Does Silmarillion get more entertaining as it progresses?

[GRONK!!!]

Ahh... maybe its just GRONK, but reading this book seems like reading a dictionary. GRONK thought the hobbit and LOTR trilogy were good, but he can't even start this book. As it progresses does it get more interesting, or if the start of the book is too much for GRONK should he drop it?

[entss89]

i totaly agree with you i could not finish it because i was in bore city so i just thrue it in my trashcan! i guess some day over the rainbow i will try to read it? (maybe)!

[Sminty_Smeagol]

yeah it isn't very entertaining (well maybe just for Real Addicts who just want to read it for information on middle earth and knowledge, not really to be entertained). Although some parts are very good, I especially loved the tale of Turin Turambar (now reading in Unfinished Tales... much better!) and the last 2 chaps where it got to stuff I was familiar with (i.e. sauron's beginnings and pre-lotr workings of sauron). The Unfinished Tales and Histories I find to be much more... emotional since they go in to the characters more.

[Sister Golden Hair]

I think that the Silmarillion is hard the first time you read it. I know it was for me, and it was a virtual struggle to force myself to continue. After I reached the chapter of Beren and Luthien, I knew it was well worth it and it was much smoother going to the end. Also, it awoke a great interest in the First Age for me and made me really thirst for more knowledge of the Elves and that time period. But for the Silmarillion, I would have never picked up any of the HoMe books, and they have so much to offer. All my reads of the Silmarillion after the first one was for enjoyment and appreciation of the poetic narrative that Tolkien uses, and sure the Sil is a narrative, but in all that, are some beautiful and sad stories to be read.

[GRONK!!!]

Hmm... not sure bout this. GRONK liked LoTR and Hobbit a lot because they were good stories but hes not exactly fascinated by learning every little detail about elves and hobbits. If GRONK was to skip through Silmarillion to the stories that sound more entertaining would he lose anything in the process?

[Rían]

Hi GRONK! I see you're new, so let me say "Welcome", too, and I hope you like it here.

There's a similar discussion going on in a thread in this forum called "ok am i the only one who........" and you might want to look over there. Some of us who have read the Sil several times have talked about some helpful things to do while reading it, and there are several first-time readers currently going through it and talking about their thoughts. Good luck! I think it is well worth the work, but that is just my opinion - you just may not like it. If you don't, you might want to just keep it in the back of your bookshelf and pull it out again in a few years.

[Dolenloteiel]

I agree with Rian and I read it b/c I'm hooked on LOTR If you get through it, it's well worth reading:D

[Shadowfax]

You definately must continue to read the Sil because it will enhance your understanding of LotR and even the Hobbit. I thoroughly enjoyed the Sil, and found it so interesting. I hope that once you have read it you will read LotR again, and then maybe even the Sil once again! Both books helped me understand the other better. I love the Silmarillion.

[Millane]

does GRONK ALWAYS TALK IN THE THIRD PERSON???
dunno i am still halfway through and started reading the hobbit again... ill get back to it some day... anyways that is all MILLANE!!! has to say..

[Sminty_Smeagol]

Hehe.... Sminty thinks Gronk should finish the Silmarillion... even though Sminty kinda zoned out when reading most of it.

[Misty Mountain Goat]

Hi tom

someone convince me to read this book please

[Millane]

i accept this challenge misty mountain goat...
READ THE F@#$ING BOOK :rolleyes:

[Misty Mountain Goat]

Bit more insite than that please Millane

[markedel]

If you don't the true power and depth of LOTR will be unappreciated, as will many parts of the book. And the Sil opens up whole vistas of Middle Earth to exploration.

[Sminty_Smeagol]

amen!

[GRONK!!!]

Umm... GRONK has the feeling that the areas of LoTR that everyone is saying would be enhanced by the silmarillion are the areas that GRONK never payed much attention to in the first place. GRONK has a bad habit of unconsciously skipping over the really wordy and detailed paragraphs of books. In Silmarillion the whole book seems to be this way. GRONK has nothing else lying around to read though so he might give Silmarillion another try. If Silmarillion doesnt get more interesting though GRONK might just stop reading for a while and devote more time to his favorite hobby, which is hitting things with big sticks.

To be honest though GRONK was hoping that people would try to persuade him to read Silmarillion beacause the stories become more fun, not because the book has a lot of interesting fictional information. This is just GRONKs opinion, but if GRONK wanted to read something for information he'd try picking up his encyclopedia and read that from start to finish. It would be long and boring but at least this way the information given pertains to real life.

[Sister Golden Hair]

Wayfarer, I deleted your post. If you wish, you may post again without the flaming.

[GRONK!!!]

Thats what flaming is? GRONK thought flaming was when someone threatens to burn someone elses house down. GRONK seriously has to learn his internet lingo... Umm but if flaming is insulting someone then what is it called when someone threatens to burn someone elses house down?

[Sminty_Smeagol]

watering :D

[Rían]

Has GRONK mosied over to the other thread in this forum that I recommended to him yet? (called "ok am i the only one who........" ) Looking thru these 2 threads, I see things like "wonderful", "blows me away", "impossible to put down", "I loved it", "thoroughly enjoyed it", "read it again and again", etc.

Now I don't know that "fun" would be the first word that pops into my head when I think of the Sil, but "beautiful" and "moving" would be up there near the top. If you want "fun", I don't know if the Sil would be your cup of tea. But if you want noble and heroic and beautiful, then keep at it, as many people here have encouraged you to. Keep us posted, and I hope you do come to enjoy it!

[osszie]

Gronk!! would do well to tell us what specific problems he has with the Sil:) failing that he could always ask his friend Ben;)

[Misty Mountain Goat]

Thanks evrybody,
I think you have convinced me. Your depth and insight realy persuaded me, more to say than Millane anyways. Well i think i might go buy the sil now.

[markedel]

I'd say the further into ME you read the less fun and more glorious it gets.

[Sminty_Smeagol]

Yes markedel... although i have only read the lotr, the hobbit, the silm, book of lost tales 1, and reading unfinished tales now. But, first starting the silm, I ploughed through most parts. Same with the beginning of lost tales 1. The unfinished tales i find utterly enjoyable (although I am reading it out of order... starting with the tale of turin, which has always been my favorite). People who have seen the movie need to read the books. People who read the books need to read the silm. People who read the silm need to read the histories. People who read the histories need to read the Unfinished Tales. People who read the Unfinished Tales need to read the letters. You cannot truly understand LOTR unless you have done this.

-~*Sminty*~-

[Sister Golden Hair]

It's probably best to read Unfinished Tales after the Silmarillion.

The best order I know of is:

The Hobbit
The Lord of the Rings
The Silmarillion
Unfinished Tales

Then LotRs again

The Histories of Middle-earth in no particular order.

And finally, Letters.

[Sminty_Smeagol]

well whatever. I still havent read all the histories and couldn't get my hands on unfinished tales for a while, so I read lost tales 1 first

[BeardofPants]

I actually found letters to be a good read after UT and the Sil... filled in those gaps I was still confused about. But otherwise I pretty much agree with the order.

[Sister Golden Hair]

I would think that "Letters" is one of those books you could go to at anytime after reading the Sil. Still don't have it. People never get you what you ask for as gifts.:(

[Wayfarer]

Sister Golden Hair:

You have not had the dubious privilidge of observing me flame. Trust me when I say that that wasn't it. ]: )

[Sister Golden Hair]

Wayfarer, that is the way I saw it and called it. If you want to discuss it further, feel free to PM me, email me, or IM me.

[Rían]

SGH, sorry you didn't get "Letters" :( But I think you should just buy it as present for yourself! It's Friday - get "Letters", a large cup of your favorite beverage (I like Starbuck's hot Chai tea - yum! and it's a cold misty day here today, too - perfect!!) and settle in for a good read. And as I said somewhere else, it's a perfect "car" book - line at the bank? Hey, got Letters right here in my car! early for an appointment? (well..... I don't usually have that problem, but you might!) Hey, here's Letters!

Whoops, got carried away and thought this was the Letters thread. Anyway, I think it's a good plan. I'm sure lots of us would send you a copy if we could only squish it through the phone lines!

[Sister Golden Hair]

Originally posted by RÃ*an
SGH, sorry you didn't get "Letters" :( But I think you should just buy it as present for yourself! It's Friday - get "Letters", a large cup of your favorite beverage (I like Starbuck's hot Chai tea - yum! and it's a cold misty day here today, too - perfect!!) and settle in for a good read. And as I said somewhere else, it's a perfect "car" book - line at the bank? Hey, got Letters right here in my car! early for an appointment? (well..... I don't usually have that problem, but you might!) Hey, here's Letters!

Whoops, got carried away and thought this was the Letters thread. Anyway, I think it's a good plan. I'm sure lots of us would send you a copy if we could only squish it through the phone lines! Thanks Rian. I will eventually get around to buying it. In the meantime I still have a lot of the Histories to keep me busy reading. :)

[GRONK!!!]

GRONK had read that thread Rian mentioned but thats not quite what GRONKs getting at. GRONK's problem isnt comprehension its getting into the book. If GRONK can get into a book comprehension usually easily follows. Anyway, GRONKs not sure about the moving and heroic thing. The only author GRONK ever liked because the author's books were more moving then they were entertaining was Ray Bradbury. Anyone ever read anything by Terry Pratchett? Those are GRONK's sort of heroes. :D

[Sminty_Smeagol]

Maybe GRONK just wasn't cut out to read Tolkien. He isn't for everyone. No matter what we say, a book is a book. The Silmarillion won't magically become easier to get in to.

[GRONK!!!]

Its not Tolkien as a whole GRONK thought the Hobbit and LotR were great.

[Sister Golden Hair]

Originally posted by GRONK!!!
Its not Tolkien as a whole GRONK thought the Hobbit and LotR were great. If GRONK thought the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings were great, then he will think they're even greater if he reads the Silmarillion.

[Willow Oran]

I've read Prachett almost as much or more than I've read Tolkien. Didn't stop me from liking the Sil though. Just because you're more familiar with enjoying one sort of writing style doesn't mean you can't learn to enjoy a less light hearted style of writing just as much. The silmarillion is not very entertaining the first time around. To be blunt it is the heaviest most depressing and confusing book I have ever come across. But once you've finished slogging through it and you've had a chance to go back and read the other lighter books about Middle Earth then everything sort of clicks into place, (not at once but it does eventually,) and once that has happened you'll find that you can go back and forth between the two stories and find amusing lr entertaining bits in both that you wouldn't have noticed if you hadn't read the Sil. So while it isn't what you could call an entertaining read it is a read that is nessecary for understanding and appreciating some of Tolkien's other more lighthearted stories. Even if you don't particularilly like it at first you should keep going till the end because you will be glad of doing so later on.

[Ñólendil]

I just want to say that anyone named GRONK!!! who refers to himself in the third person is cool. No sarcasm intended. Although, ... If I think he's cool, he's probably a geek. :)

[Sister Golden Hair]

Originally posted by Ñólendil
I just want to say that anyone named GRONK!!! who refers to himself in the third person is cool. No sarcasm intended. Although, ... If I think he's cool, he's probably a geek. :) You know Dylan, there was a time when I thought GRONK might be you.:D

[Sminty_Smeagol]

Hehehe... Talking in third person is kinda fun.

[GRONK!!!]

Umm... what does this word "I" that everyones using mean? GRONK can barely understand some of these arguments by people talking in jibberish.

Ok... GRONK will reattempt to read Silmarillion. Should be fun to see if GRONKs affected by the book the way most of you are saying he will be. He hasen't read much yet though. Is this fictional theology going to be a big part of the entire book? This sort of thing always bothered GRONK a bit.

But whats all this talk about Unfinished Tales and letters? GRONK never heard of either of these. This is how he thought Tolkien's literary career went.

Tolkien writes The Hobbit
Tolkien writes LoTR
Tolkien writes and rewrites Silmarillion but never publishes it.
Tolkien dies
Tolkien's son publishes Silmarillion.

He wrote more on middle earth?

[Sister Golden Hair]

Originally posted by GRONK!!!


But whats all this talk about Unfinished Tales and letters?

Tolkien writes The Hobbit
Tolkien writes LoTR
Tolkien writes and rewrites Silmarillion but never publishes it.
Tolkien dies
Tolkien's son publishes Silmarillion.

He wrote more on middle earth? Indeed he did. Of course it was all published posthumously. I listed all of it earlier. Unfinished Tales was published after the Silmarillion. Then we have the Histories of Middle-earth Series. this consists of twelve more volumes, and all are about different ages of Middle-earth. Tolkien's son Christopher put everything together with manuscripts and notes left by his father.

[markedel]

Tolkien's beliefs shine through a bit more-but not too much in his writings on the elder days. All of its great-but not all of it is actaully finished work. It's like reading someone's drafts.

[Rían]

RÃ*an hopes other 'mooters will correct her if she's wrong, but as far as the order of the books goes (your list), RÃ*an believes that the stuff in the Sil was in place (although not in a finished form) way before the Hobbit and LoTR were ever written or even though of. However, the part of RÃ*an's brain that keeps track of dates and times is often sadly mixed up, even though she is very good with numbers in other contexts (computer science major, math minor in college).

And RÃ*an believes what you mean by the "fictional theology" part is not a big part of the Sil, it's just mostly right at the beginning, although it will occasionally pop in for a visit later on in the book.

[Ñólendil]

GRONK, he actually published much more than that in his lifetime. The two books he published in life having to do with his legendarium that you didn't list are The Adventures of Tom Bombadil and The Road Goes Ever On (with Donald Swann).

[GRONK!!!]

Lol Tolkien actually published an entire book on Tom Bombadil? GRONK thought that was the part of Fellowship that was generally agreed upon as being completely screwed up. Hence why both the cartoon and recent Fellowship movies skipped that part.

[markedel]

I saw Bo,badil as an excellent way to impart depth-I suppose one doesn't have to love middle earth to love LOTR.

[the real findorfin]

Personally I found the Silmarillion great. However, I have never read the book but have listened to the audio tapes, read by Martin shaw, which were amazing. Perhaps GRONK will find that better.

But I liked the Sil. because of all the names and places and histroical stuff, i'm sad like that!

Whats Tom Bom's book about, how to smoke dope a lot? lol

[Sminty_Smeagol]

LOL! I did find bombadil a little... woah there, what pondweeds does that guy put in his pipe?
The secret is unfolded... what Tom was REALLY looking for when he came across goldberry

-~*Reilyn*~-

[Linarryl]

I just skipped all the way to the chapter Beren and Luthien. I read that chapter and thought is was cool!:p

[Falagar]

Lol Tolkien actually published an entire book on Tom Bombadil?
Falagar thinks that it wasn't an entire book on Tom Bombadil, just a collection of Hobbit rhymes and poems...

[GRONK!!!]

Audio tapes by Martin Shaw? Yaaaay! Martin Shaw is cool :D. Too bad GRONK would feel kinda dumb buying audio tapes now that hes bought Silmarillion. GRONK is taking Silmarillion very slowly, and hes only on second chapter. Umm.. but hes beginning to wish now that GRONK knew which names he has to remember and which he could happily forget. Maybe that other thread on how to remember bits from Silmarillion will help.... GRONK will go check that out.:p

[markedel]

The family trees=read every five seconds.

[GRONK!!!]

Ah! This is even harder then GRONK thought it would be. GRONK read up to page 18 then put it down for two weeks. Time to try again...

[TigerWong]

I'm getting in kinda late on this thread. By now, GRONK has either finished the Silmarillion or died from boredom. :)

I read the Silmarillion first, before the Hobbit or LoTR. I didn't know much about ME back then. Just figured I'd start from the beginning. I'm a huge fan of mythology so all those names and geneological information didn't bother me. But that might not be the same for everyone.

I can see how GRONK might get bored by all that information. GRONK wants to read a cool fantasy story, not a history book. :)

All I can say is it gets "better" (at least in the sense that it'll read more like a typical story). Especially when "Beren and Luthien" rolls around. But I wouldn't skip the earlier parts either, as it'll give you a appreciation of when the Valar comes back to help kick some serious a$$!

Don't stress over remembering all the names too much. The important ones will re-crop and eventually it'll all become more familiar.

It will still not feel quite the same as LoTR, you have to approach it differently. After all, you're reading about things that takes place over thousands of years.

But I think the Silmarillion was one of the most stirring and epic novels I've read!

I didn't finish the Hobbit and thought that was kinda boring because it read more like a children's book and not nearly as epic as the Sil.

LoTR Trilogy was a bit better, but I think the reason I liked it was because I read the Sil first. I definitely appreciated it more...knowing Galadriel's and Elrond's background, knowing exactly who people like Gandalf and Sauron were, etc.

And getting a good chuckle at how someone like Sauron was able to hold ME in his grasp and strike fear in the hearts of everyone. If you read the Sil, you'll know what I mean. Kinda puts things in perspective. :)

[Renille]

It took me a year to read the Silm. I kept picking it up, and putting it down for a few months. When I picked it up again, I ALWAYS started over. I could never, ever find enough in this book to keep me captivated. Until, of course, I read chapters such as "Of Turin Turambar" and "Of Beren and Luthien." After those, I was hooked, and ending up finishing the book in about two weeks.
The Silmarillion really ISN'T for entertainment. But trust me, keep reading. It IS entertaining later on.Just don't give up...even if it DOES take a year!

[Dar-Tarion2112]

I've read Sil twice and I still haven't digested it all, but still loved the book. I borrowed it from a friend & read it while I was sick. The first few chapters are fairly information heavy, but there are some really beautiful stories, and after you read that and then read Rings again, you'll appreciate both books even more.

[Lefty Scaevola]

I foudn the Sil hard to put down. But then I have read things like the Bible, Apochrypha, Marcus Aurelius, and the 1960s World Book Encyclopedea cover to cover.

[GRONK!!!]

GRONK hopes your kidding about the encyclopedia. GRONK picked that up for light reading but finally gave up when he reached Australia.

[Sister Golden Hair]

Originally posted by GRONK!!!
GRONK hopes your kidding about the encyclopedia. GRONK picked that up for light reading but finally gave up when he reached Australia. GRONK!!!, You are so funny. A real bright spot with your third person address. I love it.:)

[Lefty Scaevola]

Originally posted by GRONK!!!
GRONK hopes your kidding about the encyclopedia.

Your hope is ill founded and false.

[Blackboar]

Ok, I've just read the Valaquenta. I'm nearly there!!

Wow, I need some suport but I'm going to finish it, and understand it if I have to read it 999.999.999.999 times!!

;) :D

[Elf.Freak]

I found the Silmarrillion quite boring, but i liked the Third Age bit at the end (i read it ages ago, so excuse me if i get it wrong!)

[Arcala]

Actually I think the Sil was a good book, if a bit boring in the beginning. Maybe you should try reading it some more!!:)

[Sister Golden Hair]

Originally posted by Arcala
Actually I think the Sil was a good book, if a bit boring in the beginning. Maybe you should try reading it some more!!:) Yep, the first time is a toughy. Second time is good, and third time is a charm.:)

[gandalffan2525]

all the names are so alike that i keep getting them confused (ie:fingolfin, finarfin, finrod felagund) but i'm (or should i say gandalfan2525 is?) starting to get it that almost same name=family, oh well, back to the book *frowns in consentration*

[Elfhelm]

My trick the first time was to skip the background stuff and jump right to the coming of the Elves. Later I went back and read the parts about the Maiar and Valar.

I wish he had done a new twist on the Eriol/Aelfwine character and given us the Silmarillion in the manner of Lost Tales. My past altering wish is this:

that Bilbo travels to Rivendell after leaving the Ring with Frodo. He is working on his book, but much of the time is spent listening to various elves (who we now know by name) tell the tales out of The Silmarillion. In the middle Frodo comes and goes off on his adventure, then we hear about the world of Men and the Fall of Beleriand. By the time Frodo returns all the stories in The Silm are told and Bilbo naps in the place where stories are told, occasionally telling stories. Then the Bard of Gondor... Oh me and my fantasies. It would have been an easier read, I tell ya.

[Maedhros]

You mean the famous Translations from the Elvish?

[Rían]

Originally posted by Blackboar
Ok, I've just read the Valaquenta. I'm nearly there!!

Wow, I need some suport but I'm going to finish it, and understand it if I have to read it 999.999.999.999 times!!

;) :D

GO BLACKBOAR GO! RAH RAH RAH!! *throws boar-shaped confetti*

[cassiopeia]

The embarassing thing for me is, even though I am reading the Sil for a second time, I still have trouble remembering who is related to who. Ok, I'm going to try now to name all the F names (no cheating): Finwe had Feanor, Fingolfin and Finafarin. Fingolfin had Finrod. Finafarin had Fingon. I'll have to see if I am right. :)

Edit: Close, but Figolfin had Fingon and Finafarin had Finrod. More studying to do. :rolleyes:

[Rían]

Oh, I've read the Sil many times, and I still have problems keeping those F's straight :mad: The only memory trick that has helped me is Fingolfin (the only one of Finwe's sons that has a 'g' in his name) had sons with g's in their names - Fingon and Turgon.

Now be sure to edit the first geneology table in the Sil to fix Gil-Galad's parentage :D

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by cassiopeia
The embarassing thing for me is, even though I am reading the Sil for a second time, I still have trouble remembering who is related to who.

Oh man, I'm DOOMED. I had trouble with the "F" names when reading the Sil, so I've been making a concerted effort to try and them straight while reading the Lost Road and trying to incorporate them... But they're all wrong. Aaaahhhh!

I *did* manage to suss out Gil-Galad's parentage though. :D

[Rían]

And I just finished The Lays of Beleriand where they were .... SWITCHED AROUND!!! ......

*runs off screaming*

[Elfhelm]

Does the Encyclopedia of Arda document the names correctly? What are your opinions? I suspect it is something of an RPG resource and includes some material that was made up by writers for the Iron Crown Enterprises' MERP system. For instance, they claim to have the names of the Blue Wizards.

But despite that, and from my limited knowledge, their elven family trees seem to be accurate.

[Wayfarer]

Which encyclopedia of arda?

I'm aware of at least two.

[Blackboar]

Originally posted by RÃ*an
GO BLACKBOAR GO! RAH RAH RAH!! *throws boar-shaped confetti*

Lol!! I think pig-shaped confetti would would be cool!!

The Arda encyclopedia I've got is one by Ted Smart.:D

I love it!! It has really good illustrations, painted ones!!

It has loads and loads of really detailed maps of Arda in all the ages and all the seperate continents in all the ages:D

[Elfhelm]

Cool. I'll look for it!

I meant the one online, the one that loads so slowly. It has elven family trees. I wonder how accurate they are.

Does your printed Arda Encyclopedia have elven family trees? That would be so useful.

[Blackboar]

It has practically everyones trees, before the actuall encyclopedia actually starts it says loads of suft, it sums up the Silmarillion, talks about the creatures of ME and its geography, then it has a person dictionary where it sums everyones personality up and important parts in there life in tH, tS and LotR.

I really love it:D

[Elfhelm]

OK, I'm jealous. I can't find it at Amazon or by searching for Ted Smart and Arda and Encyclopedia. All I get is this pretty cool slow loading website.

Who is the publisher? What is the printing date?

thanks.

[Blackboar]

Tolkien-the illustrated encyclopedia

Written by David Day

Publisher=Ted Smart

Just felt like doing it propaply :D :rolleyes:

[Sister Golden Hair]

Originally posted by Elfhelm
Cool. I'll look for it!

I meant the one online, the one that loads so slowly. It has elven family trees. I wonder how accurate they are.

Does your printed Arda Encyclopedia have elven family trees? That would be so useful. I think the Encyclopedia of Arda you are thinking of Elfhelm whose page hasn't been coming up lately is an ok source, but like I said in another thread, to me it doesn't seem to be updated often, because they still show Orodreth as the son of Finarfin, and Gil-galad as the son of Fingon.

[Sister Golden Hair]

Originally posted by Blackboar
Tolkien-the illustrated encyclopedia

Written by David Day

Publisher=Ted Smart

Just felt like doing it propaply :D :rolleyes: On no! David Day is considered to be a very unreliable reference source.

[Elfhelm]

Maybe when we (you all) get to that part of the Silm group reading you can build proper family trees.

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by RÃ*an
And I just finished The Lays of Beleriand where they were .... SWITCHED AROUND!!! ......

*runs off screaming*

LOL! :D ...... No Finarfin, Finrod is somebody else.... :eek:

[cassiopeia]

Originally posted by RÃ*an
Now be sure to edit the first geneology table in the Sil to fix Gil-Galad's parentage :D

Ok, who is Gil-galad's dad? It says in the Sil it's Fingon, but that's wrong. It probably says in the letters or HoME, but I can't remember it. And it says Orodreth is the son of Finarfarin. I will have to correct my copy of the Sil. :) Rian, that 'g' trick works and I can remember the family trees easily now! :)

[BeardofPants]

Finarfin
|
Angrod
|
Orodreth
|
Gil-Galad


As opposed to:

Fingolfin
|
Fingon
|
Gil-Galad.

[Rían]

Originally posted by cassiopeia
Rian, that 'g' trick works and I can remember the family trees easily now! :)

Hey, that's great! Funny how little memory things like that can help out. :)

[Sister Golden Hair]

Originally posted by RÃ*an
Hey, that's great! Funny how little memory things like that can help out. :) You know what's funny? I never had a problem remembering who was who, even to this day. I guess it just boils down to falling in love with one of the "F" names. Then you have no choice but to keep track.:D

[gandalffan2525]

i finished it!!!!!
now on to the unfinished tales *frowning once more*

[Rían]

Hey, congrats, gandalffan2525!

Keep going, everyone else :) it's worth it!

(BTW, gandalffan2525, I liked UT a lot better than BoLTs 1 and 2)

[gandalffan2525]

go turin!(sp?)

[Earniel]

Originally posted by Sister Golden Hair
You know what's funny? I never had a problem remembering who was who, even to this day. I guess it just boils down to falling in love with one of the "F" names. Then you have no choice but to keep track.:D

I haven't had much mayor problems with the names either and I didn't even need an infatuation with a certain elf lord whose name begins with an F. ;)

[The Lady of the Wood]

im reading the silmarillion right now, and at first i felt the same way, but it got A LOt more interesting!it especially gets more interesting with the part about beren and luthine

[Dúnedain]

Yup, although it starts out slow, it gets awesome as it goes along. I am actually just about to read the story of Beren and Luthien (even though I know it already, however I never read it in full). This book definitely gets better, the story of Fingolfin was my favorite so far, he rocked! :D

[Aryaveiel Skycryer]

I am a whole 50 pages into the Silmarillion, and while, overall, it has not gotten any more interesting, it most definitely has some worthwhile passages. While you probably read this part already, my favorite section is when Tolkien describes the Two Trees of Valinor. It's gorgeous!

[Rían]

Originally posted by Dúnedain
Yup, although it starts out slow, it gets awesome as it goes along. I am actually just about to read the story of Beren and Luthien (even though I know it already, however I never read it in full). This book definitely gets better, the story of Fingolfin was my favorite so far, he rocked! :D

I really like the story of Fingolfin fighting Morgoth - I agree - he ROCKED! If you ever get to the HoME books, in The Lays of Beleriand, HoME 3, Tolkien put it into verse. Here's just an excerpt - Fingolfin's defiance before Morgoth's gates:In that vast shadow once of yore
Fingolfin stood: his shield he bore
with field of heaven's blue and star
of crystal shining pale afar.
In overmastering wrath and hate
desperate he smote upon that gate,
the Gnomish king, there standing lone
while endless fortresses of stone
engulfed the thin clear ringing keen
of silver horn on baldric green.
His hopeless challenge dauntless cried
Fingolfin there: 'Come, open wide,
dark king, your ghastly brazen doors!
Come forth, whom earth and heaven abhors!
Come forth, O monstrous craven lord,
and fight with thine own hand and sword,
thou wielder of hosts of banded thralls,
thou tyrant leaguered with strong walls,
thou foe of Gods and elvish race!
I wait thee here. Come! Show thy face!'

[Dúnedain]

Originally posted by Aryaveiel Skycryer
I am a whole 50 pages into the Silmarillion, and while, overall, it has not gotten any more interesting, it most definitely has some worthwhile passages. While you probably read this part already, my favorite section is when Tolkien describes the Two Trees of Valinor. It's gorgeous!

It was like that for me as well, it took longer than 100 pages to pick up, I thought it read rather slow the first 100 or so pages, but now I am breezing through it....

Originally posted by RÃ*an
I really like the story of Fingolfin fighting Morgoth - I agree - he ROCKED! If you ever get to the HoME books, in The Lays of Beleriand, HoME 3, Tolkien put it into verse. Here's just an excerpt - Fingolfin's defiance before Morgoth's gates:

Thanks for that passage RÃ*an that was awesome! :D

[Rían]

You're welcome :)

[Elvedans]

Originally posted by GRONK!!!
[B]Umm... GRONK has the feeling that the areas of LoTR that everyone is saying would be enhanced by the silmarillion are the areas that GRONK never payed much attention to in the first place. GRONK has a bad habit of unconsciously skipping over the really wordy and detailed paragraphs of books.

That sounds like me! Sometimes when I feels really guilty about doing that I go back and force myself to take in the detail. And sometimes I read it but i don't take in the words i just go through them in my head. I really enjoyed the sil tho.!

[Ruinel]

I'm shocked when I read how bored some of you are in reading the Sil. I found that I could not put it down. If you are having difficulties keeping people straight, keep paper and pen handy and make lineage charts of Elves and Men. If you are having difficulties with keeping places straight, keep the map handy.

[ShmulikG]

I enjoyed, bought found it got more and more tiring to read.:eek:

[Ruinel]

Sorry you felt that way about the book, ShmulikG. I, on the other hand, could not put it down and found it exciting to read.

I wish it had more about Oropher and Thranduil and the elves of Eryn Galen.

[Blackboar]

Originally posted by Sister Golden Hair
On no! David Day is considered to be a very unreliable reference source.

It is!:(

I basically learnt everything Tolkien from there.

In what way do you mean though?