Up next is book number five of the History of Middle-earth series: The Lost Road. Aptly titled since a major section of the book deals with J.R.R. Tolkien's futile attempt at a time travel story called: The Lost Road. He and C.S. Lewis had decided they each would take a stab at writing a time travel bit (Tolkien) and a space story (what became C.S. Lewis' Out of the Silent Planet trilogy).
Interestingly Tolkien's idea was for a reoccurring father and son duo throughout history (think Dúrin of the Line of Dúrin) and ending with the mythological fall of Atlantis. This particular myth seemed to fascinate Tolkien. That was the story Tolkien really wanted to write (rather than a time travel story) and it always wound it's way back to his main mythology of Middle-earth.
Thus the Fall of Númenor was born out of the time travel attempt; or rather it had pre-existed in Tolkien's mind and The Lost Road allowed for it to come out. I'm looking forward to seeing what other good bits I'll find in The Lost Road.
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