The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Silmarillion
Book Review: silmarillion
Summary: 5 Stars
I believe that the silmarillion was tokien's best work.I'm still trying to finish The Return of the King but I find that so farmuch has happened but wasn't expressed in the best way to make it more appealing to other people.Before i read The Two TOwers though I read the silmarillion, at first it seemed really slow and I had difficulty reading the first couple of chapters.Then it got really interesting for he finally brought the elves into the story who were my favorite race in the series.Even though the story was told like a history lesson, I find it to still be one of my favorite books because i am very fond of history, and the stories telling of all the deeds whether good or bad that the elves had done was just fascinating.
Book Review: the answer to most of your questions about Middle Earth
Summary: 4 Stars
The Silmarillion tells the mythology and lore of Middle- earth before the War of the Ring. It mostly contains the history of the Noldor race of Elves - their fall from grace and their struggles against the Satan-like Melkor (Morgoth). The history of the early race of men is told as well. We learn the story of Turin Turambar, very much like a Greek tragedy, complete with incest and suicide. Beren and Luthien, the first man-elf union, can be found here, as well as their illustrious descendants. For readers of Lord of the Rings, this book will explain the many allusions in Tolkien's trilogy to Middle Earth's past.
The question many might have, if they are about to first delve into Tolkien's writings, is if they should read The Silmarillion first, because it is first chronologically. I would advise against this; read The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, then The Silmarillion. Why? Part of the genious of Lord of the Rings is that the many references to the past - to Gondolin, Earendil, the Kings of Numenor,etc. - give Middle-earth its amazing richness and realism, even if the reader is unaware of the details. If you read the Silmarillion first, you know the answers without having ever asked the questions. The work loses its significance. Going back and rereading is rewarding as you see Middle Earth and the War of the Ring in the light of new understanding; however, the first time, you should experience hearing names of unknown people and places so you, along with Frodo, are a traveller in strange lands, often unaware of all being discussed.
For those who have trouble with names (like me!), the index of names in the back of the book will become your new best friend. Be warned: The Silmarillion contains a Finwe, a Fingolfin, a Finarfin, a Fingon, a Finrod, and that's just the beginning. The map of Beleriand should also become a good pal. If you are determined that you must have all the names of people and places straight, you will often find yourself flipping to index pages. This can slow down you reading, but it's well worth it.
Book Review: the history of Middle Earth
Summary: 4 Stars
It has been said that the Silmarillion is the masterwork of Tolkien. Long before he wrote the Hobbit or the Lord of the Rings, Tolkien was working on what would become the Silmarillion. While Lord of the Rings is rightly his most popular work, it is only part of a larger world. Tolkien created the whole of Middle Earth and we only got to see a little glimpse of it. The Silmarillion can be treated as a history of Middle Earth. Actually, that might be the best way to look at it. It is not a single story and there does not seem to be any one thread or theme running through the course of the book. Instead, we are given everything from the origins of Middle Earth right up to the events that led into Lord of the Rings. If you think of the Silmarillion as a history book, you won't have any sort of unreasonable expectations going into it. It is the history of a familiar world that never was.
I can't imagine that this would be a good starting place for someone looking to read Tolkien, but for fans (and only for fans) of Middle Earth, this is required reading to get a sense of the history of the land. Like all of Tolkien's work, this is well written but it is also a little dryer than his other stuff.
Book Review: the title says it
Summary: 3 Stars
a bit hard to read, but the background of its creation was told; they are unfinished tales. however, it's a wider view to the history of LoR and others.Book Review: very interesting.....
Summary: 5 Stars
if you are a fan of LOTR than this is the book for you!!! it goes more in dept to the characters and descibes them in a deaper way....sorta. :) this book doesn't have a stoyline, but it's more of a desciption of how middle earth was in the 1st age and how the elves and the men were. it's a very good book and every tolkien fan should own it.