Chargement
Informations sur le livre
The Silmarillion
Écrit par J.R.R. Tolkien
Raconté par Martin Shaw
Actions du livre
Commencer à écouterDescription
The Silmarillion is an account of the Elder Days, of the First Age of Tolkien’s world. It is the ancient drama to which the characters in The Lord of the Rings look back, and in whose events some of them such as Elrond and Galadriel took part.The tales of The Silmarillion are set in an age when Morgoth, the first Dark Lord, dwelt in Middle-Earth, and the High Elves made war upon him for the recovery of the Silmarils, the jewels containing the pure light of Valinor.Included in the book are several shorter works. The Ainulindale is a myth of the Creation and in the Valaquenta the nature and powers of each of the gods is described. The Akallabeth recounts the downfall of the great island kingdom of Númenor at the end of the Second Age and Of the Rings of Power tells of the great events at the end of the Third Age, as narrated in The Lord of the Rings.
Actions du livre
Commencer à écouterInformations sur le livre
The Silmarillion
Écrit par J.R.R. Tolkien
Raconté par Martin Shaw
Description
The Silmarillion is an account of the Elder Days, of the First Age of Tolkien’s world. It is the ancient drama to which the characters in The Lord of the Rings look back, and in whose events some of them such as Elrond and Galadriel took part.The tales of The Silmarillion are set in an age when Morgoth, the first Dark Lord, dwelt in Middle-Earth, and the High Elves made war upon him for the recovery of the Silmarils, the jewels containing the pure light of Valinor.Included in the book are several shorter works. The Ainulindale is a myth of the Creation and in the Valaquenta the nature and powers of each of the gods is described. The Akallabeth recounts the downfall of the great island kingdom of Númenor at the end of the Second Age and Of the Rings of Power tells of the great events at the end of the Third Age, as narrated in The Lord of the Rings.
À propos de l'auteur
JT![]()
Avis
The creation of Middle-earth and its First Age is presented in both mythical and historical accounts that set the stage for The Lord of the Rings in the world’s Third Age. The Silmarillion is the posthumously published collection of J.R.R. Tolkien’s worldbuilding tales concerning the creation and history of Middle-earth focusing on the First Age but also delving into the relevant history leading to the War of the Ring.Middle-earth was created through song by the Ainur, though one of their number—Melkor—attempts to disrupt the tune three times but it overpowered by Eru (God). Eru then showed the Ainur a vision of the world and offered them the chance to enter it and rule, many took up the offer including Melkor. While many of the Ainur, the more powerful Valar and lesser Maiar, attempted to create a world for the Elves and Man, Melkor repeatedly destroyed their work and seduced some of the Maiar to his side, including Sauron. The book then shifts into the Tale of the Simarils, which were three jewels crafted by the Elf Feanor that glowed with the light of the Two Trees that were the only source of light before the Moon and Sun were created by the last remnants after their destruction by Melkor who then killed Feanor’s father and stole of the Simarils. Feanor long duped and corrupted by Melkor’s lies leads the Nordor Elves out of the West to Middle-earth to regain the jewels and do terrible things while Feanor and his sons make a dark oath to recover the jewels. Over the next 500 years, the various Elven groups in Middle-earth battle the now entitled Morgoth and his minions while later to be joined by Men. But the curse of Feanor devastates the Nordor and all that become related to them or allied to them or that touch the Simarils. Eventually a Elf-Man, Earendil arrives in The West to beg for help against Morgoth and the Valar with those Elves that hadn’t join the Nordor attack Morgoth and overpower him but the Simarils are lost in Space, the Sea, and the Earth until the End of the World. The book then gives an overview of the Second Age and the time of Numenor, their glory and fall by the lies of Sauron who’s defeat by the Last Alliance ends the Age and disperses his power for a time. And finally, the book ends with the overview of the creation of the rings of power and the Ring by Sauron then an overview of the lead up to and through the War of the Ring as seen in The Lord of the Rings.While Tolkien did have some wonderful worldbuilding ideas, the mix of mythical and historical tales were hit-and-miss with a lot of dryness poured on. While there is a somewhat narrative framework to the book, there is no narrative flow. Though some of this can be attributed to the intermixture of tales that bent towards the mythical or the historical, they weren’t meshed together very well and that is probably because of the posthumous nature of the book as Tolkien’s son Christopher put the book together and added sections using his father’s notes to bridges things within a large framework but there was a randomness to things.Overall The Silmarillion should be seen a collection of mythical and historical tales within a large framework, but one that doesn’t mesh well and at times is disjointed. This is a book for hardcore Tolkien fans not general readers who would be stratified with The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
Rating: 3While this is more a collection of stories and notes than a full novel, this just might be the definitive J. R. R. Tolkien work, as well as a very useful Tolkien reference. Found in this book we have the very creation of Middle-Earth by the gods and the stories of the gods themselves. The various kindreds of the Elves appear, as well as the first Men. The old stories of the wise and powerful (and vengeful) Noldor are told in their war against Morkoth, Sauron's mighty patron. It also has a brief summary of the background of the Hobbit and a summary of LoTR. The stories of the Silmarils, Beren and Luthien, the tale of the Numenoreans, all of these are must reads for any Tolkien fan, they are the bedrock on which his novels are based. Fantastic stuff.
Rating: 5There's plenty of intertesting material in here, but it's heavy going. A friend of mine described reading the Silmarillion as "running into a sea of treacle", and I can think of no better description. Certainly after about half-way through I think I was just looking at all of the words until I got to the end, rather than actually reading it. Of interest to historians and completists only.
Rating: 3Wow this absolutely cements J.R.R Tolkien as the most amazing fantasy author. The creation of Middle-Earth and the Lords, Jewels, Elves, Dwarves, Men and evil that are involved in the creation become a real fantasy in your head. You can almost convince yourself this was how our own version of 'Earth' or the 'World' has come about as it sometimes reads like non-fiction. It can be hard though, and takes dedication, but if you add The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit and The Silmarillion together it is an incredible place with incredible characters experiencing incredible journey and adventure. Highly recommended, especially to those who love LOTR.
Rating: 5Loved Lord of the Rings--in fact it's one of my favorite books (OK, it's a trilogy, but you know what I mean). But this was a dreary, pedantic read. Far too much narrative, dragging on and on, rarely interrupted by dialogue. A few of the key parts of the story held my interest, but through too much of it I felt I was just plodding through.
Rating: 2such a complete work; this book is told as of by many elven folklores and myths; pending which version you read will give different accounts; which is in line with myth making and folklore :) to be honest i prefer this saga to any other; it surpasses LOTR and any other work of great magnitude.in fact this book of legend is so condensed that 1 chapter of the silmarils is turned into another book; children of hurin; which is completely enthralling.; th author was so consumed with ideas that he apparently even wrote out ideas n poems n prose on his ration boxes while serving on the frontline in one of the world wars
Rating: 5The mythology is impressive but it's a tedious read. The story of Beren and Luthien is wonderful and almost worth the price of admission. But I have to say this is only for die-hard Tolkien fans. And even then, only read it when you're ready for a big dose of tragedy.
Rating: 3The Silmarillion is composed of a collection of stories, forming one cohesive greater story of epic proportions, which recount the beginnings of Middle-Earth, the fictional and fantastical world of the same author's (Tolkien's) works The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings (LOTR). The Hobbit and LOTR, though they have their differences, (style, readability, and perhaps even the original intended audience, among other things), can be viewed togehter as quite similar with those differences being nuances at best, especially when held against The Silmarillion.If Hobbit is an easy read, with LOTR being slightly more difficult, but nonetheless easy, The Silmarillion is certainly not for the faint-of-heart-casual-reader. It does feel, at times, as though you are reading a history book. It is perhaps not the best choice for a weekend read, at least not for most readers. It actually took me a half of a year to read (the first time I read it). Granted, I am a slow reader. Still, when I enjoy a book as much as I did this one, I would normally expect myself to get through a book of its length in much, much less time. The time it took me to read it is due almost entirely to the above mentioned readability and history-book-like style. Simply put, the book provides for a very dense read.If the Hobbit and LOTR is more about hobbits, humans, dwarves, elves and the occasional wizard or Dark Lord, The Silmarillion is more about the elves and gods, as well as the original Dark Lord, of Middle-Earth. It gives a lot of (fictional) historical background to Middle-Earth, being filled with stories that recount origins of its creatures and characters, as well as their alliances and animosities.It is rather challenging, at least on your very first read, to keep all of the names and places and different stories together (the usually-included geneology charts and maps are helpful). As with most challenges, it is extremely rewarding to tackle. Reading this gives you a great appreciation for Tolkien's world, languages, mythology and lore. Though it is comprised of many stories that could be developed elsewhere as standlones (and in many cases, have been, e.g. The Lay of Leithian), the Silmarillion represents a masterful job by Tolkien (and his son Christopher Tolkien, who edited and published it posthumously) of weaving all of these stories into one cohesive whole that tells of the creation of and first and second ages of Middle-Earth.Though having a knowledge of other mythologies, especially Western European, may add a greater depth of apprectiation for what Tolkien has done here, it certainly is not a prerequisite for reading and enjoying the work. I would certainly recommend The Silmarillion to any tenacious Tolkien fans who want to see how it all began in Middle-Earth. I have read it three times (each time gets easier), and I still consider this my favorite book of all time, spanning all genres.
Rating: 5This volume consists of edited notes from J.R.R. Tolkien, describing the ancient history of middle earth, the war of the Valar against the evil Morgoth, and the rebellion of the Elves under Feanor, the creator of the Simarils, gems that contain the light of the great trees. There are shorter accounts of the Numenorean race of men, and of the events of the third age, considered in more detail in the Lord of the Rings. The endless genealogies, descriptions of battles as though in history, lack of dialogue and character development, makes it a boring experience compared to the Lord of the Rings trilogy itself. For someone like myself who knows the Lord of the Rings very well, it explains some back stories, and reveals some surprises, such as the origin of Gandalf and the Wizards directly from the Valar. I owned this volume some years ago, did not read it in detail then, but downloaded it to the Kindle and read it recently
Rating: 3Very difficult to read, and not a coherent set of stories. A first step towards understanding the full background to Tolkien's universe, but by golly, it could well be the last time you look at that aspect of his work. Zeer moeilijk te lezen, niet een samenhangende verzameling verhalen. Een eerste stap naar het begrijpen van het heelal van Tolkien, maar goeie hemel, het kan wel de laatste keer zijn dat daarvan wil weten.
Rating: 2Tolkien's son Christopher edits together his father's notes and stories of his larger mythology seen only in portions of The Lord of the Rings. Though a daunting read for those expecting tales of hobbits, The Silmarillion gives a detailed history and amazing depth to the First Age of Middle-earth. Starting with a Creation story and following the roots of the two Elvish languages which Tolkien created, this story reads more like a history than a novel but is well worth it for those who want to understand the mythological references in Tolkien's other published tales.
Rating: 4Like many who waited a long time foer this, I found it disappointingly dry, more a summary than a novel. However, it provides useful background for LOTR
Rating: 3Okay, I liked reading and analyzing Leviticus and Numbers in the Old Testament. If you did too, you might like this book. In many places, it reads very similarly. I enjoyed it.
Rating: 4Comparing The Silmarillion to Tolkien's other "Middle Earth" books is like comparing the Old testament of the Bible to the New. Mind boggling detail and fasinating thought processes mark all of Tolkien's writing. This is a premier example of how to build a universe.
Rating: 5I started reading this one day during fall of '05, and could not put it down. I especially liked the first chapter, which detailed the creation of the world--I went back and read it over and over again. I've always enjoyed history, and this book is full with nothing but; it's the history of another time and place that was beautiful and wonderful, and is now gone. It makes me sad in a way, even though there was obviously no such thing as Middle Earth (or was there?).
Rating: 4This book was gathered together after J. R. R. Tolkien's death by his son, Christopher Tolkien. Over all it feels very disjointed, as it is a collection of writings that were never merged together during Tolkien's life. A good read for Tolkien and Middle Earth enthusiasts, but not a place to start for newcomers.
Rating: 3Tolkien's elves are amongst my favorite characters in the world of ME. This excellent history of the elves in ME was compiled by Tolkien's son Christopher.
Rating: 4Don't expect an epic narrative a la Lord of the Rings; the Silmarillion is more a series of related short stories that recount the origins and early history of middle earth, and especially of the elves whose descendants populate the world of the Lord of the Rings. The language is beautiful, and many of the stories are moving and compelling in their own right. Tolkien's use of the English language is masterful, in an entirely different league from the vast majority of fantasy on the market today. And the world he created holds together better than virtually all of the many writers who have followed in his footsteps. If you enjoyed LOR, and want to understand the history that got middle earth to where it is in the trilogy, this is truly essential reading.
Rating: 4I firmly believe that there were good reasons why Tolkien did not publish this book in his lifetime. While this work may have been of some interest to him in his interior universe, it seems of little use to anyone other than the most die-hard Tolkien fan who has too much time on his hands. Having read Tolkien's principal works many times over, this dismissal does not come from one who dislikes the author or his works.
Rating: 1The amazing backstory to the Lord of the Rings. Worth having merely for the "Quenta Silmarillion" -- the creation story. The rest is great, but I can't give it more stars because the language is so dense and long and difficult to get through.
Rating: 3Not as easy or fun to read as the trilogy or "There and Back Again" but provides interesting background for true Tolkien fans.
Rating: 4I'm one of the few that actually like the Silmarillion. It reads like a history book or a writer's summary, but it is full of wonderful history and mythology that floods the Lord of the Rings. I found that after reading The Silmarillion, The Lord of the Rings became much better. I understood more references and it just became more alive. If you can get through it, it will really enhance your reading of Tolkien's epic. But I would definitely recommend you read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings first, and then this book.
Rating: 4This is not The Lord of the Rings, still less The Hobbit. It's vast, distant myth, fraught with darkness, in which mortals and immortals alike lose, crushed by the hand of a vengeful, evil demiurge in a war caused by their own greed, saved only by the angels. It is majestic, and beautiful, and mythopoeiaic in the best sense; it is also very difficult reading compared to Tolkien's other works.
Rating: 4The exhaustive mythological history of Middle Earth is difficult to read and incredibly complex. A truly masterful literary achievement, but not something to flick through on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
Rating: 2Not a great book--is of interested mainly to Tolkien fans who will be interested in the detailed back story to his trilogy.
Rating: 3Not an easy read, by any means, but very powerful and very beautiful when all is said and done. Deeply sad, but in the way of Hamlet or Lear. Tolkien still believes in meaning and beauty, despite the awfulness of the world sometimes.
Rating: 5I tried to read this three times in High School, when I was really into LotR, and never made it through the whole thing. The style is just too dry and archaic and it just didn't make for a compelling read.
Rating: 1
Amazing. The author created a whole new world. And as much as it is fantasy, its a fantasy that teaches...what it is to live a good life
Rating: 5
Answers all the questions you have from reading LOTR.
Rating: 5
some parts had poor audio (overlapping narration). not sure if my device or the download was the issue.
Rating: 3