Christopher Tolkien, son of The Lord of the Rings creator JRR, dies aged 95
THE son of The Lord Of The Rings author JRR Tolkien has died aged 95.
Respected author Christopher Tolkien continued his father's work after his death and has been hailed as a "titan" of fantasy literature following his passing.
The Tolkien Society said tonight: "Christopher Tolkien has died at the age of 95.
"The Tolkien Society sends its deepest condolences to Baillie, Simon, Adam, Rachel and the whole Tolkien family."
Tolkien was the author's third and youngest son, and was responsible for editing and publishing much of his father's work following his death in 1973.
These included The Silmarillion and Beren And Luthien, which flesh out the complex world of elves and dwarves created by his father.
He also drew many of the maps detailing the world of Middle Earth that feature in the original The Lord Of The Rings books.
Tolkien Society chairman Shaun Gunner said: "All of us in the Tolkien Society will share in the sadness at the news of Christopher Tolkien's death, and we send our condolences to Baillie, Simon, Adam, Rachel and the whole Tolkien family at this difficult time.
'WE HAVE LOST A TITAN'
"Christopher's commitment to his father's works have seen dozens of publications released, and his own work as an academic in Oxford demonstrates his ability and skill as a scholar.
"Millions of people around the world will be forever grateful to Christopher for bringing us The Silmarillion, The Children Of Hurin, The History Of Middle-earth series and many others.
"We have lost a titan and he will be sorely missed."
Tolkien scholar Dr Dimitra Fimi hailed Tolkien for enriching the public's understanding of Middle-earth.
She said: "Tolkien studies would never be what it is today without Christopher Tolkien's contribution.
From editing The Silmarillion to the mammoth task of giving us The History Of Middle-earth series, he revealed his father's grand vision of a rich and complex mythology.
"He gave us a window into Tolkien's creative process, and he provided scholarly commentary that enriched our understanding of Middle-earth. He was Middle-earth's cartographer and first scholar."
Tolkien was critical of Peter Jackson's Oscar-winning The Lord Of The Rings film trilogy.
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In a 2012 interview with the French newspaper Le Monde, he criticised the adaptations, saying: "They gutted the book, making an action film for 15 to 25-year-olds."
In the same interview, he spoke of the impact of his father's stories.
He said: "As strange as it may seem, I grew up in the world he created. For me, the cities of The Silmarillion are more real than Babylon."
Tolkien won Oxford University's Bodley Medal in 2016, for his "outstanding contributions" to communications and literature.
