This has been discussed once before. I will give a few tips on reading the Sil.
- Take notes As mentioned above, there are many names and they are hard to keep track of. Take notes of whom is mentioned when and what they did. If there is a chapter about one person or several( on Feanor) then take extra care, it means this character will be important later.
- Read slowly- mediate It may take several times reading the book before it really sticks. It is well worth it! This has been a four year event for me, trying off and on and only now am I finding what a little gem the Sil is.
- Examples In effort to help me understand,I have been taking note. Noticing there are really no notes for the Silmarillion, I have be compling my own, The Silmarillion Cliffnotes. You can go to my homesite on icon and see some examples of how to take notes and how I have done so. I am two chapters short of completely finishing the valaquenta. I have yet to touch the Alkabeth.
- Have Fun! This a book that is unlike anything Tolkien really wanted to write. I understood he wanted to turn it into another LOTR epic. Once you undrestand the basics you will being to see connections and other items of interest. After a while the way the stories were written reminded me of the style of greek tragedies. So beautiful and yet so heart yenching! Read and see what you can discover.
I have found that knowing the Silmarillion helped make the LOTR feel more powerful then before. The Silmarillion is one of my more favorite fictions other the LOTR and the translation of Sir Gawin by Tolkien. It is well worth the time to read it and re-read it.