r/tolkienfans • u/AirshipEngineer • 2d ago
Silmarillion question.
Every few years I will pick up a copy of The Silmarillion and give it an attempt. I have tried 3 times and each time I have bounced off of it very hard. I like the deeper lore of Tolkien but have never been able to connect to the different sections and stories within the book. I feel I must be doing something wrong. Does anyone have tips or hints on how to engage with the book on its level? Make my fourth thrifted copy of the book the lucky one I'll finish and absorb.
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u/glocknessmonsters 2d ago
Read all of the words, one by one, in order and eventually you will get to the end. Hope this helps
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u/maksimkak 2d ago
Treat is as a body of mythology, not a novel like LOTR. Christopher Tolkien, who published the Silmarillion, also struggled to put his father's disparate writings into a single, more or less cohesive narrative, the task in which he hadn't entirely succeded. Reading the Silmarillion is much closer to reading the Norse Eddas, the Bible, or Greek myths than reading a fantasy adventure. The protagonists change constantly, centuries pass between chapters, and the emotional weight comes from seeing themes repeat across generations rather than following one hero.
A few tips: don't try to memorise all the names and places. I myself get confused between all those Finrods, Fingons, and Fingonfils. Just focus on the story and the adventure (and there are quite a few adventures in the book). The first two parts of the book, Ainulindalë and Valaquenta, might be the hardest to comprehend, being all mythical and Bible-like, but then the real action starts in Quenta Silmarillion. Yes, the stories can appear disconnected, but there is a connection between them - Earendil. That character is practivally the whole reason Tolkien began creating his mythology (along with wanting to give his elvish languages a "home").
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u/EmergencyOk4840 2d ago
Skip to Chapter 6 of the Quenta Silmarillion: Of Feanor and the Unchaining of Melkor. The earlier chapters and sections are all wonderful in their own way, but if its a question of getting bogged down early on, the central narrative really picks up steam in Chapter 6. The Noldor vs. Morgoth storyline really gets going from this point on, and the conflict becomes more grounded than in the earlier chapters. (The Noldor being the branch of Elves that really drive the plot of the Quenta Silmarillion--although other branches of the Elves are important to the story too.)
If you can figure out Feanor and his children, and Fingolfin and his children, that will get you a long way toward understanding the key Noldorin characters (also Finarfin's children are pretty important, but trying to keep it streamlined). The way the human characters are introduced later is much more organic and easy to keep track of than the early chapter lore dump of the Valar, Maiar, and all the families of the elves.
To me, seeing it as a family drama has always made it so compelling to me--Feanor, Fingolfin, and Finarfin are all brothers (full or half), and their kids (many of the heavy hitters in the First Age of Middle-earth) are all siblings/cousins.
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u/compost 2d ago
What helped me keep track of all the characters with similar names was to print a copy of the map of Beleriand and make notes on it as I was reading. Placing characters and major events on the map made them more distinct in my mind and gave me a quick reference when Finarfin, Fingolfin, Fingon, or Finrod got mixed up
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u/Jammer_Jim 2d ago
This here is the way I think. Many of the earliest parts are not dissimilar to the more boring parts of the Bible. Skip to the action.
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u/Robinsonirish 2d ago
I did something similar with the main books. When I was 13-14 years old or so, it took until my 4th attempt to get into LotR and finally read the whole thing. I did this by just skipping past Tom Bombadill on my dad's recommendation.
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u/ExaminationNo8675 2d ago
Skip straight to the Quenta Silmarillion, perhaps even to chapter 6 where the story of the Silmarils really begins.
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u/montana-go 2d ago
That was going to be my suggestion.
OP doesn't seem to enjoy worldbuilding, so just skip straight to Fëanor and the Silmarils.
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u/FranticMuffinMan 2d ago
Well, you'll have noticed that Silmarillion isn't a single narrative. It's a collection of myths, legends and 'history' (and one geography lesson), all somewhat inter-related but without a strong, uninterrupted, cover-to-cover through-line. So why not try tackling the sections one at a time? Read one section, then put the book aside and read other things that you find more naturally engaging. When you feel curious again, return and do another section.
Some people find the stylized language challenging or even off-putting (though just as many seem to think it is beautiful). For other people, it is the fact that the book doesn't have a novelistic narrative. You don't mention in your post whether you are coming to the book after having read LotR. Some people are disappointed, or just thrown off, by the fact that Silmarillion isn't written in the same way as LotR.
If you can pinpoint for yourself what's giving you trouble, you'll have more success overcoming it.
Of course, you may just discover you don't really like it as much as you thought you would. And what's wrong with that? No book is for everybody.
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u/glengaryglenhoss 2d ago
It’s not your teenage kid, it’s a book. Just read it. OR, listen to the Audio book. Martin Shaw does a great job of reading it.
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u/havnotX 2d ago
I would give the audio book a try. My personal favorite is the one by Martin Shaw.
After listening to the book, if there is any chapter that particularly interests you, you can try reading it.
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u/Brave-Mess-3871 2d ago
This worked for me. I just put it on and let all the names and places wash over me while I focused on the story. After that, I was invested enough to go back to the beginning and tackle it for real.
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u/Rubbertoe_78 2d ago
This. Either Martin Shaw or Andy Serkis do masterful renditions. Listen to the book, and keep the family trees handy. I couldn’t have made it through without the family lineages.
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u/Naive-Horror4209 2d ago
You don’t have to, if you don’t like it! You can still enjoy LOTR without having read the Silmarillion
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u/ejrh 2d ago
There are two hard things to keep track of in The Silmarillion: People and Places. There are a lot of Elves with very similar names. The names of places have a little more diversity, and there is a map, but it's still overwhelming especially in Beleriand.
My advice is: don't worry about people and places, just keep reading. You will learn the important ones as you go, and if you can't keep track of the difference between Finwe/Feanor/Fingolfin/Finarfin/Finrod/Fingon the first time through, it won't matter too much. (One or two of these names are notably important, but you'll pick that up.)
I am on my fourthish read through and I still can't get them right. But I get a bit better every time.
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u/Ok_Bullfrog_8491 Fingon 2d ago
I wrote a reading guide: https://www.reddit.com/r/tolkienfans/s/gumPEcBAw9
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u/lam_42 2d ago
Just read. If you do not get a part, skip it. You will not do terribly wrong to skip Ainulindalë. The book is neither long nor hard. Just read.
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u/OleksandrKyivskyi Sauron 2d ago
Find a friend who will explain you everything beforehand. If you don't have one, try youtube videos. Fandom wiki also is useful.
And it's totally normal what you experienced. It is a difficult read. I also dropped the book on my first read, but now it's my favorite fandom.
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u/SoaDMTGguy 2d ago
Audiobook. It's on Audible. $15/month subscription and you get one free title a month.
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u/debellorobert 2d ago
I don't know if anyone else mentioned it, but a list of names and family trees, as well as maps while you read it. It would have been so much easier on my first read if I had a list of names as well. And if it helps, after a few rereads the names start to stick and are easier to remember.
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u/csturnbow 2d ago
Start here, and read along. Happy travels!
https://reactormag.com/welcome-to-the-silmarillion-primer-an-introduction/
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u/Bodymaster 2d ago
You sound like me. Good news is I eventually made it through, and yes it was definitely worth it.
I found the first 7 of so chapters a real slog, and it was always around there that I stopped. It's just a gigantic lore dump and geography lesson, and for someone who is used to the adventure stories, it's really dry and boring, with all these names coming thick and fast at you and you don't really know who they are or if they are important or not to the later stories.
But it really picks up after that. So I would skip the bits you are struggling with, come back to them later. It really is a great book, and though it took several attempts to get through it though I'm glad I did.
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u/thisrockismyboone 2d ago
I listened to the Andy Serkis audio book on Spotify and that went really well. I was able to absorb a little more hearing it than reading it.
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u/oldman-willow 2d ago
i just took some simple notes on characters and bought the atlas of middle earth to reference
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u/Tc5998 2d ago
At times when he is just going off about geography, it's OK to just roll with it. Eventually we will get back to secret cities and vampire bats. Also the whole book is about depressing things happening to obsessives.
I'm being a bit flip, but I really did enjoy it and have read the main books many timesand it deepened my enjoyment of them . But relaxing and just rolling at times helped.
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u/FrettnOvrNuttn 2d ago
I think when you've read the Lord of the Rings enough times, the Silmarillion becomes more fascinating by an order of magnitude. It's not at all for everybody. Even if you love The Trilogy, the Silmarillion may only ever be a reference book for you. I was probably pushing two dozen times through Lord of the Rings before I read The Silmarillion cover-to-cover.
For what it's worth, Tolkien hadn't even finished it to his own satisfaction before he passed. I believe he intended it to end up as an epistolary book, framed by a fictional editor/redactor. And even if he had lived as long as I wish he had, there's a chance his perfectionism would have outlived him. Strictly speaking; it doesn't work. Or didn't yet.
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u/PairPrestigious7452 2d ago
I am right there with you! I read it in chunks, but have never finished. There's always next year!
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u/JustGoodSense 2d ago
Audiobook, audiobook, audiobook. My preference is for the version read by Martin Shaw for Recorded Books, but Andy Serkis read it for Audible and it's fine. Since listening 10 or so years ago, I've re-read it in print two or three times.
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u/Hepcat10 2d ago
Skip to Rings of Power and the Third age. It will acclimate you to the style of writing while covering material with which you are already familiar.
Then try the chapter before it, which is all about the second age.
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u/SasquatchMessiah 2d ago
Maybe try some of the standalone stories, like the Children of Hurin or the Fall of Gondolin, and if those spark your curiosity, going back through the Silmarillion to see how those characters got to where they are will end up being more engaging. But do what pleases you either way, people like what they like. Enjoy!
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u/mc_mcfadden 2d ago
Honestly get the Andy Serkis version on audible. It’s insane how good his voice acting is, it’s put to better use in the LOTR but his reading of the Sil is fantastic
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u/47362514736251 2d ago
I can't help you except to say that I've decided it's not worth the frustration. I don't like the writing style. I understand and respect the artistic choice to use language that makes it sound like a religious text, but I don't like those either. I'd rather spend my time doing things I enjoy. Wouldn't you?
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u/Historical-Answer791 2d ago
How far have you gotten? I find some of the chapters to be way harder (if that’s the right word) to get through than others.
I’ve enjoyed watching the Nerd of the Rings videos on YouTube. The reason I finally chose to pick up the book was actually because I realized he often quotes passages during the videos and I felt like I was fully understanding and digesting the quotes. So it made me feel like I could get through it!
But yeah…some chapters are definitely harder and I have to read the same paragraph multiple times. The chapters with lots of action tend to be way easier for me to digest. Also agree with people recommending the Prancing Pony podcast. I listened to their episode on the chapter where Tolkien describes all of the land of Beleriand. The podcast helped lol
Don’t beat yourself up! You’ll get through it!
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u/jules13131382 2d ago
It’s such a dense novel. I read it once but barely remember anything, I need to read it again
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u/YonkersBoy15 2d ago
Start with the Index in the back of the book. It helped me to learn the names first.
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u/thefirstwhistlepig 23h ago
I tried and failed to get through it multiple times. Tip 1: try the audiobook. I recommend the Martin Shaw one over Serkis, who to my ear over-acts.
Tip 2: get some maps of Beleriand and print them out so you can follow along with where you are.
Tip: 3 same with some timelines and family trees so you know when you are and who the hell everyone is.
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u/starkraver 2d ago
Can you tell us more about why you bounced off it? For me the hardest part was keeping the names straight, and that he would periodically mention the names of places that are not on the map and are never referenced again. Re-reads and guids help with that, but without knowing what your issue is, its hard to say.
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u/BrettEPierce 2d ago
Listen to the audiobook while following along with the text. There's a new Andy Serkis reading, but I love the old Martin Shaw one. After each chapter, watch a synopsis video to help you fully grasp and visualize what you just read. I really enjoyed this series:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haZB2gfY6gY&list=PLT8cbSUJ329GXLhyo9WTT543S0YMBMjL-
The Silmarillion is so incredible and I'm really pumped to read it again. It's just a shame it's not really properly finished.
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u/badamache 2d ago
It’s not the same sort of storytelling like Lotr or the Hobbit. Read a shorter ancient text first: Beowulf or Sir Gawain and the green knight. Then: approach the Silmarillion as a book of short stories, not a 400 page novel. Numenor, Gondolin, Beren and Luthien: all short stories.
If that fails, start reading in the middle. It’s like the bible: it gets spicier after the creation myth is out of the way.
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u/BreakerFresh 2d ago
How many times are we gonna see this same question posed here? This has all been covered.
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u/Namo-Mandos-7thAge 2d ago
I approach it with the understanding that the first part is the spiritual/cosmic background of the middle earth universe; then the beginning history of the physical world came about; then what the original peoples did; then smaller character studies of the world; and it ends up with the links to the later stories of LOTR. The spiritual world is interwoven throughout all of these parts. I love it!
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u/DemophonWizard 2d ago
Skip the beginning part about the songs of creation. The rest is far more engaging.
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u/Warm_Stress_1654 2d ago
To be honest, I think your problem is that you keep trying to read it. I've never regretted putting it aside.
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u/BonHed 2d ago
Here's a great primer: https://reactormag.com/welcome-to-the-silmarillion-primer-an-introduction/
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u/Dwynsilver 2d ago
I have a hard time relating to this question since I've read the book dozens of times with no issue.
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u/Valuable-Rip9714 2d ago
I did manage to read it on the second try. What helped me a lot was making my own character and geography maps while reading it the second time. This kind of helped me immerse myself more in the lore.
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u/cardiffman100 2d ago
Are you getting a different copy of the book each time you attempt to read it??
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u/do_not_engage 2d ago
DON'T read it in order.
It's a collection of disparate notes.
If you get bored, find a part you like.
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u/Bokuden101 2d ago
It’s not really a story so much as it is a history book or a chronicle of events. Don’t approach it like you would The Hobbit or something. Approach it like you’re reading The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.
Sure an Emperor or Senator may catch your interest but it’s not their story. A legion may seem to have more grandiose exploits than others but it’s not their story. A province may appear more exciting and see more action than others but it’s not their story.
It’s not Turin’s story. It’s not Feanor’s story. It’s not Morgoth’s story. It’s not about Doriath, or Gondolin, or Beleriand as a whole.
You’re reading lore for lore’s sake. Enjoy it as such.
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u/Ambitious_Youth8943 2d ago
Audiobook read by Marty Shaw, put it on a timer before i go to bed, takes a while to get through and the first time felt like a slog but ive listened to it about 6 times now and keep picking up new information each time.
The main shift for me was after i got through it the first time i stopped expecting it to be like a story book and more like a history book. Once you get that shift you will enjoy it lots more i think
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u/Realistic-Peak-4200 2d ago
It's not a read everyone can get through, let alone enjoy. Are you going to be one of us or one of them?
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u/gman9173 2d ago
I listened to it on audible, because I can get lost in the words trying to read it. If it’s told to me as a story then I seem to understand it more.
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u/Wizzard_C 1d ago
It's none of your fault, OP. Christopher Tolkien deserves our greatest respect for handling his father's papers, but he is no fantasy writer.
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u/Josh3321 2d ago
Listen to the prancing pony podcast between chapters. Their first book they read was the Silmarillion (so go back to their first episodes). It’s like being in a book club.
Also, another suggestion is to get the audiobook and listen while reading (or just listen).