Where Next After The Sil ?

[GollumsPrecious]

In the next week or so I'll probably finish The Silmarillion. This will mean I've read The Hobbit, LotR and The Sil in the past month. At some point in the coming year I will almost certainly go back and re-read LotR and The Sil.

However, in the meantime I was wondering where I should go next ? I've ordered the first part of the 12 volumes of middle earth (lost tales vol 1) but I've read somewhere that maybe Unfinished Tales should be my next port of call.

What do you fine people think ?

Paul.

[GollumsPrecious]

...oh aye...and I've just noticed on Amazon (UK) that there are 2 Unfinished Tales books.

One is just called "Unfinished Tales" and the other (which I also saw on Amazon US) is entitled "Unfinished Tales Of Numenor And Middle Earth".

Are these just the same books ?...where 1 is the US version and the other the UK one ?

...in addition to my earlier posting I'm starting to feel as if maybe I should read Unfinished Tales before starting the middle earth stuff...would u agree ?

Paul.

[Voronwe]

After the Silmarillion, the next book you read should definately be Unfinished Tales. If you like Unfinished Tales, you might want to give some of the HoME series a try.

The books 'Unfinished Tales' and 'Unfinished Tales of Numenor and Middle Earth' are indeed one and the same book.

-Voronwe

[Elrian]

Definately Unfinished Tales next! smilies/wink.gif

[ January 02, 2002: Message edited by: Elrian ]

[Ulmo]

Unfinished Tales! Unfinished Tales!

smilies/smile.gif

[Maédhros]

Certainly Unfinished Tales. The HoME series tends to get, well, somewhat scholastic. I would test the waters with the two Books of Lost Tales before running on to the rest. It can be fairly demanding, especially if you're trying to compare to the final text.

[Tenchi-Oak]

yes, the Unfinished Tales should be the next Tolkien book that you read.

[red]

Actually, I would not agree with Maedhros concerning the first two HoME books, The Book of Lost Tales I and II. These two books are very dry. The HoME books don't need to be read in order. Some are better than others. I'd try Morgoth's Ring or The Peoples of Middle-earth first.

-réd

[ January 06, 2002: Message edited by: red ]

[Eol]

I am not fond of the HoMe books considering their content was a enlogue to what was published by tokien. More or less, it is stuff that he wanted to either change or change the definition of what was already written.

How many times have you read the Silmarillion? Put it down for a while and read it again. Every time you read it, you get something more out of it. You understand more depth then you could concieve. This would about the third or fourth time reading it.

[Cirdan the Shipwright]

Of all of Tolkien's works, only six books are 'final' products:

Hobbit, FOTR, TT, ROTK, Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales. After this, the HoME series is largely a collection of scholarly works, essays and occasionally used background material. Even for the real die-hards it can be difficult reading at times.

The absolutely best story in the BoLT is the story of the downfall of Gondolin in the second volume. I highly recommend it.

- Cirdan

[Elrian]

5 of them were, Unfinished Tales really isn't so complete consider the Tale of Galadriel and Celeborn, some of it talks about Amroth being their son, but it doesn't make it final, also He became King of Lothlorien, and yet Celeborn and Galadriel were better cut out for the job.

As to Eol's post, I agree, everytime you read the Sil, and the other books you pick up on things you missed before. All the more reason to reread them again. smilies/wink.gif

[The Mirrorball Man]

It has nothing to do with Middle-Earth but in my opinion, the short story "Leaf by Niggle" is the best thing that Tolkien has ever written.