Beren and Luthien

The epic tale of Beren and Lúthien, which was written shortly after J.R.R. Tolkien returned from the Battle of the Somme in 1916, is presented for the first time on audio in this unabridged recording read by Timothy and Samuel West. It is an essential element in the evolution of The Silmarillion and reveals aspects of the story that were afterwards lost.

Format: CD-Audio
Publication date: 12 November 2020
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Beren, a mortal man, and Lúthien, an immortal Elf, faced an impossible challenge imposed by Lúthien's father, a great Elvish lord. Despite this, they embarked on a heroic quest to steal a Silmaril, one of the hallowed jewels adorning Morgoth's crown, the greatest of all evil beings. This tale, written shortly after J.R.R. Tolkien returned from the Battle of the Somme in 1916, played a crucial role in the evolution of The Silmarillion. In this book, Christopher Tolkien has extracted various versions of Beren and Lúthien from the comprehensive work in which they are embedded. To showcase the story's evolution, he presents the original form alongside passages in prose and verse from later texts that illustrate the narrative's changes. Presented together, these versions reveal aspects of the story that were later lost, providing a unique insight into the development of this epic tale of Middle-earth.

Weight: 196g
Dimension: 139 x 141 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780008214241
Edition number: Unabridged ed