The Silmarillion

Rating:
Summary: Why can't we give this book 7 stars?!
Review: No one can call themselves a Tolkien fan unless they have read The Silmarillion. If you have only read the Hobbit and LotR, you have only savored a taste of Tolkien's genius. I have also read Unfinished Tales and HoME 1-5 (which all Middle-Earth lovers should also read!) plus many more of The Prince of Fantasy's magnificent works, but the Silmarillion is still my favorite work by Tolkien. In fact, The Silmarillion is the BEST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ IN MY WHOLE LIFE !!!! It is Tolkien's unfinished masterpiece which has been skilfully and artfully compiled by his son, Christopher.
Tolkien has the power to draw readers irresistibly to his work and hold staunchly their undying and unswerving loyalty. Like any other mortal (or immortal), I am not immune to this magnetism. Indeed, any intelligent, sophisticated and creative lover of art and literature will find him/herself completely enraptured with this novel. Only those seeking superficial, meaningless violence or possesing short attention spans will not appreciate the subtle and inconcievably complex style for which Tolkien has become renowned.
I read all the previous reviews of this book before I wrote mine... Now, I consider myself an extremely open-minded person; but anyone giving this book less than 5 stars is really pushing the right to freedom of speech!

Rating:
Summary: awesome
Review: The story of "The lord of the Rings" is spectacular,because it took me to a whole other world where I felt I was in the adventure myself.I believe this is one of the best books I have ever read.

Rating:
Summary: Not for all tastes. But I loved it.
Review: As the reviews on this page show, this book is not from everyone. Indeed, it's not even for all Tolkien fans. If, however, you were hypnotized by the tantalizing references to the lost past that are scattered throughout The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, you will probably enjoy this. (By the way, people who stopped after twenty pages quit just before the story got exponentially better. Oh well, their loss.)

I was completely amazed when I read The Silmarillion. I was completely captivated by the story of the Noldor and their deeds in Beleriand. The story is written in truly masterful style, and even (primarily) without dialogue, the richness of the story grips the reader and immerses him in the Elder Days and the great War of the Jewels. The images of the story are powerful and will stay with the dedicated reader forever. I can still vividly picture Fingolfin doing battle with Morgoth, Yavanna crying over the ruin of the Trees, Beren in Thingol's hall, as well as Mablung sorowfully wandering the shores of the sea; and most of all I can see Feanor and his sons swearing their oath by torchlight in the court of Tirion.

Just a word on the content: this is not happy stuff. The world of LotR contained an aura of lost greatness and the certain knowledge that the world was in slow but irreversible decline. This story has that aura in spades, in addition to the fact that the reader gets to see the fall from greatness firsthand. The terrible sadness of the whole story and the tragedy of Tolkien's irreparably marred world is enough to make even the most dry-eyed (and I count myself as one of these) break down. (I cried at least four times during my last reading of The Silmarillion, which is perhaps the highest praise that I can possibly give it.)

Rating:
Summary: One of the Great 20th Century Achievements
Review: There is nothing quite like this in English literature, nor will there ever be again. Tolkien has crafted a work that sings and hums like the best translation of the Bible...no, it goes beyond the Bible with its more unified visions and greater sense of poetic beauty. The passion and pathos of this epic document of the Elves in the first age of our earth (and let me make that clear -- this is our history, or Earth, not that of a fantasy world) almost overwhelms you. You can say to yourself empirically "I know this is merely a story created by a 20th century linguistics professor" but your heart and spirit will never doubt the tale's truth. That is Tolkien's remarkable achievement: he makes the fantastic more real than your own reality. This isn't "escapism"; if anything, it will draw you closer to the truly beautiful things in our own world.

Rating:
Summary: Both Tolkien and Martin Shaw shine in this audio edition
Review: A long-time Tolkien fan, I have always enjoyed The Silmarillion, though it's never been my favourite. Martin Shaw's reading may just change that! Hearing Mr Shaw's rendering of Tolkien's prose is a truly magical experience. I enjoyed his reading of The Hobbit, but this text is much more moving. Mr Shaw manages both the high linguistic style and the Elvish words with dignity and makes the text come alive in a way that is simply amazing. (We can only hope that Mr Shaw has plans for The Lord of the Rings.) The decision of the publisher to release the text unabridged is also very welcome -- the mythic style and scope of the book demand that every story in it be told, and it is well worth the cumulative price of the volumes.

Rating:
Summary: I didn't know what I was getting it to, but I'm glad I did!
Review: Excellent! A lot more comes into focus. Anyone who like this book should read The Histories of Middle-Earth, Unfinished Tales, and The letters of J.R.R. Tolkien. Read this book! You'll be glad you did. It's the perfect reading companion to Lord of the Rings.

Rating:
Summary: Easily the greatest work of fantasy in our time
Review: For a true fan of the fantasy genre this is a must read. For those that call Middle Earth their second home, this is a great mythology that may become your Bible (only much better written!). From the Creation myth to the rebellion of the Noldor to the drowning of Numenor to the last ship setting sail from Mithlond, you will begin to see the extent of Tolkien's vast imagination and truely appreciate the world he has given us. From the making of the Silmarils and the glory of Valinor you will see the greatness of the Elves. From the Fall of the Noldor you will learn their sorrow. The Battle of Unnumbered Tears will show you the glory and the treachery of mortal man. You will learn the beginnings of the dwarves, the eagles, the ents, the orcs and much more. For those that find the hints to the Elder Days in The Lord of the Rings to be better left as hints, I say please do not read this book, because you will not like it. But for those that want to know more about the first and second ages and to perhaps learn the secret knowledge known by only Tolkien himself I recommend this book along with the twelve part History of Middle Earth series completed by his son Christopher.

Rating:
Summary: Never heard of it, huh? Your loss!
Review: Millions have read "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings", but how many of them have gotten a hold of "The Silmarillion"? This is not a novel as such, nor a collection of short stories. This is the story of Middle-Earth, and in here you will find the answer to just about every question that is raised, but not answered, in "The Lord of the Rings". "The Silmarillion" tells of the making of Middle-Earth and all of its inhabitants, elves, dwarves, humans and all the others, and of the thousands of years that passed from the world was created by Eru, The One, until the days of The Great Rings. It's written in the style of ancient Nordic sagas, and it's filled with drama and poetry. If you loved "The Lord of the Rings", you shouldn't be without "The Silmarillion".

Rating:
Summary: Close call...
Review: The Silmarillion takes a welldeserved secondplace in a sprint-finish with The lord of the rings trilogy...

Rating:
Summary: A must have to any Tolkien fan!
Review: This book has it all, There are many unanswered questions in the Lord of the Rings about the elder days, here are all the answers, the scope of the book reaches from the foundations of Tolkien world to the last and more subtle details of it; from the beginning of middle earth to the third age and the war of the ring. Anyone who has seen Nasmith paintings about Tolkien, would agree that this book is the perfect compliment to its counterparts, The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, illustrated by Alan Lee.