view on the cover for the hardback edition and here is a sneak peek on the deluxe edition. Enjoy!

I can't wait for this book to be in my little hands. Thank you Beran for the links.

Oh FAB! I love that cover painting of Turin wearing the Dragonhelm . Thanks Beren!

Looks wonderful, doesn't it? I've added it to my Amazon wish list, along with various other Tolkien-related titles. I'm going to have to buy some of them myself - my birthday's not until the end of the year!

Got something new for you all! A Children of Hurin FAQ. If you ever have more questions about the book (or any other questions about upcoming titles) please send them to me and i'll ask HarperCollins!

What a great idea Beren - though I can't come up with a question just yet - but you've added some great information there:

- Appendices on the history of the tale also written by Christopher Tolkien
- Exclusive new two-colour fold-out map of Beleriand and the lands to the north
- More than 30 new paintings and drawings by award-winning illustrator Alan Lee
- Three genealogical tables specially drawn by Christopher Tolkien for this new work

Wow! More than just the story . This is wonderful. And there are Alan Lee drawings as well as paintings? I'm thrilled - lI ike his pencil drawings more than anything, even though his paintings are wonderful.

I think the genealogies will be helpful to me.

Alan Lee drawings!!!!! OK, now I HAVE to buy this book!

I just did a bit of e-shopping and those who are interested in the deluxe edition and live in the US might like to know that Amazon.com's price is much better ($42.25) than Barnes and Noble ($72). Time to pre-order!

I think I did too much pre-ordering... and will have over 10 copies of both UK and US; yet this is no problem at all. I'll re-sell them in 10 years from now!

I never thought of Tolkien's books as (retirement) investments, but that's not a bad idea.

haha... it is the trick I have been using since 1990... and it has allowed me to buy a lot of Tolkien books. My collection never cost me anything because of this system!

Maybe one day I can retire on my 1977 second impression of the Sil. If only I'd bought the first .