After years of speculation and anticipation, Amazon’s Rings of Power finally hit our screens in 2022. While Peter Jackson’s now infamous Lord of the Rings trilogy was based on the events of Middle Earth’s Third Age, Rings of Power focussed instead on the Second Age, bringing to life realms that had lived solely in the imaginations of die-hard Tolkien fans for decades.
From the island kingdom of Númenor to the Noldorian realm of Eregion, the set design and world-building were widely praised as one of the most successful elements of the show. Paired with Bear McCreary’s artful score which helped bring them so vividly to life? Chef’s. Kiss.
But what has this got to do with ‘The Silmarillion’, you ask? The answer is easy: literally everything.
With four more seasons of Rings of Power still to come, and Warner Brothers having newly acquired the rights to Middle Earth Enterprises, there’s clearly more First and Second Age content ahead. Cue: everyone heading to The Silmarillion to swot up on their Tolkien knowledge.
The book is notoriously dense, but also contains some of the most beautiful passages ever written and simply demands to be read. So without further ado, here are 7 top tips to help you understand what’s going on:
Invest in a cheap copy and a new set of highlighters:
The first time you approach this Goliath of a book, you’re going to want to take notes. This includes, but isn’t limited to: messy scribbles, highlighting the most breath-taking passages and, if you’re that way inclined, doodling the pictures forming in your mind (or is that just me?) It’s going to get messy.
So don’t splash the cash on your first copy of The Silmarillion. Instead, invest in a cheap copy you can love without hesitation, and pour your thoughts into it as you please.
Podcasts are your new best friend:
The most important and easily the most helpful of our tips. Podcasts are priceless when it comes to understanding The Silmarillion. A firm favourite is the Prancing Pony Podcast, who also produced a great weekly spin-off discussing the highs and lows of Rings of Power after each episode’s release. Hosts Shawn and Alan break down each chapter in immense detail, bringing their own special brand of humour to Arda (‘the world’ in Tolkien’s universe), whilst shedding light on some of the more difficult-to-process moments along the way.
Join some Facebook and Twitter groups:
Take it from us, there is a wealth of untapped First and Second Age knowledge lurking in the shadows of social media. Forums and groups are a great place to meet like-minded Tolkien fans who are more than willing, excited even, to scratch that Arda itch and share their expertise.
From meme Mondays, to Tolkien book clubs with reading schedules, to fan art, to in-depth theories: these groups have seen it all. There is truly no better place to get the answers to your questions from people who’ve been poring over Tolkien’s works for years. There’s no such thing as a stupid question here, so don’t be shy!
Create family trees and glossaries:
Sounds nerdy and unnecessary, right? It’s not.
There are so many names mentioned (and why are they all so similar?!) that you’ll need somewhere to keep track of them all. Similarly, there is a staggering level of world-building and you’ll need to note down your new vocabulary accordingly.
Sure, you could download these off Google, but where’s the fun in that? Making your own gives you the chance to get as creative as you like: whether it’s with a biro and lined paper or you’re cracking out the Washi tapes, you’ll be bringing Tolkien’s work to life in your own small way, and isn’t that a magical thought?
Don’t start at the beginning:
It feels almost criminal writing this – I am an ardent rule-follower at heart – but some readers recommend skipping the beginning. Chapters One and Two, known as the Ainulindalë and the Valaquenta, offer a beautifully descriptive account of the creation of Arda and its link to the events of the Quenta Silmarillion.
Instead of starting here, however, these readers recommend beginning at Chapter 3 where the real action kicks in and returning to the Ainulindalë and Valaquenta later. Similarly, for fans of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, some readers even recommend starting at the fifth section of the book – ‘Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age’ – before returning to the beginning.
Is there any order to this chaotic approach? You’ll have to try it to find out!
Download the audiobook:
For those who struggle to stay engaged or are intimidated by dense passages, the audiobook does a wonderful job of bringing Arda to life. Narrated beautifully by Martin Shaw (could they have found a smoother voice for the job?!) it’s like listening to a bed-time story you won’t want to finish. If you don’t mind a few pronunciation issues along the way – all of which are cleared up by your new podcasting besties – this is definitely the route for you.
Enjoy it!
Almost nobody properly understands or retains all of The Silmarillion on their first read, so don’t put too much pressure on yourself. You’d be hard pressed to find a book with more beautiful world building or lyrical passages than this, so just try to enjoy it as much as you can: remember, reading is supposed to be fun!
These steps are a sure-fire way to get the most out of The Silmarillion on your first ever read through, so good luck! And may the will of Illuvatar be with you on this life-changing, fantastical journey.
Words by Kate Padley
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