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Melkor

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 12, 2005
354
0
I'm a huge fan of this book, and all of Tolkiens other books. Anyone else read this? If so, what was your favourite part/character?

My favourite part was the chapter Turin Turambar. I can't get over how amazing that story is. ( It's even better in Unfinished Tales, the story is longer and more detailed. It's called Narn I Hin Hurin.)

My favourite character is Beren, just because of his alround heroic qualities.

Post your thought on this great book :)
 

stridey

macrumors 65816
Jan 21, 2005
1,136
0
Massachusetts, Connecticut
Melkor said:
I'm a huge fan of this book, and all of Tolkiens other books. Anyone else read this? If so, what was your favourite part/character?

My favourite part was the chapter Turin Turambar. I can't get over how amazing that story is. ( It's even better in Unfinished Tales, the story is longer and more detailed. It's called Narn I Hin Hurin.)

My favourite character is Beren, just because of his alround heroic qualities.

Post your thought on this great book :)

I never could get all the way through the Silmarillion; it's just so dense. Maybe I should give it another go now that I'm older. Loved the Hobbit and LoTR: The Hobbit was actually the first book I ever read. My dad and I read it through, switching off paragraphs. Then we switched and did it again. :)
 

Melkor

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 12, 2005
354
0
stridey said:
I never could get all the way through the Silmarillion; it's just so dense. Maybe I should give it another go now that I'm older. Loved the Hobbit and LoTR: The Hobbit was actually the first book I ever read. My dad and I read it through, switching off paragraphs. Then we switched and did it again. :)

You have to give the Silmarillion another chance. It is very difficult to get into at the start, but it is sooo worth it. I've forced countless people into reading this and every single one of them has absolutly loved it. You will not regret it. If you do, you can e-slap me :).

Cool the way you read the hobbit with your dad. I also read it when I was really young. Such a great story.
 

Blue Velvet

Moderator emeritus
Jul 4, 2004
21,929
265
Melkor touting his memoirs on the boards again? :p

You know, the way the story is told, you don't come out of it well at all. Maybe you should just have just left those bloody jewels alone, but you just wouldn't let it lie... :D
 

Lord Blackadder

macrumors P6
May 7, 2004
15,662
5,496
Sod off
I actually took a J.R.R. Tolkien language class as an elective; I needed to fill up my schedule and it was the only literature class available in the time slot I needed to fill. It ended up being a lot more intense than I thought. The prof. was a Latin expert and could actually read, write and speak Quenya and Sindarin elvish. Talk about a fanboy! :eek:

It was actually a bit scary to see a guy that into it.

But the Silmarillion was a good read. I actually first discovered Tolkien through The Unfinished Tales, probably the weirdest way to be introduced to Tolkien's fantasy world. My favorite bit is The Fall of Gondolin- Tolkien was very interested in the epic form of storytelling and all his older stuff reflects that stiff, formal style which is so unlike The Hobbit. The Fall of Gondolin is old too, first written during the Great War (WWI).
 

floyde

macrumors 6502a
Apr 7, 2005
808
1
Monterrey, México
OMG, I love the Silmarillion. My favorite character is Fëanor, that stubborn bastard ;) And that guy Tulkas could really kick some arse. It was a pain rembembering all the characters though. I had to go back and re-read every few pages just to make sure I knew who I was reading about. I might read it again sometime soon.
 

Sathos

macrumors regular
Jul 30, 2005
113
0
Alberta, Canada
I love the Silmarillion! The rescuing of Maedhros by Fingon sent shivers down my spine (I read it while listening to Blind Guardian's song Blood Tears :D ), and also Fingolfin's challenge to Morgoth (listened to Time Stands Still at the Iron Hill, also by Blind Guardian, notice a theme? hehe). This is one of my favorite books, a must read! :D
 

Lord Blackadder

macrumors P6
May 7, 2004
15,662
5,496
Sod off
Abstract said:
I think that sort of thing bores me. Beyond the Hobbit and LOTR, the two main stories, everything else is just fanboy stuff.

A fair assessment since Tolkien pretty much invented the fanboy.
 

Megatron

macrumors regular
Nov 19, 2005
232
0
I think my favorite part of the book wasn't neccessarily a certain story, but rather the "aha" moments when he explains something that you read in LoTR. For example, when Gandalf blocks the balrog from crossing the bridge of Khazad-Dum, and he talks about being a servant of the secret fire..etc. After you're done reading the Silmarillion you understand what exactly he was talking about, and who he really is (Olorin).
 

Mr. Anderson

Moderator emeritus
Nov 1, 2001
22,568
6
VA
It was quite a bit to take in all at once - good stuff and a great back story for the LOTR. It always bothered me that so much had changed from the time of the Elves and the Middle Earth sagas.....I wanted to see the same places and locations from one book to another, but they weren't there.

I haven't read it recently and sometime in the near future I might pick it up again.

D
 

Eevee

macrumors 6502a
Aug 10, 2004
790
0
New Haven, CT
I love all the Lord of the Ring series. I finished all four books (including the prelude, the Hobbit) in one month. Couldn't put it down. Love the poems, which were unfortunately omitted in the movie.

However, I had a hard time getting into the Silmarillion. The beginning was just not that interesting. But as you stated, Melkor, I should give it another chance.
 

MacDawg

Moderator emeritus
Mar 20, 2004
19,823
4,503
"Between the Hedges"
Maybe I'll try it over Christmas holiday.
My dad had a copy of it, but I never read it.
Loved the others though.

I'm a book fan, much more than a movie fan.

Woof, Woof – Dawg
pawprint.gif
 

Megatron

macrumors regular
Nov 19, 2005
232
0
MacDawg said:
Maybe I'll try it over Christmas holiday.
My dad had a copy of it, but I never read it.
Loved the others though.

I'm a book fan, much more than a movie fan.

Woof, Woof – Dawg
pawprint.gif

The movies are incredible, but the books are SO much better. No movie will ever match an imagination. :)
 

Josh

macrumors 68000
Mar 4, 2004
1,640
1
State College, PA
Just picked up The Silmarillion last night :)

I've been meaning to read it for some time; this thread finally got me around to it, I guess.

Good stuff so far :cool:
 

Lord Blackadder

macrumors P6
May 7, 2004
15,662
5,496
Sod off
Josh said:
Just picked up The Silmarillion last night :)

I've been meaning to read it for some time; this thread finally got me around to it, I guess.

Good stuff so far :cool:

If you ever get overly curious about the Silmarillion you can always read The Book of Lost Tales vols 1 & 2, in which Tolkien's son Christopher describes the formation of Middle earth and the Silmarillion in the mind of his father, with selections of very early writings about Tolkien's fantasy world. Interesting read.
 

Josh

macrumors 68000
Mar 4, 2004
1,640
1
State College, PA
Lord Blackadder said:
If you ever get overly curious about the Silmarillion you can always read The Book of Lost Tales vols 1 & 2, in which Tolkien's son Christopher describes the formation of Middle earth and the Silmarillion in the mind of his father, with selections of very early writings about Tolkien's fantasy world. Interesting read.

Thanks for the recommendation! More likely than not, that will be added to my small, but growing, Tolkien collection soon.

Thanks again!
 
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