This is one of the best stories ever written--EVER! It's profoundly beautiful epic fantasy. I have never been so sucked into the world of a book the way I have been with the Silmarillion. I nearly cried the first time I finished it because I was no longer in Middle Earth (I was 13 or 14, if that makes it better)! Tolkien is one of the few authors who I never question while reading. You know how in some books you stop and think things like why the author explained something strangely, why a certain character seems so out of place in the story, or why a piece of dialogue is painful and unnecessary? That doesn't happen with Tolkien! He tells stories so perfectly, so succinctly that you just accept it without question. Yes, you will have to flip back to the index of names many times, especially at the beginning, but tough through it because it's worth it!

Really fun to read

This is a fascinating book, but, as has been said by others, it is a chronicle of the history of Middle Earth, and it reads accordingly. I plan on rereading it, as it is very dense, and I am sure I missed a great deal of detail the first time through. All in all, it is very well written. As is always the case with Tolkien, the level of detail in his imaginings is incredible!

Wonderful book! I read it and fell in love with it! If you've read Lord of the Rings and/or The Hobbit, then you will like this book! I really hope that Peter Jackson makes this into a movie!

This is the best book I ever read, I've read it about twenty times and still find it fasinating and provoking. Tolkiens take on folklore stands alone and this in my opinion is his best work. It is something you need to read more then once to fully absorb but it's worth the time even if you have no interest in books like the lord of the rings or the hobbit you remember the stories forever.

I love this book, but it should be born in mind that it's the King James Bible of Middle Earth. Lot's of convoluted plot, and a tough, but enjoyable read.

I absolutely fell in love with this Tolkein masterpiece. It is so elegant and filled with such sheer beauty. It describes the world that The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings takes place in, making those stories seem so much more meaningful, and adding to the deeper underlying and themes present throughout it's incredible adventures. This is a book that needs reading more than once, twice, or even three times to really absorb all that Tolkein is presenting to the reader, but it is SO worth the effort!

While I agree that The Silmarillion isn't a book for everyone, it is fantastic in that it is the entire foundation for The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. This book is where it all began, literally, starting with the creation of Arda and Valinor. One thing to keep in mind about The Silmarillion is that everything in here will carry, in some way, to The Lord of the Rings and reading this will make everything in The Lord of the Rings seem so much deeper than it already does. A must read for every fan of Tolkien.

Good, but a lot of plot and little action more explaining.

The Silmarillion is one of Tolkien's best works. Although it is a hard novel to read the deeper underlying themes evoke so many ideas. The novel is both a great read if you are a fan of the world of Middle Earth, as well as a fantastic source which allows those interested in philosophy to explore ideas they have never thought of.