Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This box set is the next logical step for those Tolkien readers looking to see where there is beyond THE LORD OF THE RINGS and THE HOBBIT. I'll deal with the four works individually. THE TOLKIEN READER: This book contain's Tolkien's shorter fiction and works, including a play and Leaf by Niggle. There are four works in total: 1. The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth, Beorhthelm's Son: a play dealing with two men after the Battle of Maldon. Interesting, and shows more of the scholarly side of Tolkien. 2. TREE AND LEAF: This is a book consisting of two things: his essay on faerie tales, and Leaf By Niggle. Tolkien's essay is now considered one of the main centerpieces of literature defending and validating fantasy and faerie tale (as if THE LORD OF THE RINGS and THE HOBBIT weren't enough). Leaf By Niggle is a very deep work, and basically it deals with his despair of mortality and not being able to finish his mythology, his great work. However, in the end Tolkien shows his glorious hope. 3. FARMER GILES OF HAM: a mock medieval story. Everything that THE LORD OF THE RINGS represents, this story pokes fun at and parodies. Very funny story, and shows Tolkien's sense of humour. This was written originally for his children (as much of his stuff was). 4. THE ADVENTURES OF TOM BOMBADIL: This is a very misleading title. It is a collection of poetry, and only the first two poems have anything to do with Bombadil. The rest of the poetry deals with Middle-earth, or set therein. It is a nice selection of his verse. Overall, a well put together anthology. However, it would have been better had it included SMITH OF WOOTTON MAJOR. That, along with the two works constituting TREE AND LEAF, is the closest thing to autobiography he ever wrote, and all three are vitally important in any serious study of Tolkien. THE SILMARILLION: The heart of Tolkien's mythology, providing the vast, mythic backdrop that made THE LORD OF THE RINGS so satisfying. As important to Tolkien as LOTR, THE SILMARILION is long, epic history of the Satanic Morgoth, the far more deadly lord of Sauron, and his dealings with the three tribes of Elves (The Noldor, the Teleri, and the Vanyar.). Difficult and dry, but immensely rewarding for those who love mythology. There are four short works, plus THE SILMARILLION proper. These are: 1. The AINULINDALE: Tolkien's beautiful creation myth. Details how Iluvator (God) brought the world into being through song, with the vast angelic hosts (the Valar) adding their special touches to Arda, or Creation. Tolkien gives us an account of the fall, showing how Morgoth created strife and war musically, and introduces the main Valar. A wonderful creation myth. 2. VALAQUENTA: A who's who of the major gods. 3. QUENTA SILMARILLION: The major account of the Elves' fall from grace, and how Feanor, crafting three jewels called the Silmarils, leads his tribe to war after Morgoth steals them. Complex, beautiful, and amazing, this is hard-core mythology that, while difficult for the modern reader, will prove wonderfully fulfilling for those persevere. 4. The AKALLABETH: The downfall of Numenor, Tolkien's version of Atlantis. Woefully short, the events of the Second Age would have made a wonderful successor to LOTR. Deals with Sauron's enslavement of men's hearts and how men became corrupt with the lust for immortality. Much more focused on men instead of elves. 5. THE RINGS OF POWER: The account of the Lord of the Rings. Overall, a very highly comperessed text, with thousands of years compressed relative short chatpers. As you can see, the half a million words that Tolkien tells LOTR in is compressed to a very short text. How Tolkien taken the same conventions with THE SILMARILION as he did with LOTR, we would have an extremely long book. Arcane, written in a very elevated style, this takes a special kind of reader to make it through Tolkien's tough, deeply tragic, and incredibly beautiful vision of Middle-earth's history. The book stands as a definitive history of Middle-earth, covering all the ages and its creation. Highly recommended for the Tolkien student. UNFINISHED TALES: Exactly what it says it is. A compendium of unfinished narratives, further detailing the three ages of Middle-earth. Especially illuminating are "Tuor and his Coming to Gondolin" (which would have been in the 1977 SILMARILION had it been completed, "Aldarion and Erendis," a story very unique in Tolkien's work because it is an actual story from the Second Age, wonderful revelations from the Third age, including much information about the Palantiri, the ever elusive other three wizards, new information about Theodred, Theoden's son, and revelations about the hunt for the ring. One of the most interesting sections is 'The Quest for Erebor," which another version is now included in THE ANNOTATED HOBBIT. This is the last scene we get of Gandalf and the hobbits. Told after the coronation of Aragorn in Minas Tirith, Gandalf discusses arranging for Bilbo to join with Thorin, and gives an hitherto unknown account of how the events of THE HOBBIT really came to be. Highly interesting. Very interesting reading, but in the end UNFINISHED TALES is more lost lore than anything. Read only after you've read the big three (LOTR, HOBBIT, and SILMARILION). SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT: Three medieval poems. Great for the student and acadmic, but may not be real appealing to a mass audience. Due to Tolkien's remarkable linquistic skills, these are very accurate modern translations of the ancient texts. Sir Gawain is an Arthurian tale. Also includes the two shorter poems, "Pearl" and "Sir Orfeo". In the end, a wonderful introduction to Tolkien's other works. Shows the more academic, scholary side of Tolkien. The most important work included here for the LOTR fan is THE SILMARILION. The rest are for the fans looking to go beyond Middle-earth.