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Summary: In Tolkien's Words
Review: In the Foreword to The Lord of the Rings the author points out: "[The Lord of the Rings] was begun soon after The Hobbit was written and before its publication in 1937; but I did not go on with this sequel, for I wished first to complete and set in order the mythology and legends of the Elder Days, which had then been taking shape for some years. I desired to do this for my own satisfaction, and I had little hope that other people would be interested in this work, especially since it was primarily linguistic in inspiration and was begun in order to provide the necessary background of 'history' for Elvish tongues."This "mythology and legends of the Elder Days" is what later became, in edited form, The Silmarillion. It is best understood as part of the personal, unfinished, fundamental work that Tolkien drew upon while writing The Hobbit and The Lord of The Rings, inconsistent in tone, and sometimes content, with the other two books. (Three stars for its limited appeal to general audiences.)
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Summary: If you enjoy Tolkien, just buy it.
Review: So often J.R.R. Tolkien's works are only brought to CD when they are "adapted" or "abridged", what those two words really mean is trashed. So it was with some anticipation that I got my audio book copy of _The Simarillion_. Fortunately this piece does not dissapoint. Martin Shaw does an excellent job reading the book, and true to it's advertising it is completely unabridged. That makes for nearly 14 Hours of reading by Shaw. I'm not 100% certain that all of his pronounciations were correct, but I can certainly live with it. It is absolutely awesome to be on a long drive and be able to hear the story _Of Beren and Luthien_ . For any fan of Tolkien's work I cannot recommend this more highly.
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Summary: History can be interesting!!!
Review: I have a lifelong problem with reading history books. They tend to bore me because they usually don't focus on specific people, but instead on events filled with people we never really get to know. The Silmarillion has somehow avoided doing that even though it reads like a history text. I am in love with the book, and really excited to go back and read the Lord of the Rings again (for about the fourth time) with the new knowledge I have. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves Elves and Hobbits and the like.
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Summary: Either you get it or you don't
Review: For years I was afraid to read The Silmarillion (a brief glance through some of these reviews will explain the idea that this book is hard-going). Having just re-read The Hobbit & Lord of the Rings, I felt inspired to give it a go.... and I am so glad that I did. If, like me, you devoured the myths & legends of the world as a child, you will feel like you've "come home" at last. Tolkien's language is so beautiful it makes you want to cry - some place inside you simply resonates at the sheer poetry of the writing. This is such an overwhelmingly sad & haunting book. As in all true myths, there is a strong sense of doom - characters are magnificent but flawed, heroic yet doomed. If you expect fully-fleshed-out 3D characters, forget it. This is not written like a modern novel. If you love stories that are timeless & that will stay with you forever, read The Silmarillion. I cannot yet decide whether I prefer it to LOTR, but it doesn't matter - we have both!
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Summary: Skip it unless you LOVE Tolkien and/or Elves
Review: So you've read The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings and you just can't get enough of the Middle Earth and you are ready for more? Well hold tight to your Elvish sword and cloak - this one will make you wonder just where you are and what you are doing here and how do you get out fast. This history of the first age of the Middle Earth is more the companion novel to "War and Peace" than to "The Hobbit". It is tough reading in half poetic prose told in the manner of verbal tales of Elvish lore and myth (What's that - you aren't familiar with the style of Elvish myth? Neither was anyone until this was published - unless they read "The Lost Tales" which this is based on) and the characters change names as often as characters in Russian novels, so you need a notepad to keep up with the action - and speaking of action, expect to get it in small amounts between long passages of descriptive landscape or genelogy narritive - and figure out just who is annoying and/or killing who. However, if you put up with it and hang in there, the entire background of "The Hobbit" and the ring trilogy will make a good deal more sense and you will come away feeling a closer bond to the Middle Earth.
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Summary: Amazing, Stunning, Awe-inspiring
Review: This book cannot be judged by conventional means. The amazing command of language Tolkien uses, and the intricate plot he has created is ... extremely, extremely ... I don't know. All I know is, if you can read and know what is best for you, read this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Yawn...
Review: Where the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings enchanted me and thirsting for more, The Silmarillion only put me to sleep. What an incredibly boring book.
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Summary: No light reading, but definitely worth it.
Review: The biggest, and really only, problem I had in reading this book is the depth of the language: I normally consider myself a pretty fast and educated reader, but while reading Silmarillion I lost track of how many times I would have to read a passage, then go back and re-read it repeatedly simply to get a basic understanding of it. It can be a tiring process and if you're into reading for a simple laid-back effort only, then this probably isn't a book for you. The beginning, which deals primarily with the myth of Middle Earth's creation and the Valar, also seems a bit slow until the focus of the tales switches to those of the Elves, Dwarves, and Men, but not unbearably so. If you can make it past that, you've got yourself a good pace going and therefore you should be able to make it more easily through the rest of the book. This is definitely no kids' book; as far as Tolkien books go it's completely on the opposite side of the language spectrum from the written-for-younger-audiences Hobbit. But if you can get past the heavy, often difficult to comprehend language-- which once you come to understand it, is quite beautiful-- the book's definitely worth the trouble. Aside from getting a more in-depth look at the backstory of things that were only briefly referenced in the Hobbit or Lord of the Rings, the individual tales on their own are very good-- filled with adventure, romance, the ever-present struggle of good vs. evil, and of course a fair share of tragedy, all with an epic feel to them. Tolkien paints a beautiful picture in your head with each tale, and as much as I loved LoTR, there are definitely times I think the Silmarillion is a better book.
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Summary: An amazing meld of fantasy and history
Review: The time and craft with which Tolkien created his world never ceases to amaze me, and in the Silmarillion, this world comes through in all of its glory. I am absolutely enthralled by the depth and scope of this work, and the endless spaces of Tolkien's imagination it reveals. But I must echo the sentiments of other reviewers and caution that this workis not for all readers. It requires a fervent interest in the minutiae of Tolkien and a measure of patience. Tolkien created middle-earth partially because he wanted to resurrect the role of ancient mythology in the zeitgeist of the world, and the Silmarillion must be read with the goal of mythology in mind. I would particularly recommend this work to those people who enjoy both the complexities of history and the wonder of fantasy. I found that I enjoyed this work largely because it presented a "history of fantasy."
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Summary: Why some find the Silmarillion difficult to read
Review: Tolkien was a dedicated artist and writer. He actually began by inventing the languages (Elvish and so on). And very early on he began working on the Silmarillion, which was his attempt to render the feeling of Icelandic saga in English. This went on for many years, until the time when "The Hobbit" was published, almost by mistake. (Evidently one of his children lent the manuscript to a friend with relatives in the publishing business.) "The Hobbit" was published, and became a great success. A sequel was asked for, and it was only at this point that Tolkien set about writing his masterpiece, "The Lord of the Rings." It is a MUCH more ambitious artistic effort than most people realize even today, because it can be enjoyed by almost everyone just for the magnificent characters and the unforgettable story -- plus the incredible environment where it all takes place, Middle Earth. When Tolkien offered "The Silmarillion" to a publisher, it was immediately rejected. Just remember that it's modelled on Icelandic saga, and you may be able to enjoy it. It is also worthwhile noting that "The Hobbit" originated as a bed-time story for children, and many adults find that a bit off-putting. The truly fantastic work, for most, is the long story aimed squarely at adults: "The Lord of the Rings." I would definitely recommend reading that before having a go at "The Silmarillion." Dedicated Tolkien fans will want to read it all, of course.
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