The Silmarillion

The Silmarillion is to The Lord of the Rings as the Old Testament is to Westboro Baptist Church. Minus the offensive stupidity. If you're a fervent Tolkien fan, you'll love The Silmarillion. If you're a casual reader or a post-Peter Jackson convert, you might find it heavy going. Actually, either way, it's a tough read. But if you're a fan, you'll appreciate the context it provides for the rest of the books.Why it made the listWhat The Silmarillion will do is increase your respect for Tolkien's genius. There is nothing in The Lord of the Rings series that doesn't have a back-story. His respect for the characters and places in the books is evident in the details of each piece of history he creates. There are elements of linguistics, of myth, and of legend woven through the narratives of The Silmarillion (this isn't a single tale) that do two things: Make it a dense work and increase your appreciation of The Hobbit and LOTR.If you ever wondered at how Saruman fell, where Sauron came from or how Middle-Earth was created, you'll find the answers in The Silmarillion. Once you get through it, re-read the other books and you'll discover things you never noticed before and see Middle-Earth in a whole new light. And when you do get through all of it, award yourself with a doughnut. Because, damn! That was hard work.