A number-one New York Times bestseller when it was originally published, THE SILMARILLION is the core of J.R.R. Tolkien’s imaginative writing, a work whose origins stretch back to a time long before THE HOBBIT. Tolkien considered THE SILMARILLION his most important work, and, though it was published last and posthumously, this great collection of tales and legends clearly sets the stage for all … all his other writing. The story of the creation of the world and of the the First Age, this is the ancient drama to which the characters in THE LORD OF THE RINGS look back and in whose events some of them, such as Elrond and Galadriel, took part. The three Silmarils were jewels created by Feanor, most gifted of the Elves. Within them was imprisoned the Light of the Two Trees of Valinor before the Trees themselves were destroyed by Morgoth, the first Dark Lord. Thereafter, the unsullied Light of Valinor lived on only in the Silmarils, but they were seized by Morgoth and set in his crown, which was guarded in the impenetrable fortress of Angband in the north of Middle-earth. THE SILMARILLION is the history of the rebellion of Feanor and his kindred against the gods, their exile from Valinor and return to Middle-earth, and their war, hopeless despite all their heroism, against the great Enemy. This second edition features a letter written by J.R.R. Tolkien describing his intentions for the book, which serves as a brilliant exposition of his conception of the earlier Ages of Middle-earth.
more
Hmm. How to describe reading this book? Well, for one thing I’ll tell you this- if you haven’t read any other of Tolkien’s works (preferably more than just the Hobbit), I would recommend visiting at least the Lord of the Rings before immersing yourself in the Silmarillion. I started this only after finishing my LOTR reread and damn, but this stuff …
Seminal foundation for the Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit. JRR Tolkien has used his linguistic skills to build a creation mythos the underpinning of Middle Earth and the Elven lands, plus fleshing out the legends alluded to in his works. An absolute must for the Tolkien admirer.
“I would that I might with minstrels sing, and stir the unseen with a throbbing string. I would be with the mariners of the deep, that cut their slender planks on mountains steep, and voyage upon a vague and wandering quest, for some have passed beyond the fabled West.” – Excerpt from a poem by J.R.R. Tolkien called ‘Mythopoeia’
With the poem …
If you haven’t read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, definitely do not try reading The Silmarillion. Parts of it read like a Middle Earth history textbook but other parts are really exciting and interesting. It’s definitely hard to get through if you don’t already love the world of Middle Earth for sure.
LOTR overall is to laiden with worldbuilding for my tastes, but in this deep dive into the world’s mythology Tolkein really shines. The language is gorgoues and the tales are strange and captivating, in that distinct way only mythology can capture.
This is not a traditional high fantasy book like The Lord of the Rings series, or even the Hobbit. It has no reluctant hero plucked from his/her everyday humdrum life going on a grand adventure. This book is simply the history of the Elves and Middle-Earth. The dialogue is sparse. There are no grand descriptions of the town and cities. It’s just …
This is my #1 most favorite novel, believe it or not!
hard to start but finishes strong
A multi-read for sure! I first read it over 40 years ago and have re-read it several times since. Written like a mythology textbook, it is almost impossible to remember all the names and places and their relationship to each other. An awesome piece of literature that should become a permanent part of your personal library, if you’re a true …
There is a reason why Tolkien’s work makes it to the classic list. The Simarillion was a darker story than I remembered, but considering the world he lived in, and the world we all live in, it makes sense that he wrote some tragic endings. Not all stories end well. I am especially fascinated by his connection to the larger scope of humanity within …
Perhaps my favorite Tolkien book. I have re-read this book many times over the years. It is dense and packed with lots of lore. It may not be for the casual reader as it can seem like a history book then a novel. It is much darker then the Lord of the Rings as evil triumphs often. Wonderful allegory of the creation of the world .
kind of boring and too complicated
Boring. Like a history book of an imaginary place.
Excellent book for Tolkien fans. The beginning of middle earth! Can be a little dry at times but if you love fantasy worlds….Tolkien is the grandfather of it.
Though it’s never directly stated, these are the collected histories of Bilbo Baggins, and what a history! Starting with the greatest creation story I’ve read, and then onto tales more epic in size and scale than anything in The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings. Sauron for all his might was just the lieutenant of the real power, Melkor. Read as …
not what I expected, difficult to read. drawn out and unnecessarily complicated. I have a doctorate and read daily. This one was not for me
A classic. Be sure to read the Hobbit & the LoR Trilogy first
Brilliant
Tolkien is one of my all time favorites. To have at hand his foundation for all the cultures in Middle Earth is fascinating. His inventive mind was truly original. IF you truly love the Middle Earth books, then this should be required reading. It is like delving into the Norse, Greek or Roman mythology that still fascinates us. But this is a …
This is the beginning of Middle Earth. Beren and Luthien is the ultimate love story. The children of Hurin go through the biggest tragedy ever written. Read tales about where Galadrial and Elrond come from. Who made the dwarfs? What are wizards? What is the story behind Sauron and the ring? All the answers are in this book.