But beyond the trials of their love, Beren and Lúthien are also part of the story of the Dark Lord Morgoth, who rose before Sauron, and the powerful Silmarils, which he stole from the elves.

Skip ahead a bit if you know all this, but I want to give a primer for newcomers: Tolkien first rose to prominence with ... on the stronghold of the Dark Lord. As the series opens, the Dark ...