Should you read The Lord of the Rings & the ENTIRE Middle-earth Canon?

Let's discuss the classics! Starting with the Grandaddy of fantasy, The Lord of the Rings.

Here's a guide to the Hobbit, the LOTR trilogy, the Silmarillion, Unfinished Tales, and even the great tales of the Elder Days. Which ones are worth reading?

This is a friendly, funny, informative video to help you choose which books you want to read.

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[Dr_MuscleWizard]

“He’s been gone half a century and still publishes more often than George RR Martin.”

[spyroskamilalis]

The first movie came out when I was 14. A friend of mine suggested that I read at least the first book before we went and watched the movie. I was absolutely astonished by the book and even more surprise to find that the movie depicted the pictures in my head quite accurately. I then went on to read the rest of the series and Silmarillion before the second movie came out. Needless to say I was infatuated with the world and storycraft. This became the basis of everything I have read since then. Thank you for the video, it's always a good reminder to reread these great works of literature.

[brewster_]

I don't think the Fall of Numenor is as bad as you described. It's nice to have all the second age stories laid out in one book, so you can read it as one great tale without having to flip back and forth between books.

[ThePengfish]

I'm traditionally a lurker and not a commenter but felt compelled to tell you how much I've enjoyed your videos and now look forward to new ones!

For the most part we seem to have near identical taste as I've actually read most of the books you've discussed so far- but that makes me very keen to read the few I haven't, as I should enjoy them if you did ha

As a teenager I read James Barclay's Chronicles of the Raven and enjoyed them. Is that a series you've tried? I never see much discussion about those books.

[PhoenixSuki]

My son has nearly finished the hobbit and has really enjoyed it. He’s asked for the lord of the rings trilogy for his birthday so he’s getting that soon :) he’s never seen the films though so won’t be comparing the action scenes. I really should give the series a read at some point, I’ve only ever seen the films.

[McrMana]

Love the new intro. I was shook without the guitar solo.

[Erinn_Nicole]

you did great at explaining why The Silmarillion is the best of them! I read it every winter. I try to read the others as well, but I do manage to do The Silmarillion.

[HolwartOfWalishmare]

my favorite part in the books "And Eowyn looked at Faramir long and steadily; and Faramir said: 'Do not scorn pity that is the gift of a gentle heart, Eowyn! But I do not offer you my pity. For you are a lady high and valiant and have yourself won renown that shall not be forgotten; and you are a lady beautiful, I deem, beyond even the words of the Elven-tongue to tell. And I love you. Once I pitied your sorrow. But now, were you sorrowless, without fear or any lack, were you the blissful Queen of Gondor, still I would love you. Eowyn, do you not love me?" and this is beautiful

[Timmorrisjr]

One of the reasons I love The Silmarillion, and why I think it’s in the top 5 books ever, is because it leaves so much to the imagination. My mind is able to conjure up so many grand images of the stories that are told. It makes you wonder well after you’ve finished reading.

[Gekoelrec]

Love Love Love the new title opening perfection

[libraryoflores]

I love your take on this. Not enough people who talk about the book talk about the huge difference in tone and action from the movies. It took me some reflection and thinking to understand the things you talked about in this book after I read the books and I love that you're just coming out and saying it. Awesome channel! Keep up the good work!

[tweegerm]

Serkis narrates the Silmarilion too??! This is the kick in the arse I needed.

[PokeJoshNY]

I love your video, but how am I supposed to read everything you recommend in each video in a week so I can read what your next video's about 😭(this is a joke obviously, but seriously keep up the awesome work, you've quickly become one of my favorite booktubers)

[paulabrooks]

This is the first video of yours I’ve ever seen and I instantly loved it! Thank you for such a well thought out video 😊

[theblanketstealer]

i too immediately read the entire lotr trilogy after watching the fellowship movie when it came out when i was 12!!! i absolutely loved it and was shocked at how faithful & pretty damn accurate the movies were to the books (something i was super disappointed about with the harry potter movies in contrast). thank you for making this video because i've been meaning to read simarillion since i fell in love with lotr decades ago but kind of forgot about it but now i really really want to read it!! :)

[ciukilp]

It's funny that you mention oral tradition in regards to The Silmarillion, because earlier this year i wrote my bachelor's thesis on the poetry in The Lord of the Rings, contextualising the poems. A big part of that was how Tolkien filled his world with a rich oral tradition, how stories are passed down via songs and poems. Chief examples of this in the Lord of the Rings are poems like Eärendil was a Mariner and The Lay of Lúthien.

[Paulovlyra]

You got me... I might finally read it. Only read The Hobbit when I was a teenager (same edition as yours actually)

[duckymcquackers]

I cracked up at the Captions. "Andy Circus". Sir, are you sure? xD

[peteinfernicous]

I remember reading the books at junior high after the first hobbit movie came out and i loved them (even the silmarillion at that age). In the last 5 years I've wanted to read them multiple times but never gotten around to it yet. I probably would have sooner but I've got them translated and i want to read it in English because i think it will make the experience even better.

[SJ-GodofGnomes]

I'm kind of old - bless you! I was 32 when Fellowship came out at the cinema. Lol
I really enjoyed your take on this, especially your take of Silmarillion. I have read LoTR five times now since my first read at 14 and in general I loved the films, but as you said thematically they are very different from the books. The books are quite simply exquisite and I take something different from them at each read.