hi, I just got The Hobbit and all three Lord Of The Rings books for christmas, I have started to read the hobbit and I love it, If I like LotR, should I get The Simarillon? I also heard that the 12 HoME (history of middle earth) books are good, I really like the Hobbit and I can't wait to get started on the LotR books, what would be a good place to go from there?

Silmarillion, definitely. You'll get to read about most of the characters from LotR and their histories, the tales about the creation of Middle Earth, the imprisonment of Morgoth... the works.
But don't make the mistake of reading Silmarillion first. It's like a history book and you'll remember little from it if you read LotR AFTER Silmarillion. LotR first, Silmarillion after that.
Don't make the same mistake I did. :)
After you finish those, I'd recommend Unfinished Tales. Great book too.

If anyone else is interested in Tolkien's literature, check it out at http://www.sorcerers.net/Books/index_tolk.htm

I'll add a few more books there soon.

[This message has been edited by Taluntain (edited December 25, 2000).]

thanks for that information, I am practically reading the hobbit as I write this, I really wanna get into the actual Lord Of The Rings story because it sounds amazing.

good, the world needs some more people who've read tolkein. the silmarillion is certainly the best.

I would say do not read the Silmarillion if you're looking for a good story like the Hobbit or the Lord of the Rings trilogy. As Sorcerer noted above it's like a history book, and reads like one...

I completely agree with Sorcerer as well. LotR is in my opinion the best. The Hobbit is a nice intro story around the same level as LotR, but the Silmarillion is a histroy book. It's great to answer some of your questions after reading LotR and give you additional details about many characters but DON'T read it first. There are a lot of names and places that will go in one ear and out the other. I had to read it two or three times to finally get everything. It's got lots of info but it's not ready a 'story' more like a bunch of oral histories writen down.

true, it reads like a history book, but it does give the background of middle earth, so basically you could consider the book an introduction to every other middle earth book.

I have spoken to some people about the History Of Middle Earth books, they say there pretty good, are these like the silmarillon?

I haven't read them (yet). But as far as I know they're like Silmarillion, only more detailed. I suspect not something you'd want to read until you've read just about every other book but still can't let go of Tolkien. ;)

[This message has been edited by Taluntain (edited December 26, 2000).]

I have just finished the hobbit (above-average for the majority, but the end was amazing) and I will start on The Of The Ring later tonight.

I think you will find LotR better than the Hobbit. There and Back Again is a good intro but the real story is in the trilogy. I think the Fellowship is my favorite both book 1 & 2 are excellent, but Return of the King is also great. I find book 4 in the Two Towers to get a little slow the same for book 6 in RotK. But book 5 is so good I think it makes up for all of them. I know you will enjoy it.
I have not read the history of middle earth you speak of, is it good? Is that the real title? The History is Middle Earth? I may check it out.
What are others favorite parts?

Yea, there's a whole bunch of histories of middle earth AND histories of the LotR. Thus far, I think about 12 history books of middle earth have been released. Christopher Tolkien keeps releasing new ones. Tolkien must've left behind a huge legacy of unpublished stuff so that his son can still keep pumping up new volumes...

Well, I am well into Book one and it is funky. The whole story of the ring and its power, when you find out that it is more than a magical ring that makes you invisible is amazing, and it explains that the gollum was most likely some kind of hobbit is clever, Tolkein must have had all of this in mind when he was writing the hobbit.

He did and he didn't. After LotR was written Tolkien edited The Hobbit to match LotR, since Hobbit was written and first published much earlier.
I made a mistake of reading LotR first and then Hobbit, and it does pale in comparison. The funny thing is that I've only read it a month ago and I wish I did years ago, since it is essentially a children adventure book, although a very good one at that. I only mean that to fully appreciate it u need to have the kind of believe in miracles and magic that children have... But I can understand the devotion of Tolkien fans, he is a master of his writing.
I wonder what does everybody think is the perfect age to read Tolkien? Are there different ages for different books of his?

My 12 year old brother really enjoyed Hobbit, but can't get past page 80 of LotR, Frodo is still there talking to elves as I write this :)

I was 12 as well when I first read The Hobbit and LOTR. It's a good age and will work wonders on a man's vocabulary and grammar. I agree that The Hobbit was written to appeal to children, but have you read Mr. Bliss, or The Adventures of Tom Bombadil? Tolkien started his bookwriting career as a children's author, but must've been stirred by the potential The Hobbit had for a saga and matured his style. Which I am grateful for, and I know I'm not alone in that.

Don't take me wrong Septic, but I believe he was oblivious to the thought of making a sequel at the time and cleverly tied it in to his growing tale. That's a subtle thing I picked up while reading the entirety of them my heh, 5th or 6th time. I believe Tolkien created Bilbo Baggins on his porch or in his classroom (he was a professor at Oxford) and a mighty tree grew forth from this seed, although the pruning of this tree becomes more apparant the more often you climb it.

Well i have read the first two books (with dune inbetween i might add) and am reading the second dune book before I read return of the king, and IMHO out of the 4 LotR bokks I have read book 3 is the best.

ps. if you haven't read dune then your really missing out.

To start with the first Dune book is great the second is OK, and don't bother with the rest. Now on to the real topic.

I read the Hobbit when I was 11 and I loved it. I started the LOTR but didn't get throught the first book. I picked it back up when I was 14 and read all three novels. I thought it was great. I read it again twice in school and twice more in college. Each time I think I get more and more out of it and see more detail and respect the suddle details of JRR mastery. I'm going to read all the book again this year before I see the movie. BTW the trailer comes out this Friday!

I first read The Hobbit when i was 11 or 12 i think and it was awsome! I was hooked to it and LotR! I've read the Hobbit over 5 times and Lord of the Rings, i'm trying for a second! Pretty good going for a 15 year old don't you think?

Aww poo, I have just bought The Children of Dune