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Unfinished Tales
- Narrated by: Timothy West, Samuel West
- Length: 21 hrs and 53 mins
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Unfinished Tales
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Publisher's Summary
Unfinished Tales is a collection of narratives ranging in time from the Elder Days of Middle-earth to the end of the War of the Ring, and provides those who have read The Lord of the Rings with a whole collection of background and new stories from the twentieth century’s most acclaimed popular author.
The book concentrates on the realm of Middle-earth and comprises such elements as Gandalf’s lively account of how it was that he came to send the Dwarves to the celebrated party at Bag-End, the emergence of the sea-god Ulmo before the eyes of Tuor on the coast of Beleriand, and an exact description of the military organization of the Riders of Rohan.
Unfinished Tales also contains the only story about the long ages of Numenor before its downfall, and all that is known about such matters as the Five Wizards, the Palantiri and the legend of Amroth. The tales were collated and edited by JRR Tolkien’s son and literary heir, Christopher Tolkien, who provides a short commentary on each story, helping the reader to fill in the gaps and put each story into the context of the rest of his father’s writings.
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The Fall of Gondolin
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 85
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Gondolin, beautiful but undiscoverable, is central to the enmity of two of the greatest powers in the world. Morgoth of the uttermost evil seeks in vain to discover the marvellously hidden city of his Elven enemies, while the gods in Valinor refuse to support Ulmo Lord of Waters' designs to protect it. Into this world comes Tuor, cousin of Túrin, and guided unseen by Ulmo he sets out on the fearful journey to Gondolin to warn them of their coming doom.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent
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The Fall of Númenor
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 41
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J.R.R. Tolkien famously described the Second Age of Middle-earth as a ‘dark age, and not very much of its history is (or need be) told’. And for many years readers would need to be content with the tantalizing glimpses of it found within the pages of The Lord of the Rings and its appendices, including the forging of the Rings of Power, the building of the Barad-dûr and the rise of Sauron.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Different ratings for different readers….
- By Anastasia Beaverhausen on 2023-01-29
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The Children of Hurin
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There are tales of Middle-earth from times long before The Lord of the Rings. The story told in this book is set in the great country that lay beyond the Grey Havens in the West: lands where Treebeard once walked, but which were drowned in the great cataclysm that ended the First Age of the World.
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1 out of 5 stars
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Poorly organized
- By MistahMojoRyan on 2018-08-17
Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien
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Beren and Lúthien
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- Narrated by: Timothy West, Samuel West
- Length: 6 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 79
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 64
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 64
Beren was a mortal man, but Lúthien was an immortal Elf. Her father, a great Elvish lord, was deeply opposed to Beren, and imposed on him an impossible task that he must perform before he might wed Lúthien. Undaunted by Lord Thingol’s challenge, Beren and Lúthien embark on the supremely heroic attempt to rob Morgoth, the greatest of all evil beings, of a Silmaril, one of the hallowed jewels that adorn the Black Enemy’s crown.
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3 out of 5 stars
-
Good Text, Strange Format.
- By Anonymous User on 2020-11-03
Written by: Christopher Tolkien, and others
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Tales from the Perilous Realm
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- Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 36
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 33
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 33
Combined into one volume, this is the definitive collection of Tolkien's five acclaimed modern classic 'fairie' tales in the vein of The Hobbit, read by Derek Jacobi. The five tales are written with the same skill, quality and charm that made The Hobbit a classic. Largely overlooked because of their short lengths, they are joined here in one volume which reaffirms Tolkien's place as a master storyteller for listeners young and old.
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4 out of 5 stars
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The short stories are great, however...
- By Linda in Nepean, Canada on 2023-08-01
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The Silmarillion
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 66
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 48
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The tales of The Silmarillion are set in an age when Morgoth, the first Dark Lord, dwelt in Middle-earth, and the High Elves made war upon him for the recovery of the Silmarils, the jewels containing the pure light of Valinor. Included on the recording are several shorter works. The Ainulindalë is a myth of the Creation and in the Valaquenta the nature and powers of each of the gods is described. The Akallabêth recounts the downfall of the great island kingdom of Númenor at the end of the Second Age, and Of the Rings of Power tells of the great events at the end of the Third Age.
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4 out of 5 stars
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The Shaw Recording Is Better
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 85
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Gondolin, beautiful but undiscoverable, is central to the enmity of two of the greatest powers in the world. Morgoth of the uttermost evil seeks in vain to discover the marvellously hidden city of his Elven enemies, while the gods in Valinor refuse to support Ulmo Lord of Waters' designs to protect it. Into this world comes Tuor, cousin of Túrin, and guided unseen by Ulmo he sets out on the fearful journey to Gondolin to warn them of their coming doom.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent
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The Fall of Númenor
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 41
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 35
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4 out of 5 stars
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Different ratings for different readers….
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The Children of Hurin
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- Narrated by: Christopher Lee
- Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 278
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1 out of 5 stars
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Poorly organized
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 79
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Beren was a mortal man, but Lúthien was an immortal Elf. Her father, a great Elvish lord, was deeply opposed to Beren, and imposed on him an impossible task that he must perform before he might wed Lúthien. Undaunted by Lord Thingol’s challenge, Beren and Lúthien embark on the supremely heroic attempt to rob Morgoth, the greatest of all evil beings, of a Silmaril, one of the hallowed jewels that adorn the Black Enemy’s crown.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Good Text, Strange Format.
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 36
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4 out of 5 stars
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4 out of 5 stars
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The Shaw Recording Is Better
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 33
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3 out of 5 stars
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Interesting but....
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The world J.R.R. Tolkien created is one of the most beloved in all of literature, and continues to capture hearts and imaginations around the world. From Oxford to ComiCon, the Middle Earth is analyzed and interpreted through a multitude of perspectives. But one essential facet of Tolkien and his Middle Earth has been overlooked: science.
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"Myths of the Norsemen" by H.A. Guerber is an extensive retelling of the legends and myths of the Norse pantheon. Published in the early 20th century, Guerber's work is one of the most comprehensive and accessible English renditions of the stories of the Norse gods, goddesses, heroes, and the world they inhabit.
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1177 B.C. (Revised and Updated)
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2 out of 5 stars
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Was expecting more definitive work
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A young, naïve but ultimately courageous hedge knight, Ser Duncan the Tall towers above his rivals—in stature if not experience. Tagging along is his diminutive squire, a boy called Egg—whose true name is hidden from all he and Dunk encounter. Though more improbable heroes may not be found in all of Westeros, great destinies lay ahead for these two . . . as do powerful foes, royal intrigue, and outrageous exploits. Featuring more than 160 all-new illustrations by Gary Gianni, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a must-have collection that proves chivalry isn’t dead—yet.
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Lacking performance supported by Martin's captivat
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Farmer Giles of Ham
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Farmer Giles of Ham did not look like a hero. He was fat and red-bearded and enjoyed a slow, comfortable life. Then one day a rather deaf and short-sighted giant blundered on to his land. More by luck than skill, Farmer Giles managed to scare him away. The people of the village cheered: Farmer Giles was a hero. His reputation spread far and wide across the kingdom. So it was natural that when the dragon Chrysophylax visited the area it was Farmer Giles who was expected to do battle with it!
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Geralt of Rivia is a witcher. A cunning sorcerer. A merciless assassin. And a cold-blooded killer. His sole purpose: to destroy the monsters that plague the world. But not everything monstrous-looking is evil, and not everything fair is good...and in every fairy tale there is a grain of truth.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Witcher Fan
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What the critics say
"Another monument to the incredible imagination of Tolkien." (Sunday Telegraph)
"Moments of mythic grandeur." (Sunday Times)
What listeners say about Unfinished Tales
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jordan E.
- 2021-05-06
Please do History of Middle-earth!!
These two narrators are PERFECT. I said it in review of the Fall of Gondolin as well. Please do the History of Middle-earth series. Myself and many many others would absolutely love it. The Tolkien community needs more and more audio!
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Bruce Novakowski
- 2023-04-17
Deeper into the World and Lore of Middle Earth
*ONLY for hardcore Tolkien and Middle Earth fans* Should only be read or listened to if you’ve already read The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and The Silmarillion, and are still hungry for more Middle Earth stories and content. Then this is the book for you! Amazing stories and writings from Professor Tolkien, edited by his son Christopher Tolkien. This next entry, after the Silmarillion, brings you deeper into the world of Middle Earth with more stories, notes and context added into already established tales of Middle Earth. The narrator does a fantastic job. The audiobook switches between narrators for when it is the words and writings of Tolkien himself versus interjections and footnotes by Christopher Tolkien. Makes it very clear. The notes by Christopher tend to be more academic interjection, clarification and asides in general. Although the stories and writing can be rather dry and academic at times, since these are incomplete works (as the title suggests). But to be expected with a novel based on incomplete stories and notes. Overall an incredibly satisfying, thoroughly enjoyable listen for the hardcore Tolkien fan. Adds so much more richness and depth to the world of Middle Earth. Loved the story The Children of Hurin and Turin Turambar. EPIC.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Ross & Kathy
- 2022-09-19
some good stories, much academic background
It provides a good bit of background on the originalbooks and some good stories but there is also a lot of academic discussion on trivia about the imagined world, languages, histories and on the development of the books.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Brittany de Sousa
- 2023-12-16
This audiobook was somewhat long at times, but very enjoyable!
I say long, because there was a 5-hour chapter (with an hour-long appendix afterwards), of a story that had featured in the Silmarillion. The rest of the book was wonderful, and mostly new stories or information I hadn’t heard in other Tolkien books.
The main reason I downloaded this audiobook was for the story of Galadriel and Celeborn. I was a little disappointed in their story, as it wasn’t as straightforward as I would have liked, but I did enjoy it nonetheless.
I think the surprises in this book came from the information about Gandalf’s travels and his meddling when it came to the fight against Sauron, and all the background information we got about Gondor and Rohan. I really enjoyed listening to this chapters!
This was a wonderful book for those who love the world of Tolkien. The narrators divided the narration perfectly - one distinct voice for the bits of story, and one voice for the real-world information and commentary.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2022-11-09
Was skeptical of 2 narrators, but I loved it
Such in depth information on loved characters, absolutely worth listening to. Really loved this
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Bella Bekah
- 2022-09-17
Worth the read/listen
If you’re a LOTR fan it’s worth every minute if you aren’t it might seem tedious. But it was excellently done and really good
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Robert Kennedy
- 2023-08-02
Great reading and background on the Tolkien Mythos
This was a great listen. The first half of the book is more on Numenor and the second is more on Middle Earth!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Tihemme Gagnon
- 2021-05-13
Brilliant handling of complex material
I was sceptical a book this complex and notes-dependent could possibly be pulled off as an audiobook. The casting of father and son narrators Timothy and Samuel West was a stroke of genius. Samuel (the son) narrates the story portions by J.R.R. Tolkien - who would have been younger as writer than Christopher was as his posthumous editor - while the older Timothy chimes in with Christopher Tolkien’s notes. The result is a brilliant execution of an otherwise incredibly complicated read. My favourite chapter of the audiobook is the Quest for Erebor, in which Galdalf recalls to Frodo, Pippin, Merry and Gimli the dragging of Bilbo into Thorin’s quest, during which I laughed out loud frequently. The retelling of Turin’s tale is perhaps the most laborious section, which I feel is reflective of this version of the story compared to those in the Silmarillion and Children of Hurin rather than the talents of the narrators.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Wrong colours.. itchy seams
- 2024-01-05
Basically Unusable Table of Contents
Most people know what they're going to get when it comes to Tolkien's unfinished works.. but it's great as always.
This review is more about this actual audiobook.. 1st off omg how can you mess up the chapter formatting this badly?! The 1st story actually starts right after Part 1, which it shouldn't.. but after about an hour it just switches MID-WORD to where the Table of Contents says the 1st story should start.. and even then they don't seperate any of the chapters so there's like multi-hour chapters, some like 4-6 hours long! There's also parts that repeat sentences as well. It's incredibly annoying to me that something that should be listened to by an editor or something clearly wasn't even listened over even once by anyone before publishing and then they charge more than a hardcover book for this shoddy work.
Secondly, when it comes to the performance of the narrators it was hit and miss. I think Samuel West is great, but I can't stand Timothy West.. when the later speaks I imagine a fat English bulldog with massive jowels huffing and puffing, it just sounds like he's blustering all the time lol. I just can't stand his voice! I can get past that though, it's not like he did a bad job.. I just hate his actual voice, and it massively helps that Samuel does like 90%+ of the narration
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Louise D. Maryniak
- 2024-10-10
Too much as to make it boring.
Although a huge fan of books and film, I felt I would have had to be a long researching scholor to make connection with the focus of this book. Although I tried, I had to give up.
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