Good Order?

EllethValatari · 04-04-2009, 10:18 AM

I, like many other young Tolkien fans, am wondering what order is best in which to read the books I own. I have already read the Hobbit, the Lord of the Rings, and the Simarillion. I want to read the Simarillion again, and I have many other books I want to read in addition to it. In what order should i read the following?

The Simarillion
The Histories of Middle Earth (all of them)
The Children of Hurin
Tales From the Perilous Realm

Attalus · 04-04-2009, 11:47 AM

Unfinished Tales is a delight if you want to know more about Galadriel and Celeborn, what the Wraiths did before they got to the area outside Rivendale, and other toothsome goodies. You may find the Silmarillion, um, difficult in the early going. I know I did.

The Dread Pirate Roberts · 04-04-2009, 07:54 PM

I second the recommendation for Unfinished Tales. The only story in it that I don't like is Aldarion and Erendis. Everything else in it is gold.

Since you've already read the Big Three, order really doesn't matter much for the rest. I wouldn't attack HoME cover-to-cover. I'd read it piecemeal based on what your favorite stories are.

Gordis · 04-05-2009, 03:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Dread Pirate Roberts

I second the recommendation for Unfinished Tales. The only story in it that I don't like is Aldarion and Erendis. Everything else in it is gold.

That is exactly my favorite story in UT!

Well, maybe after the "Hunt for the ring."

Attalus · 04-05-2009, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gordis

That is exactly my favorite story in UT!

Well, maybe after the "Hunt for the ring."

Gordis, it's always about you and the other eight.

Gordis · 04-05-2009, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Attalus

Gordis, it's always about you and the other eight.

It is a single story there is about me and the other eight...

EllethValatari · 04-05-2009, 04:22 PM

okay, so I'll get the unfinished tales...what I was really asking about was in what ORDER to read them, not what to read. What do you think?

Gordis · 04-05-2009, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EllethValatari

okay, so I'll get the unfinished tales...what I was really asking about was in what ORDER to read them, not what to read. What do you think?

You mean the 12 volumes of HOME? Depends on what you are interested it.

If you are a Silm fan, read Lost Tales and Lays of Beleriand...

If you are a LOTR fan, read volumes 6-8 where there are LOTR drafts and HOME 12 where there are the drafts for the Appendices.

Home X (Morgoth's Ring) for me was the most difficult to struggle through, but it you do read it, you will learn a lot about ME metaphysics, fea and hroa, origin of Orcs, customs of the Eldar, Death and resurrection etc.

The Dread Pirate Roberts · 04-06-2009, 09:55 AM

Read in the order of your interest, as has been said. Don't go cover-to-cover in any of the supplementary materials. Decide what you want to read about, then go there.

Attalus · 04-06-2009, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Dread Pirate Roberts

Read in the order of your interest, as has been said. Don't go cover-to-cover in any of the supplementary materials. Decide what you want to read about, then go there.

I agree. You will get bogged down and not finish any of them. In the Sil '77 and HoME, go to the Table of Contents and read what interests you. As Dr. Johnson said: " A book may be good for nothing; or there may be only one thing in it worth knowing; are we to read it all through?"
Boswell: Life

And: "Alas, Madam! How few books are there of which one can ever possibly arrive at the last page"

04-04-2009, 10:18 AM	#1
EllethValatari Elven Warrior Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: United States Posts: 401	Good Order? I, like many other young Tolkien fans, am wondering what order is best in which to read the books I own. I have already read the Hobbit, the Lord of the Rings, and the Simarillion. I want to read the Simarillion again, and I have many other books I want to read in addition to it. In what order should i read the following? The Simarillion The Histories of Middle Earth (all of them) The Children of Hurin Tales From the Perilous Realm __________________ Elleth Valatari "We have come from God, and inevitably the myths woven by us, though they contain error, will also reflect a splintered fragment of the true light, the eternal truth that is with God. Our myths may be misguided, but they steer however shakily towards the true harbour, while materialistic 'progress' leads only to a yawning abyss and the Iron Crown of the power of evil." — J.R.R. Tolkien

04-04-2009, 11:47 AM	#2
Attalus Swan-Knight of Dol Amroth Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: On the Bay of Belfalas Posts: 1,125	Unfinished Tales is a delight if you want to know more about Galadriel and Celeborn, what the Wraiths did before they got to the area outside Rivendale, and other toothsome goodies. You may find the Silmarillion, um, difficult in the early going. I know I did. __________________ "What song the Sirens sang, or what name Achilles assumed when he hid himself among women, though puzzling questions are not beyond conjecture." - Sir Thomas Browne, Urn Burial. Last edited by Attalus : 04-04-2009 at 11:48 AM.

04-04-2009, 07:54 PM	#3
The Dread Pirate Roberts Elf Lord Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 987	I second the recommendation for Unfinished Tales. The only story in it that I don't like is Aldarion and Erendis. Everything else in it is gold. Since you've already read the Big Three, order really doesn't matter much for the rest. I wouldn't attack HoME cover-to-cover. I'd read it piecemeal based on what your favorite stories are. __________________ ~The DPR "Good work. Sleep well. I'll most likely kill you in the morning." Last edited by The Dread Pirate Roberts : 04-06-2009 at 09:52 AM.

04-05-2009, 04:22 PM	#7
EllethValatari Elven Warrior Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: United States Posts: 401	okay, so I'll get the unfinished tales...what I was really asking about was in what ORDER to read them, not what to read. What do you think? __________________ Elleth Valatari "We have come from God, and inevitably the myths woven by us, though they contain error, will also reflect a splintered fragment of the true light, the eternal truth that is with God. Our myths may be misguided, but they steer however shakily towards the true harbour, while materialistic 'progress' leads only to a yawning abyss and the Iron Crown of the power of evil." — J.R.R. Tolkien

04-06-2009, 09:55 AM	#9
The Dread Pirate Roberts Elf Lord Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 987	Read in the order of your interest, as has been said. Don't go cover-to-cover in any of the supplementary materials. Decide what you want to read about, then go there. __________________ ~The DPR "Good work. Sleep well. I'll most likely kill you in the morning."

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