Silmarillion

cool, great worldbuilding, however i only really cared about the last section about the rings of power. 👍

 I've read and loved The Hobbit and the trilogy that makes up the Lord of the Rings series several times over the decades; I hadn't picked up The Silmarillion and other prequels by Tolkien until now.I immediately regretted my previous choice to skip them as some were left incomplete and through familial knowledge that this would be vastly different from what I'd previously read. The Silmarillion is an incredible read, although not a story in the traditional sense, but it feels to be rather Tolkien's guide to the world of his own creation. There is a world building unlike anything I have read before, a true masterclass in bringing a fantasy world come to life from the pages.For me, reading The Silmarillion for the first time felt how one would feel to discover that magic was real and being witnessed for the first time. It will stay with me and reaffirm my love for all that occurs in the infamous Middle Earth and all the wondrous nations around it. I love how much you learn about the world you maybe familiar with but this time thousands of years before a little Hobbit went There and Back Again, or a group of comrades had quite the adventure throughout Middle Earth to ensure a good deed is followed out. So much is the same, and yet? So much so vastly different and the danger we feel in what may well be the main four, feels do different in the tales that Tolkien had begun in what would be his final book and yet, would be the first in the series.  There is an enrichment to what we have known before,  and a wonder to learning of new adventures, characters, and forefathers of the familiar.Its length is intimidating, and the sheer amount of fantasy found within can make the reader wary.. but I also strongly suggest you take a risk on this book of Epic Fantasy, lose yourself in adventure, and relish the words and beauty created by the father of Fantasy.The Silmarillion is a wonder, and I loved it. I do thank my love for the Rings of Power for aiding me in the conviction of wanting to turn the pages again and not being afraid.Be like the little Hobbits and take a risk. You won't be disappointed.