The Fall of Gondolin

By: Christopher Tolkien, J. R. R. Tolkien

Narrated by: Timothy West, Samuel West

Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

Presented for the first time as a stand-alone work, the epic tale of The Fall of Gondolin reunites fans of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings with Elves and Men, Balrogs, Dragons and Orcs and the rich landscape and creatures unique to Tolkien’s Middle-earth.

This audio production features Samuel West, voicing J. R. R. Tolkien’s original writings, and Timothy West, reading the editorial commentary by Christopher Tolkien.

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. Then Morgoth learns through an act of supreme treachery all that he needs to mount a devastating attack on the city, with Balrogs and dragons and numberless Orcs.

©2018 J. R. R. Tolkien (P)2019 HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Critic reviews

"Never did [Tolkien] write a more sustained account of battle. With dragons and fiery balrogs galore, the attack on Gondolin makes Peter Jackson’s souped-up cinema battles look like tabletop games." (The Times)

"It’s a load-bearing pillar in the grander narrative that eventually came to encompass better-known works. Tolkien explicitly expressed his wish later in life that the three Great Tales of Middle-earth’s early days — The Children of Húrin, Beren and Lúthien, and The Fall of Gondolin — along with The Lord of the Rings and other writings, should be considered as 'one long Saga of the Jewels and the Rings'." (Entertainment Weekly)

"The text is rife with references to characters and creatures that come to play a role in The Lord of the Rings...one passage in particular seems to set up one of the most famous scenes from the LOTR trilogy." (Time)

Another facet in jewels created by JRR Tolkien

Like all of Tolkien's tales, you are drawn into the details as a secret unfolding, as history heretofore whispered but long remembered, time before time.

Excellent

One of my favorite books. The narrators are outstanding, they make the book feel magical in a way

Good but short

Main story was really good. After that is changes that J. R R tolkien made which takes away from the main story. I do wish the main story was longer. But again another solid book.

Unexpected surprises in the story

I was not expecting to have excerpts about what J.R.R. Tolkien was thinking and doing. I'm so forever thankful that Christopher Tolkien took on the monumental tasks of finishing his father's works. Amazing how much Christopher spent so much of his life completing his father's legendarium. I'm so glad Christopher produced this book instead of shelving it.

good finsish to the 1st age.

I enjoyed the story for certain, the thing is you can tell they were tired and got all the info possible to finish this.

Dear Eru, why couldn't it have been finished?

Such a beautiful story told with beautiful prose, read wonderfully by the Wests; it's my favorite of all of Tolkien's tales. I just wish Tolkien would have been able to know how much modern readers like myself appreciate his work and he would have seen fit to finish the final version of Tuor and the Fall of Gondolin. It would have been epic and tremendously beautiful, but now it only exists in the imagination of those of us who know and love the tales of the Elder Days.

I love JRR Tolkien

His books are so well written and epic. I love listening to them. With the language he wrote, for me, I feel like it's easier to listen than read, but I have read the Hobbit several times and also the LOTRs, all awesome books. The Hobbit is my all time favorite fictional book! I have no idea how many times I have read it.

One of the most tragic tales you'll here.

Epic, beautiful and yet tragic. The Fall of Gondolin will leave you sad, yet you'll also be awestruck by the amazing storytelling and writing from one of the greatest writers of all time.

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inside the mind of J R R Tolkien

This story has numerous versions, which make difficult to follow, without considerable effort. Tolkien has a style that draws you in, and makes uou want more of the story.