In Which Order Should I Read Tolkien’s Middle-earth Books?
I have an answer for you, and I know you won’t like it: it doesn’t matter in which order you read Tolkien’s Middle-earth stories the first time; once you’ve finished, start all over again.
Going with logic
Middle-earth has its own history, which begins at the beginning u2014 and truly means the beginning of time u2014 and continues in an unbroken chain of events until the end of the Third Age, as logic would suggest.
The Silmarillion
Many consider the Silmarillion to be the container of the essential events needed to fully comprehend Middle-earth; it may appear to be a collection of many different stories, but it isn’t; the order in which you read Tolkien’s stories the first time doesn’t matter; the Silmarillion is one grand story with a beginning, unfolding, and ending.
The Hobbit
What does The Hobbit have to do with The Silmarillion? Strictly speaking, nothing. The Hobbit was originally intended to be a standalone children’s story, not a part of Middle-earth.
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is Tolkien’s improbable masterpiece, improbable because he probably never imagined himself writing it. Tolkien had agreed to write the New Hobbit, but he yearned to tell his epic stories, and it all came together in this new adventure that was epic but also close to home.
Going with comfort
Following the legendarium’s logical order makes a lot of sense, but it poses a serious problem in my opinion. The Silmarillion is a beautiful story, no doubt, but it may be overwhelming to some readers who are used to reading ‘children’s stories.’
The Lord of the Rings
Starting with The Lord of the Rings may be the best option. Fantasy readers will be familiar with the book’s structure and all of its elements, and from a reader’s perspective, this is a book that can be enjoyed in a more classic way. If you have never read anything about Middle-earth, it will be difficult to ground yourself in that style of writing.
The Hobbit
The plot is linear and straightforward, with no detours from the main goal; echoes of the larger story will help you enter The Lord of the Rings more easily; however, some readers dismiss it as a silly children’s story.
The Silmarillion
The sheer amount of information in JRR Tolkien’s Middle-earth is intimidating, and I’d never recommend starting with The Silmarillion.
In the summer of 2017 I went on an adventure
The Silmarillion is a book that requires multiple readings to fully comprehend; we simply do not have the resources to do so on a first read. Themes, messages, and character and event relationships are all reasons to read such a strange book.
Conclusion
Middle-earth is a beautiful place to be, and there’s always something you’re missing on a first read. I hope I’ve given you some guidance on what to do if you’re not already immersed in the story of Middle-earth.
What order should you read JRR Tolkien books?
The Order of Tolkien’s Books
- The Hobbit. u2013 While it is perfectly possible to read The Hobbit after The Lord of the Rings, I believe it is a mistake.
- The Lord of the Rings.
- The Silmarillion.
- The Children of Hrin.
- Unfinished Tales.
- Beren and Lthien.
- The Fall of Gondolin.
- The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien.
What is JRR Tolkien’s most popular book?
The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien are two of the most popular books among Facebook users (behind the Harry Potter series and To Kill a Mockingbird).
Should I read LOTR or Silmarillion first?
If you’ve read the Bible or any other world creation mythic style literature and enjoyed the style, I recommend starting with the Silmarillion; if you find it too heavy, move on to the Lord of the Rings.
How many JRR Tolkien Middle-Earth books are there?
The Middle-earth Book Series ( 12 Books ) is a series of books about the history of Middle-earth.
Why is The Silmarillion so hard to read?
The Silmarillion is not a book you can read in a day or two if you want to understand what you’ve read. The stories are too intricate, and the language is too rich, to read in one or two sittings. There’s simply too much information; your brain will tire.
Is The Silmarillion boring?
The Silmarillion is one of the densest books I’ve ever read, especially given its short length, but it’s far from boring if read slowly. The Silmarillion isn’t a novel; if you can get past that, it’ll be enjoyable.
What is the best book in the Lord of the Rings?
My personal favorite is Book I (the first part of The Fellowship of the Ring). It has the best and most fantastic parts (the mysterious Black Riders chasing the Hobbits, the creepy old forest, Tom Bombadil, the Barrow-wights, Weathertop).
What should I read after Lord of the Rings?
8 books that are similar to The Lord of the Rings
- Alison Croggon’s The Naming
- J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit
- Terry Brooks’ The Sword of Shannara
- Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonsong
- Stephen R. Donaldson’s The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant: The Unbeliever
- N.K. Jemisin’s The Killing Moon
Is there a Silmarillion movie?
The rest of Tolkien’s work, including The Silmarillion, fell to Christopher Tolkien, and J.R.R. Tolkien’s son was not fond of Hollywood’s portrayal of Middle-earth, so a Silmarillion film is unlikely. However, The Silmarillion is not a conventional novel in the style of The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings.
Is Lord of the Rings hard to read?
I’ve seen the movies a lot of times, but I’ve never read the books. There’s nothing particularly difficult about the book other than it being long and (in some people’s experience) slow-paced.
Is Lord of the Rings in The Silmarillion?
The Silmarillion is divided into five parts and tells the story of Eu00e4, a fictional universe that includes the Blessed Realm of Valinor, the once-great region of Beleriand, the sunken island of Nmenor, and the continent of Middle-earth, where Tolkien’s most popular worksu2014The Hobbit and The Lord of the Ringsu2014take place.
Is Lord of the Rings worth reading?
Even though the Lord of the Rings trilogy is very long and monotonous, it is absolutely worth reading because there is so much to the story that doesn’t make it into the movies, side stories, and fascinating tidbits that you will miss if you don’t take the plunge.
What other books are set in Middle-Earth?
This is what it is:
- The Silmarillion.
- Unfinished Tales.
- The History of Middle-earth series.
- The Children of Hrin.
- Beren and Lthien.
- The Hobbit.
- The Lord of the Rings.
- The Adventures of Tom Bombadil and Other Verses from the Red Book.
Should I read Silmarillion?
The scale and detail are breathtaking, and The Silmarillion has an epic quality to it that makes it feel like reading a collection of ancient myths, complete with gods and monsters, love and death, triumph and tragedy.