finally got started

[GandalfTheWhite]

well i read the preface and forward a few weeks ago and the two introductary stories but was having a hard time getting started on the actual story, so i decided tonight i would just sit down and get into it, now i cant put it down its just so interesting, im so happy:) any one else have a similar expierience

[BeardofPants]

My memory is so terrible, I had to take notes! :o I'm currently re-reading the LOTR now to see if I can catch glimpses at the larger world/events in the story... It's great! :) I just breezed through Many Meetings, and the Council, and there's heaps of stuff in there that I better understand for having plowed through the Sil. However, many things are still a bit hazy for me, so I'll probably have to re-read it again once I've finished LOTR. (And I must say, it's really hard to get used to the different writing style in LOTR this time around - I'm used to his Sil style writings. :D)

[Artanis]

Thought it was hard to read Ainulindale and Valaquenta. All those names to keep track on! And reading in English, that not being my native language (as I'm sure you have well noticed :p ) didn't make it easier. But the content itself was so interesting I never considered skipping them. Quenta Silmarillion was easier, and having read the previous parts certainly was a pro.

I've also had the same experience as BoP: First time I read LoTR I was so confused and had a lot of questions. Reading the Sil produced answers to most of them (but also produced new questions :) ), and re-reading LoTR after Sil gave a thoroughly better understanding of it.

Happy reading GTW!

[azalea]

Gah! I'm still only halfway through. I stopped for a while to read other stuff, but need to get back into it.

[BeardofPants]

It's well worth it, Azalea. :) And once you finish it, be sure to read Unfinished Tales for more info.

[Elvet]

I agree with BoP. I had a false start with the Silmarillion many moons ago. I have now read it twice in a row and followed up with Unfinished Tales. I haven't read LotR since , but plan to do so in Oct ( on vacation for 2 weeks). Should you crave more, consider The History of Middle-earth. Vol. 9 - Sauron Defeated - has a wonderful story by Tolkein called The Notion Club Papers. It is about contemporary men time travelling in their dreams and having memories of the Drowning of Numenor.

[Claenoic]

I read the Sil and thoroughly enjoyed it. Now I'm reading the Book of Lost Tales. Iluvatar help me...

[cassiopeia]

When I first tried to read The Silmarillion, I gave up. But a few monthes later I read it and loved it. I read most of the Unfinished Tales, I love the part about the Istari and the quest for Erebor. I have just begun reading The book of Lost Tales part 1. That is confusing - the Teleri and the Vanyar, melkor is melko, elves are gnomes.....:rolleyes: I agree with BoP, my memory is terrible as well! No matter how many times I read the stories of Tolkien, I forget so much! Makes me look like a newbie to Tolkien. :)

[Ñólendil]

You don't need to read the Book of Lost Tales to better understand the world of the Lord of the Rings or The Silmarillion or The Hobbit or such books. I haven't read the Book of Lost Tales myself, not being interested in a different mythology. It's the foundations of the later legends, but it's just a totally different world.

[Elvet]

I was confused between the 'Book of Lost Tales 1 & 2' which are the first 2 vol. of HoMe, and Unfinished Tales. I think Unfinished Tales does elaborate on the early mythology :
- How Rohan and Gondor came to be and the battle of Cirion and Eorl
- The Ellessar jewel and how it relates to King Ellessar
- Life on Numenor
- More of the travels of Tuor
- The Palantiri
- The Istari or wizards
These stories were uncompleted by Tolkien, but they still are a good read.
I haven't read the Book of Lost Tales yet, so I can't comment on it.

[markedel]

One day I should try to read the Book of Lost Tales, but it is extremely confusing just to start it...one day perhaps.

[BeardofPants]

I reserved the Lost Tales from the Library, but since I've just powered through Letters and UT, I have a nasty feeling I'll want to buy lost tales as well (returning UT & Letters to the library was ... heartbreaking... )

[cassiopeia]

I know how you feel BoP, but I still have my copy of UT for one more week! I loved UT, but found the part of Cirion and Eorl and the Rohirim boring. I think there are 12 books in the HoME, so I think I'll be reading them for a while to come...

[BeardofPants]

Yeah, that's the only bit I found quite hard to get through: the Rohirrim bit. Everything else was awesome, especially reading about the gates of gondolin, and Turin. Letters was also very good. It put everything into perspective, and gave me some new insights that aren't really possible from reading Christopher Tolkiens edits.

[Archbob the Elder]

The Sim was great but the family line was hard to follow on some sides.

[Khadrane]

I read The Silmarillion, and I loved it. I loved Unfinished Tales too, and I just started Book of Lost Tales 1. Actually, I started a couple of weeks ago, but I'm still only on "The Chaining of Melko".

[Sminty_Smeagol]

I read the Silm a while back... I read the first few chapters over a course of a few months and it took me a while to really get in to it. Most of the time I was just zoned out or couldn't concentrate LOL if I can ever find the time I think I will re-read it sometime. However, I found some parts very interested in which case I would read a chapter a day or sometimes a couple days. The parts I found more interesting were all the creation of Arda and the Valar and Maiar, "the Tale of Beren and Tinuviel", the part on some guy, I think he was named Turin Turambar or something, and then the last few chaps near the end where it started to get in to some stuff I knew about and was already interested in (the LOTR history and such). It has, I believe someone said this earlier, both answered questions and arose questions.

-~*Sminty*~-