The Silmarillion / J.R.R. Tolkien ; edited by Christopher Tolkien. [print]

Foreword Preface to the second edition Ainulindale Valaquenta Quenta Silmarillion : Of the beginning of days ; Of Aule and Yavanna ; Of the coming of the elves and the captivity of Melkor ; Of Thingol and Melian ; Of Eldamar and the princess of the Eldalie ; Of Feanor and the unchaining of Melkor ; Of the Silmarils and the unrest of the Noldor ; Of the darkening of Valinor ; Of the flight of the Noldor ; Of the Sindar ; Of the Sun and Moon and the hiding of Valinor ; Of men ; Of the return of the Noldor ; Of Beleriand and its realms ; Of the Noldor in Beleriand ; Of Maeglin ; Of the coming of men into the west ; Of the ruin of Beleriand and the fall of Fingolfin ; Of Beren and Luthien ; Of the fifth battle : Nirnaeth Arnoediad ; Of Turin Turambar ; Of the ruin of Doriath ; Of Tuor and the fall of Gondolin ; Of the voyage of Earendil and the war of wrath Akallabeth Of the rings of power and the third age Tables Genealogies : House of Finwe ; Descendants of Olwe and Elwe ; House of Beor ; House of Hador and the people of Haleth Sundering of the elves.

A number-one New York Times bestseller when it was originally published, The Silmarillion is the core of J.R.R. Tolkien's imaginative writing, a work whose origins stretch back to a time long before The Hobbit. Tolkien considered The Silmarillion his most important work, and, though it was published last and posthumously, this great collection of tales and legends clearly sets the stage for all his other writing. The story of the creation of the world and of the First Age, this is the ancient drama to which the characters in The Lord of the Rings look back and in whose events some of them, such as Elrond and Galadriel, took part. The three Silmarils were jewels created by Feanor, most gifted of the Elves. Within them was imprisoned the Light of the Two Trees of Valinor before the Trees themselves were destroyed by Morgoth, the first Dark Lord. Thereafter, the unsullied Light of Valinor lived on only in the Silmarils, but they were seized by Morgoth and set in his crown, which was guarded in the impenetrable fortress of Angband in the north of Middle-earth. The Silmarillion is the history of the rebellion of Feanor and his kindred against the gods, their exile from Valinor and return to Middle-earth, and their war, hopeless despite all their heroism, against the great Enemy. This second edition features a letter written by J.R.R. Tolkien describing his intentions for the book, which serves as a brilliant exposition of his conception of the earlier Ages of Middle-earth.

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