Average Rating: 
Rating:  - The Silmarillion -- A must-read for Tolkien fans
I have never been a devotee of the Science Fiction or Fantasy genre, so I missed J.R.R. Tolkien when he was a cult favorite in the 60's. I was only introduced to his works through the "Fellowship of the Ring" film of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. Since then, I have read, re-read and read again all three books of the LOTR trilogy and "The Hobbit". Through these readings, I have become thoroughly engrossed and deeply impressed with Tolkien's genius in creating an entire world complete with geography, animals, peoples, cultures, and fantasy languages based on solid linguistic principles. The "Lord of the Rings" film trilogy represents not just an adventure epic; it is an introduction to Tolkien's works -- a whetting of an appetite, which can only be sated by reading the works upon which this film trilogy is based. Fundamental to understanding the LOTR trilogy is knowledge of what preceeded it. "The Hobbit", which directly precedes the LOTR trilogy, is as fundamental to the "Lord of the Rings" as the Old Testament is to the New. However, the true breadth and depth of Tolkien's life's work cannot be fully comprehended without also reading "The Silmarillion". Our Old Testament's Book of Genesis starts with creation, but does little to explain the process of the creation of our real world. The Silmarillion, on the other hand, details the story of the creation of Middle Earth and the creatures that inhabited and departed from it. We owe a great debt of gratitude to Christopher Tolkien, J.R.R. Tolkien's son, for the diligent work he has done in gathering and editing his father's published and unpublished works and notes. "The Silmarillion" is billed as "...Tolkien's first book and his last." -- a life's work that was published four years after his death. Only through reading (and probably re-reading) this compendium of Tolkien's background work can one truly comprehend not only the history of the deities, elves, dwarves, men and other creatures of Middle Earth but also J.R.R. Tolkien's absolute brilliance in crafting this fantasy world. "The Silmarillion" is a must-read for those who would wish to fully appreciate Tolkien's work. It is not a light read and requires constant referral to the book's appendices and indices. Although the material mostly predates all of J.R.R. Tolkien's subsequent works, it is not a good introduction to Tolkien. It is best appreciated (and most useful) if read after "The Hobbit" and the "Lord of the Rings".
Rating:  - Exciting, Beautiful History of Middle Earth
I've been reading this tome aloud to my wife, and I'm surprised I love it so much. Having enjoyed The Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit since I was a boy, I thought the history of the Silmarils, which is the meaning of the word Silmarillion, would be interesting, if not overly tedious. I confess after the first four chapters, the text bogs down; I skipped ch. 14 all together. But the stories I now understand, the history of certain characters, the doom of the elves, and the full tale of their songs, I wouldn't want to have missed.I love the Ainulindale, the story of creation, where Eru, whom the elves call Iluvatar, sings through the voices of angelic beings to create the world and foretell its history. It's a beautiful spin on the Genesis story. Once the official history of the Simarils begins, the details begin to pile up; but worthy is the reader who perseveres for the tales that follow build in excitement. For Lord of the Rings fans, are you curious about the doom that plagues Elrond and his family? Did you know that Galadriel was hundreds of years older than Elrond and was born in Valinor, the western haven to which the elves go in their white ships? Do you want to know how Sauron become the Dark Lord, and what Gandalf meant by covering the land in a _second_ darkness? All of those answers are in this book. Tolkien gives us a powerfully beautiful world in Middle Earth, and this book magnifies the wonder seen in the Lord of the Rings. Why do Dwarves and Elves distrust each other? It stems from the bloodshed over the Silmarils, jewels crafted by Feanor, the most gifted and most headstrong of any elf who made by God. The jewels captured and radiated the light of the two trees Yavanna planted to give light to the world. They captivated the heart of anyone who saw them, and when one of them was set amid the Dwarf-cut gems of a spectacular necklace and worn by Luthien, the most beautiful elf to ever live, the light of heaven shone radiantly on earth for a short while. That and many more stories await you in this exciting history of elves and men in Middle Earth.
Rating: - The Silmarillion -- A must read for Tolkien fans.
Note: This is a second, and identical, review previously submitted for another version of this title.
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I have never been a devotee of the Science Fiction or Fantasy genre, so I missed J.R.R. Tolkien when he was a cult favorite in the 60's. I was only introduced to his works through the 'Fellowship of the Ring' film of the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy. Since then, I have read, re-read and read again all three books of the LOTR trilogy and 'The Hobbit'. Through these readings, I have become thoroughly engrossed and deeply impressed with Tolkien's genius in creating an entire world complete with geography, animals, peoples, cultures, and fantasy languages based on solid linguistic principles. The 'Lord of the Rings' film trilogy represents not just an adventure epic; it is an introduction to Tolkien's works -- a whetting of an appetite, which can only be sated by reading the works upon which this film trilogy is based.Fundamental to understanding the LOTR trilogy is knowledge of what preceded it. 'The Hobbit', which directly precedes the LOTR trilogy, is as fundamental to the 'Lord of the Rings' as the Old Testament is to the New. However, the true breadth and depth of Tolkien's life's work cannot be fully comprehended without also reading 'The Silmarillion'. Our Old Testament's Book of Genesis starts with creation, but does little to explain the process of the creation of our real world. The Silmarillion, on the other hand, details the story of the creation of Middle Earth and the creatures that inhabited and departed from it. We owe a great debt of gratitude to Christopher Tolkien, J.R.R. Tolkien's son, for the diligent work he has done in gathering and editing his father's published and unpublished works and notes. 'The Silmarillion' is billed as ''Tolkien's first book and his last.' -- a life's work that was published four years after his death. Only through reading (and probably re-reading) this compendium of Tolkien's background work can one truly comprehend not only the history of the deities, elves, dwarves, men and other creatures of Middle Earth but also J.R.R. Tolkien's absolute brilliance in crafting this fantasy world. 'The Silmarillion' is a must-read for those who would wish to fully appreciate Tolkien's work. It is not a light read and requires constant referral to the book's appendices and indices. Although the material mostly predates all of J.R.R. Tolkien's subsequent works, it is not a good introduction to Tolkien. It is best appreciated (and most useful) if read after 'The Hobbit' and the 'Lord of the Rings'.
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