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regitzexenia's review against another edition
4.0
Several different stories detailing the creation of Middle-Earth, as usual with Christopher Tolkien's many notes and insights on the manuscripts, how they differ and maybe even why.
This series is so nerdy, I love it.
This series is so nerdy, I love it.
spicynigel's review
4.0
Thus was a fun read; it was really interesting to see the development of the myths of the Varda from their earliest conceptions to the version we see in The Silmarillion, and the diagrams of the cosmology of Tolkien's world were immensely enlightening of a side I'd not seen much of. However, much as with the other volumes in the series, the evolution across multiple - oftentimes nearly identical- drafts does not always make for the most riveting of reads
nwhyte's review
2.0
http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/1735779.html
Yet more refinement of the events of the Silmarillion, in various different formats; I'm rather glad that the next volume in this series takes us to Númenor and away from Beleriand. The most interesting thing in this volume (though unfortunately also the least readable) is Tolkien's casting of the Annals of Beleriand into Anglo-Saxon, a very visible piece of his commitment to reshaping English mythology by giving it new roots as invented by himself, though as it turned out rather a blind alley creatively. There is also some impressive forensic work on the faint pencil-drawn maps on which Tolkien planned out the geograohy of early Middle-Earth. But this is probably the least accessible so far of this rather obscure series.
Yet more refinement of the events of the Silmarillion, in various different formats; I'm rather glad that the next volume in this series takes us to Númenor and away from Beleriand. The most interesting thing in this volume (though unfortunately also the least readable) is Tolkien's casting of the Annals of Beleriand into Anglo-Saxon, a very visible piece of his commitment to reshaping English mythology by giving it new roots as invented by himself, though as it turned out rather a blind alley creatively. There is also some impressive forensic work on the faint pencil-drawn maps on which Tolkien planned out the geograohy of early Middle-Earth. But this is probably the least accessible so far of this rather obscure series.
annarien's review
4.0
Very interesting to see the first Silmarillion sketch and some of the subsequent additions to the legendarium. My favorite bits of early lore have got to be the repeated mentions of friendship between Orodreth, Angrod and Aegnor with Celegorm and Curufin... to the point where they actually became honorary Fëanorians and were taken aboard the ships. Then they all lived close to one another in Beleriand and all that love between them just makes the betrayal and backstabbing in Nargothrond that much more delectable. Delectable for me, anyway.
octavia_cade's review against another edition
3.0
I read this with mild enjoyment and some interest. At this point I've almost stopped caring about the narrative itself (although, reading through these histories, I'm so bombarded with repetition that even Fucking Turin comes to be slightly affecting, which at this point I can only put down to Stockholm Syndrome). No such sympathy for the house of Fucking Fëanor, though, who should have been drowned at birth, the whole wretched clan of them, obsessed with their own bling as they are. Say it with me, people: lives are more important than jewellery.
The interest here lies not so much in the characters, however, but in how Tolkien's perception of them changes (or doesn't) as the years go on. This book basically traces the evolution of the stories, from very early sketches to the most complete forms available, and as a writer myself - albeit not one at Tolkien's level - I do find that interesting. Also: he is more of a nerd than I ever thought, translating his own stories into Old English my God, man, just how much time did you have on your hands?
The interest here lies not so much in the characters, however, but in how Tolkien's perception of them changes (or doesn't) as the years go on. This book basically traces the evolution of the stories, from very early sketches to the most complete forms available, and as a writer myself - albeit not one at Tolkien's level - I do find that interesting. Also: he is more of a nerd than I ever thought, translating his own stories into Old English my God, man, just how much time did you have on your hands?
henryarmitage's review against another edition
2.0
Heavy going. This might be just the book for you if you're writing
your thesis on Tolkien, but it's not that great as far as just reading
it for entertainment. Christopher Tolkien continues to present early
drafts of his father's stories of the first age of Middle Earth, with
commentary and footnotes. The material approaches the form it will
eventually take in The Silmarillion.
your thesis on Tolkien, but it's not that great as far as just reading
it for entertainment. Christopher Tolkien continues to present early
drafts of his father's stories of the first age of Middle Earth, with
commentary and footnotes. The material approaches the form it will
eventually take in The Silmarillion.
pennwing's review
adventurous
challenging
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
leeg's review
4.0
Well that certainly helped me to understand the Silmarillion. Bonus points for giving me some new Anglo-Saxon texts to read too :)
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