The Silmarillion
 

I've read the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings books, and i was wondering if I should read the Silmarillion
I heard that it is quite complicated!

If you can understand the older style of writing, I find it is a great book. I just finished it about a week ago, and I enjoyed it thoroughly and found that I was much more learned in the lore of Middle-earth. In my opinion, it is a necessary read for people who want to understand the meanings behind some of the things that are mentioned in LotR (for example the line at the end of Galadriel's lament and the constant references to "the Ancient West") and some of the references made around the Downs about certain characters and concepts. I really recommend you read it. It is sort of complicated, but not to the point where you;re all mixed up and can't comprehend anything. It is a great book.

thanx, I think I'll read it then
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I think that too many people read the Silmirilion to explain the small refernces in the LoTR. If you do it for this then you will most probabily be disapointed. If you plan to enjoy the book for itself then you will have a wonderful read, but if you are on the constant look out for references to Entwives and such you will be better off not reading the book, partly because many questions wont be answered and partly because it spoils the depth of the LoTR somewhat.

I am not saying this to stop you reading the books, because it is an amazing book in all respects provided you have a good imagination. A love for the old style of writing is also good. But it will help you a lot if you read it for itself and not as a resource for LoTR.

I would most definitly recommend it, but only if you feel you can manage it. Don't do what I did and read it when I wasn't ready and be totally put off.

how were u not ready?

its more like a history than a story.

Personally, I love The Silmarillion, despite the complexity and the Old-Testament style of writing. It seems... vivid, somehow. *Sigh* I know what I mean.

Yeah, I'd definitely recommend it. I read it because I wanted to know absolutely everything I could find out about Middle-earth, and The Silmarillion was the first book I found. It explains several things in Lord of the Rings, but it's wonderful in itself as well.

Yes. Everyone who says that it is hard is lying to you.

Yeah, listen to burrahobbit, I feel the same way. It's not hard at all. It's such an awesome book! I like it as much as I like LotR.

The first few chapters are very religious in feel but persevere and you will find not only a great story but a mine of information on Middle Earth. After the Noldor rebel things get very interesting indeed.

Its not hard, there is just a lot to take in if you want to understand it properly.
Well, I was really too young and not interested enough. A lot of the language and even the story line just went over my head. At that time it was not the type of book I wanted to read - I wanted books about animal and (sorry if i offend anyone) all the twee stuff.

<font color=gold>I agree, Starbreeze. I had to re-read a lot so that it would sink in before I moved on to the next story. It is definitley worth reading, though. I never realized how many references are made in The Lord of the Rings to things from The Silmarillion. When I read the books the first time I must have overlooked them, but when I went back and read them again I understood a lot more because I had read The Silmarillion.

If you want to truely understand the Silmirilion, read it (dont worry if it doesn't all go in). Then read all the histories (or 1-5 10-12). Then re-read the Silmirilion. You will have a very deep and 'from the ground up' understanding of the mythology, as you will know how it came to be and the ideas arose, as well as the facts.

You will also better understand the beauty of the works, as you will see the stories from all angles and understand all of the charactors in more depth than the the other books, and you will still have echos of the lays and poems and naratives in the books echoing in your mind.

Keeping a good handle on the endless relationship dynamics between the Elvish families (i.e. tangled family trees and enemies to the death) isn't the easiest thing, but it's worth it if you persevere.