Middle-earth Journeys

Posted: **Thu Feb 19, 2009 2:31 pm**

Count me in, too! I read Unfinished Tales YEARS ago when it was first published. Then, a "friend" "borrowed" my copy, and I never saw it again. My wonderful husband gave me a new copy for Christmas two years ago. I have poked around in it from time to time looking for specific information, but I haven't tackled the whole thing in ages. Reading and discussing it together will be GREAT!

Posted: **Thu Feb 19, 2009 11:49 pm**

Fantastic L. I think we'll have some great posts by it.

Posted: **Fri Feb 20, 2009 12:14 am**

Whenever I read Tolkien, I am never far from my copy of Fonstad's The Atlas of Middle-earth, and I am already finding it very helpful here.

On pages 14-15, you will find her detailed map entitled, LANDS TO THE NORTH, and you can follow Tuor's wanderings.

I think her map of BELERIAND on the previous pages 12-13 will be very helpful as well.

LOL...I can't follow Tolkien without a map.

I know I read somewhere that he created his own maps before he penned his stories so that they all made sense geographically. Gotta LOVE that Tolkien.

Posted: **Fri Feb 20, 2009 12:20 am**

I love that atlas too Riv. While reading The Sil I also was lost without it.

Posted: **Fri Feb 20, 2009 12:43 pm**

Tuor is a great place to start. I love the story (even with it's sudden end just when it's getting interesting). I dip into Unfinished Tales frequently.

Posted: **Fri Feb 20, 2009 1:32 pm**

I've ordered Unfinished Tales AND the Fonstadt map book from Amazon. Hope I can keep up!!

Posted: **Fri Feb 20, 2009 8:05 pm**

You'll love the Fondstadt book! It's invaluable. The work she did on it is incredible.

Posted: **Mon Feb 23, 2009 8:40 am**

Well, they are on their way so we shall see!!

Posted: **Mon Feb 23, 2009 4:54 pm**

I have placed a separate thread in this forum for our discussions. It will be unlocked next Sunday.

Posted: **Thu Feb 26, 2009 6:14 pm**

This is going to be fun - coincidentally I've now reached 'The Fall of Gondolin' in the Lost Tales, which is the earliest published version of Tuor's story. It differs from the later 'Unfinished Tales' version which is more rounded out and complete up to where Tuor arrives in Gondolin, then stops dead where the version I'm reading carries on.

I think I'm going to be ever so confused

...

Posted: **Thu Feb 26, 2009 8:52 pm**

It would be great to at one point cover The Lost Tales too. But I think overlap is bound to happen don't you think? It rounds out the discussions I think.

Posted: **Thu Feb 26, 2009 9:42 pm**

I think I've said before that I don't enjoy these compilations by Christopher so much. Having said that AGAIN, I shall say that I'm enjoying reading Tuor. I was very moved by him standing by the shore of the sea, the first of his race to have done so.

But I'll save that for when the thread opens on Sunday. Meanwhile, I'll tell you that I used to own this book, but was going through the annual book purge last year and sold it, among others, to the local second-hand. I believe I bought my own book back last week.

Posted: **Fri Feb 27, 2009 11:32 am**

That'll teach you!

Posted: **Fri Feb 27, 2009 11:42 am**

Annual book purge? now that's a thought. I only have a small house and it's getting v crowded!! my copy of Unfinished Tales has just arrived so I will have to read the tale of Tuor pretty quickly to appreciate the upcoming discussion . . .

Posted: **Fri Feb 27, 2009 6:43 pm**

Not helped by the fact I already purged some of my books on to you and Jonick

.

I'm really enjoying the Lost Tales version - the first part is nothing compared to the much more interesting and detailed version in Unfinished Tales, but it's very nice to finally properly read a full account of what actually happened to Gondolin.