F.M.S.

DruidsGlass · Post by **DruidsGlass** » Sun Jun 20, 2004 12:40 pm

*sobs* i've lost my Silmarillion...*sobs*

:'(

i cannot find it newhere, i am sad...i need to reread it, i have forgotten so much of it...ok, so after the Silmarillion, what should i read next?

Post by **Sam Gamgee** » Sun Jun 20, 2004 6:57 pm

A tragedy indeed.

After the Sil, it depends. Do you like long poems? You'll love the Lays of Beleriand.

If you like to go for more obscure details and lots of background information, lotr and sil periods, such as the more complete story of Gandalf's doings since The Hobbit, you'll want to read Unfinished Tales.
iIf you liked hearing different versions of some of the tales you've already read, check out Lost Tales 1 and 2. If you find it incredibly boring, wait on those. But just a note - UT is constantly cross referencing to LT 1 and 2, and vice versa, so whichever one you pick first you'll be a little confused.

The Letters of Tolkien really gives you a glimpse into Tolkien as a person - a grumpy old man with a deep grasp of the profound and a wonderful sense of humor, among other things. I really love them. They also give you more insight into Tolkien's perspective on his works, things he couldn't say explicitly in the story. Another good way of getting inside Tolkien's philosophy on writing and the Fairy Story is The Tolkien Reader, complete with a few shorter stories, poems, and the famous "Tree and Leaf", the essay on Fairy Stories. After I read this, I began to see Tolkien everywhere - in every single subject in school, in Glass Hammer, in writings of my own and nature around me. But not Tolkien exclusively - a shadow of heavenly truth as uniquely revealed by Tolkien, a lense with which to view the wonders around you in a more profound way. Beautiful.

If you want some of his more trivial, light-hearted short stories, check out Roverandom, Farmer Giles of Ham, or Smith of Woodton Major, though I'm not as big of a fan of the shorter story. Quite hobbit like in taste, if that appeals to you.

And there's enough Tolkien to keep you satisfied for awhile. I think that's actually the extent of my readings of Tolkien. So far. But before I continue I have to read other non-Tolkien books, much as it pains me...

DruidsGlass · Post by **DruidsGlass** » Sun Jun 20, 2004 7:23 pm

hehe, nontolkien isnt so bad, have you read Marrion Zimmer Bradley's Mists of Avalon? that's a good book, it's the female side of the arthur legend. good book, you should read...

Post by **Sam Gamgee** » Sun Jun 20, 2004 9:30 pm

I have read *way* too many Arthurian Legend based stories in my short life. No thanks.

DruidsGlass · Post by **DruidsGlass** » Sun Jun 20, 2004 9:34 pm

lol try these then

It's called either the Axis trilogy or the Wayfayer redemption trilogy by Sarah Douglass
it's just 1 trilogy that's refered to by 2 names

and if that doesnt work, go join a dnd group and make your own story, lol

Bozo · Post by **Bozo** » Tue May 31, 2005 4:54 pm

Has anybody ever read the Kalevala. The Finnish national epos who is said to be the most inspiring book for Tolkien writing LOTR. It´s hard reading but very intresting.

theHermit · Post by **theHermit** » Tue May 31, 2005 5:03 pm

I read parts of that while a grad student. Very interesting material. On the whole Norse myth is very rich in imagery and story.

Post by **MayorOfLongview** » Tue May 31, 2005 7:28 pm

Bozo wrote:Has anybody ever read the Kalevala. The Finnish national epos who is said to be the most inspiring book for Tolkien writing LOTR. It´s hard reading but very intresting.

Believe it or not - I was just reading some of it this morning! I'm not kidding.