The Age of the Ring (Lord of the Rings) Forum
Tolkien only Section => Books - Advanced Reading => Topic started by: witch - king on June 19, 2004, 03:13:23 PM
-
who has read it?
what did you think of it?
-
I dont think its as good as LOTR and The Hobbit.. Tolkien hasnt written about one group of characters, their lives, so it isn't as personal....
Its informative, but not really as personal as i would have liked (im reading it right now)
-
I dont think its as good as LOTR and The Hobbit.. Tolkien hasnt written about one group of characters, their lives, so it isn't as personal....
Its informative, but not really as personal as i would have liked (im reading it right now)
Yeh i think the one thing silmarilion misses that hobbit and lotr have is the adventure side of it, you feel the same pain and suffering that the caracters feel and i felt i didnt relate or understand the caracters from the sil that well,
although i found that it is a good book in the sence that you find out alot about the back ground of middle earth and how it all started,
My personal opinion of it is that it is more like an encyclopedia of middle earth rather than a story
-
i read it, and love it, but i thinkn you need the Unfinished Tales to really understand the Silmarillion
-
i read it, and love it, but i thinkn you need the Unfinished Tales to really understand the Silmarillion
I have not read Unfinished Tales, and I actually got it! :) This is one that I highly recommend to Tolkien Fans! ;D
-
i read it, and love it, but i thinkn you need the Unfinished Tales to really understand the Silmarillion
Ive read the Unfinished Tales and I understand the Silmarillion, I just think it lacks the personification of Lord of The Rings. While it is a good book, there is no set main character. The Valar are the main characters at the beginning, then it skips to Maedros, etc, Then it skips to Luthien and Beren...
It isn't all one story, more like little snippets of a story from everyones view.. It chops and changes a little too much. It doesn't flow quite as well as LOTR or the Hobbit but I would still say it is worth reading. It explains a lot about Sauron and of course, about Morgoth and the Silmarils. The Noldor too... I like reading about the Noldor, theyre proud and even though they are easily corrupted, they still (on the most part) try to stick together.
-
I have not read Unfinished Tales yet but really enjoyed the Sil. ;D
I love its epic scale and the way you get swept along in world changing events.
LOTR while still epic is much more specfic to one time period and set of characters. Very hard to compare the two with so contrasting styles.
I like them both for different reasons ;D
-
I've only read a tiny bit of it, and it took me so much to get into it. I was so confused just by reading the first couple of words, but I'm sure it gets better as time goes by.
Shame, because I would like to read it right now, but my copy is being lent out and I won't get it back until he has read the Hobbit and all three LOTR books *sigh* :(
-
It isn't all one story, more like little snippets of a story from everyones view.. It chops and changes a little too much. It doesn't flow quite as well as LOTR or the Hobbit but I would still say it is worth reading.
To be fair, it is acutally divided into five books so its change is justified. I found Quenta Silmarillion flowed quite nicely and that these stories were still amazing and quite moving, but of course they just arent the same as lotr. I think though, for me the silmarillion kinda build a noble history around lotr which only made it seem more real.
-
I loved it! It is definitely my favourite Tolkien book. It hasn't got the novel-feel that LotR and The Hobbit have of course but it is so interesting and gives so much in-depth history into the making of ME and the Elves. It really helps you understand lots of the stuff in LotR I think. It does take a bit of 'getting into' but once you are past the Music of the Ainur bit it gets really good! If you have just read LotR you would think the Elves a bit wimpy and soft but reading The Sil shows just how 'human' for want of a better word(!) they were before!
I just think it is absolutely amazing how one man could create years and years of History for a whole world all on his own!
-
The Silmarillion for me was a real epic. I have read it, once. I read it last year, but I will be reading it again.
There is so many beautiful stories in this book. The story of the shaping of Arda was really beautiful, while the tragic romance between Beren and Luthien was really sad.
The story of the trees of Valinor, and how Ungoliant came to plunge them into utter darkness was truly fascinating.
All of the stories in here make really interesting reading.
I really do recommend it to everyone. :)
-
I just brought it the other day, I hope it lives up to LOTR and The Hobbit for me, I read the intro bit though, very confused already!
-
I enjoyed it alot more the seocnd time through, because the first time through was like hacking a path through the jungle, me trying to keep up with all the names and places and such.
Yep..it's an epic tale of Middle Earth if anything, and like all epics, the language is lofty and archaic at times.
-
However, it is this language I find that really portrays the ancient feeling that is necessary to surround some of the histories in the Silmarillion. Bear in mind that it was intended (as far as I am aware) as a collection of histories and tales surrounding many different characters and places in middle Earth-in order to give the reader a much broader view of Middle Earth as a world and not as a "story" about a small set of people.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Silmarillion, especially the second time around. Although all the names, places and language in general can be confusing I think it is a wonderful book, accounting richly so many different tales in one. It gives you the chance to get to know so many more aspects of Middle Earth that you would not necessarily have seen otherwise.
The tale of Lúthien and Beren is a firm favourite of mine as it deals with many issues-love obviously being the main one. I also find The Music Of The Ainur an extremely interesting concept and the imagery that is used to shape that particular tale is beautiful.
As has been said....The Silmarillion truly is an epic and I look forward to seeing the new extended edition.
-
However, it is this language I find that really portrays the ancient feeling that is necessary to surround some of the histories in the Silmarillion. Bear in mind that it was intended (as far as I am aware) as a collection of histories and tales surrounding many different characters and places in middle Earth-in order to give the reader a much broader view of Middle Earth as a world and not as a "story" about a small set of people.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Silmarillion, especially the second time around. Although all the names, places and language in general can be confusing I think it is a wonderful book, accounting richly so many different tales in one. It gives you the chance to get to know so many more aspects of Middle Earth that you would not necessarily have seen otherwise.
The tale of Lúthien and Beren is a firm favourite of mine as it deals with many issues-love obviously being the main one. I also find The Music Of The Ainur an extremely interesting concept and the imagery that is used to shape that particular tale is beautiful.
As has been said....The Silmarillion truly is an epic and I look forward to seeing the new extended edition.
I agree, the religious aspect of the Silmarillion is rarely touched upon by Tolkien in his other works. The only references are obscure druid like worshippings of the wood Elves; but with the story of Illuvator it really for me creates a complete believable world which contains it's on theology as the backdrop to the entire story and future to come.
-
I don't think that it is meant to be a story...more like a history lesson I think...so it at times is rather disjointed...but well worth a read at least once or twice....after that you should be a little more familiar with it...I use it as a reference book at times...I also try to use the Unfinished Tales also....although I don't have all the books I hope to add to my collection next year...
-
I haven't read it, but I know the basics behind it and it sounds amazing. I am going to read it when I am intelligent enough.
-
I don't think that it is meant to be a story...more like a history lesson I think...so it at times is rather disjointed...but well worth a read at least once or twice....after that you should be a little more familiar with it...I use it as a reference book at times...I also try to use the Unfinished Tales also....although I don't have all the books I hope to add to my collection next year...
I find Christopher Tolkiens work very informative. def. worth the read :)
-
I was wandering if anybody could tell me what happens to Elwe Singollo? His story is told in the 'Of Thingol and Melian' Chapter.
I can't figure out whether after the spell he stays with Melian, who he is in love with, or if she leaves him? I would really appreciate any explanation or opinions at all, CiderX
-
"Melian departed in grief from Middle Earth forever to the Undying Lands after Thingol was slain by some of the treacherous Dwarves."
Hope that helps
-
I was wandering if anybody could tell me what happens to Elwe Singollo? His story is told in the 'Of Thingol and Melian' Chapter.
I can't figure out whether after the spell he stays with Melian, who he is in love with, or if she leaves him? I would really appreciate any explanation or opinions at all, CiderX
They do stay together and build the Kingdom of Doriath. He becomes a very powerful King and they have a daughter together, Luthien. Later, as Martial_monk pointed out, after Thingol is killed, she goes back to Valinor.
-
I just finished it... I like the chapter "Of Turin Turambar"
His sister... Nienor (think thats the name) "Mourning" losing her memory, him finding her and naming her Niniel, then marrying her...
Incest! lol
And the bit at the end, Akallabęth, is brilliant!
-
I just finished it... I like the chapter "Of Turin Turambar"
His sister... Nienor (think thats the name) "Mourning" losing her memory, him finding her and naming her Niniel, then marrying her...
Incest! lol
And the bit at the end, Akallabęth, is brilliant!
Tolkien sure liked to keep it in the family... Arwen and Aragorn being cousins and all. ???
-
Yeah... and theres another bit in Akallabęth where a guy from the non-faithful side marries the queen from the faithful side just so he can rule, and she is his first cousin...
-
so is Thingol the same person as Elwe Singollo?
this book is so good but i have to read evey paragraph around 3 times before it sinks in!
thankyou very much monk and Idril for helping me :)
-
so is Thingol the same person as Elwe Singollo?
this book is so good but i have to read evey paragraph around 3 times before it sinks in!
thankyou very much monk and Idril for helping me :)
Yes he is. His other name was Elu Thingol.
-
Its confusing when they change the names "And he was henceforth known as... The Black Sword"
Nienor, Niniel
And the rest..
-
I just finished it... I like the chapter "Of Turin Turambar"
His sister... Nienor (think thats the name) "Mourning" losing her memory, him finding her and naming her Niniel, then marrying her...
Incest! lol
And the bit at the end, Akallabęth, is brilliant!
Tolkien sure liked to keep it in the family... Arwen and Aragorn being cousins and all. ???
incest.......the game the WHOLE family can play... ;)...
i really liked the story of turin, its .....acutally really funny. I was cracking up with the whole saeros running through the forest naked.....
(that was his name right? i havent read it for a while...)
-
I just finished it... I like the chapter "Of Turin Turambar"
His sister... Nienor (think thats the name) "Mourning" losing her memory, him finding her and naming her Niniel, then marrying her...
Incest! lol
And the bit at the end, Akallabęth, is brilliant!
Tolkien sure liked to keep it in the family... Arwen and Aragorn being cousins and all. ???
incest.......the game the WHOLE family can play... ;)...
i really liked the story of turin, its .....acutally really funny. I was cracking up with the whole saeros running through the forest naked.....
(that was his name right? i havent read it for a while...)
Whats quite funny about tolkien is that Turin was given seven other names. Turambar
Adanedhel (Elf-man),Neithian Meaning (The Wronged),Gorthl (dread helm) Argwrwaen (Blood-stained), Mormegil(black sword), DagnireGlaurunga (Bane of glaurung) and finally wildman of the woods.
:)
-
I started reading it. And thought it was amazing :P Haven't finished it yet :P
-
Although I have read it, and really enjoyed it, there is only one thing that got me. Trying to remember all the names of the characters. There are so many! ::)
-
Yeah, i was constantly flipping to the family tree........they ALL SOUND THE SAME.....its like.....someone who starts with F had seven more children all with the same name with different vowels...*head explodes*
I'm all fluent with it now though. ;D
-
it was so sad though { sil }, especially the fall of the noldor and its kings. 8)
-
Although I have read it, and really enjoyed it, there is only one thing that got me. Trying to remember all the names of the characters. There are so many! ::)
Well, I remember Beren, Luthien... I remember some, but like you said, there are so many! That's because it's a big book, The Silmarillion... ;)
-
Whilst reading the Sil, it became my favourite Tolkien book. I dont know why i love it so much. I just think it's magical. It makes me think about how much of a genious Tolkien was, to have thought all this up. It's crazy! I love the parts about Turin, and Beren & Luthien.
-
Whilst reading the Sil, it became my favourite Tolkien book. I dont know why i love it so much. I just think it's magical. It makes me think about how much of a genious Tolkien was, to have thought all this up. It's crazy! I love the parts about Turin, and Beren & Luthien.
i totally agree the beren and luthien bits are my fave but turin is kreeping up, especially after you read all the extra stuff in unfinished tales
-
I didn't have that much of a problem remembering who all of the people are because of the glossary at the back....it jogs your memory, and that's all you need really. I think that one of the worst things that you can do though, is not bother checking who someone or something is in the glossary, because you would just get so confused!
I don't think that the silmarillion is my favourite book. I prefer Unfinished Tales I think, because it puts it in a more story-like fashion, that you can relate to more. However, i wouldn't have liked to try and read unfinished tales before the silmarillion, because you would have no idea who anyone was and how it all fitted into the larger picture.
-
i have read it, and i found it slow at first...but then it got better...i also love Melkor! ;D (my kinda guy) ;)
-
i've just read the silmarillion. After watching Lord of the Rings FOTR I see where parts of the silmarillion was incorporated into the story
-
I first read the Silmarillion a couple of years ago, i really enjoyed it. Before i read it, i used to just skip to the back of my dad's copy of the book and read 'Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age', that was my favourite chapter :P
-
it is one of my favorites...
but before I had read it the first time...
I had tried several times and just couldn't get into it...
but then one day I just sat down and read it....
from that moment on...I have loved it and use it as a reference book along with the Unfinished Tales and the Lays of Beleriand...
-
well i read it and really liked it. there were some chapters that were better than others, for example i enojoyed a lot turin an d luthien´s ones
namarie miquelli
-
I loved it-it was like reading the old histories in the White tower of Gondor! It was indeed lofty and archaic in it's wording-but I think thats what made it fun for me. ;D
-
If you get into its style I think its the second most beautiful utterance ever made by a human (the first most beautiful being The Stolen Child by W.B. Yeats)... Why are sad things so beautiful?
And I love the Fall of Fingolfin.
Use the Modify button, don't double post! - Jezz
-
I reading it at the moment (it lies next to mo now :P )
I really love it! Everything is so nice written! I love the part of the fight between Fingolfin and Morgoth! He was so brave!
Valinor is described so nice! The beauty of it makes me want to live there :)
I just finished Turin Turumbar. That is one of my favorite chapters in the book, besides Beren and Luthien and everything of Feanor.
But in The Sil, nothing much is said about Celeborn, the husband of Galadriel. Are there any other books where you can read more of him?
-
I first read the Silmarillion a couple of years ago, i really enjoyed it. Before i read it, i used to just skip to the back of my dad's copy of the book and read 'Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age', that was my favourite chapter :P
I have to say that that wasn't really one of my favourite chapters....i know there were a few new bits, but most of it i knew already from the hobbit and lord of the rings.
I think that my favourite bits were probably when it was just the elves and valar (and maiar etc) but no men.....i always found it hard to keep track of the men - on one page a man'd be alive and well, and on the next, he'd be dead, and his great-grandson'd be grown! Althought the fragility of the life of men did make for some good stories, like luthien and beren.
-
Uh...I'm reading the Sil for the first time...I can already say it's good 'cause I've been on a Tolkien forums sooo long I already know what happenes... :P :D
-
Since this is just a big thread on the silmarillion, I'll just ask this here- there are several names of the characters I can't pronounce. Here are they are:
Eä
manwë
glaurung
Tinúviel
Can any of you help me? Thanks
-
manwë - Man-wee
Tinúviel - tin- oo - vee- elle
Lessa
-
~ This book is absolutely fantastic! I picked it up straight after reading Lord of the Rings and delved in head first. I could best describe this book as the Bible of Middle Earth because it explains everything from the very first moments of the world. The first chapter is probably the easiest but soon after things get very complicated! But if you stick with it you will be rewarded with an incredible history of amazing stories and powerful characters. You don't need to have read LOTR or the Hobbit to read this book, it is stand alone.
This book was compiled by Tolkiens Son after he had passed away and so does not read as a story. It is a collection of tales and facts from the history of Middle Earth put in chronalogical order. But it doesn't suffer for this, it serves even better at sucking you in to this magnificant world!!
This is a truly beautiful book indeed. I've read Lord of the Rings twice now, and I wanted to know more about the history of Tolkein's world, before the events of Lord of the Rings, and I wasn't disappointed! It starts of with the beginnings of the world, or Arda, and an account of the Valar and their different qualities and powers. Then there's the main Silmarillion which tells of the curse of the Silmarils and the Noldor division of the Elves, and their battle against Melkor, the Dark Enemy of the World.
It is quite heavy going, to start with, and it took me two tries to read the whole thing, but trust me, it is worth it. I particularly love the stories of the lives of Luthien Tinuviel and her lover Beren, and of the life of Turin.
After the Silmarillion, there is the history of the island of Numenor and the Dunedain, from whom Aragorn (in LOTR) is descended, and some background about the making of the One Ring and other events of that time.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about the background to Tolkein's world, although it would probably be better to read the Lord of the Rings first, since then the events in the Silmarillion will make more sense to you. ~ :D
-
I think of the silmarillion as 'the old testament' of LOTR and I think if you are more a fan of the books than the movies you must read it a t some stage.
However it is heavy going and you seem to get more into it later on so I might almost suggest skipping the creation and valar chapters and going straight to the elves and then coming back!!!
BTW I have the Ted Nasmith illustrated edition with some beautiful pictures-with such an expansive book its nice to see a few pictures of whats going on.
Heres a link to show you them but only about half are in the book. The lamp of the valar is definitely a favourite-the newly created world.
The ships of the faithful will make a good sig-here we go.
Right I've combined both posts as double posting isn't allowed. In future could you please use the modify button. Lessa
-
What happened to the link heirofnumenor?
Llessa
-
Not the one I originally had but hey its official (dont know where my link ran off to?)
http://www.tednasmith.com/silmarillion/index.html
-
i started reading it but couldnt get into it, i like the hobbit better, i'll probs read it when im older my mums bf said its really good!! :8o
-
I couldnt get into the book, but Ive just got the audio books a few days ago and have been listening to it instead. Makes it much easier in my opinion
-
It's a really beautiful story, although extremely hard :wacko: I would recommend getting the big version that has pictures; it sounds childish but it does really help :P
I haven't tried the audio version but I can imagine that it'l be a lot easier.........gonna try it in fact.
-
To be honest, i didnt find it so hard to read and keep track of the first time i read it, probably because i was so enthused...however, the only thing that really stumped me were THE NAMES. I mean....someonebegnningwith"F" has threesonsbeginningwith"f" who have sixtygrandchildrenbeginningwith"F" ... dont get me started on the "B"s either... but once i got the family trees bookmarked it was all good from there. I found everything was really clarified once i flicked through unfinished tales as well, but i'm still a bit patchy on a few stories because i havent read them for so long.
-
I found that the glossary at the back was really useful for finding out who people are and stuff, especially as they usually have a little description of what they did, which can jog your memory. It's really gutting though when you turn to the back to remind yourself who someone is then you see how they die or what happens at the end of the story!
I got really confused wth all of the family stuff too, shadowfax. It got even worse when men were introduced too, cuz before you knew it, someone had died, it was four generations later, and the descendent had a name that sounded exactly the same!
-
or infact, just the same one.
-
I think the confusion with all the names and families is also due to the fact that it consits more of episodes. If Tolkien had really finished it and edited it I think there would not be such confusion.
But nonetheless it is a great book and I'm very sad that Tolkien can't write more about the history of his world.
-
The Silm (as I like to call it) was a real insight into how amazing Tolkien's imagination truly was. The man invented an entire universe. Perhaps some of my favourite bits in the more well-known books were the merest hints of a huge history of Middle Earth, and the Silmarillion is absolutely essential in truly understanding it, if you are that way inclined.
The origins of Elrond and Galadriel were extremely enlightening to me, and the same could be said of the origins of elves, men, and dwarves. It sheds greater light on many of the things that we can only guess at if reading the original trilogy.
Of course, that's not to say the Lord of the Rings trilogy can't be appreciated without reading any of Tolkien's other works, but I am extremely grateful to have more information about this fictional universe.
But I'm seconding the name confusion. The men especially, all sounding the same. And the descendents of Finwe also take time to understand. :wacko:
-
I totally agree with the descendants of Finwe thing, although I think that the best resource thing for that bit is where there is the map of Beleriand with which region each descendent settled in. That really helped me to keep track of whereabouts each one was, and also triggered off other bits of information about them (because if I try to consider them as a whole, I get lost straight away).
I thought that the histroy of Galadriel was one of the most intruiging of all, as in lotr there are always those mysterious characters like Tom Bambadil and Galadriel, but unlike Tom Bombadil, Galadriel actually gets explained in the silmarillion. And when you read her story, you can kinda see why she is how she is, and get an insight into her.
(p.s. i'm sorry if this post makes little or no sense....but my eyelids are closing of their own accord)
-
I read the book some time ago and am currently listening to the audio book. And without visual help like maps and at least a written form of the names it is even more confusing, especially since so many names sound so simular...
But I love the stories and ledgends in there...
-
It took me quite a while to read The Sil, because i found it quite confusing and difficult to read, but once i had it understood, i absolutely loved it, it is one of my favourite Tolkien books!
-
I absolutly agree!
-
me too! even if it's not as exciting and entertaining as LOTR, because it has little or no epic coherence, the legends are awesome!
-
I loved the theory that a world could be based on song and music and that music brings things into being...
-
I have a suggestion. For all you guys who fully understand this book... how about posting a synopsis of it... maybe going through it section by section and posting each bit individually? I think that would really help people like me, who cannot get their heads around it.
-
I'm glad I'm not the only one B :[ I've tried a couple of times now but it just doesn't grab me enough. I will read it again...but I do like the sound of the version with pictures...mainly because I love Tolkien based artwork! I'll have to look for that copy. I think that's a great idea too, about posting a synopsis for all us non-sils! :P
-
Have never read it before but would like to.
-
Ive just started the Silmarrillion and so far its not back. I will admit it doesnt draw you in like most of you have said but if you continue reading it it will draw you in gradually.
-
Hey Lessa, what do you think then? Will you start us off with a synopsis? I know you are good with the Sil... ;)
-
right ok will start a new topic
Lessa
-
Beren and Luthien is my favourite. I am touched by the incredible lovestory, the braveness of Luthien and the creepy creatures like Vampires and monstrous Wolfes and Dogs. ::) :D
-
I consider the Silmarillion like some chronicles of the ages preceding the third. Can't agree it's not absorbing. I at least haven't got distracted. Not mentioning it explains a lot of things involved in TLotR.
-
I think it is a very good account of middle earth pre-LOTR, however because the hobbit or LOTR basically take place over a year or so,they are much more easy to folow than a ook documenting thousands of years. If i am correct the silmarrion was published after tolkiens death and was something he had working on bit by bit since the start of LOTR and has slight unfinished feel. I think of it as a larger version of the appendices in his most famous book.......and even the great Mr Jackson couldn't make a film out of this book hahaha
-
I often wonder if Tolkien began The Sil as a sort of personal referrence of "historic events" as he created those events in his mythic setting. I have heard of writers keeping detailed notes on settings as they create stories so that they have a handy cross-referrence of dates, events and people... but sometimes those notes begin to fill out and evolve into a complete history of a fictitious setting.
-
As far as I remember, he planned to write a history of the First Age. He made a lot of notes though, they were included in the Unfinished Tales, the History of Middle Earth (edited by Christopher Tolkien)
-
yes when i first read the silmarillion i must confess that i felt lost... as the style is quite different from the lord of the ringd triology and the hobbit.... for me the language sounded more difficult if i explain myself well...but once i read it twice.. it was a little bit more clearer actually.
-
By the way, I heard that Tolkien himself considered the Silmarillion his most important work.
-
:bd:The silmarilian is awesome if you want to know about middle-earths background read it is an amazing book :PP
-
yes I agree with you but I wouldn't have 20 years ago as I found it hard to get into the rhythm of the book. Now though I love it!
-
I agree, Lessa, the first read-through of it is definitely the most daunting: trying to remember who did what, what happened where, and who was killed by who was a nightmare the first time round. I know people who still, after having read The Silmarillion 20 years ago can't get their "head around all the Fs" (Finwë, Fëanor, Fingolfin, Finarfin, Fingon, Finrod (Felagund), and Finduilas)... and then there's the Es, Bs and Ms!
I think some of Tolkien's best passages are contained within the pages of The Silmarillion, one of the most memorable piece for me is this about the fall of Fingon: "At last Fingon stood alone with his guard dead about him; and he fought with Gothmog, until another Balrog came behind and cast a throng of fire about him. Then Gothmog hewed him with his black axe, and a white flame sprang up from the helm of Fingon as it was cloven. Thus fell the High King of the Noldor; and they beat him into the dust with their maces, and his banner, blue and silver, they trod into the mire of his blood." How sad, but fantasticlly well written - especially the last line.
I agree with you, Taurendil that Tolkien did consider The Silmarillion one of the most important parts of the legendarium as many Norse traditions also focus on earlier creation and history. I would love to see a more complete text as an account of the First Age - there is only actually about 200 page on the First Age.
Hopefully, Narn i Chîn Húrin will be able to fill in some of the gaps for us.
-
The Sil suffer from only one problem, that is that it is huge. The Sil itself only comprises (I think) of most of the stuff concerning the Noldor and their return to Middle Earth after the Rape of the Silmarils by Melkor who Feanor names Morgoth Bauglir. The inclusion of the bits like the music of Illuvatar, and some of the later parts concerning the third age were collaborated with the Sil itself to form what is the present form, the bulk of much of Tolkein's work (admitting the narrative stories of the Hobbit, LOTR and other short pieces). The fact that it covers so much of Tolkein's world can make it a tad daunting and at times confusing (the sons of Finwe for example, and their sons have a number of similar names, some even have more than one for the same dude and it does get a tad confusing. There also a lot of minor characters whose names are dropped in relation to the wider story, giving yet more headaches), but it is however, well worth reading or Tolkien fans.
To give a prime example, if you have watched the LOTR films (which of course most of you probably have done, many many times :P) there is the scene in the marshes where the Hobbits are meant to be sleeping and Aragorn (Mr Manly stubble himself) is singing the Lay of Luthien. Now, all you learn here is that she gave her love to Beren (a mortal no less) and died. In the Sil, you get the entire rather nifty story of Beren the one-handed and his lady Luthien (which features probably THE worst test of proving any guy has EVER had to do for his girl's father, basically a suicide mission, or so the dad thinks!!).
You also get the stuff about Numenor and it's down fall (which is like my fav bit if I'm being truthful) and the stuff about the creation of the world features some very nifty ideas on Tolkien's part for the creation of thins like night and day etc. Yes, the Sil is a pretty nifty book, just persevere 8)
-
In which sense do you mean that it is huge? That it covers an extremely large time-span or that the book is too long? :8o
Personally, it's my favorite Tolkien book, indeed, my favorite book of all-time. :D I find it hard to take it all in that a man indeed did invent it all.For it's extremely complex, for most of the people who aren't it's fans probably dislike it for it's complexity. The names starting from F can be found confusing, but I loved them. 8)
The main reason why I love it, is that it is a complete world in itself. As far as I know, it has no major flaws to speak off, and is exceptionally well written for an invented mythology, even for a 'real' mythology. ;)
The way it supplements LOTR is something, in my opinion, that simply can not be ignored. I felt a huge thrill go down my spine when I found out who was Feanor, Morgoth, Fingolfin and many more actually were. Galadriel history is interesting, and when I read about Elrond's heritage, I felt simply thrilled. For while speaking about them, Tolkien managed to make his characters legends.
The one complaint I have against it is that it is too short; the Quenta Silmarillion is only aro9und 250 pages, completely disproportional to the gap of years it covers. I would have loved to see it extend to atleast 750 pages; that way, the people who found it's lack of personalization would be able to delete that complaint. :)
By the way, if you haven't noticed, I love that book. 8) :D(specially Fingolfin :))
-
no sorry I hadn't noticed ;) :D
-
I loved the Sil too. The first time I read it I found myself feeling as if I were in Minas Tirith going through the dusty old histories of Middle Earth-it was kind of exciting and I felt a bit guilty-like I was delving too deep into things long forgotten. :-\ I was about 12 and I had just read The Hobbit and then TLOTR books so it was kind of a mind blowing experience and an evolution of sorts. It really is hard to believe even now that one man compiled these "histories". They are so complex-it's as if many hands were involved over time to create such a thing.
-
Yes I agree with you. Mind you it took Tolkien years to compile the histories
-
Yes I agree with you. Mind you it took Tolkien years to compile the histories
Yeah, and unfortunately many things were left unfinished or fragmented.
-
very true. Still some mysteries should be encouraged as not everything is known in the real world so to speak
-
I love it! When I finally read it, I couldn't believe that it took me so long to do so. It is a wonderful book. However, I had tried reading it when I was younger and wasn't able to finish. I think it has to be read by the right person at the right time. I think how much you enjoy it or not will depend upon the diet of books you are on right now. I myself read it as an interval between all my reading for my Master's and found it a much easier and enjoyable read than my assigned material. I just read it last year and can't believe it took me so long to get my own copy! Now I have a beautiful edition in a green cover. Can't get much better than that (I love the colour green!).
-
Glad you finally enjoyed it. I was the same it took me years to get into it but once I did I was hooked