Citation :HarperCollins is to publish a new book by the late Lord of the Rings author J R R Tolkien. The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún, edited and introduced by Tolkien’s son Christopher, will be published in hardback in May 2009.

The previously unpublished work was written while Tolkien was professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford University during the 1920s and '30s, before he wrote The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. The publication will make available for the first time Tolkien’s extensive retelling in English narrative verse of the epic Norse tales of Sigurd the Völsung and the Fall of the Niflungs.

David Brawn, the publishing director of HarperCollins UK, said: "It is an entirely unpublished work, dates from around the early 1930s, and will be published - all being well - in May this year. Otherwise the clue as to what the book will contain is in the title - THE LEGEND OF SIGURD AND GUDRUN. You will surmise from this that it is not a Middle-earth book, but we are confident that Tolkien fans will be fascinated by it."

Citation :[update: ] The contents of the new Tolkien book:

Many years ago, J.R.R. Tolkien composed his own version, now published for the first time, of the great legend of Northern antiquity, in two closely related poems to which he gave the titles The New Lay of the Völsungs and The New Lay of Gudrún.

The New Lay of the Völsungs
In the Lay of the Völsungs is told the ancestry of the great hero Sigurd, the slayer of Fáfnir most celebrated of dragons, whose treasure he took for his own; of his awakening of the Valkyrie Brynhild who slept surrounded by a wall of fire; 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 that court there sprang great love but also great hate, brought about by the power of the enchantress, mother of the Niflungs, skilled in the arts of magic, of shape-changing and potions of forgetfulness.In scenes of dramatic intensity, of confusion of identity, thwarted passion, jealousy and bitter strife, the tragedy of Sigurd and Brynhild, and Gudrún his sister, mounts to its end in the murder of Sigurd at the hands of his blood-brothers, the suicide of Brynhild, and the despair of Gudrún.

The New Lay of Gudrún
In the Lay of Gudrún her fate after the death of Sigurd is told, 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.

Tolkien's sources
Deriving his version primarily from his close study of the ancient poetry of Norway and Iceland known as the Poetic Edda (and from the later prose work the Völsunga Saga), Tolkien employed a verse-form whose lines embody in English the exacting alliterative rhythms and the concentrated energy of the poems of the Edda.

This ancient poetry remained a deep force in Tolkien's life's work. Here, at last, is presented the source of the wellspring that would lead to The Hobbit and The Children of Húrin. It is the first full flourishing of a rich narrative style and powerful, dramatic storytelling that was destined to become famous throughout the world.

(10.02.2009, 20:01)Druss a écrit : A noter qu'il est déjà prévu une édition signée à 250 livres visiblement :

http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/press/867-The_Legend_of_Sigurd_and_Gudrun_Limited_Signed_Edition.php

Citation :TL. May seems to be the big Tolkien month, with the release of the previously unpublished "The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun". Was this book edited by Christopher Tolkien on his own, or did he have any help from Adam Tolkien?

DB. Adam Tolkien has not been involved in the writing of this book, though he is working once again behind the scenes on other matters.

TL. Will there be made just a hardback, or do you think there will be enough interest to also release a 'special' edition or a 'deluxe edition?

DB. As for The Children of Hurin, there will be a hardback edition, a deluxe edition, a leatherbound edition, and an audiobook. Specifications and dates for each of these will be revealed shortly. There will not be a large print edition, but there may be something else instead...

TL. Will the book be illustrated and if so... Is it John Howe who will do the honors?

DB. This is not an illustrated book in the Alan Lee style, but the book has a small number of decorative illustrations by an artist called Bill Sanderson, which are historically appropriate and very striking.

(21.02.2009, 17:15)Kirinki a écrit : Pour info, la traduction sera assurée par Christian Bourgois.

Elbakin

(21.02.2009, 20:19)Thráin a écrit : En même temps, après les HoMe, ça doit pas être si terrifiant

Vincent sur JRRVF a écrit :bonjour à tous,
ce n'est pas violer le secret professionnel que de dire que ce livre (j'en ai les épreuves en main) est une merveille. mais comment traduire un tel texte en français ?!

v

Va falloir faire notre rituel de sacrifice de poulet pour donner du courage aux traducteurs

Christopher Tolkien a écrit :"Many years ago, J.R.R. Tolkien composed his own version, now published for the first time, of the great legend of Northern antiquity, in two closely related poems to which he gave the titles The New Lay of the Völsungs and The New Lay of Gudrún.
In the Lay of the Völsungs is told the ancestry of the great hero Sigurd, the slayer of Fáfnir most celebrated of dragons, whose treasure he took for his own; 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 that court there sprang great love but also great hate, brought about by the power of the enchantress, mother of the Niflungs, skilled in the arts of magic, of shape-changing and potions of forgetfulness.
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 at the hands of his blood-brothers, the suicide of Brynhild, and the despair of Gudrún. In the Lay of Gudrún her fate after the death of Sigurd is told, her marriage against her will to the mighty Atli, ruler of the Huns (the Attila of history), his murder of her brothers the Niflung lords, and her hideous revenge.
Deriving his version primarily from his close study of the ancient poetry of Norway and Iceland known as the Poetic Edda (and where no old poetry exists, from the later prose work the Völsunga Saga), J.R.R. Tolkien employed a verse-form of short stanzas whose lines embody in English the exacting alliterative rhythms and the concentrated energy of the poems of the Edda."

Elbakin a écrit :Sigurd et Gudrún à la page !

A la page facebook bien sûr…

Alors que la version en langue anglaise de ce nouvel ouvrage signé J.R.R. Tolkien arrivera en librairies dès le mois prochain, la promotion autour du titre monte peu à peu en pression, avec maintenant l’ouverture d’une page Facebook dédiée. Pour l’instant un peu vide, c’est même le moins que l’on puisse dire, on espère qu’elle se remplira peu à peu pour posséder une autre utilité que sa seule existence sur la toile et plus particulièrement sur ce réseau social.
En attendant, autant joindre l’utile à l’agréable en vous rappelant l’existence de cette page-ci également… La version française de l’ouvrage n’est quant à elle pas encore datée.