Christopher Tolkien, the son of The Lord Of The Rings author JRR Tolkien, has died aged 95.
The Tolkien Society, which promotes the life and works of the revered fantasy writer, confirmed the news in a statement on Twitter.
It said: “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.”
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. pic.twitter.com/X83PTx4b7x
— Tolkien Society (@TolkienSociety) January 16, 2020
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 was critical of Peter Jackson’s Oscar-winning The Lord Of The Rings film trilogy.
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.”