Compared to his more famous books, J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Children of Hurin” is not as fun to read and is one of a series of books published decades after the author’s death.

Tolkien died in 1973 but this book was edited, packaged and released by his son, Christopher Tolkien, in 2007. Much attention greeted this volume. For who expected a new Middle-Earth tale from the author of “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” since he had passed away 34 years earlier? 

“The Children of Hurin” follows the woeful tale of a warrior who must face the darkness sweeping his ancient lands as well as the darkness creeping through his soul. 

This tale occurs many centuries prior to the action of “The Lord of the Rings.” Still, the story involves mankind’s place in a world peopled by elves, dwarves, orcs and dragons.

Like “The Lord of the Rings,” “The Children of Hurin” is a tale of good vs. evil, though good triumphs, it comes at a much darker price than in the “Rings” trilogy. 

“The Children of Hurin” is indeed a dark tale, steeped in tragedy and traditions as ancient as the Greeks and Oedipus as well as the old lore of Beowulf. 

Yet, J.R.R. Tolkien, with help from his son’s editing, creates a tragedy of his own fantastic imaginings, pinned together from the legends of his own Middle-Earth. 

The book contains beautiful drawings and painting by illustrator Alan Lee and the appendices, maps and character genealogies Tolkien fans have come to expect. 

Like an ancient text, “The Children of Hurin” is not a page-turner. Its form will likely prove unmanageable for readers who wish no challenges in their narratives. But the attentive will find an epic on a smaller scale than “Rings,” but still with a solid impact.

But not as much fun to reread as “The Hobbit” or “Rings.”