I Just Got the Book! :)

[Wood Elf]

Hey,
I just got the Sil in the mail this morning, and started reading. I have the one where there is a name index in the back, and that is helpful. It also has 2 sections before the actual Sil, telling of Iluvitar and the Ainar (I think those are the right names) and 2 sections after, the last being the war of the ring part. It is cool, and I find the beginning easy to understand so far, because it is much like God's creation of the earth. So far, so good. I hope it stays that way! :)

[bunnywhippit]

Yay Wood Elf! It does stay that way, believe me!

:D

[Wood Elf]

Hehe, cool, thanks bunnywhipit. I am realizing just how long Gandalf has been around, and how much he must know! Wow!

[Urylia]

I just got it to and i found out the hard way that it is not a good idea to read the book out of sequence

[Beleg Strongbow]

Originally posted by Urylia
I just got it to and i found out the hard way that it is not a good idea to read the book out of sequence



But it is a great read especially the 2nd and 3rd times.

[Wood Elf]

I have read so far to where the elves split up between those (Eldar) that follow Orome to the blessed realm and those that stay behind(Avari), then those 2 groups split up into Vanyar, Noldor, and Teleri. This is where it gets confusing. Everyone splits up. I am confused about the maps. I have trouble finding on the maps the places they are talking about. Is that the same Middle Earth of LoTR? I guess I am having trouble with that because the names are all different. So far though, good book!

[Lord Aragorn]

The Sil takes place in the same ME as LoTR, but in a different area. It takes place in Beleriand. But the reason you haven't seen those places before is because Beleriand was destroyed after the first age, and isn't on any LoTR, except for the Ice Bay of Forochel, which is the southernmost part of what was Beleriand.

[Wood Elf]

Thanks, yes I was looking at some full length maps of M.E. and saw that the region the Sil takes place in is north of where LoTR is. Does it tell in the Sil what happens to have that land mass gone? That is interesting, that the old northern chunk of land dissapears by the time Frodo and gang are on the scene. It really makes you think of all the changes Galadriel has seen, and what amazing amount of knowledge she has, bacause she has been there since almost the beginning. Wow, I really like the book, its like an 'inside view' as to what made M.E. the place it is at the time of LoTR. Very cool.

[Lord Aragorn]

It is simply destoyed in the cataclysm that occurs when the Vala come and defeat Morgoth.

[Mormegil]

Wood Elf,
The Silmarillion is so cool. Just wait till you reach the part concerning Turin Turambar. He is such a heroic character, with one of the best stories in the book.

The thing to do when you have read The Silmarillion is..... Read it all over again. It makes so much more sense second time round.:)

[Wood Elf]

Thanks guys, I do like it very much. It is a switch from LotR, and takes a little getting used to, that you are in 'old times' now, but once you get used to that, it really is enjoyabe.

[Legolam]

I'm getting really confused as to where all the elves came/went to/from. They seem to do a lot of sailing to and from Valinor, and some didn't go in the first place, and it's all really confusing! Can someone explain it to me in words of two syllables, because it's starting to mar my enjoyment of the book, and I don't want that! :confused:

[Wood Elf]

Hey Legolam,
Do you have the second edition, the one with an index/family trees in the back? If you don't, try making charts. This can really help. Everytime Tolkien says something about this group of elves doing this or that, write it down. There are three main types of elves: The Vanyar, the Noldor, and the Teleri. The Vanyar and Noldor went from M.E, from Lake Cuivienen where the elves first awoke, and went over the sea back to the Blessed Realm. Much later, a straggling group of Teleri went back to the Blessed Realm also, while most of the Teleri stayed in Middle Earth. The Vanyar, Noldor, and the group of Teleri that went back to the Blessed Realm are named the Eldar, the elves who saw the light of the two trees there in the B.R. The Teleri who stayed behind in M.E. broke up into subgroups called the Sindar (grey elves), Nandor, and Laiquendi, who are all reffered to as the Moriquendi(elves of darkness, never saw light of two trees). The Noldor rebelled, and came back to M.E. as exiles, while the Vanyar and the group of Teleri stayed behind in the Blessed Realm. Does this help you? I hope so, ask if you have any more questions. I am reading it for the first time too, and it can get a bit confusing at times. :)

[Legolam]

That makes a bit more sense now! Thanks. Does anyone know where I could get a hold of any maps of First Age ME, because that's the other thing that's really confusing me?

[bunnywhippit]

The only ones i've seen are at the back of The Sil :confused: But i'm sure there must be some out there you can buy, since there are LOTR & Hobbit ones, but i haven't seen any around. :(

And thanks for that rundown Wood Elf! That helped me get my thoughts in order about all those different Elves as well. Whew, it does get complicated, doesn't it?! Thank goodness for that little list of names and such at the back of the book! And good idea about the note taking, if i wasn't so lazy, i would try and do that. ;)

[Gareth]

Hi, i'm new and i too just wanted to say
that i just bought the book and am reading
it whilst reading the Two towers.

[Wood Elf]

Cool Gareth, hope you like it!

[Anduril]

Hello people...I'm reading all your messages and I'm finding them very interesting...

Legolam: Have you tried this site: www.tolkien.cro.net
It has a huge amount of pictures and many maps...
I bought the "Middle Earth Atlas" and believe me, it's a great book.

:p

Changing of subject...
Sil is a great book, also very complex...because introduces you to the very roots (and thousands of names) of all the facts that are remembered in LOTR just into the form of a legend or a tale.

I DO really understand the exciting and the confussion that this text cuold generate, but, I think it worth every single minute that you can dedicate to the reading.
A former girlfriend showed me this world, and now I can't leave it.

Wood Elf, congratulations for joining to all this bunch of great guys and gals; also it is a real pleasure see how you are enjoying the reading and how you are discovering the world of Tolkien since the very beginning.
Good luck in your personal journey.

The best.


:D

[Anduril]

Legolam:

Just andering out there...maps...

www.tolkien.homestead.com

(this site was first submitted by Beleg Strongbow)

:D

[Beleg Strongbow]

Originally posted by Wood Elf
Cool Gareth, hope you like it!


same here to Gareth, welcome again!!!:) :) :D :D :cool: ;) ;)

[Wood Elf]

Why thank you Anduril! Here I can come and discuss my fellow love of the books with others, and heck, you guys never get sick of it like other people do! It's GREAT!

[Anduril]

Wood Elf...

Thank YOU...
:)

[Gareth]

Just a question guys, how is it that
Ungoliant the spider was just a Mair
spirit but later becomes so powerful
that she could consume Melkor/Morgoth
who was one of the most powerful of
the Valar?

[Mormegil]

Gareth,
It is not said in the Silmarillion that Ungolient was a Maia spirit.
As far as I know, Ungolient was an enigma. Much like Tom Bombadil.
She might well have been a Maia spirit, but it does not say so.
Also, she might well have been able to rival Morgoth, seeing as Fingolfin (an Elf) challenged Morgoth to one on one single combat and almost won.