Reading a Book for the First Time (or, I Finally Read The Silmarillion in its Entirety)[Discussion]

When I was young and utterly in love with The Lord of the Rings films and The Hobbit book, I kept telling myself I would read The Silmarillion by the time I turned 18. In fact, I did not even read the entire The Lord of the Rings until I was 20 years old. Now I have read The Silmarillion, at 26 years old. I don’t regret waiting. While not as difficult as a read as I anticipated, the book demands attention if one is to appreciate the stories within. You can only read a book for the first time once, and I wanted to ensure I had a good experience with The Silmarillion. 

My reading experience was informed by all the discussions I’ve partaken and observed, books and articles I’ve read, allusions between one form of media and another. I knew the sons of Feanor were dark and tragic figures. I knew Beren and Luthien undertook epic deeds. I knew Númenor fell to the sea because of Númenorean hubris. These general ideas helped make this an easier read than if I went in totally unaware, I think. But I lacked the details and connections of these grand stories. Reading The Silmarillion was a grand experience that brought everything together and showed me the full arc of Tolkien’s mythology. The gaps and mysteries were filled and revealed. For example, although I knew the basic tale of Númenor, I never understood how Númenoreans related to the Men of Middle-Earth. Now I can comprehend the entire epic and how these stories inform one another. I particularly enjoyed The Akallabeth and Of The Rings of Power and the Third Age because they create that link between The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings. Although I had previously read Of the Rings of Power, having read all the background about the relationships between Morgoth, Sauron, and the Eldar gave it greater context.

Upon completing my read, I felt excited. I have so much knowledge! Everything’s coming together! What an incredible book! Twenty minutes later, I felt a bit sad for knowing that first time read experience was over. But I wouldn’t want to put off that experience forever. I have many rereads to enjoy and new aspects of Tolkien’s work to delve into.

Has there been a book that you put off reading, because you knew it could be life-changing? How did you feel after you read that book? Have you ever wished you could reread a book again ‘for the first time’?