Learn about The New Shadow, J.R.R. Tolkien’s unfinished sequel to The Lord of the Rings

English author J.R.R. Tolkien is best known for his high-fantasy novels The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, as well as for the creation of Middle-earth, the fictional universe where these stories take place. However, Tolkien had many works he never published finished, which have been the subject of much interest and speculation among his fans.

Some of Tolkien’s most notable unfinished works include:

• The Silmarillion: This was Tolkien’s life’s work, a collection of stories, myths and legends that told the history of Middle-earth from its creation to the end of the Third Age, concentrating on the events of the First Age. Tolkien worked on The Silmarillion throughout his life, but he was never able to complete it to his satisfaction. The Silmarillion was published posthumously by his son, Christopher Tolkien, in 1977.
• The Children of Húrin: This is a tragic story that tells the tale of Túrin Turambar, a hero of the First Age of Middle-earth. Tolkien wrote several versions of this story throughout his life, but none of them were completed. The Children of Húrin was also edited by Christopher Tolkien and published in 2007.
• The Fall of Gondolin: This is another tragic story from the First Age of Middle-earth, which tells the story of the fall of the elven city of Gondolin to the forces of the Dark Lord Morgoth. Tolkien wrote several versions of this story, but none of them were completed. The Fall of Gondolin was also edited into a complete work by Christopher Tolkien and published in 2018.
• The Notion Club Papers: This is a collection of fictional essays, written by members of an academic society called the Notion Club, who are studying the history of Middle-earth in the 1980s. The essays include discussions of topics such as time travel and parallel universes, and were intended by Tolkien to explore the relationship between fiction and reality. Tolkien never finished The Notion Club Papers, but some of the material was later used in his posthumously published novel The Lost Road and Other Writings.

And then there’s The New Shadow, an unfinished sequel to The Lord of the Rings. The story is set about 100 years after the War of the Ring and follows the adventures of Eldarion, son of Aragorn, as he becomes involved in a plot to overthrow the government of Gondor. The title of the story refers to the growing shadow of evil and corruption that threatens to engulf Gondor and Middle-earth once again.

Why did J.R.R. Tolkien not complete The New Shadow?

Tolkien began working on The New Shadow in the 1950s, shortly after the publication of The Lord of the Rings. However, he abandoned the story after only a few pages, as he felt that it was too pessimistic and did not fit with the hopeful ending of the trilogy. Tolkien’s notes and drafts of the story were later collected and published by his son, Christopher Tolkien, in The History of Middle-earth series.

According to Christopher Tolkien’s commentary on the unpublished material, The New Shadow begins with a description of the state of Gondor in the years after the War of the Ring. Eldarion, who is now the king of Gondor, is struggling to maintain order in a world that is growing increasingly restless and corrupt. The people of Gondor are becoming dissatisfied with their rulers, and a secret society called the “King’s Men” is growing in strength and influence.

The King’s Men are led by a mysterious figure called the “Master of Shadows,” who has promised to restore Gondor to its former glory by any means necessary. The Master of Shadows is revealed to be a servant of Sauron, the Dark Lord who was defeated at the end of The Lord of the Rings, but whose influence still lingers in Middle-earth. Eldarion becomes aware of the threat posed by the King’s Men and sets out to uncover their plans and stop them before they can overthrow the government of Gondor.

Tolkien’s notes for The New Shadow suggest that the story would have been a darker and more overtly political tale than The Lord of the Rings. The themes of corruption and power are central to the plot, and there are hints that Eldarion may not be able to save Gondor from the growing shadow of evil. However, Tolkien never developed the story further, so it’s unclear how the plot would have unfolded or how it would have ended.

Despite its unfinished state, The New Shadow remains a fascinating glimpse into Tolkien’s creative process and his thoughts on the world that he created. The story offers a different perspective on the post-war world of Middle-earth and raises questions about the nature of power and the struggle to maintain order in a changing world.

In addition to The New Shadow, Tolkien also had many other ideas and plans for stories and myths that he never had a chance to work on. Some of these include:

• The Lay of Leithian: This was a long poem that Tolkien wrote in the 1920s which tells the story of Beren and Lúthien, two lovers from the First Age of Middle-earth. Tolkien later incorporated elements of this story into The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings.
• The Fall of Numenor: This was a story that Tolkien planned to write which would tell the tale of the downfall of the island kingdom of Numenor, which was destroyed by the wrath of the Valar. Tolkien never had a chance to write this story, but some elements of it were included in The Silmarillion.
• The Quest of Erebor: This was a story that Tolkien planned to write which would tell the tale of the dwarves’ quest to reclaim their homeland and treasure from the dragon Smaug. Tolkien later incorporated this story into The Hobbit.
• The Lost Road: This was a story that Tolkien began but never finished which would have told the tale of a man who discovers a way to travel back in time and visit different eras of Middle-earth’s history. The Lost Road was intended to explore the concept of time and the nature of reality, but Tolkien abandoned the story because he felt that it was becoming too complex.
• The Mariner’s Wife: This was a story that Tolkien began but never finished which would have told the tale of Eärendil’s wife Elwing. Tolkien planned to explore the story of Elwing and Eärendil’s voyages on the high seas, but he never had a chance to complete it.
• The Nature of Middle-earth: This was a collection of essays and notes that Tolkien wrote throughout his life which explored various aspects of Middle-earth’s mythology and cosmology. The Nature of Middle-earth was edited and published by Christopher Tolkien in 2021, and includes previously unpublished material that sheds new light on Tolkien’s ideas and creative process.

Tolkien’s unfinished and planned works have been a source of fascination and inspiration for his fans. While some of these works remain incomplete, they offer a glimpse into Tolkien’s creative process and his deep love for the mythology and language that he created.

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h/t ScreenRant