Silmarillion. Help!
 

I've started reading the Silm and am already confised! [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img]

First, how do you pronounce the title?

My next question is this: Are the Valar and the Maiar a form of Elves, or are they completely different?

its pronounced sill(as in windowsill)-mar(as in MARk)-ill-ion(as in paviLLION).

sillmarillion. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

and i havnt started reading it yet so i cant answer your other question. but can I as U, is it worth my time?! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

This question is answered in this thread.

I would just take time to read it slowly and "soak it all in" so you don't get confused. The Sill starts out just introducing the Valar(Gods) but after that I believe it gets easier (either that or I just got the hang of it). Don't read it expecting it to be another LOTR or TH it is more of a Middle Earth 'Bible.' The first part may be compared to Genises and so on. I hope that helps!

Thanks for your help. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] And yes, I definetly suggest reading it. It takes a bit to understand at first, but I'm getting the hang of it now. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Yeah, the Silmarillion can seem kinda hard and slow at the start, but when the war gets on, but when you start reading of the war the remaining pages grew thinner in an alarming rate ;-). At least that's my experience.

I'm halfway through the Silm. Omigosh, it goes so fast! I can't believe how good it is, and how well it explains science, like solar eclipses. I love it! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Hmm, if you are halfway through you will probably read the story of Túrin soon, let me tell you that is a good story [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]. Not to mention the story of Tuor and the fall of Gondolin (I'm not actually revealing a secret here, the chapter is named "Tuor and the fall of Gondolin", translated directly from my Swedish Silmarillion). In my opinion, that is almost the best chapter.

Oh! I can't wait! I LOVE this book! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Yeap, the stories of Turin and Tuor are the best ones in the Silm. Enjoy! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

I like the story of Tuor, but Turin sucks. I know he's cursed and everything, but he marry's his sister, kills Beleg, and refuses to return to Thingol and Melian after he's been pardoned, so I can't stand reading that story more than once.

Yes, Turin is a tragic figure and his tale is hard to read. But remember that Morgoth had a hand in the woes of the Children of Hurin, and do not blame Turin entirely for his shortcomings. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

I really liked Ainulindalë - it´s nice to hear the origin of.....well, everything.

I liked the rest of the book too (only downside is having to keep up with all those names!!!)

Once you finish the sim, read it again when you have some time to analyze what it tells... you'll find the answers to many questions the LOTR leaves unanswered ...
f.i. who is Glorfindel and how old is he? [img]smilies/evil.gif[/img]

Ah, my thought on Glorfindel is that he did 'die' when fighting the Balrog, but his fea(spirit) was given a new hroa(body) and he was allowed to return to Middle-earth when Mithrandir and the rest of the Istari came to ME. He got to come back sort of like Beren and Luthien.
So, he's probably about 5-6000 years old maybe? (Pretty old anyway)

A suggestion for reading the Silmarillion-
bookmark all the maps and geneology charts!! It makes things alot easier and less confusing if you have easy access to these!

~Airetalathwen

I'm on my third reading of The Silmarillion and it's as fresh as ever. Maybe that's because I'm reading Book of Lost Tales, THEN going back to the Silmarillion to compare. Wow! So I'm a Tolkien junkie. There're worse things to be. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

I really love the story of Turin. It's a tragedy in the classic sense. Actually, it's even better in Unfinished Tales than in the Sil.

I loved the Ainulindalë. To me, that was one of the coolest parts of the book. I am currently reading the tale of Beren and Lùthien. Their story is so beautiful.

i'm only on the fifth chapter of the silmarillion proper, but i've thoroughly enjoyed it so far.....
wonderfully descriptive writing and all the information you can glean is beyond interesting.....
excellent book so far, can't wait to get on with it [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

twinkle

I love the chapter on the 5th Battle:Nirnaeth Arnoediad.

Imagine the grandeur of Fingon's troops as they stood tall and proud on the last of the green lands and how the spirit of the host must have soared when Turgon arrived with his contingent. What a scene that might had been. Wow...

I felt that the battle scenes were the most graphic of all in the book and i could imagine every single one of them.

Anyone out there that shares similar sentiments with me?

well...my favourite's the tale of Beren and Luthien, but the Nirnaeth's beautiful