The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún has now been released!

The new Tolkien book I mentioned earlier on this year (see 30 January 2009) has now been released! Tolkien’s The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún is a verse retelling of the Völsunga saga, which he originally composed in the 1920s and 1930s. The book was edited by Tolkien’s son and literary executor, Christopher Tolkien, and it is bound to become an important text to introduce students to Old Norse literature and culture. To buy this book in hardback click here To buy this book in paperback click here To read Tom Shippey’s review of The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún in The Times Literary Supplement click here To red Marjorie Burns’ review of The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún in The Wall Street Journal click here

The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún will also be released as an audio book in August, read by the Scottish multi-award winning actor Brian Cox. For “behind the scenes” video clips from the recordings, as well as more information on the book, watch the promotional video below.

In the light of this new publication the official Tolkien Estate website has been updated. It now includes:

• a prose synopsis of the story Tolkien narrates in The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún, written by Christopher Tolkien
• a brief presentation of the book and
• a few resources on the legend