The Silmarillion

[Liber]

And the Silmarillion myth of creation is simply beautiful.

This is the only thing in the book that i felt was really deserving of high praise.

But i read it years ago in high school, so i probably should give it another shot.

[Karak Norn Clansman]

As for the Dwarves, I don't get the same impression as you do about Middle Earth Dwarves. I do feel the author(s) have concentrated mainly on the history of the Elves though, so you don't get the details of the dwarves in the main stories (with Hobbit as an exception), but I always got the impression that all of those things you describe were going on somewhere just outside of the 'featured' stories.

There's a lot of Tolkien that is 'left to the imagination', such as man's pre-history, the other Istari that came to middle earth, what happens in the Eastern continents, etc.

For that matter, there are 7 tribes of Dwarves, but only 3 are really dealt with at all in Tolkien's written material, the main being Durin's people, the Longbeards.

True. Personally I always believe that there are a lot more going on outside of the main tales (and not only Dwarves, but also such things as Elves in Lindon and Human / Goblin settlements in the vast wilderness of Rhovanion) and I also read in more warmth and life and background detail into Lotr, especially in the bits about Dwarves. Heck, Tolkien even wrote about his surprise upon receiving a lot of mail from people that wanted such un-fey things as geological maps with metal ores. (Speaking of which, the description of the Dwarf strongholds in the 7th edition Dwarf army book is simply wonderful - to some part it was just the thing I wanted to see in Lotr, and not only for Dwarves.) Lotr opened up a lot of imagination for further Fantasy, but its author had more mythological intentions than historical with the setting, if this meaning makes sense.

But having discussed the "bleakness" of Lotr at lenght with friends over quite some time, the straight impression from the texts is that of a quite bleak Middle Earth, not least with the somewhat dwindling Dwarves and Valar-sailing Elves. Personally, I think this impression is turned on its head during the big battles (Four Armies, Minas Tirith). Not that the bleakness bothers me too much - me, my friends and my brother have had our share of fun fleshing out a more detailed and densely inhabited Middle Earth on home-brewed maps and stories. But still I'd have liked a bit more down-to-earth stuff, especially about Dwarves. Each to their own.

[Tef]

A lot of pages in this thread already and a lot good things have been said. I would contradict the comments about Christian writing/influences but I have learned to agree to disagree on such matters

What I would like to say to all who are even considering to read Silmarillion is this - read it and read it in English if you in any way can. Most translations I have found are woefully lacking in myriad ways. And yes, the beginning is quite unlike most fantasy literature these days and the main reason people say it's hard but persist over that and it is a rewarding read indeed, all the different influences Tolkien drew from coming together as a single story, well, a collection of unified stories.

And I say this as well - since you people are on these forums, means you are miniature players - ours is not an easy hobby, it takes patience, time and effort - this book is the same. Approach it with the same way, not expecting instant entertainment and it will be a delight.

[Peregrin]

I enjoyed the newest book, 'Children of Hurin'. The material is covered in the Silmarillion in about a chapter and a half, so obviously the novel is more detailed.

I liked it, but it's not a happy book. Two things were really clear. It was heavily influenced by classic Greek tragedies, and our culture isn't used to those kind of stories. Not everyone will 'get it'.

[BrainFireBob]

Quick note- Tolkien served in the Great War, not WW2. Makes The Fall of Gondolin make more sense, as well as the Balrogs and dragons, with their whips of flame and talons of steel- may not be allegorical, but certainly informed by the horror of night in the tre nches.

[Tupinamba]

Man, I´ve started to listen to the Silmarillion in its audiobook version and it´s simply beautiful! People should really give it an open minded try.

[Karak Norn Clansman]

For anyone interested in modern music inspired by the Silmarillion, the band Blind Guardian have made some soundtracks about Lotr and Silmarillion. Unlike Curse my name, for example, they are not all too good, but the Curse of Fëanor at least come close to capture the spirit of the man, the myth, the legend of the Noldor elves: http://www.rocktube.us/08RAkexaiNr/B...h_lyrics_.html

Quick note- Tolkien served in the Great War, not WW2. Makes The Fall of Gondolin make more sense, as well as the Balrogs and dragons, with their whips of flame and talons of steel- may not be allegorical, but certainly informed by the horror of night in the trenches.

You've hit the core of Tolkien's story universe. It is driven deeply be a sense of destruction, constant fall from grace and also, irritatingly enough, decline. His war experiences must have served as a major source for his fictionary creation, however subconsciosly, and the cultural break in the European world caused by the Great War probably played a part as well. This sense of bleakness couples well with Greek tragedies and Norse doom.

Man, I´ve started to listen to the Silmarillion in its audiobook version and it´s simply beautiful! People should really give it an open minded try.

People certainly should!

[Arnizipal]

For anyone interested in modern music inspired by the Silmarillion, the band Blind Guardian have made some soundtracks about Lotr and Silmarillion. Unlike Curse my name, for example, they are not all too good, but the Curse of Fëanor at least come close to capture the spirit of the man, the myth, the legend of the Noldor elves: http://www.rocktube.us/08RAkexaiNr/B...h_lyrics_.html

While a good song, Curse of Fëanor contains a part where Fëanor seems to show remorse for his deeds (which he doesn't it the novel).
I prefer Time Stands Still, Noldor or A Dark Passage.

[bravey]

Similarion boring?, dull? I read it when I was 11 and loved every bit of it. I have to say it's the best Toilken book i've read .

You read the Silmarillion when you were eleven? You must have been quite a precocious child.

~Bravey