| 
Tolkien devotees eagerly await latest book
A scholarly translation of a 1,000-year-old Norse text will make an unlikely best-seller this week as it becomes the latest book by JRR Tolkien to be published posthumously.
The academic work is already one of Britain’s most pre-ordered titles, as fans of the fantasy writer seek clues to the characters and events in his later novels,The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.
The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún, published on Tuesday, contains 800 narrative verses adapted from Old Norse by Tolkien when he was professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford University during the 1920s. The text was hidden away for years but has been released by the writer’s reclusive 84-year-old son Christopher, who has edited the book and written a foreword from his home in France.
The work consists of two closely-associated poems based on the legends of Völsung and Nibelung, the latter of which also formed the story behind Wagner’s Ring Cycle.
Tolkien, who died in 1973, wrote the poems in modern English fitted to the Old Norse metre. "These were stories told in the oral tradition for centuries but of course they were also written down and could be studied and adapted," said Mr Brawn.
Publishers hope the book, which is already at number nine on Amazon’s pre-order chart, will enjoy the same success as The Children of Hurin, the unfinished Middle Earth tale which has sold more than one million copies since it was completed by Christopher Tolkien in 2007.
The book, published in hardback for £18.99, also contains a 15,000-word lecture written by JRR Tolkien for his students, which Mr Brawn said was "a wonderful primer" on the subject of Norse mythology.
Source: The Telegraph
Posted: May 4th, 2009
Author: Floresiensis
Categories: JRR Tolkien
Do you have something to add to this post? Please leave a comment
 |
 |
 |
 |
|||
| Book of the Month | Interviews | Books you must read... | Competition | |||
| Once Walked with Gods James Barclay James Barclay's ELVES trilogy will tell the whole story of his immortal elven race, and will appeal to all fans of Tolkien and fantasy - this is a uniquely entertaining take on a fantasy staple perfect to bring new readers to Barclay. |
|
Alden Bell Allison Brennan Paul Kearney Karen Brooks JR Mitchell NK Jemisin Holly Black Chris Dolley Alex Bell Alison Goodman |
The Amulet of Samarkand The Spook's Apprentice Gardens of the Moon A Game of Thrones A Wizard of Earthsea Ship of Magic Assassin's Apprentice The Colour of Magic Duncton Wood Tigana |
September 2, 2010 will see the publication of Steve Augarde's wonderful X-Isle in paperback. To mark the occasion Random House have very kindly given us three copies to give away as prizes in our latest competition. | ||
| Previous winners | Interview archive | Josh's top 8 fantasy list | Click here to enter! |
Follow us on Twitter