Are the books worth reading?

[Diabless]

Obviously you guys think they're worth reading.
But how much of it is Tolkien and how much of it is his son? And are they ALL worth reading or are some worth more than others. For example, I heard I could read multiple endings to LOTR in Sauron Defeated.

 

[Mormegil]

They are worth reading.

As for whether they are JRRT or CT, they are written in a similar style to 'Unfinished Tales', with JRRT's writings cemented together with comments and notes from CT.

I found the most interesting book to be number 12, 'The Peoples of Middle Earth'. It is probably the easiest to read, and contains lots of information on the appendices of LOTR. It also has some good essays containing information about the Istari and Glorfindel.

Volumes 6,7,8 and 9 are the ones which deal with the early drafts of LOTR. These are very interesting and allow you to see how the story unfolded in JRRT's mind.

I think that you would enjoy HoME, and they would greatly increase your knowledge of Tolkiens works, and increase your enjoyment of ME.

 

[Thorin]

All of the story is JRR with Christopher's notes thrown in explaining this and that.....Yes, there is a lot of stuff mentioned that JRR trashed and it shows how much of the stories evolved. ..That is why you want to read Sil and UT because those are closer to the "finished" product...

However, I found that they have given me great insight into things that are only briefly mentioned even in Sil and UT.

It can be slow going, but it is worth it.

 

[Diabless]

Thanks a lot Mormegil and Thorin. After I finish the Silmarillion I hink I will read the Hobbit (which I have not read in 5yrs) then I'll read UT and then book 12. And we'll see.

You've been helpful. Thanks again

What about Lost tales 1 and 2? Don't a lot of people read those?

 

[Walter]

I haven't read them all as of yet, but those books/chapters I have read so far I found highly interesting and amusing as well. Like it has been mentioned already they contain different versions of JRR Tolkiens accounts of the history of Middle Earth from the Creation of Arda until the 4th age, commented to some degree by Christopher.

Vol 1 & 2 (The Lost TalesI & II) are the predecessor of what has become the Silmarillion later,

Vol III (The Lays of Beleriand) contains "The Lay of the Children of Húrin" and "The Lay of Leithian" (=~Story of Beren & Lúthien) on form of Ballades or better Poems,

Vol IV (The Shaping Of Middle-Earth) describes the "status quo" of the mythology of Middle-Earth by the time the Hobbit was written

Vol V (The Lost Road And Other Writings) tells about the Fall of Númenor, and about Valinor and Middle-Earth before the “Lord of the Rings” and furthermore contains a very interesting chapter about the Etymology of the Elvish-languages. (I really ought to read that one someday… )

Vol VI (The Return of the Shadow), Vol VII (The Treason of Isengard), Vol VIII (The War of the Ring) and Vol IX (Sauron Defeated) provide us with the history, development and background of the LotR, plus another Version of “Fall of Númenor”, called “The Drowning of Anadûnê”

Vol X (Morgoth’s Ring) and Vol XI (The War of the Jewels) contain the later Versions of the Tales of the First Age as they led to the “Silmarillion” and – last not least

Vol XII (The Peoples of Middle Earth), deals with Prolog and Appendices of the LotR, and a few “Late Writings” of the Prof.

 

[Theoden]

all I have to say is this: Read them, because it's worth it

 

[Úlairi]

I have not read them all, but from what I have it is certainly worth it!!!

 

[Selkieschild64]

I'm reading the History of the Lord of the Rings volumes of HoME. I'm very much enjoying watching the stories grow and change. I'm reading the first volume, Return of the Shadow, keeping FOTR handy for references. I've got bookmarks in both books all over the place. Lots of crossreferencing and footnotes...it's very interesting. The only problem I've had is that I've come to really like one of the characters from the earlier drafts, and I wish he'd have been kept in the finished work <g>.

Kelly

 

[Khamul]

I recommend BOLT 2's chapter the 'Fall of Gondolin.' It is simply amazing. A gripping page turner, that has much more information of the battle than in the Sil.

 

[Ithrynluin]

I'm also reading Book 6 right now and though it is interesting to see how the story evolved,it gets kind of tedious when you get to read 5 versions of the first few chapters-with only minor differences.
I don't know it's not that I'm not a Tolkien fan(I'm a huge Tolkien fan!),
I guess different people have different views on what is interesting.

 

[Darth Saruman]

Don't bother with the books, just watch the movies.

 

[Dark Elf99]

Don't say that! I think that books will be always best than movies, even though the movies are great, they're not as your imagination.

 

[Khamul]

Yes, the movies have a certain flair to them, but they cannot match the potency of the written word.

 

[LúthienTinúviel]

Amen to that, Sting.

They are worth reading if you are interested in the inner working of both ME as an entity and the development of Tolkien's imagination...which I'm guessing pretty much anyone hanging out here would be, so....read 'em!

I'm reading the Lays of Beleriand now. And let me say: It's amazing. I get all weak in the knees when I read the HoME series (ok ok..so I get weak in the knees when I read anything Tolkien related, but you know what I mean...) because those books really bring home all the thought and creative genius behind Tolkien's work. I love learning about how his ideas formed and developed. So if all this sounds good to you, they're a must.