A tale of how the world was formed, and the battles that forged the affiliations between Elves, Men and Dwarves, and their gods.

It’s been a while since I’ve read the stories of the early days of Arda, and the entire book was a thrill. I’ve read Unfinished Tales, the twelve books of the History of Middle-Earth, and the three books that give longer versions of the three main tales of the First Age, all of which are shortened in this book, such that here they feel almost rushed. However, the early days before the sun, which read like something out of the Bible, are mesmerizing and beautiful. I understand how people get lost in this book, as there is so much to learn, and so many characters, most of which disappear after the first mention. After the two trees are destroyed, the book gets into more of a narrative style, which focuses on the Noldor and their struggle against Morgoth. It’s funny that while the book is named after the Silmarils, they don’t feature often, and neither do the sons of Feanor. The stories that progress the story most deal mostly with men, as Beren, Turin and Tuor advance the decline of the First Age and do more than the Noldor did in centuries. The second and third parts of the book were wonderful summaries of the Numenorians and the War of the Ring. The second age felt far shorter than it should have been, knowing more of the details from the earlier drafts, but still gives wonderful insight into the world as precursor to the Lord of the Rings. I rushed through this book because it was so intensely amazing, a grand summary of what happened in the early days of that world. It fuels the drive to find out more, in stories that are fleshed out considerably in the other draft histories. It’s interesting that the first time I read the book, I was almost disappointed by this summary format, but since it’s been a while, it now takes on more meaning. Timing is everything, and it’s worth the effort, but probably best read a second or third time to get the most from it.

No review available. See audiobook for a full review.