The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Silmarillion
Book Review: Better than any Mythology
Summary: 5 Stars
In The Silmarillion, Tolkien, himself a devout Christian and student/professor of mythology, has created something far more interesting and readable than that which he himself studied.He creates a cosmology that is a combination of that which he believed to be real (Christianity), and that which he believed to be mythology. At the very top sits Iluvatar, also known as Eru, or The One - obviously, God. Below him are the Valar, what I refer to as Tolkien's version of the head deities of various cultural mythos, be they Greco/Roman, Norse, Sumerian, or what have you. Below them are the equivalent of archangels or demi-gods (the Maiar) - we see them clearly in the Lord of the Rings in Saruman, Gandalf, Sauron and - believe it or not - the Balrog of Moria.
Some call the stories contained within The Silmarillion dry and boring. I can't see how. If the book is taken as a work of mythology, as it was intended to be read (from which both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings were somewhat accidentally withdrawn), it reads much easier than the Bible and practically every mythological work I've ever read.
Within The Silmarillion, mainly, we are told of the Creation of Middle-Earth and all of the races that eventually populate that world. We are shown in narrative form the disgrace and downfall of Melkor, later called Morgoth (the Satan/Lucifer character) and that is so much more intriguing and fulfilling than merely being told of it happening. There is a compendium of the Valar, describing their various powers and stations, a history of the race of the men of Numenor (from which Aragorn is a descendant), and the crux of the book - the History of the Silmarils (Quenta Silmarillion).
The Silmarils were three jewels created by Feanor, one of the most gifted of the race of Elves (not the Elf we see in Legolas, or even Elrond or Galadriel, but an Elf far greater and more powerful). Within these jewels Feanor set the light of the Two Trees of Valinor (the home of the Valar). Morgoth destroyed the Two Trees of Valinor, and then stole The Silmarils, setting them within his crown, and held within Angband, his Barad-dur, so to speak. Quenta Silmarillion is the valorous tale of Feanor's impossible quest to regain that which was his, and the wreckage that followed in the wake of that quest.
There are more stories within, including a history of the rings of power and the third age, and for those interested, an in-depth detail on how Sauron (who was himself the greatest lieutenant of Morgoth, and fought with him in the great War of the Silmarils) infiltrated himself amongst the Elves and learned their craft of ring making, thus setting the scene for The Lord of the Rings. It is a fascinating account, and makes for great reading.
For fans of the Gandalf, it should be of interest that he is here identified as the wisest of the Maiar. In Unfinished Tales, when he is asked to accompany others of his order to go to Middle Earth and help with their struggles against Sauron, he says that he is weary from his travels and that he fears Sauron. Wise indeed, for Sauron in his avarice, unlike Gandalf, desired Middle-Earth to be his own, whereas Gandalf was content merely to enjoy the creations of Iluvatar. Greed is and should be frightening even to those who are strong enough to defend against it.
The Silmarillion is the work that firmly places Tolkien atop all others in his field, for it demonstrates a breathtaking imagination and work ethic. One wonders what The Silmarillion would have looked like if he had not been burdened with teaching to subsist. The Lord of the Rings never made an enormous amount of money during his lifetime (unlike current authors for whom he paved the road today - J.K. Rowling, Robert Jordan, etc.). We'll never know, but what we've been given is a work of astonishing wonder and brilliance.
Book Review: Breathtakingly Beautiful
Summary: 5 Stars
The Lord of the Rings was so wonderful. The Silmarillion has a completely different kind of beauty. It reads more like an old tale of history (like Herodotus without all of the digressions), and it is steeped in the unique magic of Middle-earth. If you ever feel a longing for days that will never return, The Silmarillion is for you. It satisfies that feeling for a while, yet it sharpens the longing all the more.Book Review: Brilliant is an understatement
Summary: 5 Stars
I had the pleasure of reading this masterpiece soon after my first completion of The Lord of the Rings. When I first started I found the book to be rather boring and I stopped reading it. Three weeks later I picked it up with an open mind and read the book over the course of two weeks. I found this book to be amazing. Tolkien was a profoundly religious man, and The Silmarillion makes it evident. The Silmarillion is his life's work, and it is obvious that he was very passionate about his mythology and his creations. The opening pages are parallel to the book of Genesis, and the overall content is very similiar to that of the Bible. It's similarity to the Bible makes it difficult to understand at times. There are many characters in the book and many different family trees to remember. At times the reading is rather slow, but there are other times in which the content is so exciting that I never wanted it to end. The battles were epic to say the least, and I am very glad that I read this book. I recommend it to anyone who has read The Lord of the Rings and wants to find out about the legends that the characters sing about in their poems and songs. It is difficult sometimes, but in the end you will feel nothing short of satisfaction. That is a gurantee.Book Review: Brilliant is an understatement
Summary: 5 Stars
I had the pleasure of reading this masterpiece soon after my first completion of The Lord of the Rings. When I first started I found the book to be rather boring and I stopped reading it. Three weeks later I picked it up with an open mind and read the book over the course of two weeks. I found this book to be amazing. Tolkien was a profoundly religious man, and The Silmarillion makes it evident. The Silmarillion is his life's work, and it is obvious that he was very passionate about his mythology and his creations. The opening pages are parallel to the book of Genesis, and the overall content is very similiar to that of the Bible. It's similarity to the Bible makes it difficult to understand at times. There are many characters in the book and many different family trees to remember. At times the reading is rather slow, but there are other times in which the content is so exciting that I never wanted it to end. The battles were epic to say the least, and I am very glad that I read this book. I recommend it to anyone who has read The Lord of the Rings and wants to find out about the legends that the characters sing about in their poems and songs. It is difficult sometimes, but in the end you will feel nothing short of satisfaction. That is a gurantee.Book Review: Brilliantly Interweaved Mythology
Summary: 5 Stars
Contrary to popular belief, the Silmarillion is Tolkien's true masterpiece. It is a culmination of the man's life-long love of mythology, poetry, and language. The Lord of the Rings cannot be truly understood nor fully appreciated without a deep reading of the Silmarillion.Read the Lord of the Rings, then read the Silmarillion. Then read Lord of the Rings again, and then re-read the Silmarillion. You will be amazed at how intricately the plots are woven together, piecing together the elaborate tales from the beginning of time through the adventures of Frodo in Return of the King. An absolute masterpiece.