he's created a monster

Maybe it was Peter Jackson's incredible shots of New Zealand. Maybe it was my husband's pure and abiding love of all things Middle Earth. Maybe it was the hobbity goodness that is Dom Monaghan and Billy Boyd, and, yes, even Elijah Wood and Sean Astin.

But I actually held my breath when I read this:

Fans of J. R. R. Tolkien, the author of "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings," have a new epic to look forward to. Houghton Mifflin announced yesterday that it had acquired the American rights to publish "The Children of Hurin." Begun in 1918, it was a tale that Tolkien, (1892- 1973), worked on throughout his life and will take his readers once more among elves and men and dragons and dwarfs. Houghton Mifflin said in an announcement that although it had long been assumed that "The Children of Hurin" would remain unfinished, it had been reconstructed and edited by Tolkien's son Christopher, working from Tolkien's many drafts. Publication is scheduled for spring.

Aw shit. Just when I thought I'd finally finished my dalliance with Tolkien fantasy.

Damn you, Christopher Tolkien, for giving me more to read. Damn you to hell.