The Fall of Gondolin

Ulmo, lord of the waters, sends the man Tuor to Gondolin, the hidden city of the Elf-king Turgon, with a warning: it won't last. Turgon doesn't listen. Tuor stays, marries the king's daughter, Idril, and they have a son, Eärendil. Maeglin, Turgon's nephew, wants Idril and gives Morgoth the way into the city. The assault comes with dragons and Balrogs. Ecthelion kills Gothmog, lord of the Balrogs, and dies with him. Turgon dies in his own tower. Tuor and Idril escape with the boy through a secret tunnel, and Glorfindel falls fighting a Balrog to save the group. Christopher Tolkien shows how the tale changed since 1917.

1. Behind the scenesWritten in a barracks in 1917

   Tolkien wrote the first version in 1917 in an army barracks, on the back of sheets of military marching music. It was the first of his Great Tales.

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2. Behind the scenesChristopher's last

   It was the last book published by Christopher Tolkien, who spent over 40 years editing his father's work. He died in 2020.

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3. ReferenceIllustrated by Alan Lee

   The paintings are by Alan Lee, who also illustrated The Children of Húrin and Beren and Lúthien. The three books make up the Great Tales of the First Age.

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