Helpful Score: 6
Rather dry reading. Interesting material, but definitely more encyclopedic than narrative. Devotees of Tolkein's world will enjoy this book.
Helpful Score: 5
I suggest approaching this book as if you were tackling a research project and not a novel.
Challenging but rewarding if you persevere.
Challenging but rewarding if you persevere.
Helpful Score: 5
I call this book The Bible of the Middle Earth, and rightfully so. It provides a lot information and background prior to the events of The Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit. Of how things were created, of the coming of the Elves, of the wars, Sauron's beginning, etc. it just fills up the things that were not explained before and the things that left you wondering or wanting to know more about. You definetly need to read this book if you're a Tolkien fan.
Helpful Score: 4
Biblical in it's language and style. If you want the history of Middle Earth, the first through third ages, this is for you.
Helpful Score: 3
Prequel to the "Lord of the Rings" and the "Hobbit", much more Old Testament-ish than the hobbit books.
Helpful Score: 2
I suggest approaching this book as if you were tackling a research project and not a novel.
Challenging but rewarding if you persevere.
Challenging but rewarding if you persevere.
Helpful Score: 2
Prelude to The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Wish I had read this before reading them.
Helpful Score: 1
one of the top five books i've ever read. not a book you can fully 'get' in one reading but a book that continually reveals its brilliance and wisdom with every reading. Highly highly highly recommended!
Helpful Score: 1
No lover of LOTR will be complete without this second edition of The Silmarillion. Edited by Christopher Tolkien. A number one New York Time bestseller when it was first published, this book is the core of J.R.R. Tolkien's imaginative writing. Tolkien considered The Silmarillion his most important work. This great collection of tales and legends clearly sets the stage for all his other writing, even though it was published posthumously.
Helpful Score: 1
This is a good book for a die-hard fan of Tolkien. If you're not a big fan of Middle-Earth, I would skip this book. I am a big fan of Tolkien and for years I was an administrator of one of the most popular LOTR sites online. Now that I've laid out my geeky credentials, I have to say it took me several tries to get through the Sil. I almost considered getting index cards so that I could keep track of all the characters whose names start with "F" for there are so many! However, if you stick with the book, you'll learn the origin of the gods of Middle Earth as well as the creation of the Elves. The Silmarillion is a fascinating story, but it is dry and it's not as charming as The Hobbit. The Sil is not as cohesive as the LOTR or Hobbit. There aren't any hobbits in the Sil. Men appear, but not until much later in the story. You need to have a deep love of myth, ancient languages, and Elves if you're going to make it through the entire Silmarillion.
Helpful Score: 1
I suggest approaching this book as if you were tackling a research project and not a novel.
Challenging but rewarding if you persevere.
Challenging but rewarding if you persevere.
A great look at early Middle Earth, learn some of the background before Lord of the Rings existed.
Loriann S. (nalastormhunter) reviewed The Silmarillion (Illustrated Edition) on + 35 more book reviews
I have a first edition, but this book is soooo dry. If you loved Lord of the Rings, and can sit through the Elves Bible, go for it.
I will confess at the start that I could not finish this book. Another reviewer's suggestion that one approach the book as if doing research is spot on. Do not be deceived by your love of other Tolkien books into thinking that it will be a similarly enjoyable read.
I applaud The Silmarillion as a tour-de-force in making up a mythology. From that point of view, it is probably an amazing work. Fun to read, it isn't.
I applaud The Silmarillion as a tour-de-force in making up a mythology. From that point of view, it is probably an amazing work. Fun to read, it isn't.
What a pretty version of this book!
Rather dark set of stories, if you couldn't get enough of LORD OF THE RINGS this is for you.
A bit of a lower rating. I\'m an action/ adventure type. This is the very \"technical\", and of course name- laden history of Middle-Earth. Great book if you can keep up with names. I had to make notes in order to follow.
This is the very best of all Tolkien's Books. The story is more intricate, more sad, more everything. It also explains all the history behind Lord of the Rings and especially the song of Tinuviel.
Fascinating and interesting. A must-read for those who want to delve into the background of "The Hobbit" and "Lord of the Rings". This is not an entertaining book, by any means. It is lots of information to absorb but is totally worth it for those who yearn to know more after reading the more popular novels by Tolkien.
One of the most wonderful backdrops to any story. On earth. Beautifully written and orgamized... gripping tale of the beginnings of a whole world.
This is an awesome book for those who want to know where everything and everyone comes from in the Lord of the Rings. From how the world was created to how Aragorn and Arwen are related it covers it all.
It is whole bunch of stories. They are all connected because they are in the same world, but they aren't like a series or anything.
I have read it more than once and enjoyed every time! I also went back and read some of my favorite stories over again.
A few warnings!
-If you are looking for action, the first few chapters about the creation of the world will be hard to get through. (I still say the are worth it though. It is such an awesome picture of creation)
-Also, if you are looking for The Lord of the Rings characters you will not find most of them till towards the end of the book. (so be prepared for new names and favorite characters!)
It is whole bunch of stories. They are all connected because they are in the same world, but they aren't like a series or anything.
I have read it more than once and enjoyed every time! I also went back and read some of my favorite stories over again.
A few warnings!
-If you are looking for action, the first few chapters about the creation of the world will be hard to get through. (I still say the are worth it though. It is such an awesome picture of creation)
-Also, if you are looking for The Lord of the Rings characters you will not find most of them till towards the end of the book. (so be prepared for new names and favorite characters!)
just couldn't get into this like I could the rest of Tolkein's works...
Wendy K. (KelseyFamily06) -
I thought this book was slow and not to the point. I had a very hard time staying interested.
Pre-history of Elves from LOTR.
The beginnings of middle earth, the creations of the inhabitants of middle earth, and the war to protect it.
One of J.R.R.Tolkien's best, an introduction to Middle Eatrh.
Jennifer D. (princessprplfrog) reviewed The Silmarillion (Illustrated Edition) on + 2 more book reviews
This is the history of the elves in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
I got this because I enjoyed the Lord of the Rings movies, however I had a hard time getting into it. Sci-Fi is just not my genre of choice, I guess. =)
"The fabled jewels or Silmarilli give the book its name and are the thread that binds the various tales of the book together. Tolkien tells of the emergence of life on earth, the rebellion of some of the elves and their departure for Middle Earth, their efforts to build a new life for themselves...
...fascinating as Tolkien tells of love and war, of courage and treachery, of nobility and baseness. There are great battles and mighty warriors, bewitching romances and spellbinding intrigues, great victories and grinding defeats.
And of course the lyrical prose: Tolkien is one of the very few writers whose very prose reads like poetry. The ring and cadence of names, the melody inherent in the lyrics of his songs: this is fine writing at its peak. A wonderful book, not to be missed." amazon
...fascinating as Tolkien tells of love and war, of courage and treachery, of nobility and baseness. There are great battles and mighty warriors, bewitching romances and spellbinding intrigues, great victories and grinding defeats.
And of course the lyrical prose: Tolkien is one of the very few writers whose very prose reads like poetry. The ring and cadence of names, the melody inherent in the lyrics of his songs: this is fine writing at its peak. A wonderful book, not to be missed." amazon
I thought it was an ok book, but I felt it was a more difficult read than the rest of Tolkien's work. I didn't feel that there was any fluidity in it.
A great book, I enjoyed reading it.
GOOD BOOK! TOLKIEN`S DONE IT AGAIN.
Early work that much of Tolkien's later work was based on.
Tolkien's story of the creation of the world - the ancient dream that set the stage for 'The Hobbit' and 'Lord of the Rings'.
My son loved this book.
I got through the first four chapters, but it was so painful I decided to not even try to read any more. I was disappointed to say the least.
So well written
J.R.R. Tolkien's story of the creation of the world---the ancient dream that sets the stage for The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
The tale of middle-earth before and during the coming of the humans....filled with magic, heroic deed and wonderful resonant names... essential for Tolkein lovers.
For people who are Tolkien addicts to the bone.
dpends on how much of a tolkein fan you are as to the rating
THE EPIC HISTORY OF THE ELVES FROM LORD OF THE RINGS...
I wanted to scratched my eyes out from reading The God of Small Things. I started to really wonder if I should after reading this book. I think the tears I shed from the horror of this book, were actually blood. Atrocious. There was a reason Mr. Tolkien's notes and back story were never published by himself. They were for him, not us.
THE Tolkien reading compainion.
Beverly B. (SmoothCollieLover) reviewed The Silmarillion (Illustrated Edition) on + 35 more book reviews
A must-read for fans of "Lord of the Rings."
The epic history of the elves in The Lord of the Rings.
Must have for those who enjoy Tolkien.
GOOD BOOK! TOLKIEN`S DONE IT AGAIN.
This is Tolkien's first book and his last. Long preceeding in its origins The Lord of the Rings, it is the story of the First Age of Tolkien's world, the ancient drama to which characters in The Lord of the Rings look back, and in which some of them, such as Elrond and Galadriel, took part. The Silmarillion was begun in 1917, and Tolkien worked on it, changed it, and enlarged it throughout his life. Edited by his son, Christopher Tolkien, the book finally appeared four years after the author's death.
Kimberli P. (Candlesprite7) reviewed The Silmarillion (Illustrated Edition) on + 9 more book reviews
For the Tolkein Fan
The Silmarillion is Tolkien's first book and his last. Long preceding in its origins The Lord of the Rings, it is the story of the First Age of Tolkien's world, the ancient drama to which characters in The Lord of the Rings look back, and in which some of them, such as Elrond and Galadriel, took part. The Silmarillion was begun in 1917, and Tolkien worked on it, changed it, and enlarged it throughout his life. Edited by his son, Christopher Tolkien, the book finally appeared four years after the author's death.
Classic Tolkien.
Front and back covers torn but still attached. Pages yellowed but book is readable.
