The Silmarillion, Volume 2 by J.R.R. TolkienMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
It is great to have excellent narrator Martin Shaw do the reading for me and let him worry about the pronunciations here. Subtitled, "Of Beren and Lúthien and the Ruin of Beleriand", this middle volume of this abridged audiobook there is a story in the classic mold of a knight in quest for love. Since Thingol refused to give Lúthien's hand in marriage to Beren, a mere mortal, he had to bring back a Silmaril from the Iron Crown of Morgoth in order to win her hand.
Using Lúthien's powers to place Morgoth's court into a deep sleep (kinda like the light of Eärendil for Frodo), they were able to enter Angband where Beren was able to cut a Silmaril from Morgoth's iron crown. However, as they escaped from Angband, the great wolf Carcharoth, whom Morgoth had personally bred, awoke. Beren held out the Silmaril, hoping that its radiance would avert the beast, but he was mistaken ((kinda like The Phial of Galadriel did not completely trounce Shelob for Frodo). Carcharoth bit off his hand, swallowing it along with the Silmaril, and proceeded to run rampant through Doriath. Lúthien and the unconscious Beren were rescued by the Eagles of Manwë. Beren participated in the hunting of Carcharoth, where the beast was slain and the Silmaril recovered; the quest was accomplished, but in the process Beren was mortally wounded.
With this tragedy, there are some intriguing asides about werewolves and vampires. Partly I was disappointed that Tolkien would incorporate such timeworn legends, but intrigued on what he would have done with them, had he given us more details and them a greater role.
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