Why do you read HoME?

[Kuruharan]

Originally Posted by Mithadan

Some of it is archaic. It is certainly highly redundant. It is long. Many would argue that it is overly scholarly and inaccessible.

I suspect that is part of the reason why I read it.

Like Belegorn I also read it for the insights into Middle earth's history. I am an utter and pathetic sucker for in-world history, lore, and world building. I rate the fiction that I read on the basis of how good the world building is (if there is a nerdier standard than that, I want to know what it is).

Tolkien is at the top in this regard, by a long way in many aspects. Reading much of HoME is just a delight in this regard.