After starting the book in December, I’ve finally managed to read it all. Took me long enough, but I had other thing on my mind and I’ve satisfied my curiosity about Rohan and the Druedain first. Perhaps a mistake?
I liked the expanded explanation about Numenor and the short tales about its people, but there was also much of the material already included in the Silmarillion. Of course, learning new facts and to see how these tales evolved into well-loved books is great, but I like the completed versions of the tales better than their fragments contained here.
All in all it is a book for Tolkien enthusiasts and you won’t be disappointed – the sections about Rohan and Numenor are a delight, and learning more about the wizards and the palantiri is worth the time. Expect, however, to read again about the Children of Hurin. I’m getting the feeling buying the separate book of this tale was almost a mistake since I’ve read about it now in both the Silmarillion and the Unfinished Tales. It’s like a bad penny – always coming up.
swytla 