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.
Unfinished Tales by J. R. R. Tolkien - Read by Timothy and Samuel West (2021)
First published in 1980, Unfinished Tales is a collection of stories by J. R. R. Tolkien, that spans from the Elder Days of Middle-earth to the end of the War of the Ring. For those who have read both The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings, this book provides additional insights and more detailed accounts of many key events of the First, Second and Third age. Such as Gandalf’s informative tale of how he came to send the Dwarves to Bag-End in search of a burglar, the appearance of the sea deity Ulmo before Tuor on the coast of Beleriand and an in depth description of the military organization of the Riders of Rohan. This collection of stories and essays by J. R. R. Tolkien were never fully completed during the author’s lifetime but were posthumously edited by his son Christopher Tolkien and present with notes, annotations and were required a detailed commentary.
First published in 1980, Unfinished Tales is a collection of stories by J. R. R. Tolkien, that spans from the Elder Days of Middle-earth to the end of the War of the Ring. For those who have read both The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings, this book provides additional insights and more detailed accounts of many key events of the First, Second and Third age. Such as Gandalf’s informative tale of how he came to send the Dwarves to Bag-End in search of a burglar, the appearance of the sea deity Ulmo before Tuor on the coast of Beleriand and an in depth description of the military organization of the Riders of Rohan. This collection of stories and essays by J. R. R. Tolkien were never fully completed during the author’s lifetime but were posthumously edited by his son Christopher Tolkien and present with notes, annotations and were required a detailed commentary.
Unfinished Tales also contains the only stories about the island of Numenor before its downfall, and all that is known about the Five Wizards that made up the Istari. Christopher Tolkien’s notes are invaluable, highlighting any deviations in lore with other books in the Tolkien Legendarium. They also help the reader to grasp the evolution of many of the tales and subject matter and provide a sense of context within the rest of his Father’s writings. The commercial success of Unfinished Tales demonstrated that there was still a strong demand for Tolkien's work after his death and that readers would avidly consume any material that provided further insight into the history of Middle-earth. Encouraged by the result, Christopher Tolkien embarked upon the more ambitious twelve-volume work entitled The History of Middle-earth which encompasses nearly the entire body of his Father's writings about Middle-earth.
This May HarperCollins released a new unabridged audio recording of this seminal text featuring the combined vocal talents of Father and Son, Timothy West CBE and Samuel West. The production is exemplary and the quality of reading outstanding. Both Messr West Senior and Junior, being established actors, navigate the choppy waters of pronouncing names correctly with ease. I would go so far as to say that their combined flawless diction adds immensely to the proceedings. The central narrative is told by Samuel West and his Father Timothy reads Christopher Tolkien’s annotations and notes. Furthermore, they read at a measured pace allowing the listener to digest the narrative which at times can be quite complex. It is a far cry from previous unofficial audio versions which have been read in the most perfunctory fashion and without any degree of enthusiasm. Hence I wholeheartedly recommend this version of Unfinished Tales due to its accessibility and quality.
