The Silmarillion

[AARONDISNEY]

I am a big fan of Tolkien's "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings". I was never a big fiction reader until I decided to read the book that brought about my 3 favorite movies of all time.

Reading the books were a far greater pleasure than the movies even were.

I am on my way through LOTR for the second time and was excited about getting the Silmarillion to read. I went to the Library and starting looking through it just to get a quick glimpse at what I'd be reading.

I went down through about 10 random pages and it almost seemed as though it was not a complete story, but a lot of broken up Middle-Earth histories and names that may just briefly appear and never be mentioned again, which is just fine for someone who is really into finding out all they can about this marvellous fictional world in order for it to become all the more real to them.

My question is simply this: would you recommend The Silmarillion to someone like myself who really just wants to read a good story, or should I just stick to the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit.

[JCamilo]

Silmarilion is indeed not complete but not because it is random, since Tolkien wanted to tell a epic of formation and that is the appropriate information. They are several stories and very good and I can not see how someone who likes LoTR will not get interest for the roots of all the story.

[AARONDISNEY]

Thanks, JCamilo.

So it will enrich the reading of the LotR then? Are there any recurring (or should I say PRE-curring) characters? Bombadil? Seems he speaks of being around since the beginning.

I'm sure I'll read it. I really do enjoy a good continual story and was hoping that's what this would be. But I'm certain it will be great.

[PeterL]

Yes, the Silmarilion is not a story, at all. It is a collection of the author's notes, descriptions of various ideas that were related to LotR. I don't think that Bombadil is even mentioned in it. Most parts are about the Elves and their wanderings, etc. A few bits clarify, slightly, the wizards and their part in the whole thing, but nearly all of the material about Elves also appears in LotR in an abbreviated form.

[Idril]

Thanks, JCamilo.

So it will enrich the reading of the LotR then? Are there any recurring (or should I say PRE-curring) characters? Bombadil? Seems he speaks of being around since the beginning.

There are a few characters from LOTR that are mentioned in The Silmarillion. You'll read about Elrond's origins and Galadriel's and it mentions Cirdan and the Wizards. It really does deepen the history and your understanding of the relationships and cultures so I think it's worth the effort. And if you're able to get through that, try The Unfinished Tales, that focuses more on the Men whereas The Silmarillion focuses more on the Elves and the Valar.

[JBI]

I can't read that book; The Lord of the Rings was torture enough.

[B-Mental]

I loved the LOtR Trilogy and the Hobbit, but really had a hard time with this. I found it confusing and the nature of it was so off paced that I couldn't get into it.

[JCamilo]

It is a story, unfinished by Tolkien last revision, but it is. But the kind of story we would find in prose versions of Edda, a long list of events and main characters.
Indeed it will help to understand a lot of geography and relations in LoTR but there is Characters who are worth by themselves.