The Silmarillion by JRR Tolkien
Rate and review The Silmarillion! | What does everyone else think?
The Silmarillion by JRR Tolkien was not published in his lifetime. It was completed posthumously by the Professor’s son Christopher Tolkien and first published by Harper Collins in 1992. JRR Tolkien first began working on the history of Middle-earth in 1917 and the work continued up until his death in 1973. The paperback edition holds 480 pages.
The Silmarillion provides the background to Middle-earth, the setting of The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. It is an account of the Elder Days; the First Age when Morgoth, the First Dark Lord dwelt in Middle-earth and the war waged upon him by the High Elves to recover the Silmarils, jewels containing the pure light of Valinor.
JRR Tolkien has created a compelling mythology in The Silmarillion. The many references contained within the Lord of the Rings to the Elder Days are fully explained here. It must be made clear that is not a book written in its entirety by JRR Tolkien. The Professor’s son Christopher has taken a collection of writings regarding the Elder Days and put them together in the form of The Silmarillion.
And Christopher Tolkien has done an excellent job. There were many doubters amongst Tolkien fans but what we are given is a rich set of tales that explain in rich detail the mythology behind Tolkien’s fantasy world. This is a tough but worthwhile read, the writing style is completely different to that used in The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings – this reads like a history book (and one you wished was part of the school curriculum). Middle-earth has its very own creation of story, one that shows Tolkien’s love of the Greek, Roman and Norse mythologies. There is love, betrayal, friendship and power all in evidence here and the characters and races that grace The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings are given a history that not only makes you want to read the two books again but also makes you see everything in a completely new light. There is great beauty in places, the tale of Beren and Luthien being the highlight.
The Silmarillion is best read if you have already read, and enjoyed, The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. The creation of Middle-earth and the history of the Elves, Orcs, Sauron, Gandalf and much more are explained, and explained well. The Silmarillion showcases the depth and brilliance of JRR Tolkien’s imagination; it even features family trees of the characters. The full majesty of JRR Tolkien’s unfolds - he changed the fantasy genre forever when he wrote the Lord of the Rings. Readers began to expect the same amount of effort in world and character creation from all authors – some have managed to emulate but many have fallen by the wayside.
It is told among the wise that the First War began before Arda was full-shaped, and ere yet there was anything that grew or walked upon earth; and for long Melkor had the upper hand. But in the midst of the war a spirit of great strength and hardihood came to the aid of the Valar, hearing in the far heaven that there was battle in the Little Kingdom; and Arda was filled with the sound of laughter. So came Tulkas the Strong, whose anger passes like a mighty wind, scattering cloud and darkness before it; and Melkor fled before his wrath and his laughter, and forsook Arda, and there was peace for a long age. And Tulkas remained and became one of the Valar of the Kingdom of Arda; but Melkor brooded in the outer darkness, and his hate was given to Tulkas for ever after.
In conclusion, read the Hobbit and then the Lord of the Rings. If you are as captivated by them as most of the reading world is – the Silmarillion will give you the extra information you crave and answer the questions that the two prior books threw up – Who exactly are Gandalf and Sauron? How did the Orcs come into being? Why are the Elves leaving Middle-earth and where are they going?
The Silmarillion (Amazon.co.uk)
Author: J. R. R. Tolkien
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 480
Publication date: 1992-01-09
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
RRP: £7.99
Lowest new price: £2.57
Lowest used price: £0.01
Although The Silmarillion takes place in the same imaginary world as J.J.R Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, and was originally published four years after the author's death and over two decades after the former book, it is set much earlier, in the First Age of the World. The tales and the book which reads as a fusion between a story collection and historical chronicle, are a matter of legend even to the characters of The Lord of the Rings:
In the beginning Eru, the One, who in the Elvish tongue is named Ilúvatar, made the Ainur of his thought; and they made a great Music before himTolkien wrote the heart of this material very early in his career, and continued to work on it throughout his life. It fell to his son, Christopher Tolkien, to edit it into book form, and such proved the unquenchable public appetite that he subsequently oversaw 12 volumes of The History of Middle-Earth. This edition features 20 highly evocative colour plates by Ted Nasmith, themselves worth the price of admission, while reinforcing the sense of a historical work are genealogical tables, an extensive index, appendix and colour map. Far removed from the genial style of The Hobbit, this is Tolkien at his most formal, his prose austere, poetically beautiful, his storytelling capturing the epic scale, high drama and melancholy wonder of myth. These stories of elves and heroes and old gods are quite literally the foundation of the entire modern fantasy-publishing revival, and are therefore essential reading. --Gary S. Dalkin
Amazon.co.uk Review
The Silmarillion (Amazon.com)
Author: J. R. R. Tolkien
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 480
Publication date: 1992-01-09
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
RRP: $14.45
Lowest new price: $6.76
Lowest used price: $0.01
The popular paperback edition with a cover design by Tolkien himself, to complement the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings paperbacks. Includes a special preface by J.R.R. Tolkien. The Silmarillion is an account of the Elder Days, of the First Age of Tolkien's world. It is the ancient drama to which the characters in The Lord of the Rings look back, and in whose events some of them such as Elrond and Galadriel took part. The tales of The Silmarillion are set in an age when Morgoth, the first Dark Lord, dwelt in Middle-Earth, and the High Elves made war upon him for the recovery of the Silmarils, the jewels containing the pure light of Valinor. Included in the book are several shorter works. The Ainulindale is a myth of the Creation and in the Valaquenta the nature and powers of each of the gods is described. The Akallabeth recounts the downfall of the great island kingdom of Numenor at the end of the Second Age and Of the Rings of Power tells of the great events at the end of the Third Age, as narrated in The Lord of the Rings.
Product Description
Tim Wilson from UK
"Wonderful use and grasp of language was present in this book, but for me there were just too many details. A plot so well hidden in a myriad other descriptions, plots and historical facts from Middle Earth that I just could not get into it. Tolkien is a deity when it comes to fantasy, but for me this book was more of a study in the history of Middle Earth and less of a story."
Estel from Lucknow
"I like fully realized magical realms with its complete back-history and mythology. The Silmarillion aptly serves this purpose. This not a typical novel but a simple chronicle of events; a guide to the wonderful realm of Middle-earth. Don’t start Tolkien straightaway from here; otherwise you would only get deluged by the vast array of characters and plotlines. I admit that the novel could have done more with a bit of finesse and sometimes it gets difficult to keep track of things (appendix at the book can be used as a reference), but it’s still great. This masterpiece demands only one thing: patience."
Andrew from Scotland
"Incredible. To begin, the read is slow and at times confusing due to the huge cast as it were, but slowly you begin to realise the enormity and scale of this book and anyone studying the history of our own Earth would know that such things are as complex and lengthy as any. Just when you think the plot is lost in the midsts of the many, seemingly unconnected, chapters Tolkien time and again brings back the main thrust of the epic plot. Kudos also to Cristopher Tolkien for including the many extras which serve to aid in the understanding of the many Houses in those days and their respective histories and bloodlines. Quality."
Submit your own mini-review
Let people know what you think about The Silmarillion. You can write your own mini-review and give the book the rating that you think it deserves. Your reviews will go towards giving The Silmarillion its overall rating that will decide where The Silmarillion finishes in the top 100 fantasy books of all time.
Books you may also enjoy...
The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien
J.R.R. Tolkien's masterpiece. The Lord of the Rings is the best known as most enjoyed fantasy book of all time. If you have never read this, or The Hobbit before, then you are in for a real treat! ... read the full review
Summary: It is hard to put into words the happiness that can be felt when reading literature as good as this.
The Earthsea Quartet by Ursula Le Guin
The Earthsea Quartet brings together Ursula Le Guin’s four legendary Earthsea sagas for the first time in a single volume. ... read the full review
Summary: Stunning, thought-provoking fantasy.
The Mad Ship by Robin Hobb
The Liveship Traders series continues with the second book, The Mad Ship. Althea Vestrit continues her quest to reclaim her rightful inheritance, the liveship Vivacia. The Vivacia has been seized by pirates led by the enigmatic Kennit, a man who believes that destiny leads him to become King of the Pirate Isles. The Vestrit family are nearing financial ruin which leads them closer to the mysterious Rain Wild Traders who own the ship. Amidst these events the mad ship, Paragon is once again launched despite the history of death and despair that surrounds him. ... read the full review
Summary: A spell-binding story full of wonderful characters and intrigue.
Also in this sub-genre...
- The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien
- The Earthsea Quartet by Ursula Le Guin
- The Mad Ship by Robin Hobb
- The Judging Eye by R Scott Bakker
- Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
- Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll
- The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi
- Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
- Assassin’s Quest by Robin Hobb
- The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien
- Magician by Raymond E Feist
- The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia McKillip
- Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb
- Lord Fouls Bane by Stephen Donaldson
- Ship of Destiny by Robin Hobb
- Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb
- A Darkness at Sethanon by Raymond E Feist
- The Other Wind by Ursula Le Guin
- Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb
- Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie
- The Illearth War by Stephen Donaldson
- Wizards First Rule by Terry Goodkind
- The Power That Preserves by Stephen Donaldson
- Tales From Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin
- Fool’s Errand by Robin Hobb
- The Golden Fool by Robin Hobb
- Fool’s Fate by Robin Hobb
- The Last Unicorn by Peter S Beagle
- Silver Mage by CM Debell
- Shaman’s Crossing by Robin Hobb
- The Ice Crown by Sean Beech
- The High Lord by Trudi Canavan
- The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
- The House of the Stag by Kage Baker
- The Magicians Nephew by CS Lewis
- The Diamond Throne by David Eddings
- The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams
- The Wounded Land by Stephen Donaldson
- Jarrak’s Darkness by Colin R Parsons
- The Riddler’s Gift by Greg Hamerton
- The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
- The Novice by Trudi Canavan
- Magyk by Angie Sage
- The Lost Barkscrolls by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell
- Fire by Kristin Cashore
Book of the Month
Dust of Dreams by Steven Erikson
On the Letherii continent the exiled Malazan army commanded by Adjunct Tavore begins its march into the eastern Wastelands, to fight for an unknown cause against an enemy it has never seen. The fate awaiting the Bonehunters is one no soldier can prepare for, and one no mortal soul can withstand - the foe is uncertainty and the only weapon worth wielding is stubborn courage.
Latest interviews
Interviews plus question and answer sessions with authors, narrators and publishers.
Must-reads
The following reviews are of books that begin the very best fantasy series available.
Special Feature: Fantasy Book Review talks to the Book View Cafe
Book View Cafe is a cooperative site created by a group of writers - including internationally renowned authors Katharine Kerr, Ursula Le Guin and Vonda N. McIntyre - who want to take advantage of the internet's possibilities for reaching a wider audience and to distribute their work directly to their readers. The Book View Cafe is a place where you can find free, original fiction plus the authors' best and out-of-print work for a fee. Fantasy Book Review spoke to Book View Cafe member, science fiction author and memoirist Chris Dolley in February 2010.
Special Feature: Understanding the author of Alice in Wonderland
Lewis Carroll, the elusive author of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, has been the subject of enduring fascination for the past hundred years. The destruction of many major documents about his personal life by his descendants has only magnified the mystery. Jenny Woolf's biography, published to coincide with the release of the new Tim Burton Alice in Wonderland film, lays waste to the myths and suspicions that have obscured Carroll's reputation by placing him firmly in the context of his own time.
