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**lindil** · 03-21-2003, 04:16 AM

Well, may I humbly recommend reading the Silmarillion first?

There are of course no rules as to the order in which one approaches such things, but it has been found by a sort of informal consensus on numerous boards that reading in the following order minimizes confusion:
Hobbit
LotR
The Silmarillion
Unfinished Tales

Then according to taste, finances, availability and awareness the various History of Middle-Earth volumes.

Unfinished Tales contains the Narn i hin Hurin, which has the most elaborate version of the story of Turin Turambar [although parts where canabalized for the Silmarillion so you will need that book to get the 'full' story, but as for why he was sent to Thingol for fostering it was to keep from becoming a slave as did [unbeknownst to Turin] his cousin Tuor.

As to how many versions of the story are there? Depending on what you mean by versions [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] , lots!

Versions of Turin [counting partials] off hand you have,

An unpublished version based more closely on the Finnish Kalavala
Book of Lost Tales vol. 2
HoM-E IV The Shaping of M-E - 3 versions all short
HoM-E V 1 and a 1/2 ?
The precis in the letter to Milton Waldman
The strange 'adaptation in The adventures of Tom Bombadil
The Silmarillion
Unfinished Tales
Some bits in War of the Jewels [HoM-E XI]

I think and hope that covers it.

[ March 21, 2003: Message edited by: lindil ]

03-21-2003, 04:16 AM	#2
lindil Seeker of the Straight Path Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: a hidden fastness in Big Valley nor cal Posts: 1,680	Well, may I humbly recommend reading the Silmarillion first? There are of course no rules as to the order in which one approaches such things, but it has been found by a sort of informal consensus on numerous boards that reading in the following order minimizes confusion: Hobbit LotR The Silmarillion Unfinished Tales Then according to taste, finances, availability and awareness the various History of Middle-Earth volumes. Unfinished Tales contains the Narn i hin Hurin, which has the most elaborate version of the story of Turin Turambar [although parts where canabalized for the Silmarillion so you will need that book to get the 'full' story, but as for why he was sent to Thingol for fostering it was to keep from becoming a slave as did [unbeknownst to Turin] his cousin Tuor. As to how many versions of the story are there? Depending on what you mean by versions [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] , lots! Versions of Turin [counting partials] off hand you have, An unpublished version based more closely on the Finnish Kalavala Book of Lost Tales vol. 2 HoM-E IV The Shaping of M-E - 3 versions all short HoM-E V 1 and a 1/2 ? The precis in the letter to Milton Waldman The strange 'adaptation in The adventures of Tom Bombadil The Silmarillion Unfinished Tales Some bits in War of the Jewels [HoM-E XI] I think and hope that covers it. [ March 21, 2003: Message edited by: lindil ] __________________ The dwindling Men of the West would often sit up late into the night exchanging lore & wisdom such as they still possessed that they should not fall back into the mean estate of those who never knew or indeed rebelled against the Light.