Repeating Stories

[Sarah]

I'm currently reading the Book of Lost tales 2 and I noticed that the stories are similar repeats from BOLT 1, UT, and SIL. So could someone who has read more of the books than I have please tell me which stories are repeated in which books? Thanks.

[Inderjit S]

The BoLT serves as a basis for the stories in the Quenta Silmarillion. The Fall of Gondolin, tale of Beren and Luthien, Narn i Hin Hurin and Earendil, as well as the Music of the Ainur etc all originate from the Lost Tales mythology and are developed as Tolkien began to write the Quenta Silmarillion.

The Lost Tales serve as the start of Tolkien's mythology, which later come to fruition over the years and led to the Quenta Silmarillion, a work which he never completed for several reasons.

[Eledhwen]

BoLT2 is worth reading for the full account of the Fall of Gondolin on its own.

[Sarah]

What about the other HOME books? Are there stories repeated there too?

[Eledhwen]

The HoME books provide a guide to the history of the writing of the stories. where JRRT has made significant alterations, or has re-written a story (for instance, without a kingdom of cats) then you will find it repeated. The writing of Lord of the Rings went through many metamorphoses - not least to the character who became Strider/Aragorn. The creative process is laid bare as you read through the HoME series. But if you are looking for a new Tolkien tale, then it is essentially a gleaning process. If that sounds too much like hard work, then you will have to be content with the published stories. There are other tales and poetry by Tolkien around, but they do not tie in much with Middle Earth.

[Inderjit S]

The last three HoME books contain a lot of 'new' info. 10, 11 and 12 contain several essays (esp.12) which give us new information. They also give us the basis for C.T's 'Published Silmarillion'.