I was so invested I even kept a map and family tree open the entire way so I could understand what was going on. My comprehension was low. W Posted IW-rl Just finished the Silmarillion. Tolkien's The Silmarillion Two EW writers discuss why you shouldn't overlook Tolkien's strangest and most challenging book As always, while reading, I was inundating my friends with random Tolkien facts and Middle-earth lore, and the more I told them, the more they wanted to know until, finally, one of my friends said, “You should write a full Silmarillion readalong. A small percentage suggest that The Silmarillion should be read first. He says you should not read The History of Middle-earth unless you are totally fanatic. Why you should read J.R.R. Its density and complexity makes the narrative complicated. Tolkien was a pioneer of worldbuilding, creating immensely rich histories, unique cultures and academically-sound languages to populate his … cbr.com - J.R.R. The Silmarillion proper is fascinating, but definitely has its ups and downs in terms of being interesting. It’s easy to skim over small but important details in a first reading of the book. I suggest if many people have done that, they have unusual stamina and powers of concentration. The style of The Hobbit is very different from that of The Lord of the Rings. Should I read The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings first? If you do read it, you will want to use two bookmarks, one for the primary text, and one for the copious footnotes that follow. I had tried to read J.R.R. I actually read it while in the process of entering the Catholic Church and it really helped me think about the nature of God. It is not a series of stories, but an extended discussion of the writing of The Silmarillion, The Lord of the Rings, and some ancillary works. Take me, for example: the first time I actually made it through the whole work, I mean that I simply passed my eyeballs over every word on every page. Still, here is a suggestion about the order in which you may want to read J.R.R. I should say that The Silmarillion does have some massive disadvantages. At times, the story’s brisk telling of events cause the elf and human characters to feel flat and underdeveloped. Loved it by the way. The Silmarillion is indeed, in my opinion, a book that needs multiple reads. Familiarity with The Silmarillion is essential here. You should not read The History of Middle-earth unless you are totally fanatic. Tolkien’s books. Tolkien' The Silamarillion multiple times in the past (and always unsuccessfully) and had basically given up, but I finally did manage to realise that I was attempting to read it the wrong way; I was trying to read The Silmarillion like I have read and with pleasure reread LOTR, as a story, an epic story, of course, but still first and foremost as a story. It is not, of course, a story. Like the … But I haven't read the other two yet. The Ainulindale is one of the most beautiful and powerful stories I have ever read. For those who HAVE read The Silmarillion before: This guide can be used to enhance multiple readings of The Silmarillion. The Letters of Tolkien is a very interesting read, and could really be read almost anywhere in series.