Where to get Children of Hurin?

[GuardianRanger]

Ok, I know I could order it from Amazon. However, I went to the Barnes and Noble by my job, and there wasn't a copy to be found. Has anyone (in the States) seen the book in a local bookstore?

I'm just curious on the publicity. Obviously, the Tolkien fans know about it; I just thought there would have been a bigger noise, sort of to keep the movie fever up.

[HLGStrider]

I just saw it last week at Klindts. I actually work at a Barnes and Noble and I swear I had seen it there recently. Did you ask about ordering it? It may be that they had simply sold the copy they had on display. I'm working in the cafe not the book floor so I don't know how many they would keep on hand of that sort of book, but it could be a limited number, plus I know that they wouldn't necessarily restock it the moment someone bought it. More like the next day.

[Barliman Butterbur]

Ok, I know I could order it from Amazon. However, I went to the Barnes and Noble by my job, and there wasn't a copy to be found. Has anyone (in the States) seen the book in a local bookstore?

I'm just curious on the publicity. Obviously, the Tolkien fans know about it; I just thought there would have been a bigger noise, sort of to keep the movie fever up.

Amazon's where I got mine. Why should I fire up the old Pontiac (with gas at these prices), battle traffic to a bookstore and back, when I can slouch around in my underwear and a 5-day beard and order it off the Internet at 3 in the morning?

As for "noise," this book ain't no Harry Potter! This book is more for the Tolkien cognoscenti. Don't expect much noise.

Barley

[GuardianRanger]

As for "noise," this book ain't no Harry Potter! This book is more for the Tolkien cognoscenti. Don't expect much noise.

Barley

I didn't expect much.

And I have no problem with saving some bucks by getting it at Amazon. However, I happened to have a B&N near me, and didn't feel like waiting for delivery. Looks like I don't have much choice now anyway.
;)

[HLGStrider]

This book was actually mentioned in this morning's staff meeting as something we were out of that customers were asking for, so I'm guessing it was just understocked and probably sold out at your place too.

[Ithrynluin]

I'm not in the US, but the store I buy and order books from is out on the book, apparently they've sold out the first batch and are waiting for the second one to arrive soon. Hopefully, I'll be quick enough the next time...

[Turgon]

I actually went to buy this book myself today. Fired up nothing and walked into town. Eighteen pounds ninety-nine? They really think I am going to pay that for such a slender volume? Talk about cashing in. I'll do without thank ye very kindly. Not as if I don't know the story.

Too funny, and the Tolkien Estate claim to hold some kind of higher ground?

*giggles*

p.s. bought a Pixies album for a tenner instead (that's ten English pounds) and I don't regret my decision.

[Ithrynluin]

Woah, 19 quid!?* You were wise to pass that up! If that's the edition my local store is going to get, I'll surely do the same.

I'm looking through Amazon, and they offer the Hardcover edition for $14.30. To make a further comparison, you can even get a boxed set of HoME volumes 1-5 (paperback) for only $21.76, so the above price is definitely a huge rip-off!

*Almost 28 Euros/38$

[Barliman Butterbur]

Woah, 19 quid!?* You were wise to pass that up! If that's the edition my local store is going to get, I'll surely do the same.

I'm looking through Amazon, and they offer the Hardcover edition for $14.30. To make a further comparison, you can even get a boxed set of HoME volumes 1-5 (paperback) for only $21.76, so the above price is definitely a huge rip-off!

*Almost 28 Euros/38$

Actually, if you've read enough of UT and HoME, you've practically read the whole thing anyway!

Barley

[Ithrynluin]

I never expected to get something wholly new and fresh, but I guess a 'remake' of an old story that is more reader-friendly, is already new and fresh to most Tolkien afficionados anyhow.

[Barliman Butterbur]

I never expected to get something wholly new and fresh, but I guess a 'remake' of an old story that is more reader-friendly, is already new and fresh to most Tolkien afficionados anyhow.

True enough: it's a good read for someone who's still pretty much a Tolkien virgin — and if you like dark and dreary. Personally, I'll take the conversation in the Prancing Pony and the Green Dragon!

Barley

[GuardianRanger]

Just an update...I finally got the book from Barnes and Noble online. And even then, it took longer then they said it would.

[HLGStrider]

I got mine this week. They brought in a stack of them last week so we had upwards of 10 copies but I am sometimes in a hurry to get home after work (especially if the husband is waiting for me there), so I don't like to linger and shop, but I finally picked it up. Yay employee discount!

Though I don't know if it just might've been our store that was out. I went into a Bookstar in La Jolla (which is basically a smaller B&N. They own each other) and they had a stack of them right up front on a display as well as back in the fantasy section. I didn't get them then because my husband didn't find the book he was after and I wanted to get them both at the same time. Plus the employee discount should work at a Bookstar, but I think you need a current pay stub to prove you are an employee there and I didn't have one on me.

[Snaga]

Mine arrived from Amazon, got sent back, arrived again and got read all in the space of about 8 days. I got the deluxe hardback version (thank you Wonks!) and it is a lovely volume. I think Turgon is right that it is overpriced for what you really are getting. So in that spirit I recommend getting the most gloriously over-priced volume you can find, and having someone else pay!;)

Actually Amazon were heavily discounting - the full price for the deluxe version was insane.

[Turgon]

Hehe, not a bad plan all in all Snaga! Actually a friend of my was in Waterstones the other day and tells me they are selling it for £12.99 which is a fair price I think. So I'll go and pick a copy up sometime in the next few days.

[HLGStrider]

It has a price of $26.00 but is marked down 20% when I've seen it in stores. For a new hardcover that seems reasonable to me, though I am sure there are much better prices online.

[Bethelarien]

Unfortunately, there was no mark-down when I went looking for it at Borders this morning. Most unfortunate. I didn't buy it yet, although eventually I will succumb and buy it, regardless of the price.

[Turgon]

Went in to Manchester and picked up my copy today. They were selling it for half-price in Waterstones, so no complaints there. Just read the introduction, looking forward to getting stuck into the rest of it tonight.