Silmarillion

[glen]

Ok, I just ordered these:
The Book of Lost Tales 1 (The History of Middle-Earth - Volume 1)
The Book of Lost Tales 2 (The History of Middle-Earth - Volume 2)
Unfinished Tales of Numenor and Middle-Earth

 

[GroundZero]

Originally posted by: glen
Ok, I just ordered these:
The Book of Lost Tales 1 (The History of Middle-Earth - Volume 1)
The Book of Lost Tales 2 (The History of Middle-Earth - Volume 2)
Unfinished Tales of Numenor and Middle-Earth

there is one other one out there too.i am thinking it is called something along the lines of " a road running through" or something to do with a road.
unfinished tales references the simrilian alot. along with several other of the books. BatmanNate is right when he compares it to a reference. as it is more like a companion or another apedice, than a congruent book.

 

[exp]

Ok, I just ordered these:
The Book of Lost Tales 1 (The History of Middle-Earth - Volume 1)
The Book of Lost Tales 2 (The History of Middle-Earth - Volume 2)
Unfinished Tales of Numenor and Middle-Earth

Nice.

If you still can't get into the Silmarillion just put it away for a year or two and then give it another shot. I didn't really "get it" until my second readin. Mostly that was because the vast quantity of people and places covered require more effort to sort through.

But also I think the first time around I was expecting focused stories on a level closer to LOTR than the Bible, so the unexpected reality ended up being somewhat jarring. Once my expectations were overcome I could appreciate the book for what it was, not what I wanted it to be (which was LOTR 2).

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: glen
Ok, I just ordered these:
The Book of Lost Tales 1 (The History of Middle-Earth - Volume 1)
The Book of Lost Tales 2 (The History of Middle-Earth - Volume 2)
Unfinished Tales of Numenor and Middle-Earth

ha, if you're bogging down on the silmarillion you're not going to get through the books of lost tales.

unfinished tales is annotated so its pretty easy

 

[glen]

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: glen
Ok, I just ordered these:
The Book of Lost Tales 1 (The History of Middle-Earth - Volume 1)
The Book of Lost Tales 2 (The History of Middle-Earth - Volume 2)
Unfinished Tales of Numenor and Middle-Earth

ha, if you're bogging down on the silmarillion you're not going to get through the books of lost tales.

unfinished tales is annotated so its pretty easy

Actually, I think or hope that I will be so much more familliar with the tales and names that it will be a bit easier.

 

[kazeakuma]

I have all above mentioned books and the Silmarillion is one of the easier reads. The Books of Lost Tales are quite a chore if you're not ready for them. The Silmarillion is also by far the best of them. And like the others have said, it's not a novel it's like a book full of Middle Earth legends. Read it once, wait a while then read it again. You'll understand far more the second time round. Some of the stories in the Silmarillion are truly awesome, I like the fact that just about every hero/story/battle mentioned in the LOTR has a full story somewhere in Tolkien's literary works. The man was a genius with the pen.

 

[MithShrike]

Originally posted by: 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.

Yes, I loved the Silmarillion. It is far more like history than the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I've read it only once and I don't see how you people could not "get" it. It's like reading Norse mythology or history, you have to pay attention! LOL OK, I've said my piece.