Listen to a sample
The Silmarillion
- Author
- J.R.R. Tolkien
- Narrator
- Martin Shaw
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Publish Date
- 29 October 2015
- Run Time
- 14 hours 49 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
- Genre
- Classic fiction: literary and general, War, combat and military adventure fiction, Myths and Legends / Mythic fiction, Epic fantasy / high fantasy, Historical fantasy, Alternative history fiction, Narrative theme: coming of age, Narrative theme: journeys and voyages
- Rating
- 4.8 (4 reviews)
What to expect
The forerunner to The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion tells the earlier history of Middle-earth, recounting the events of the First and Second Ages, and introducing some of the key characters, such as Galadriel, Elrond, Elendil and the Dark Lord, Sauron.
The tales of The Silmarillion are set in an age when Morgoth, the first Dark Lord, dwelt in Middle-Earth, and the High Elves made war upon him for the recovery of the Silmarils, the jewels containing the pure light of Valinor.
Included in the book are several shorter works. The Ainulindale is a myth of the Creation and in the Valaquenta the nature and powers of each of the gods is described. The Akallabeth recounts the downfall of the great island kingdom of Númenor at the end of the Second Age and Of the Rings of Power tells of the great events at the end of the Third Age, as narrated in The Lord of the Rings.
Critics Review
-
‘How, given little over half a century of work, did one man become the creative equivalent of a people?’
The Guardian‘Demanding to be compared with English mythologies… at times rises to the greatness of true myth’
Financial Times‘A creation of singular beauty… magnificent in its best moments’
Washington Post‘A grim, tragic, brooding and beautiful book, shot through with heroism and hope… its power is almost that of mysticism’
Toronto Globe & Mail
User Reviews
Book 4.8
Narration 4.5
-
5.0 5.0
I really enjoyed the narration! It is clear and easy to follow, but also conveys the serious tone of the book. There is instrumental music and the beginings ans ends of chapters, which I first thought was a bit cheesy but it grew on me- it adds to the vibe.
Andri 2023-02-05
Details
- Author
- J.R.R. Tolkien
- Narrator
- Martin Shaw
- Duration
- 14 hours 49 minutes
- Release Date
- 29 October 2015
- ISBN
- 9780008168537
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- HarperCollins Publishers
- Genre
- Classic fiction: literary and general, War, combat and military adventure fiction, Myths and Legends / Mythic fiction, Epic fantasy / high fantasy, Historical fantasy, Alternative history fiction, Narrative theme: coming of age, Narrative theme: journeys and voyages
- Rating
- 4.8(4 reviews)
- Narration
- 4.5(4 reviews)
Synopsis
The forerunner to The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion tells the earlier history of Middle-earth, recounting the events of the First and Second Ages, and introducing some of the key characters, such as Galadriel, Elrond, Elendil and the Dark Lord, Sauron. The tales of The Silmarillion are set in an age when Morgoth, the first Dark Lord, dwelt in Middle-Earth, and the High Elves made war upon him for the recovery of the Silmarils, the jewels containing the pure light of Valinor. Included in the book are several shorter works. The Ainulindale is a myth of the Creation and in the Valaquenta the nature and powers of each of the gods is described. The Akallabeth recounts the downfall of the great island kingdom of Númenor at the end of the Second Age and Of the Rings of Power tells of the great events at the end of the Third Age, as narrated in The Lord of the Rings.
About xigxag
xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK's only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.
There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at $13.95. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from $7.95. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.
Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.
Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.