Everyone knows the great works of J.R.R Tolkien. Majestic titles such as The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings dominate the fantasy genre. After reading these books though, many people are left with questions. What happened before the adventures of Bilbo and Frodo? How did Sauron become so powerful anyway? The Silmarillion, Tolkien’s final book, answers these questions and offers the complete history of Middle Earth.
The Silmarillion spans three ages of Middle Earth. It starts in the beginning of time and ends with the destruction of the ring of power. It was Tolkien’s last book and was not published until after his death. His son, Christopher Tolkien, edited the book after his father’s death.
Illuvatar, the great god, conducts the music of the Valar. The Valar are lesser beings, however, they have great power. This music brings shape to Middle Earth. The music is beautiful and melodious, but as in all worlds, there is some dissent. Melkor, one of the most powerful of the Valar, is unhappy with his place. He believes that he should be the one to shape the new world. Discord is aroused in the music as Melkor weaves his own melodies, increasing his own part in the music. In this creative way, Tolkien creates the world in which many of his tales act upon. It is an interesting alternative to the average creation story.
The book moves into the struggles between the Valar and Melkor. This leads into the creation of the elder race or elves. This section provides interesting points of information to a Tolkien fan, like how orcs were made, and the different races of elves. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Sauron was not the original dark lord and was in fact under the leadership of Melkor. The Valar actually succeed in capturing Melkor before the elves appear, but eventually, Melkor breaks free.
Heroes of both elves and men appear as the book progresses. Familiar names such as Gandalf, Elrond, and Galadriel are present in many scenes. Readers will be delighted to discover the origins of their favorite characters from The Lord of the Rings in this book. There are many new heroes introduced in the novel as well. Turin Turambar and Bren the empty handed are just a few examples.
At the end of the book there are family trees. I found this extremely helpful, as all the different names and families can be very confusing. There are so many elven royal families, and all their names sound the same. Also, there is a map of Middle Earth which is a great to have, especially when trying to visualize where the events mentioned took place.
Although The Silmarillion is a wonderful companion to the other books of Tolkien, there are some faults. This book can be hard to read for less experienced readers. Also the book may become tedious to people who are not very interested in Tolkien’s world and its history.
For any diehard fan of The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit, The Silmarillion is a must have. It is the ultimate companion book to the other Middle Earth novels. It is packed with adventure, action, and magic. It may be a bit boring for non-Tolkien fans, but if you love Tolkien’s fantasy, than you have to read The Silmarillion. You can buy The Silmarillion at your local bookstore or you can rent it from your public library
The Silmarillion
ReplyDeleteEveryone knows the great works of J.R.R Tolkien. Majestic titles such as The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings dominate the fantasy genre. After reading these books though, many people are left with questions. What happened before the adventures of Bilbo and Frodo? How did Sauron become so powerful anyway? The Silmarillion, Tolkien’s final book, answers these questions and offers the complete history of Middle Earth.
The Silmarillion spans three ages of Middle Earth. It starts in the beginning of time and ends with the destruction of the ring of power. It was Tolkien’s last book and was not published until after his death. His son, Christopher Tolkien, edited the book after his father’s death.
Illuvatar, the great god, conducts the music of the Valar. The Valar are lesser beings, however, they have great power. This music brings shape to Middle Earth. The music is beautiful and melodious, but as in all worlds, there is some dissent. Melkor, one of the most powerful of the Valar, is unhappy with his place. He believes that he should be the one to shape the new world. Discord is aroused in the music as Melkor weaves his own melodies, increasing his own part in the music. In this creative way, Tolkien creates the world in which many of his tales act upon. It is an interesting alternative to the average creation story.
The book moves into the struggles between the Valar and Melkor. This leads into the creation of the elder race or elves. This section provides interesting points of information to a Tolkien fan, like how orcs were made, and the different races of elves. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Sauron was not the original dark lord and was in fact under the leadership of Melkor. The Valar actually succeed in capturing Melkor before the elves appear, but eventually, Melkor breaks free.
Heroes of both elves and men appear as the book progresses. Familiar names such as Gandalf, Elrond, and Galadriel are present in many scenes. Readers will be delighted to discover the origins of their favorite characters from The Lord of the Rings in this book. There are many new heroes introduced in the novel as well. Turin Turambar and Bren the empty handed are just a few examples.
At the end of the book there are family trees. I found this extremely helpful, as all the different names and families can be very confusing. There are so many elven royal families, and all their names sound the same. Also, there is a map of Middle Earth which is a great to have, especially when trying to visualize where the events mentioned took place.
Although The Silmarillion is a wonderful companion to the other books of Tolkien, there are some faults. This book can be hard to read for less experienced readers. Also the book may become tedious to people who are not very interested in Tolkien’s world and its history.
For any diehard fan of The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit, The Silmarillion is a must have. It is the ultimate companion book to the other Middle Earth novels. It is packed with adventure, action, and magic. It may be a bit boring for non-Tolkien fans, but if you love Tolkien’s fantasy, than you have to read The Silmarillion. You can buy The Silmarillion at your local bookstore or you can rent it from your public library