Silmarillion

[glen]

I wish I could take a college class on this book, but since I can't find one, I am trying my best to learn on my own.
Do any of you know of any good recourses on it?

 

[BatmanNate]

Did you read it?

 

[glen]

I am reading it now and I find it very difficult.

 

[Anubis]

read it now. think about what you read.
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2 years pass

read it again. you will understand more
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repeat till you fully understand it

 

[BatmanNate]

Originally posted by: glen
I am reading it now and I find it very difficult.

When I read it, I found the geneology trees and maps included at the back were VERY helpful. I've seen a good link on it before too, let me see if I can't dig it up.

 

[glen]

Has anyone read it?
Even the most die hard fans can't read it.
it is so tedious
the names...
He just starts using a name for someone or something out of the blue and you don't have the faintest idea what he is talking about untill you have finished the chapter
then everythign has multiple names
real name, 2 elvish names, human names, slang names

 

[Jadow]

I think Tolkein was brilliant, and LOTR and The Hobbit were great. But man the Similarian is a piece of crap.

 

[Legendary]

Originally posted by: Jadow
I think Tolkein was brilliant, and LOTR and The Hobbit were great. But man the Similarian is a piece of crap.

:Q
Personally I thought it was amazing.

Edit: this may help you

 

[Anubis]

ive read it twice. loved it both times

 

[glen]

there is no doubt that it is amazing
there is no doubt it is hard to read

 

[Vic]

I have read the Silmarillion several times and love it. It is not a story, not a novel, it is an epic of Biblical proportions. Tolkein's writing style is amazingly brilliant prose.

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: Vic
I have read the Silmarillion several times and love it. It is not a story, not a novel, it is an epic of Biblical proportions. Tolkein's writing style is amazingly brilliant prose.

Exactly

 

[BD2003]

I hadnt read a book in years until I picked up LOTR. Thought it was p[retty sweet, so of course I went to the silmarillion next.

It was tough to read, but I got through it. It goes from broad history to small tales, and there are WAY too many names dropped, but you just have to read it sloooowly. Keep in mind you are reading a fictional history book, not a novel. If you cant deal with that, then its not for you.

 

[Turin39789]

ive read it several times and i love it. Had trouble the first time i read it, was a freshman in high school. it grows on you. The year after I left UK, they had a course on tolkien. So angry i missed out

 

[Triumph]

Of course you have to have read the Hobbit and LotR several times before you ever attempt to pick up the Silmarillion. The index is very helpful for those names you keep forgetting, so keep a thumb back there. Just plan on reading it twice before it starts making sense.

 

[exp]

I think I may like the Silmarillion even better than LOTR. It's definitely a true epic. I just wish Tolkien could have lived another millenium just to flesh out the stories. Between the Silmarillion and his remaining notes there's enough material for another 100 LOTRs, easily.

 

[WhiteKnight]

I'm in the middle of reading it now too. My copy has a name index in the back that I have found very useful. I'm not sure if every edition has that or not.

 

[brjames]

You can't approach the Silmarillion like just any novel. Its much closer to mythology than what is typically considered novels these days. If you liked reading Edith Wharton's "Mythology", you'll like the Silmarillion. Very similar in number of names dropped and differing names and languages (i.e. Greek vs. Latin). I thought the Silmarillion was a very good read, but I dont expect that opinion to be universal.

 

[Martin]

Originally posted by: Jadow
I think Tolkein was brilliant, and LOTR and The Hobbit were great. But man the Similarian is a piece of crap.

The Hobbit was ok, LotR is great but the Silmarillion is simply amazing! It is pure brilliance! Although I may be a minority, I liked it more than LotR. Like exp said, there is enough in the Silmarillion to make 10s of LotRs!



Glen, first time around will be hard - it was for me. But after I read it a second time, everything was clear, so you should try to do the same. Second time around, I was disapointed with how short it was, so I went out and got "the book of lost tales", which goes into great detail about some of the Silmarillion stories.

 

[glen]

What I have done in reading it is read each chapter twice very slowly before going to the next chapter.
Even that is not enough.

 

[StageLeft]

That book is impossible to read.

 

[BatmanNate]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
That book is impossible to read.

Not if you're literate.

 

[GroundZero]

Originally posted by: glen
Has anyone read it?
Even the most die hard fans can't read it.
it is so tedious
the names...
He just starts using a name for someone or something out of the blue and you don't have the faintest idea what he is talking about untill you have finished the chapter
then everythign has multiple names
real name, 2 elvish names, human names, slang names

have read it several times, you need to cross reference the names and all with the apendices and maps and family trees and all.
it also helps to have read the unfinished tales book and i also have a limited edition of the lord of the rings trilogy that includes even more maps and extras.

 

[glen]

Read unfinished tales first?

 

[BatmanNate]

Originally posted by: glen
Read unfinished tales first?

Definately not. Unfinished tales is like a giant appendage to the Silmarillion. Basically it's more in the style of a reference. I've never read it straight through, I use it as a reference when I'm curious about something from the other books.