I just finished The Silmarillion. Any suggestions on next Tolkien to read?

by sd-7 14 Replies latest social entertainment

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  sd-7

  I've read 'The Hobbit', 'The Lord of the Rings' (including the Appendices, well, except the Shire calendar and Elvish language), and 'The Silmarillion'. I was really impressed with 'Silmarillion'. Almost seems like it could be a movie in itself. That story of Beren and Luthien had me on the edge of my seat! Some interesting insights on so many things that I'd read in the other books and didn't fully understand.

  I'm thinking I'd very much like to read 'The Children of Hurin' next. The story of Turin Turambar seemed like a really tragic one, but I think I want to see if there are more details on it than what's in 'Silmarillion'. The only part of the story that was particularly hard to read through was the geography discussion. I must've looked crazy on the bus, staring at this map of Middle-Earth trying to figure out what they were talking about. Seemed like wherever the Men came from, and wherever Angband was, couldn't find it on the map. Is there a map of Numenor? Guess I should look it up, huh?

  Anyway, any suggestions on what are some good books about Middle-Earth that I could check out next? I know there's The History of Middle Earth, The Lost Tales, Bilbo's Last Song, stuff like that...just not sure where it all fits. Or if it's worth a read. Kind of a nice escape. I'll probably get 'Children of Hurin' today if I have time, but...just wanted some thoughts from whoever may be a Tolkien fan out there.

  --sd-7
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  sd-7

  Fine. I'll move it back to the top, but not without some frivolity thrown in.

  "Evidently, Melkor, who wickedly defied Manwe and Illuvatar, prefigured modern-day apostates. Rather than establishing their own apostate organization--if, indeed they are capable of organizing--apostates prefer merely to spread lies and corrupt Jehovah's clean organization. They manufacture bizarre, inaccurate copies of the reality in their unclean publications, spreading their disloyal lies like gangrene, but never accomplishing anything more than leading people away from the truth and into falsehood, doubt, and oftentimes even immorality and atheism! They are incapable of providing 'food at the proper time', so they spend countless hours murmuring about the fine spiritual food Jehovah has given us and deceitfully blaspheming those Jehovah has appointed to take the lead. Just as the Valar amassed their armies and vanquished Melkor, casting him into the outer darkness, so Jehovah will, along with his Anointed Son, Jesus Christ, cast all wicked apostates into the outer darkness where they will gnash their teeth."

  --sd-7
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  thecrushed

  Big tolkien fan here till I got married and my wife made me throw out my LOTR series books because it had magic in them. :P
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  mrsjones5

  I read The Silmarillion years ago or at least tried to. It's pretty deep and kinda dry, much of it was over my head at the time. I've read The Hobbit and LOTR a few times and think its getting lose for another go through. I recently picked up a book at a thrift shop called The Shaping of Middle-Earth edited by Tolkien's son Christopher. Haven't read it yet but it looks interesting.
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  CaptainSchmideo

  Lost Tales of Middle Earth, they have a Silmarillion quality to them, and I guess they flesh out a lot of stuff from Silmarillion.
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  sd-7

  Big tolkien fan here till I got married and my wife made me throw out my LOTR series books because it had magic in them.

  Indeed. I have done my best to carefully hide any LOTR-related books for fear of a similar outcome. Of course, I've already done my share of throwing books away in this marriage. I don't think I'll be doing that again. Once they get you to make one change, they've already gotten you to make ten.

  It's pretty deep and kinda dry, much of it was over my head at the time.

  You missed out on some really great stories if you haven't read the whole thing before. There were some parts that were kind of hard to read through, but I mostly enjoyed it. But hey, it's not for everyone.

  Lost Tales of Middle Earth, they have a Silmarillion quality to them, and I guess they flesh out a lot of stuff from Silmarillion.

  Okay. I was wondering if they have any of those cool speeches from Saruman (or should I say Curunir?) in them that were in the movie, or if that was just added in. "To waaaar!"

  --sd-7
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  mrsjones5

  Hm, maybe I wasn't clear. I said I had read it years ago (in my early 20's) it was very dry and much of it was over my head. I still have the book but haven't made it back around to read it again.
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  sooner7nc

  I'd say Lost Tales as well. Hell just about anything from Tolkien actually is good.
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  Londo111

  Alas, it's been about 20 years since I've read this book. Parts of this would make a good movie if reworked. Maybe Peter Jackson will do a story on the First Age. For the story of Beren and Luthien he could use the same actors who play Aragorn and Arwen.
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  MrFreeze

  Silmarillion was such a difficult read. I read through the whole thing. It's like reading an encylopedia. I love Tolkien's work but that is like a companions guide to Middle Earth.