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Summary: The majestic and sorrowful history of Middle-earth..
Review: "The Silmarillion" is a must read for anyone who wants to learn about the rich history of Middle-earth. If you've ever wondered where the phrases and history talked about in "The Lord of the Rings" come from and mean, then this is for you.At the same time, this is not an easy book to read. It can be slow and the number of places and names (many of them alternate names for names already mentioned), can have you spending most of your time flipping to the index in the back. But if you keep with it, you'll be rewarded with an expansive and amazing view of Middle-earth. "The Silmarillion" is actually five stories in one. Ainulindale, the Music of the Ainur, deals with the creation of Middle-earth. Valaquenta, Account of the Valar, shows how the Gods and Godesses of Middle-earth came to be, including their brethren the Mair (of which Gandalf is a member). Valaquenta also lays the groundwork for the betrayal that Melkor would exact on his fellow Valar, forever after being called Morgoth (the first Dark Lord) by the Elves. The Quenta Silmarillion is the largest and most detailed of the stories. Herein lies the story of the beginning days, the coming of the Elves, the making of the Silmarils by Feanor, and their theft by Melkor. This sets off the major war of the Firs Age between the Elves and Melkor. Two more shorter stories are included at the end. Allakabeth, the downfall of Numenor, and Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age. After these are the genealogies of the House of Finwe, the descendants of Olwe and Elwe, the House of Beor, the House of Hador and the people of Haleth. A table showing the sundering of the Elves is also included, as are notes on pronunciation, an extensive (and extremely helpful) index of names, and finally, various elements of Quenya and Sindarin names. Combined, these stories and the indices at the end, provide a remarkable journey back in time, to the Elder days of Middle-earth. A must read. Enjoy.
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Summary: Leaves me begging for more!
Review: When I read The Hobbit, I had no idea at the thought that Tolken put into his Middle Earth. After LOTR I said, "well, I would like to know more about this and that..." But then I read The Silmarillion. I WANT MORE! ! This is one of the best books I have read. But in places it's too vague (not that it's a bad thing, I just would like to read more about some stuff) I suggest you buy it, read it, and then read it again
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Summary: Deep
Review: Having read both the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit, the Silmarillion draws me back to a far older time when Middle Earth was young, and elves still walked in the sunlight. The deep and concordant themes that run throughout this entire book and only enhanced by the beautiful illustrations by Ted Nasmith, which serve to highlight the epic points and provide some extra imagery to complement Tolkien's amazing creative energies. The Silmarillion spans thousands of years, yet does so eloquently and beautifully, highlighting the ancient struggle between good and evil with characters that I can relate to.
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Summary: Imaginative Tour de Force
Review: The Silmarilion's style is in the great tradition of the Greek epics and the Bible. If you like Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings but are still unsure if the Silmarilion is for you, I suggest you read some of Appendix A in the Lord of the Rings which is closely related to the Silmarilion. In reading the Silmarilion I was amazed how Tolkien has created a complete mythology from the beginning of time through thousands of years. The tension of the story is the classic struggle between good and evil. It is more interesting due to the evil characters being almost as well described as the heroic ones. The struggle of the characters in dealing with a very troubled world is very real. These are people of passion who run the gamut of heroism to greed and envy. There is nobility and pure evil. As usual Tolkien's writing is filled with wonderful detail and invention. The depth of his descriptions are amazing. The only question is if you can adjust to the epic style of this book. If you can, then you can look forward to a journey into an amazing world.
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Summary: Poor performance after other outings
Review: After reading Tolkien's books The Hobbit and Lord Of The Rings, I felt I had to read the other ones-they were so great. When I first started to read the book, I was thoroughly disappointed. It was boring and slow, and the opening was terrible- I never even bothered to read it all. After Tolkien's first books, this was a thorough dissapointment.
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Summary: An amazing overview of fantastic history
Review: Silmarillion is the least read of all of the Middle Earth books, and for a reason. First of all, the book's format is not easily digested. In a true canonic tradition, Silmarillion does away with many years in a single sentence. I would advise taking notes. Likewise, there are far too many names in order for the reader to remember them, and, however realistic it might be, I can never recall the similar names of many of the elfin heroes. On a final note, and this is where many of you will object to what I say, Silmarillion is an overview of a CLASSIC fantasy world - i.e. if the reader is familiar with fantasy, he will find little originality in the basics of this otherwise groundbreaking piece of work.
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Summary: Requires Gray-matter
Review: This book doesn't read like a narrative because it is not a narrative. This is a history book of events that lead up to the Third Age of Middle Earth when the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy takes place. This book has everything, from the dawn of the creation of Middle Earth by Eru - who the elves called Illuvitar, to the creation of the pantheon of gods known as the Valar, and the birth of the Children of Illuvitar - who were the Elves and Men. If you have a taste for great fantasy literature this book is essential. While it reads like a history book you must understand that this format is essential. Consider this - the Lord of the Rings is a trilogy, three books that span basically a year. This single book spans two AGES, as well as the timeless realm before the creation of Middle Earth. We are talking THOUSANDS if not MILLIONS of years, which are nothing to immortal beings like the Elves and the Valar. If this book were a narrative it would be longer than the entire Encyclopedia Brittanica, including the footnotes and bibliography! As a result the reader is required to fill in various things with his/her own imagination. This book uses two pages to describe battles that in a narrative would require two chapters. Once you get used to the style you will discover that this book contains some of the absolute best fantasy literature ever created.
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Summary: Unlike any other fantasy work.
Review: Of the Middle Earth works I count this last. The scary thing is that I still feel it deserves five stars. It is an exceptional piece of creative writing. For those who say it's slow, I can't argue the point, but slow doesn't equal bad. I consider this, along with the other books, to be more than mere fantasy novels--they are literature classics. If you only enjoy cover to cover action in your fantasy then stay away, but if you appreciate thoughtful stories then buy(or check out) this book.
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Summary: A Great Read!
Review: The Silmarillion, in my view, is one of Tolkiens greatest books. It is not because of a great plot,as the book is only loosely linked together. Rather its greatness comes from the view that it presents of the earliest times of Middle Earth, and how it sets the stage for the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. Before the Elves learned wisdom, they were arrogant; before they learned self-control, they were over-zealous, anxious to prove what they could do. The crucible of the events of the First and Second Ages tried them and tested them, making them wise beyond any others, having learned wisdom from sorrow. Also, the story of Beren and Luthien, like a gleaming jewel set in a dark setting, stands as one of the greatest love stories I have ever encountered. Tolkien is a master wordsmith and he makes you feel his world. In my view, the Silmarillion provides the essential understanding and background for the LOTR.
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Summary: Epic
Review: Most Tolkien fans read The Hobbit first, followed by The Lord of the Rings. The more intrepid readers give The Silmarillion a go, and they must be glad they did. I was no exception. The biggest reward for Tolkien fans will come with reading The Silmarillion, Tolkien's great mythological work which charts the rise and fall of Middle Earth, from the creation, to after the events told in The Lord of The Rings. I can't recommend it enough. I don't consider myself a true Tolkien afficianado or a true fan of the fantasy genre. However, The Silmarillion is one of the finest books ever written and a magnificent and precious achievement. It is frightening to think how one man could conceive of such a vast, complex, fascinating and - ultimately - believable mythology. The word epic is over used, but in relation to The Silmarillion it is entirely justified. The quality of the writing is first class, the characterisation exquisite, but Tolkien's real genius lies in his ability to conjure up strange worlds, strange creatures and strange events which resonate in the reader's imagination and renders them totally convincing. By the end I was overwhelmed.
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