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The One Ring Forums: Tolkien Topics: Reading Room:
Just got more tolkien books!!

manofmordor
The Shire


Oct 18 2018, 8:16pm

Post #1 of 6 (2342 views)
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Just got more tolkien books!! Can't Post

Hey y'all! I ordered some middle earth books that just arrived on amazon! I got The Silmarillion, The Fall Of Gondolin, Beren and Luthien, and The Unfinished Tales! I am so excited to read them after i finish the return of the king and the hobbit! I was wondering, for those of you who have read them what would be the best order to read the books i just got. Im afraid that if i read one first then i will be confused because it referenced something in the other one. So what order is best to read them? (The Silmarillion, The Fall Of Gondolin, Beren and Luthien and The Unfinished Tales)


noWizardme
Half-elven


Oct 19 2018, 8:22am

Post #2 of 6 (2270 views)
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I suggest Silmarillion first [In reply to] Can't Post

The events you know from Hobbit and LOTR take place at the end of the Third Age Of Middle-earth. Silmarillion gives you an end-to-end account of the First Age and something of the Second Age. One way to think about it is that it’s the cycle of stories from creation myth to the creation of LOTR’s Rings, as you might expect to hear it were you a guest at Rivendell.

Unfinished Tales is a collection of abandoned pieces, with notes by JRR’s son and collaborator Christopher Tolkien. It covers things from all 3 Ages. So you could read some of the Third Age material next, but the 1st and 2nd Age stuff might be confusing as a starting point before reading the Sil.

Beren and Luthien and Fall Of Gondolin I suggest reading last. You’ll get one version of each of those stories in the Sil. These 2 tales (Beren and Gondolin) are things JRRT worked and reworked, without, it seems, ever being fully satisfied. What Christopher Tolkien has done in the Silmarillion is to prepare a sort of best-guess version of what JRR left when he died, so that it can be read as a continuous account. Then, in Beren (for example) Christopher presents all the available versions of the tale in their writing order, with commentary. So it’s probably easier to tackle that once you have read the Sil. version.

Hope that helps!

~~~~~~
"Go down to the shovel store and take your pick." Traditional prank played on dwarves when they start down the mine.


manofmordor
The Shire


Oct 19 2018, 2:25pm

Post #3 of 6 (2256 views)
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Thank you! [In reply to] Can't Post

That makes sense. Thanks for the help!


noWizardme
Half-elven


Oct 19 2018, 5:47pm

Post #4 of 6 (2238 views)
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Have fun - and remember the Reading Room's fond of being asked questions! // [In reply to] Can't Post

 

~~~~~~
"Go down to the shovel store and take your pick." Traditional prank played on dwarves when they start down the mine.


priell3
Lorien


Oct 22 2018, 12:45pm

Post #5 of 6 (2051 views)
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Wait!!! [In reply to] Can't Post

No Children of Hurin in your collection? Wink

MikeP

(This post was edited by priell3 on Oct 22 2018, 12:46pm)


manofmordor
The Shire


Oct 22 2018, 2:07pm

Post #6 of 6 (2038 views)
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Not yet [In reply to] Can't Post

no not yet. Im saving up money for it though

 
 

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