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★★★★☆
Not a novel but another literary lesson
As with 2017's "Beren and Luthien," this is not a previously unpublished Tolkien story but a systematic study of various incomplete texts previously published by Christopher Tolkien in "The History of Middle Earth." His purpose is to show how his father's conception of one of the major tales in "The Silmarillion" evolved over time.
So what do we get for our money?
1. There are two beautifully written narratives of some length that together go a long way in telling the story published in "The Silmarillion" as the chapter "Of Tour and the Fall of Gondolin." Whereas that chapter was only 8 published pages, however, these two narratives make for more than 130. Rich with detail, they will delight those who love "The Silmarillion" but probably hold no interest for those not already familiar with that book.
2. Included also are sketches of how JRRT saw the story unfolding after the fall of Gondolin when Tour's son Eärendil becomes the principal character. There are some interesting surprises such as the information that Eärendil voyaged south and slew Ungoliant, the mother of all spiders who had poisoned the Two Trees in Valinor. We are also informed of the ultimate fate of Arda including the final recovery of the Silmarills and the restoration of the Two Trees.
3. Tolkien fans who are as fascinated by the names of things as the Master himself will enjoy seeing how character and place names evolved or were recycled. For example, we come across what may be the first usage of the name Legolas Greenleaf, which JRRT ultimately used for a major character in The Lord of the Rings. An extensive glossary of names at the end of the book provides further information.
So there you have it. This book is intended and recommended only for the hardcore Tolkien fan already deeply familiar with the mythology of the First Age of Middle Earth. For those, however, who prefer to stick to Hobbits—a view JRRT himself quite understood and approved of—this is probably a pass. Yet it might also prove for such readers an intriguing gateway to the great tales of the First Age.
