[Marileangorifurnimaluim]

What makes the Silmarillion confusing for many is the fact that it is in essence an unfinished work by Tolkien. Christopher Tolkien in publishing it posthoumously edited it very lightly, and took great pains to add nothing, and subtract little.

Alack and alas, had Tolkien been able to publish it with the The Lord of the Rings (as he intended) he would have polished it and fixed the narrative, which jumps oddly, gives away plotlines before the events even occur, and has limited dialogue - Tolkien's greatest strength - and unevenly fleshed out storylines. These make it a harder read than it would have been, I'm certain.

The Silm. is beautiful and powerful, but in a way it makes your heart ache to think what could have been if Tolkien had finished it and other of his stories.