on a serious note... The Silmarillion...

[yahweh70]

Re: on a serious note... The Silmarillion

I've never read the Silmarillion, despite having a paperback copy from my original LOTR crazed days ('84-6), and 3 copies of the Nasmith illustrated version (one is of his old edition, two are signed from his new edition, one is for Ebay as and when..)

I have the cd set with Martin Shaw reading it. You really need to be sitting down with a pen, a big pad of paper, or a blackboard to work out all the relationships and what have you... Music, firstborn, which elves were which, etc etc etc..

I did like the story of the dwarves in the Big Battle where Thorin Oakenshield got his name, and how some of the dwarves got so psyched up about that battle they nearly went double or quits on attacking Moria in a bid to regain it..

I doubt it's a book to listen to whilst ironing. Too many scorch marks when it gets complicated.. Would definitely stock up on the Red Bull before even thinking of reading it. Would need the brain overclocking itself for this...!

 

[Gunner1973]

Re: on a serious note... The Silmarillion

This book is really heavy going but its so worth it when you complete it. I think it takes at least a couple of reads to really take it all in. When I first read it I was nearly overwhelmed by the shear amount of place names and character names there were and I was constantly refering to the maps to try and figure out where things were happening! I really loved the first chapter where he describes the creation of middle earth. Such a huge idea put into words so beautifully, it blew me away. Tolkien had such an imagination. If you have read the lord of the rings and the hobbit you have to read this. It makes you realise that the lord of the rings was just one small part of a massive history. I have the Ted Nasmith illiustrated one to go with the Alan Lee illiustrated Hobbit and Lord of the rings and the leatherbound limited edition version of all three works too So I have a nice set of Tolkien books which are propprd up with my No admittance bookends!!

 

[Diesel]

Re: on a serious note... The Silmarillion

i've bagged 2 and a half of the Potter books in less time it took me to get through the first 100 pages of Silm...

it's just not a book that you don't want to put down...

well, back to Prisoner of Azkaban... oh and they have really butchered this one with the movie for sure...

 

[dstephan]

Re: on a serious note... The Silmarillion

They left more out of the Azkaban film than the other 2, but I still think it's the best of the 3 movies. They're really going to have to cut Goblet up even more.

 

[Lookin4Precious]

Re: on a serious note... The Silmarillion

POA was the only watchable movie in the Potter Series. I have no read the books, and am positive they are as great as people say... but the first two just didn't capture what I'm assuming is the magic of the books... the third one was just a very well done film that really impressed me... but that's what you get with a talented director.

 

[adoptedscot]

Re: on a serious note... The Silmarillion

Well, you've done it now Diesel.

I won The Silmarillion off eBay along with the Atlas of Middle Earth by Karen Wynn Fonstadd to guide me(thanks Nemo ).

So as soon as they arrive I will be diving into the books with a notepad and pen at my side as it seems I will need it.

I also got Tolkien's World-Paintings of Middle Earth by various artists including John Howe and Alan Lee so that should be good too.

Really quite looking forward to reading them now.

May I ask what is the best order to read these books in please?, is it:

The Silmarillion
The hobbit and then The LOTR
-or any other way??

Many thanks

shell
x
:toast

 

[pixletwin]

With all the LOTR talk I thought this thread was worth resurrecting.

 

[Captain Faramir]

Well I wondered what this was lol. It seems a lot of people struggle with The Silmarillion. I myself thought it was his most beautiful and intricate work, but yes, it requires the reader to look beyond the story-reading mentality--this is a long epic history, not a friendly story like The Hobbit. If you're going to read The Silmarillion, use the guides in the back. There is a good listing of who all the characters are and where they all come from, as well as other useful guides, and the map, which is critical to knowing where things are happening. Also, read each section individually; it's divided by major section, most simply one Age at a time. I have no suggested order however; I started with The Lord of the Rings, the The Silmarillion, and then The Hobbit, and naturally my preference follows suit. But as Tolkien says, The Silmarillion is essential reading which precedes the Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and the story comes to have a depth which is unsurpassed when it's taken into account.

Read the Silmarillion as a history and not a story; that way, when you come to the parts that are like a story, they will become especially beautiful. I don't think any tale can compare to the utter beauty, grace, and drama of the Lay of Beren and Luthien when it is read in its full context. These tales are simply marvelous, art in its purest literary form. I love this book.

 

[Vader AL]

the more you write about it Captain, the less i think i'll like it. if someone has to try and "sell" a book, sounds like there are some issues. but i'm still going to get it after i finish the hobbit and lotrn so no matter.

 

[pixletwin]

the more you write about it Captain, the less i think i'll like it. if someone has to try and "sell" a book, sounds like there are some issues. but i'm still going to get it after i finish the hobbit and lotrn so no matter.

Oh well cap'n.

 

[Darth Sheba]

I don't think he's trying to "sell" it as much as he's trying to say you need a different frame of mind for reading it than you would The Hobbit or LOTR. The one word I would use for it is dense. You've got names, places, and things thrown at you without any time to explain them, and that can be quite frustrating.

 

[pixletwin]

I would liken the Sil. as being closer in tone to reading the Old Testament as opposed to LOTR which is like reading, well, a novel. But if you love the ME history and you wanna immerse yourself in some dense history, the Sil. is the place to be.

 

[Captain Faramir]

Yeah, sorry 'bout that. What happens is I love the book so much because of the richness of its story that I get pretty carried away. It can indeed be read upfront as a massive, gorgeous and beautiful story; I just sometimes get far too involved in the stories' depth and history. I usually tend to delve too greedily and too deep.

 

[Vader AL]

Yeah, sorry 'bout that. What happens is I love the book so much because of the richness of its story that I get pretty carried away. It can indeed be read upfront as a massive, gorgeous and beautiful story; I just sometimes get far too involved in the stories' depth and history. I usually tend to delve too greedily and too deep.

i can tell. but don't think i haven't appreciated reading your comments and they have for sure convinced me to buy the book. keep it coming!

 

[GrueSam]

LOL Pixle!
This thread is so old my username was still SamAKALiz. I mention wanting to *get* the recorded Sil on page 1!

See how long I've been talking about it?!
Thanks for digging it up.

...makes me miss some of our older members, though.

 

[The Josh]

Gotta love it when old threads come back from the dead.

 

[LOTRFan]

...makes me miss some of our older members, though.

No kidding, Nemo Nint ...

 

[Darth Caedus]

Ive read the Silmarillion probably about 10 times, I absolutely love the book. Probably my favorite book. The richness of the story coupled with each story kind of being an overview is what makes it so interesting. It pretty much is a collection of short stories. I truly hope Children of Hurin is like it, can't wait to read it.

 

[DBoz]

Thanks for digging this thread up. I too have tried and failed to read the Silmarillion in the past. After reading all the great stuff here, I am convinced to try again after I finish re-reading the Lord of the Rings. I have the Atlas, so that will help.

 

[carbo-fation]

I truly hope Children of Hurin is like it, can't wait to read it.

CoH is nothing like the Silmarillion. It is more like the Hobbit and LOTR in writing and is a very easy read. After having read it, I feel like it was missing a lot of detail that was mentioned in the Unfinished Tales and the Silmarillion.