In the wake of Amazon’s disastrous Rings of Power adaptation, I (like many fans) was left feeling extremely disappointed. As a result, I figured a return to the source material would be appropriate and so began my foray back into Tolkien’s world with The Silmarillion.

Released posthumously, The Silmarillion is a collection of myths and historical records concerning the fictional planet of Arda, the world where Middle Earth is located. Edited by Tolkien’s son Christopher, The Silmarillion was originally published in 1977. It details major events from the creation of the world all the way through the War for the Ring which takes place in the Third Age.

Although Amazon’s adaptation is strictly based on information found in the appendices of The Lord of the Rings, there is some overlap between the two works and the major events remain the same. Unlike most of Tolkien’s other works, The Silmarillion does not tell a conventional narrative. There are major plot threads and characters throughout the work but none are deeply fleshed out as the heroes present in Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit.

Instead, the world takes center stage and the reader is carefully lead through thousands of years of meticulously crafted history. That history begins with the creation of Arda, the rebellion of Melkor, and the eventual crusade of the legendary elven smith, Feanor. There are dozens of other narratives as well but these are some of the most important. It’s this dedication to historical events that will no doubt alienate many readers as it’s easy to get lost amongst the seemingly endless family trees and descriptions of natural landscapes.

However, as a lover of history and worldbuilding, I was (for the most part) engaged throughout everything. Each chapter reads like a tale from classical mythology complete with epic battles, noble heroes, and tragic romances. This world is truly something special and I admire that every aspect is treated with equal significance.

One of my favorite aspects of this book is the importance of music. It’s a common theme throughout most of Tolkien’s works, but here it becomes truly evident just how pivotal the concept is. The world itself is literally sung into being by the music of Ainur and Illuvatar, the major deities of Arda. It’s unfortunate that this aspect of the world is often neglected in cinematic adaptations as it is certainly one of the more unique elements of the mythos.

The prose, as with most of Tolkien’s work is excellent. Each line flows into the next and forms wonderful poetry across the page. Tolkien is also a master of descriptive imagery almost to a fault. Nonetheless, I think it’s well utilized here as the purpose of these writings is to bring this world from imagination into reality.

Something I wasn’t expecting was just how dark the tone was. The latter half of this book is comprised of tales depicting constant failure, death, and tragedy. Evil is powerful and though there are certainly triumphs for the forces of good, they are often undercut with grim foreshadowing. This is an aspect of Tolkien’s work that I feel is overlooked by general audiences. Many have praised A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R Martin for how “realistic” and morally grey the tone is for a fantasy series.

Though the characters and scale of Tolkien’s works often seem larger than life, in reality, the world of Middle Earth is just as grounded. It contains cultures and events that mirror stories within our own history, but are often executed in a more subtle ways. For example, the elves are often believed to represent solely faith, purity, and good will. However, there are many tales within this work that highlight their flaws.

In particular, the sons of Feanor are equal parts heroes and villains who commit grievous sins for the sake of their vain oath. This mirrors real life in which nothing is every truly as simple as it appears on the surface. The Silmarillion is truly an exceptional work for me. It’s not something that I would recommend to everyone, but if you approach it with the correct mindset you will find something truly memorable. For within each page is the foundation of a vision that would define an entire genre for years to come.

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The Silmarillion

17.99

8.5

Score

8.5/10

Pros

• Epic stories
• Detailed worldbuilding
• Well written Prose

Cons

• Son of X, Son of Y, Seven sons of Y
• Characters can be surface level