The Fall of Númenor by J. R. R. Tolkien - Edited by Brian Sibley and Read by Samuel West
For many years, Tolkien fans only had a tantalising glimpses of the Second Age of Middle-earth via the appendices found within The Lord of the Rings. It was only after The Silmarillion was posthumously published after Tolkien’s death, that a more comprehensive narrative could be presented. While much of that book focused on the First Age of Middle-earth, it also included events surrounding the rise and fall of the island of Númenor in the Second Age. This kingdom, raised from the Great Sea and bestowed upon the Men of Middle-earth as a reward for their assistance in defeating the Dark Lord Morgoth, became a centre of power and wealth. However, as the Númenóreans' influence grew, the seeds of their destruction were inevitably sown. Over the years further publications edited by Christopher Tolkien, such as Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth and the twelve-volume series, The History of Middle-earth have provided further historical lore.
For many years, Tolkien fans only had a tantalising glimpses of the Second Age of Middle-earth via the appendices found within The Lord of the Rings. It was only after The Silmarillion was posthumously published after Tolkien’s death, that a more comprehensive narrative could be presented. While much of that book focused on the First Age of Middle-earth, it also included events surrounding the rise and fall of the island of Númenor in the Second Age. This kingdom, raised from the Great Sea and bestowed upon the Men of Middle-earth as a reward for their assistance in defeating the Dark Lord Morgoth, became a centre of power and wealth. However, as the Númenóreans' influence grew, the seeds of their destruction were inevitably sown. Over the years further publications edited by Christopher Tolkien, such as Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth and the twelve-volume series, The History of Middle-earth have provided further historical lore.
In The Fall of Númenor, editor Brian Sibley has compiled a new and comprehensive chronicle of the Second Age of Middle-earth primarily by drawing from all the aforementioned published texts and collating all relevant passages in chronological order. The reader is presented with the story of the Akallabêth, previously published in The Silmarillion, as well as supplementary versions from different periods of Tolkien's creative process. The Fall of Númenor also covers related events from the Second Age, from the foundation of the Grey Havens to the first victory over Sauron. Brian Sibley has painstakingly collected scattered information, consolidating and expanding it. He turns the otherwise highly fragmented material into a practical and cohesive text. By providing a chronological context for the events and their protagonists, he imbues the narrative with a greater sense of a historical chronicle. For completeness, even the Númenórean chapters of The Lost Road, Tolkien’s abandoned sequel to The Lord of the Rings, are also included.
Armenelos by Rafael Damiani
The Fall of Númenor is an exceedingly useful and enthralling addition to any fans collection of Tolkien’s writing. Essential material about the Second Age is presented in a single volume, negating the need to cross reference through multiple volumes yourself. Furthermore, the rise and fall of the Númenórean people provides invaluable context for the realms in exile, Gondor and Arnor. The audio version by HarperCollins is as ever impeccably produced, narrated by Brian Sibley himself with additional passages of text read once again by Samuel West. The pace is measured and the complex notes and editorial comments clearly explain Tolkien’s historical revisions. Again I must praise the standard of pronunciation of the Quenya, Sindarin and Adûnaic languages, as I have with previous HarperCollins audiobooks. There is an inherent beauty to Professor Tolkien’s languages and that becomes very apparent when they are spoken correctly.
The Lord of the Rings - BBC Radio Adaptation (1981)
In 1981 BBC Radio 4 produced an ambitious adaptation of The Lord of the Rings, presenting Tolkien’s novel in twenty six, thirty minute episodes. As with all adaptations some material had to be removed, but overall the BBC production was not excessively abridged and followed the plot faithfully. The characterisations and dialogue were extremely well realised and music by composer Stephen Oliver was very much in the style and idiom of Tolkien. This was a production of the highest pedigree and a major event for the BBC at the time. The series was heavily promoted, receiving front page status in The Radio Times, the UK’s premier TV guide and bestselling magazine. Although initial reviews were varied, the series immediately gained a cult following with fans trading episodes recorded on cassette tape. Word of mouth and substantial listening figures soon lead to revised opinions from the press, along with the immortal slogan "Radio is Hobbit 4-ming".
In 1981 BBC Radio 4 produced an ambitious adaptation of The Lord of the Rings, presenting Tolkien’s novel in twenty six, thirty minute episodes. As with all adaptations some material had to be removed, but overall the BBC production was not excessively abridged and followed the plot faithfully. The characterisations and dialogue were extremely well realised and music by composer Stephen Oliver was very much in the style and idiom of Tolkien. This was a production of the highest pedigree and a major event for the BBC at the time. The series was heavily promoted, receiving front page status in The Radio Times, the UK’s premier TV guide and bestselling magazine. Although initial reviews were varied, the series immediately gained a cult following with fans trading episodes recorded on cassette tape. Word of mouth and substantial listening figures soon lead to revised opinions from the press, along with the immortal slogan "Radio is Hobbit 4-ming".
The trilogy was adapted for radio by the then novice writer Brian Sibley and veteran dramatist Michael Bakewell. It was directed by Jane Morgan and Penny Leicester, who were both experienced in radio dramas. The cast was made up of numerous fine British actors and voice artists such as Ian Holm as Frodo Baggins, John Le Mesurier as Bilbo Baggins and Sir Michael Horden as Gandalf. It also featured Robert Stephens as Aragorn and Peter Woodthorpe as Gollum. The adaptation excised a lot of the "excess fat" from the source text allowing the actors to concentrates on plot, character development and atmosphere. The attention to detail of this production was extremely high with Christopher Tolkien approving the scripts, leading to an authentic depiction of Middle Earth. Great care was taken with pronunciation of words and the delivery of dialogue spoken in Elvish and the Black Speech.
Upon its initial release each of the original twenty six episodes received two broadcasts per week, this remains standard practice for many BBC radio serials. After a successful first run the twenty six part series was subsequently edited into thirteen hour-long episodes, restoring some dialogue originally cut for timing, re-arranging some scenes for dramatic impact and adding linking narration and music cues. The re-edited version was released on both cassette tape and CD boxsets during the eighties and nineties and included bonus material such as the Stephen Oliver’s complete soundtrack for the series. It is this version of the BBC adaptation that has proven most popular and has been most commonly distributed and syndicated over the years.
In 2002 due to the commercial success of Peter Jackson's cinematic adaptations of The Lord of the Rings, the BBC re-issued a revised version of their 1981 series. This comprised of three CD sets corresponding to the three original book volumes (The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King). This version omitted the original episode divisions and included a new opening and closing narration recorded by Ian Holm. The re-edited version also included some additional music cues. However some fans felt that the re-arranging the material in this way actually spoilt the drama and the flow of the narrative. The original edit of the radio series was constructed so that the separate stories of Frodo and Sam ran in parallel to that of the rest of the Fellowship. It heightened the drama and afforded listeners a clearer understanding of the time line.
Tolkien's linear style proved to be a good fit for radio, with Sibley and Bakewell’s adaptation confidently staying true to the source text. Like Peter Jackson’s movies, some story elements have been cut, such as Tom Bombadil, along with the journey through the Old Forest and the Barrow Downs. However the Scouring of the Shire has been included, ensuring that Tolkien’s codicil is in place and therefore ending the tale correctly. One of the reasons this particular adaptation was so successful was due to the care and attention spent on the voice casting as well as the prudent use of music and song. Tolkien went to great pains to make both language and verse and integral part of Middle-earth and Sibley and Bakewell did not shy away from exploring this facet of the story. The BBC Radiophonic workshop also provided some pertinent sound effects and ambient sounds. As a result both the One Ring and the Nazgul have their own distinct audio characteristics.
Because the production elected to intercut the separate storylines to facilitate a more familiar style of narrative, there was a requirement to bridge a few expository gaps. Writers Brian Sibley and Michael Bakewell tackled this issue in an innovative fashion, adapting text from Tolkien’s later book Unfinished Tales which subsequently explained these literary grey areas. For example during the Nazgul’s quest for the One Ring, they visit Isengard and challenge Saruman over the whereabouts of The Shire. He advises them to pursue Gandalf. However as they follow Mithrandir’s trail they chance upon Grima Wormtongue, who is hurrying to Isengard with a message. It is he that gives up the location of the Shire upon threat of death. These narrative additions help with the flow of the story without breaking the lore.
This exceptional adaptation still remains accessible to both established Tolkien fans and those who have yet to read the trilogy. It is also a quintessential example of BBC Radio drama at its best. Although I enjoyed Peter Jackson’s movies upon their initial release, I feel that the BBC radio adaptation, despite being a different medium, is the better of the two. Peter Woodthorpe’s Gollum is a far more nuanced and sinister portrayal than Andy Serkis’s bi-polar performance. Also Jack May’s King Theoden is far more sympathetic and regal than Bernard Hill’s. Apart from reading the source text, this is the next best way to lose oneself in Tolkien’s classic story. It allows the listener to enjoy the outstanding vocal performances while conjuring up their own depictions of the characters in their mind’s eye. Where Peter Jackson’s movies are very much his interpretation of Middle-earth, the BBC radio adaptation of The Lord of the Rings is a far more faithful and nuanced dramatisation. Due to the medium of radio the strong story and characters are not overwhelmed or marginalised by spectacle.
