A Return to the Silmarillion.

[Tawmis]

Yes, throw in things like....

... and she embraced him, and swore to never leave his side again. But she turned, and sprinted into the forest. He watched her disappear. He then turned north and slew the enemy. He died.

There's.... so much.... random... and so... little consequence to anything.

[Rath Darkblade]

On the other hand, Tolkien is trying really hard to summarize tens of thousands of years of history.

To be honest, this book would've been better if it focused on a few key events and expanded more on them, while ignoring most of the fluff in between. (Again, I get it: Tolkien was trying to populate his world and make it seem less empty ... but readers' attention can only be held by a few heroes at a time).

Maybe some of the other LOTR books (e.g. The Children of Hurin) are better? I've no idea, but maybe you've read some of them?

[Tawmis]

On the other hand, Tolkien is trying really hard to summarize tens of thousands of years of history.

To be honest, this book would've been better if it focused on a few key events and expanded more on them, while ignoring most of the fluff in between. (Again, I get it: Tolkien was trying to populate his world and make it seem less empty ... but readers' attention can only be held by a few heroes at a time).

Maybe some of the other LOTR books (e.g. The Children of Hurin) are better? I've no idea, but maybe you've read some of them?

Of the other books, I've only ever read "The Book Of Lost Tales (Part 1)" (or it might have been Part 2), but never finished it (this was way back in the 80s) - so I can't remember if I never finished it because I didn't enjoy it, or because another book distracted me (which might have been the Dragonlance series, back then). But my goal is after Silmarillion, is to do the rest of those Tolkien books. Let's see how that goes.

[BBP]

I thought the storytelling in Silmarillion was very similar from what I know of mythology and fairy tales (that is the ones that haven't been enhanced by authors. I can best equate it to a fox hunt in the woods but only one mark at every turn, so no marks "straight on, you're going in the right direction."

I've read Tolkien's fairytales and Children of Húrin, which are very readable. After Sil you're in for a much smoother ride!

[Tawmis]

I thought the storytelling in Silmarillion was very similar from what I know of mythology and fairy tales (that is the ones that haven't been enhanced by authors. I can best equate it to a fox hunt in the woods but only one mark at every turn, so no marks "straight on, you're going in the right direction."

I've read Tolkien's fairytales and Children of Húrin, which are very readable. After Sil you're in for a much smoother ride!

It very much feels like his version of various fairy tales. The whole opening of the book, is essentially very similar to the Bible, with the angels and all that - and then the other stories that follow, as you said, feel like the tales - and, that's the perfect way of putting it - with no "enhanced" telling. All of the characters feel very hollow, which is so different than what you'd find in a normal book (or at least to me). I am rejoiced to hear that it's smoother sailing after Silmarrilion.

[Rath Darkblade]

It very much feels like his version of various fairy tales. The whole opening of the book, is essentially very similar to the Bible...

In the beginning Manwë created the Two Trees and Middle Earth? (Sorry, I couldn't resist).