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OldestDaughter
Rohan
Sep 27 2016, 8:22pm
Post #1 of 76
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When did you first read the Silmarillion?
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Hi everyone, I don't know if this has been posted before in some way or another, but I am curious, when did you first read the Silmarillion? and how many times have you read it?
I first read it when I was twelve, and had a harder time understanding it. It got clearer after I finished and would look at the different events and characters in that book on the TolkienGateway site. I reread the book a couple of years ago and got the tale much clearer. But that's beside the point , so when did you all first read it?!
"Keen, heart-piercing was her song as the song of the lark that rises from the gates of night and pours its voice among the dying stars, seeing the sun behind the walls of the world; and the song of Lúthien released the bonds of winter, and the frozen waters spoke, and flowers sprang from the cold earth where her feet had passed."
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Meneldor
Valinor
Sep 27 2016, 8:44pm
Post #2 of 76
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and it didn't hold my interest for long. Later I picked it up again and read some chapters that had interesting titles: Earendil and the War of Wrath, Battle of Unnumbered Tears, Beren and Luthien, and Fall of Gondolin, not necessarily in that order. Eventually I wanted to put those random stories into context and I finally read the whole book cover to cover when I was a college freshman. And it was amazing.
They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters, these see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep. -Psalm 107
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Ataahua
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Sep 27 2016, 9:02pm
Post #3 of 76
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Depends what you mean by 'first'.
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It took me three tries over a year or two to get past the first chapter - but after that, I was away. That would have been when I was about 20/21.
Celebrimbor: "Pretty rings..."
Dwarves: "Pretty rings..."
Men: "Pretty rings..."
Sauron: "Mine's better."
"Ah, how ironic, the addictive qualities of Sauron’s master weapon led to its own destruction. Which just goes to show, kids - if you want two small and noble souls to succeed on a mission of dire importance... send an evil-minded beggar with them too." - Gandalf's Diaries, final par, by Ufthak.
Ataahua's stories
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dernwyn
Forum Admin
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Sep 27 2016, 9:35pm
Post #5 of 76
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Same here - snapped up one as soon as it appeared in the bookstores.
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What's bothered me, in looking back, is why Tolkien kept insisting to publishers that he wanted it published with Lord of the Rings, when it was hardly anywhere near in a form back then to even consider being published.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I desired dragons with a profound desire"
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Darkstone
Immortal
Sep 27 2016, 9:35pm
Post #6 of 76
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When it first came out in the US.
Read through once. Since then picked through it every now and then.
Very disappointed there weren't any hobbits.
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The audacious proposal stirred his heart. And the stirring became a song, and it mingled with the songs of Gil-galad and Celebrian, and with those of Feanor and Fingon. The song-weaving created a larger song, and then another, until suddenly it was as if a long forgotten memory woke and for one breathtaking moment the Music of the Ainur revealed itself in all glory. He opened his lips to sing and share this song. Then he realized that the others would not understand. Not even Mithrandir given his current state of mind. So he smiled and simply said "A diversion.”
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Darkstone
Immortal
Sep 27 2016, 9:39pm
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At college we had a blackboard dedicated to counting down to when it would be on sale. I've never anticipated a book release anywhere as eagerly.
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The audacious proposal stirred his heart. And the stirring became a song, and it mingled with the songs of Gil-galad and Celebrian, and with those of Feanor and Fingon. The song-weaving created a larger song, and then another, until suddenly it was as if a long forgotten memory woke and for one breathtaking moment the Music of the Ainur revealed itself in all glory. He opened his lips to sing and share this song. Then he realized that the others would not understand. Not even Mithrandir given his current state of mind. So he smiled and simply said "A diversion.”
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dormouse
Half-elven
Sep 27 2016, 9:52pm
Post #8 of 76
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When it first came out in the UK in 1977.....
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I'd waited a long time. While Tolkien was still alive we knew that he was writing The Silmarillion and I was longing to read it. When he died I thought that was the end, so the news that the book would be published after all was exciting and I bought it on the day it came out.
At first the change of style and tone threw me, but I was soon drawn in. I'd always loved the glimpses of the First Age and its characters in Lord of the Rings and was hungry for more. Couldn't tell you how often I've read it. A lot, but not so often as I have Lord of the Rings. With the Sil I tend to listen more to the unabridged audiobook; partly because it's shorter, partly because there's a rhythm in the language that suits being read aloud.
For still there are so many things
that I have never seen:
in every wood and every spring
there is a different green. . .
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shawnmitchell
Registered User
Sep 27 2016, 10:09pm
Post #9 of 76
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Have to admit that I'm one of the people that came to Tolkien after I saw the movies ... been in love since. I actually "listened" to the Sil first. Had a long road trip and I loved it. I think it would have been difficult for me to follow if I had tried to read it the first time. Listening made it exciting and I couldn't get "bogged" down with all the names. I always encourage people to listen the Sil first then read it once you've got some knowledge about the world.
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No One in Particular
Lorien
Sep 28 2016, 1:43am
Post #10 of 76
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Like others, I tried a time or two and had a problem with the style before I finally read it all the way through. Once you get past the first few chapters though, the style sort of smooths out and takes off. But I think it does work very well as an audio book. That used to be one of my favorite ways to pass the time at my repetitive job; just pop on the headphones and start with the Sil and work my way through The Hobbit and then the trilogy.
While you live, shine
Have no grief at all
Life exists only for a short while
And time demands an end.
Seikilos Epitaph
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Loresilme
Valinor
Sep 28 2016, 1:52am
Post #11 of 76
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Have to admit that I'm one of the people that came to Tolkien after I saw the movies ... been in love since.
First I saw the movies, then I read LOTR, then I read The Sil.
I actually "listened" to the Sil first.
I love the way it's written too. At first it seemed strange but then after a while I just fell in love with it. I never thought to also try an audio version, but I might give that a try! I bet it's beautiful. Thanks for sharing that idea.
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cats16
Half-elven
Sep 28 2016, 4:32am
Post #12 of 76
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I believe the RR was doing a read-through that summer, and I joined in at the veryyy last minute.
I'm a movie-firster (hard not to be, given my age) and decided to dive deeper into Tolkien after finally de-lurking from the boards. I've read individual chapters since the first time, but not in full. Will be soon, when I complete my current read-through of LotR.
Join us every weekend in the Hobbit movie forum for this week's CHOW (Chapter of the Week) discussion!
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Silverlode
Forum Admin
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Sep 28 2016, 4:43am
Post #13 of 76
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Idril Celebrindal was hosting a series of quizzes, many of them dealing with characters and events in the Silmarillion, and that's what pushed me to read it. It would have been sometime in 2000, I think. I've read it through a few times, and dipped into it a lot more for research and appropriate quotations - hooray for the index!
Silverlode
Roads go ever ever on
Under cloud and under star
Yet feet that wandering have gone
Turn at last to home afar.
Eyes that fire and sword have seen
And horror in the halls of stone
Look at last on meadows green
And trees and hills they long have known.
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Starling
Half-elven
Sep 28 2016, 4:44am
Post #14 of 76
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*runs away from thread* 
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OldestDaughter
Rohan
Sep 28 2016, 12:21pm
Post #16 of 76
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You guys have so many different stories to tell of the Silmarilion! Honestly, maybe if I had listened to it instead of reading it I would of grasped it much better.
Tolkien definitely showed his different writing styles with the books he wrote. The man was a genius not only for creating the world he did, but the way interpreted the different stories of his world.
When you read/listened to the story of the Silmarillion, what were some of your favorite stories in it? I think the story of Aredhel and Eol the dark elf is very interesting, along with the usual favorites such as Beren and Luthien and Turin's tale.
"Keen, heart-piercing was her song as the song of the lark that rises from the gates of night and pours its voice among the dying stars, seeing the sun behind the walls of the world; and the song of Lúthien released the bonds of winter, and the frozen waters spoke, and flowers sprang from the cold earth where her feet had passed."
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NottaSackville
Valinor
Sep 28 2016, 12:59pm
Post #17 of 76
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I devoured The Hobbit and LOTR when I was about 12. A few years later, my much brother gave me his copy of the Silmarillion, warning me that "it wasn't really like the other books" and he hadn't enjoyed it.
I was definitely confused a lot, but still glad I read it. I think I've read it twice, maybe... three? times total over about 30 years.
Notta
Happiness: money matters, but less than we think and not in the way that we think. Family is important and so are friends, while envy is toxic -- and so is excessive thinking. Beaches are optional. Trust is not. Neither is gratitude. - The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner as summarized by Lily Fairbairn. And a bit of the Hobbit reading thrown in never hurts. - NottaSackville
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shawnmitchell
Registered User
Sep 28 2016, 1:29pm
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The version I listen to, and I'm pretty sure almost everyone else, is read by Martin Shaw. Now I've heard, and read, some material by Tolkien experts that say he got some of the pronunciations incorrect. However, he his voice makes it very dramatic and entertaining. It's honestly worth a listen.
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Ettelewen
Rohan
Sep 28 2016, 1:57pm
Post #19 of 76
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Shortly after it was published
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So, that would have been in '77 or '78. A friend and I were in San Francisco for some event or other and wandered into a bookstore. Like squire, I was somewhat disappointed that it wasn't written in the same engaging style as The Lord of the Rings, and I had a bit of a time getting through it. I confess I'm still not able to fully immerse myself into the Sil but I do visit it from time to time.
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OldestDaughter
Rohan
Sep 28 2016, 2:34pm
Post #20 of 76
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It is a harder book to get into. I found the LOTR's a lot easier to get into as well, but there is a quite a few grasping stories in the Sil that get my attention. But it kinda also depends on the mood you're in for that kind of reading. The older English makes it a little harder to get through.
"Keen, heart-piercing was her song as the song of the lark that rises from the gates of night and pours its voice among the dying stars, seeing the sun behind the walls of the world; and the song of Lúthien released the bonds of winter, and the frozen waters spoke, and flowers sprang from the cold earth where her feet had passed."
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ange1e4e5
Gondor
Sep 28 2016, 6:14pm
Post #21 of 76
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Eighth Grade, for the first time.
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When I read it, I didn't "read" it, since I thought that the Elven Rings of Power had the Silmarils as the gems inside them.
I always follow my job through.
(This post was edited by ange1e4e5 on Sep 28 2016, 6:19pm)
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Ingwion
Lorien
Sep 28 2016, 6:18pm
Post #22 of 76
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Started reading it a few days after my 13th birthday.
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I devoured it - it took me exactly one week.
I think it is my favourite book Tolkien ever wrote 
It was a foggy day in London, and the fog was heavy and dark. Animate London, with smarting eyes and irritated lungs, was blinking, wheezing, and choking; inanimate London was a sooty spectre, divided in purpose between being visible and invisible, and so being wholly neither. - Our Mutual Friend, Charles Dickens.
It is said by the Eldar that in water there lives yet the echo of the Music of the Ainur more than in any substance that is in this Earth; and many of the Children of Ilúvatar hearken still unsated to the voices of the Sea, and yet know not for what they listen. - The Silmarillion, J. R. R. Tolkien
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OldestDaughter
Rohan
Sep 28 2016, 7:02pm
Post #23 of 76
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your favorite Tolkien book!
"Keen, heart-piercing was her song as the song of the lark that rises from the gates of night and pours its voice among the dying stars, seeing the sun behind the walls of the world; and the song of Lúthien released the bonds of winter, and the frozen waters spoke, and flowers sprang from the cold earth where her feet had passed."
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Ingwion
Lorien
Sep 28 2016, 7:12pm
Post #24 of 76
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they are all absolute perfection
It was a foggy day in London, and the fog was heavy and dark. Animate London, with smarting eyes and irritated lungs, was blinking, wheezing, and choking; inanimate London was a sooty spectre, divided in purpose between being visible and invisible, and so being wholly neither. - Our Mutual Friend, Charles Dickens.
It is said by the Eldar that in water there lives yet the echo of the Music of the Ainur more than in any substance that is in this Earth; and many of the Children of Ilúvatar hearken still unsated to the voices of the Sea, and yet know not for what they listen. - The Silmarillion, J. R. R. Tolkien
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OldestDaughter
Rohan
Sep 28 2016, 7:31pm
Post #25 of 76
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Any Tolkien book is a work of art in my book!
"Keen, heart-piercing was her song as the song of the lark that rises from the gates of night and pours its voice among the dying stars, seeing the sun behind the walls of the world; and the song of Lúthien released the bonds of winter, and the frozen waters spoke, and flowers sprang from the cold earth where her feet had passed."
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