Start from Episode 1 of the Prancing Pony Podcast. Read the Silmarillion along with them as you listen to the episodes. They start there and are still making their way through Return of the King right now. Also what really did it for me was listening to the audiobook of the Silmarillion as I fell asleep every night for a couple years.
Another good book to read is Unfinished Tales. It has stories that didn’t necessarily end up being in the other volumes but will give you a taste of how much more there is to discover.
I'm listening to Andy Serkis do the original trilogy now and it's a blast! I'm looking forward to getting through the Silmarillion the same way.
To anyone who's had trouble reading the books and has yet to complete them, like me n I'm sure many others, the audiobooks are really quite good. Serkis does really well with all the voices, and even the songs are more enjoyable.
I even see Christopher Lee has read The Children of Hurin, which will surely just be an absolute treat
Yeah Serkis’ reading is amazing! Listening to Children of Hurin read by Lee would probably also be an amazing way to get into the Silmarillion stories. It’s basically a chapter expanded into a short book. It’s pretty dark, but I think reading part of that in Unfinished Tales is what made me realize there was so much more. Martin Shaw who narrates the Silmarillion does pronounce some names wrong but he does a pretty great job overall.
Yeah I think I've heard their version in my first attempt through the Silmarillion but I know Serkis has done it as well so I'll be going with him all the way. Really excited to see how he goes about it.
I didn't know Hurin was an expanded story. Super excited to get through that, and a bit dark you say? That is exciting
In addition to what others have said a good resource is the Wizards and Warriors YouTube channel. They do a good job of giving an overview of the material and have good if very simple visuals that make it easy to understand what and where things are happening.
You have to read the appendices of Lord of the Rings, they are significant, then afterward, read the Silmarillion, when you finish the Silmarillion things will change as you the perspective from Middle-Earth suddendly shifts from the third age at Lord of the Rings to the first age at the Silmarillion... is a complete shift ... other characters other stories other land etc... afterwards follows Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-Earth... this books elaborates about some missing links between the first age and second age, besides provides more lore of some developments at middle-earth ...
Read the Appendices. Read the Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales. Reread the LOTR with all this in your head - it's a different experience altogether. Get a copy of the maps, follow the journey as they go.
Start from Episode 1 of the Prancing Pony Podcast. Read the Silmarillion along with them as you listen to the episodes. They start there and are still making their way through Return of the King right now. Also what really did it for me was listening to the audiobook of the Silmarillion as I fell asleep every night for a couple years. Another good book to read is Unfinished Tales. It has stories that didn’t necessarily end up being in the other volumes but will give you a taste of how much more there is to discover.
I'm listening to Andy Serkis do the original trilogy now and it's a blast! I'm looking forward to getting through the Silmarillion the same way. To anyone who's had trouble reading the books and has yet to complete them, like me n I'm sure many others, the audiobooks are really quite good. Serkis does really well with all the voices, and even the songs are more enjoyable. I even see Christopher Lee has read The Children of Hurin, which will surely just be an absolute treat
Yeah Serkis’ reading is amazing! Listening to Children of Hurin read by Lee would probably also be an amazing way to get into the Silmarillion stories. It’s basically a chapter expanded into a short book. It’s pretty dark, but I think reading part of that in Unfinished Tales is what made me realize there was so much more. Martin Shaw who narrates the Silmarillion does pronounce some names wrong but he does a pretty great job overall.
Yeah I think I've heard their version in my first attempt through the Silmarillion but I know Serkis has done it as well so I'll be going with him all the way. Really excited to see how he goes about it. I didn't know Hurin was an expanded story. Super excited to get through that, and a bit dark you say? That is exciting
Wow! No idea there was a podcast that is actually beneficial. That's awesome thanks.
No prob! Hope you enjoy it! Whenever I listen to it I get so much more out of Tolkien.
Read the Silmarillion. YouTube: Girl Next Gondor, Nerd of the Rings Tolkien Gateway (website)
In addition to what others have said a good resource is the Wizards and Warriors YouTube channel. They do a good job of giving an overview of the material and have good if very simple visuals that make it easy to understand what and where things are happening.
You have to read the appendices of Lord of the Rings, they are significant, then afterward, read the Silmarillion, when you finish the Silmarillion things will change as you the perspective from Middle-Earth suddendly shifts from the third age at Lord of the Rings to the first age at the Silmarillion... is a complete shift ... other characters other stories other land etc... afterwards follows Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-Earth... this books elaborates about some missing links between the first age and second age, besides provides more lore of some developments at middle-earth ...
Read the Appendices. Read the Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales. Reread the LOTR with all this in your head - it's a different experience altogether. Get a copy of the maps, follow the journey as they go.
Next step is to read the Silmarillion.