The Silmarillion

[glen]

Has anyone read this?
Is it any good?
Does anyone have it on audio CD?

 

[Electric Amish]

I don't know that it ever made it to audio. It's kindof a collection of short stories, as I recall.

I've never read it, but I started it once.

The beginning is a bit dry, kinda like the bible. History stuff.

amish

 

[spaceman]

its an excellent book.
with a ton of information predating the whole LOTR trilogy.
it basically starts from the creation of middle earth.

 

[FeathersMcGraw]

Originally posted by: glen
Has anyone read this?
Is it any good?
Does anyone have it on audio CD?

Tried, not once, but several times.

It's a cross between a Bible for and a history lesson of Middle Earth.

 

[Nemesis77]

Excellent book, altrough a bit on the heavy side. It's not as easy for the reader as Lord of The Rings is.

 

[kami]

Read it if you always wondered the story/history behind people, places, or things that were merely touched upon in LOTR. The Simarillion would make a pretty fantastic TV mini-series if they had a big budget (and Peter Jackson working on it) and just tell a new story with every episode.

I could easily watch a 2 hour extended prologue (with narration and everything) like the beginning of LOTR:FOTR.

 

[StageLeft]

I foudn it impossible to read.

 

[wolf papa]

tried to, as others have already said, I found it very dry. Imagine all the details and history mentioned in LOTR, but presented without the storyline. I may try it again, maybe I've got more patience now............

 

[ElFenix]

its pretty simple once you understand that everyone in it has at least 10 names.

the thing is... the silmarillion is a collection of notes... its some of tolkiens more coherent notes (unlike the books of lost tales) but its not really a story with a plot.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: Nemesis77
Excellent book, altrough a bit on the heavy side. It's not as easy for the reader as Lord of The Rings is.

"A bit heavy" yeah a bit indeed! Try a million bits!

 

[Yossarian]

It is available on audio. It's so dry though that I'm getting thirsty just thinking about it.

 

[SSP]

I need to pick this up when I have some free time.

 

[Turkey22]

Good, better than tryin to read all the separate books he wrote covering the same stuff. Basically one book covering everything before the Hobbit which is also covered in about 6 or 7 other books. Problem is those 6 or 7 books are almost entirely the same because most start at the very beginning. Not to mention some contradict each other or tell a slightly different version.

 

[Martin]

Its a really good book.

Its the history of middle-earth from before the beggining until several years after the events in LotR. I liked it so much, I even read "The Book of Lost Tales", which goes into detail about some of the stories in the Silmarillion.


The only thing I don't like about it is that its so short. 350 pages are NOT enough for this kind of thing. If it was 3500-4000 pages, then it would have been much nicer.

 

[Compuguru]

I read the Silmarillion and the Book of Lost Tales 1. I wouldnt reccomend them except to die hard Tolkien fans, as my desire to learn more about the background of the universe is the only thing that got me through them.

 

[sash1]

"Has anyone read this?
Is it any good?
Does anyone have it on audio CD?"

Yes; it's okay; I dunno.

I am a big fan of Tolkein, but this was too boring for my liking. Still a good book, though.

 

[Swag1138]

I was able to force myself through it once.


emphasis on force.

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: FeathersMcGraw

Originally posted by: glen
Has anyone read this?
Is it any good?
Does anyone have it on audio CD?

Tried, not once, but several times.

It's a cross between a Bible for and a history lesson of Middle Earth.

Exactly ive tried to read it like 4 time when i was younger and I only got so far because it was like reading an encylopedia. but i finally read it not so long ago and it is really good. if you REALLY like LOTR and Tolkiens stuff. i recomend it and all the other books out also

 

[TheBullGod]

I absolutely loved this book. The first couple chapters are a bit hard(lots of names and stuff) and its written on a very high reading level, but once you get into some of the good stories (Beren and Luthian?, Turin) it really provides alot of history and fun reading, most of the stories are like LoTR because of the over-whelming odds, great difficulty, and impact on the history of middle-earth. For any true Tolkien fan, I believe this is a must read.

 

[isildur]

Its good stuff, but remember its not a novel, its more of a compilation of independent and sometimes interwoven tales. To sit down and just start plowing through it isn't really approaching it correctly.

If you liked the great old epics (Illiad, Beowulf, Aeneid, etc) you'll enjoy it. If not...<shrug>

 

[xSauronx]

Originally posted by: Electric Amish
I don't know that it ever made it to audio. It's kindof a collection of short stories, as I recall.

I've never read it, but I started it once.

The beginning is a bit dry, kinda like the bible. History stuff.

amish

the first time i read it i had the same feeling, and skipped ahead a couple chapters, where it startes to get intersting

not worth reading if you havent read Lord of the Rings yet, otherwise, ifyoure find yourself interested in Middle Earth, its a very good read, i read all 5 of the books on an almost yearly basis (Silmarillion, Hobbit, LotR)

 

[CJZ]

I tried to read it but it kept putting me to sleep.