The Silmarillion

Rating:
Summary: Confusing... but an EXCELLENT story nonetheless
Review: As one reviewer noted, this is like Tolkien's bible and can only be appreciated by the hardcore Tolkien fans. It starts out as a creation story, detailing how Arda (the realm of earth) came to exist through the songs and thoughts of Iluvatar (God) and the Ainur (.....angels???). Some of the Ainur decide to go to earth, so they are then called the Valar, and prepare it for the Elves who are to be born much later. There is much trial and tribulation as one of the Valar, Melkor, becomes evil and jealous and tries to wreck everything. Theres a lengthy description of the different Vala and Valie and whos in charge of what; wind, earth, plants, stars... etc. THEN when the Elves are born theres all the different families and types of Elves, Wood Elves, Green Elves, Dark Elves. BUT they have names like Moriquendi, Noldor, Teleri, Umanyar... etc, depending on whether they made this journey and saw these trees.... AND THEN theres all the different sons and daughters who are descended from this guy whos descended from that guy who was married to this woman who was descended from this king who perished in that war.
My advice is to photocopy the family trees and maps in the back of the book so you can use them as an easy reference (I know... it's kinda dorky, but for those of you with short attention spans this WILL prevent massive headaches). There is just so many different people and descendants... it can be confusing. But once you have a good idea of who the main characters are and what they are doing it becomes an incredible tale in which you can get to know the older characters that are usually only briefly mentioned in the LOTR series, or their histories aren't entirely given; like Galadriel, Elrond, Mithrandir (Gandalf), Morgoth, Sauron, even Shelob. Tolkien's style of writing is incredible and his stories should not be missed. If you REALLY loved the LOTR series (not the movies either, which are good too, but im talking about the BOOKS)then go on and read this book!

Rating:
Summary: A Unique and Impressive Achievement
Review: I'd already read The Silmarillion twice and come to love it when I bought this edition. I relied on another reviewer's description of its production values, and wasn't disappointed. The paper and binding are high quality; the 45 color plates are beautiful and dramatic interpretations of scenes from the stories.

I wouldn't describe The Silmarillion as difficult reading. It reminds me of the books of myths and legends I used to enjoy as a child. Many of those were written in 19th Century prose, so I was ready for Tolkien's archaic style. It was necessary to consult the geneology charts at the back a few times to keep track of the characters.

The Silmarillion consists of connected stories rather than a tightly knit plot. Some of the stories are more fully realized than others. More detailed but unfinished versions of many may be found in the Unfinished Tales and History of Middle Earth series. Although not fully realized, the stories contain moving and unforgettable moments. For me, Hurin's reunion with Morwen at the grave of their son is one of the greatest. Collectively the sweep of The Silmarillion is impressive, creating a sense of an alternate world that is both familiar since it derives from myths and legends we know -- and strange since Tolkien has synthesized these elements into something new and altogether his own.

Like any other book, this one isn't for everybody. But for those readers enthralled by The Lord of the Rings or intrigued by myth, it's worth the effort.


Rating:
Summary: Tolkien's bible
Review: It's more than slightly staggering to consider: the epic fantasy "Lord of the Rings" to be the tail end of Tolkien's invented history. The "Bible" of Middle-Earth, the "Silmarillion" stretches from the beginning of time to the departure of the Elves from Middle-Earth.

A complete summary is impossible, because the book spans millennia and has one earth-shattering event after another. But it includes the creation of Tolkien's invented pantheons of angelic beings under Eru Iluvatar, also known as God; how they sang the world into being; the creation of Elves, Men, and Dwarves (hobbits are, I think, not really covered); the legendary love story of Beren and Luthien, a mortal Man and an Elf maiden who gives up her immortality for the man she loves; the demonic Morgoth and Sauron; Elves of just about any kind -- bad, mad, dangerous, good, sweet, brave, and so forth; the creation of the many Rings of Power -- and the One Ring of Sauron; the Two Trees that made the sun and moon; and finally the quest of the Ringbearer, Frodo Baggins.

Many old favorites will pop up over the course of the book, such as Elrond, Galadriel, Gandalf, and so on. Fans of Elves will find plenty to feed their hunger; fans of Hobbits or Dwarves will not find as much here. It will also answer some questions that "Hobbit" and LOTR may raise, when references to long-ago incidents and people are made -- what is Numenor? Who are the Valar? This includes those things, and much more.

The writing style of Silmarillion is more akin to the Eddas, the Bible, or the Mabinogian than to "Lord of the Rings." It's more formal and archaic in tone; Tolkien did not get as "into" the heads of his characters in Silmarillion as he did in LOTR, and there is no central character. Needless to say, this is necessary as a more in-depth approach would have taken centuries to write, let alone perfect. If readers can bypass the automatic dislike of more formal prose, they will find enchanting stories and a less evocative but very intriguing writing style. This style strongly leans on the Eddas, collections of story and song that were unearthed and translated long ago. Though obviously not as well-known as LOTR, it is clear that these collections helped influence the Silmarillion.

It's clear to see, while reading this, the extent of Tolkien's passion for his invented history. Someone who had a lack of enthusiasm could not have spent much of his adult life writing, revising, and polishing a history that never was. It's also almost frighteningly imaginative and real: It isn't too hard to imagine that these things could actually have happened. In a genre clogged with shallow sword'n'sorcery, Tolkien's coherent, carefully-written backstory is truly unique.

If you can take the formal prose and mythical style, this is a treasure, and a must-read for anyone who loved LOTR or "Hobbit." Only after reading "The Silmarillion" can readers truly appreciate Tolkien's literary accomplishments, and the full scope of the Middle-Earth that is glimpsed in his more famous books.

Rating:
Summary: For real Tolkein/LOTR fans
Review: Put as simply as possible, this is the culmination of all the contents of Tolkien's mind. Middle-earth is a vast realm (probably the most detailed and full fantasy world there ever has been or will be), but LOTR gives us only a small glimpse of that world. The Silmarillion is Tolkien's encyclopedic work filling in gaps throughout LOTR, adding backstory, and creating a mythology. For any hardcore fan of LOTR, this is a must have--if nothing else but to complete the collection.

Keep in mind Tolkien's writing style and compound that with the Silmarillion reading more like a textbook than fantasy fiction, and it gets a little dry at times. If you find Tolkien a little on the wordy side, this will be even wordier.

If you like the LOTR movies more than the books, you will not like The Silmarillion. If you like the books as well as the movies, then you might want to take a look at The Silmarillion at the bookstore first, because you might like it. If you read the LOTR books religiously or annually, you will need this book.

I know plenty of people who assumed this book was like The Hobbit Part 5, and are now using the book as a paperweight because they didn't check it out first. It is not as good as The Hobbit and the LOTR, but it is the next thing for people who want more.

Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful book, but....
Review: THE SILMARILLION is a wonderful book and provides a rich legacy of information which underlies Tolkien's beloved THE HOBBIT and THE LORD OF THE RINGS (LOTR). The author shows the true depth and richness of Middle Earth, creating a beautiful mixture of myth, folklore, and in some respects, scripture.

For those who have loved and cherished Tolkien's more famous works, this book will provide great enjoyment. HOWEVER, for the person not familiar with LOTR, the book may be extremely difficult. While beautifully crafted, it may be difficult to follow as it is more reference than story in a sense.

I would, as have many others, recommend THE HOBBIT first, followed by LOTR, both masterpieces of storytelling. With sufficient interest and background, THE SILMARILLION can then be truly appreciated for its own great gifts.

Rating:
Summary: Simply splendid
Review: The Silmarillion is the back story of the epic Lord of the Rings. Tolkien decribes the sundering of Valinor and the epic battles of the First Age from which come the stories and legends of the Third Age. It is not the easiest read, but well worth the effort.

Rating:
Summary: From a Lord of the Rings fan...
Review: This book, mostly written by Tolkien, with large parts edited and written by his son, is an excellent read for Tolkien lovers and purists, but if you are not one of those two, you will have trouble getting through this book. I had read Lord of the Rings twice when I tried reading this for the first time, and it took me three tries to be able to make it through the entire thing. Once I did, I was satisfyed and will most likly read it again every few years(as I do with the Lord of the Rings). Still, the language in this is not nearly as fluid, well-mastered, or as beautiful as in LOTR. And while it provides great amounts of interesting back story, and I appreciate the LOTR and the other books in Middle-Earth because of it, this was not required reading, nor was it as entertaining or thrilling as LOTR. All and all, a worthy read if you can get through it, but that may be a daunting obsticle indeed for most casual readers.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful, Stunning Book
Review: This is a stunningly beautiful classic edition of the pre-quel to the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. It was written over a period of about fifty years by J. R. R. Tolkien and really never finished. This book lays out the foundation of the world as Tolkien visualized it. It's the story of how the jewels were created, how the world worked. In this edition, it is a beautiful book, complete with 48 beautiful paints made by Ted Nasmith, many of which are included for the first time.

Along with the Quenta Silmarillion itself are several short pieces that extend and expand the world. One of these is a lengthy letter written by Tolkein in which he explains his vision in his own words. Here an overview of the world as he saw it, as he wanted it published. The four short pieces Ainulindale, Valaquenta, Akallabeth and Of the Rings of Power complete the work. Here are all the rich Tolkein words that describe his dream, his world.

Rating:
Summary: A review on the printing quality instead of content
Review: This is a very handsome cloth-cover book.
The binding, cover, and pape quality are extremely similar to the three volumne TLOR boxed set (ISBN: 0618260587). The only differences are 1) the cloth cover is in blue color, 2) paper is not glossy (but the paper used also has extremely high quality). The binding is superior. It contains 48 or 50 (I did not count yet)
beautiful illustrations. A colored folded map is attached at the back cover. In short, it is a add-one if you own the three volumne TLOR set.