The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun - Brossura

Tolkien, J. R. R.

Brossura

ISBN 10: 0547394578 ISBN 13: 9780547394572

Casa editrice: Mariner Books, 2010

Riassunto

Many years ago, J.R.R. Tolkien composed his own version of the great legend of Northern antiquity, recounted here in The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún. In the Lay of the Völsungs is told the ancestry of the great hero Sigurd, the slayer of Fáfnir, most celebrated of dragons; of his awakening of the Valkyrie Brynhild, who slept surrounded by a wall of fire, and of their betrothal; and of his coming to the court of the great princes who were named the Niflungs (or Nibelungs), with whom he entered into blood-brotherhood.  In scenes of dramatic intensity, of confusion of identity, thwarted passion, jealousy, and bitter strife, the tragedy of Sigurd and Brynhild, of Gunnar the Niflung and Gudrún his sister, mounts to its end in the murder of Sigurd, the suicide of Brynhild, and the despair of Gudrún.  The Lay of Gudrún recounts her fate after the death of Sigurd, her marriage against her will to the mighty Atli, ruler of the Huns (the Attila of history), his murder of her brothers, and her hideous revenge.

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Recensione:

 "Perhaps more than any other single work of Tolkien's, this one provides a direct experience of the fierce intellect and imagination that produced ‘the author of the century,’ as British scholar T.A. Shippey called him." -- Washington Post

"Fans of Tolkien will get a special insight into the myths that inspired the creation of Middle-earth." -- National Review

"[Readers] will be treated to one of the great myths of the world, written in beautiful language, and will be given a glimpse through a crack in the door at the seed of what would flourish into Tolkien's greatest achievement." -- Bookreporter.com

Praise for The Children of Hurin

"A tasty tapas to get new readers ready for the heavy-duty feasting provided by far more elaborate and lengthy books such as The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy." -- USA Today

"A bleak, darkly beautiful tale played out against the background of the First Age of Tolkien's Middle Earth . . . grand, epic storytelling and a reminder, if one was needed, of Tolkien's genius in creating an imaginary world that both reflects and deepens a sense of our own mythic past." -- Washington Post Book World

"There's plenty of lore for scholars, and plenty of dwarves and balrogs and mighty smiting for the casual fan. Just one warning: it's a dark tale with a flawed hero, full of ruinous accidents and bitter betrayals. You'll have to wait till the Third Age for a happy ending." -- Time

"THE CHILDREN OF HÚRIN is the book for which [Tolkien] readers have been longing . . . A coherent, vivid and readable narrative." -- Associated Press (picked up by CNN.com, ABC News.com, Yahoo News, and other outlets)

"Tolkien fans are sure to treasure this tale. . . Deftly balancing thrilling battles with moments of introspection, Tolkien's vivid and gripping narrative reaffirms his primacy in fantasy literature." -- PublishersWeekly.com, *starred review*

"Tolkien's legions of fans shouldn't be disappointed: it's gooood! . . . The old master delivers new depth to Middle-earth lore, which, by its sheer weight, arguably is modern literature's greatest mythology. . . The book is a beauty. . . A dark and brooding yet glorious addition to the Tolkien canon. Welcome back, old friend (and bravo Christopher for bringing it to fruition!). Highly recommended." -- Library Journal, *starred review*

"Tolkien's legacy is deepened in this posthumously published tale . . . THE CHILDREN OF HÚRIN is a gem -- one of Middle-earth's 'Great Tales,' as Tolkien called them, fully realized at last." -- Minneapolis Star-Tribune

"A full-fledged adventure yarn, complete with narrative urgency, fear of the unknown and recognizably human characters. . . THE CHILDREN OF HÚRIN does not require 'Silmarillion'-grade geekery. Any midlevel Tolkien fans with an appetite for the stranger, darker corners of his realm will rapidly be caught up in the fiery saga." -- Salon.com

"Strong echoes of the Finnish epic Kalevala, the tales of Robin Hood, Homeric epic and the matter of Wagnerian opera charge the text with complexity as well as vigor. A fine addition to a deservedly well-loved body of work." -- Kirkus Reviews

L'autore:

J.R.R. TOLKIEN (1892–1973) was the creator of Middle-earth and author of such classic and extraordinary works of fiction as The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, and The Children of Húrin. His books have been translated into more than forty languages and have sold many millions of copies worldwide.  

Su questa edizione

• Editore: Mariner Books
• Data di pubblicazione: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0547394578
• ISBN 13: 9780547394572
• Rilegatura: Copertina flessibile
• Numero di pagine: 377
• Redattore: Tolkien Christopher