The Silamarillion

The Silmarillion

By J.R.R. Tolkien

The history of Middle-Earth…

I have already waxed eloquently (I Hope!) about J.R.R. Tolkien, whom readers would by now know to be among my favorite authors, if not the favorite.  So I will not bore you with further details about Tolkien! However, I do feel compelled to point out that ‘The Silmarillion’ was Tolkien’s magnum opus, the book or collection of stories, legends and myths that he tried to get published during his lifetime. Unfortunately, he failed, and it was left to his youngest son and literary executor, Christopher Tolkien, to arrange his notes and have the manuscript published posthumously. I guess by that time after his death, Tolkien’s fame had increased and every publisher was desperate to lay hands on any publishable material.

‘The Silmarillion’ is a sort of backdrop story to ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘The Lord of the Rings’. It tells of the story of the creation, how Middle-Earth came into being, the history of the elves, dwarves and men and the long war with Morgoth, the original Dark Lord of whom Sauron was only a servant. The book is divided into three parts – the first part or the Ainulindale narrates the creation myth. The second part or the Valaquenta, makes up most of the book and tells the story of the three races (Elves, men and dwarves) and the long and fruitless conflict with Morgoth over the theft of the great Jewels, the Silmarilli, after which the book is named.

The last part or the Akallabeth, tells the story of the Isle of Numenor, which was gifted to the men who fought against Morgoth in the great war. It is somewhat inspired from the story of Atlantis, though in a subtle manner. There is some additional material about the Second Age of Middle-Earth and about the making of the Rings of Power; also some material on the war of the elves with Sauron.

Those looking for a quick read in the manner of Tolkien’s other works would be better off looking elsewhere. The book is full of archaic terms and feels like a poetic saga turned into prose. However, dedicated Tolkien fans will find a goldmine here, as would those who after reading or seeing Peter Jackson’s movies are curious to know more.

Highlights:

1.     The creation of the world

2.     The first appearance of the dwarves

3.     The fight between Fingolfin and Morgoth

4.     The fight between Glorfindel and the Balrog

5.     Glaurung!

Verdict:

            Overall 8/10

            Historical high fantasy 10/10

            Ease of reading 6/10

Tip: Not for minors