If you have read Silmarillion, please take a moment to vote in the poll. You may pick two favourite stories if the choice is difficult.

Despite its tough-read nature and lack of humour, a lot of people have read and liked the Silmarillion, and some have also read the books of unfinished tales and the like which the Tolkien estate have continued to publish. If we with a pinch of salt and tounge in cheek allow ourselves to take such more fleshed-out tales as Gondolin's fall as part of the Silmarillion's stories, which one is your favourite? If you feel like it, please explain why in this thread.

For myself, that's the Darknening of Valinor and the flight of the Noldor, with Gondolin's fall right behind it. Even the ace story with mustering houses and battle desriptions on par with those in The Return of the King cannot beat Fëanor's rage and destructive thirst for vengeance, or his death at the hands of a whole squadron of Balrogs. What a way to go.

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Admiralty Miniatures

I'm a sucker for tragedies, so Beren and Luthien and the Children of Hurin were my favourites. They read like classics.

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Namarie

I had to pick the Song of Ainur as my favorite: best creation myth I've read.
Too hard to pick from the rest, though anything around Feanor or Fingolfin is up at the top.

How widely have you read? I find African Literature has some amazing creation myths, as does stuff from the Indian sub-continent.

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Namarie

Beren & Luthien.

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My (more regularly updated) painting blog:
https://www.facebook.com/Pindergorn/

the siege of angband and the coming of men for me

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'Though my memory's fading, I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior'
-John Newton

Quite widely, mostly during my college years, which was quite a while ago. Also appreciated the various native American myths. I just like the aesthetic of this one best.

I liked the Fall of Godolin and downfall of Numenor best very evil you see, I also liked the Children of Hurin in its hort form which I read before it was released seperately. And the rings of power stuff because it is like a quick recap of the LotR.

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"I am the Flying Spagetti Monster. Thou shall have no other monsters before me"
-FSM.

On the creation myth note, I agree on the Song of Ainur being of good aesthetics. The idea of the universe being created by a grand song is a clear one. You could easily argue that it is beautiful in a way which most creation myths (such as the Norse one) simply are not, but it certainly isn't as oddly fun as the hacking up of a big giant to build the world.

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Admiralty Miniatures

In order:

Nirnaeth Arnoediad: The most epic fantasy battle ever written. Simple as that.
The theft of the Silmarils and the Oath of Feanor: I just love Feanor, and it is so beautifully written (and even the dutch translation isn't too bad).
Akallabeth: Just a very, very good plot.
Of the Rings of Power: A very nice, readable recap of all the other books, as GtW said.

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"... Telchar wrought it in the deeps of time."
-On Andùril, The Lord of the Rings

I find that it's the most believable creation myth, though I am biased because it is loosely based off of Genesis. I find that most creation myths are weird and random, whereas this one is very specific and concise.

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"Leave Sauron to me."
If you're in the Raleigh, NC area, let me know.

By the time I managed to finish the Silmarillion (last week), I had pretty much forgotten every single thing that happened. I had to pick the darkening of Valinor because it's the only thing I remember!

I think it's funny. Tolkien obviously put Beren and Luthien up as THE story, for obvious reasons, but I always like Turin alot more. I think the story is like what, 30 pages long in the silmarillion? (and some more in Unfinished tales) And yet it feels like you read a 2000 page long epic. His story is just sad, sad, sad, and I like that about the Children of Hurin. Turin is tragic in every possible way. Beren and Luthien is much more of a happy ending fairy tale.

SPOILER IN THE NEXT SENTENCE!!!! (can't seem to find how to hide spoilers so. )

More specifically however, my favourite part of the silmarillion is when Fingolfin decides to ride out and meet Morgoth.

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"Mickey, my friend!"

The Children of Hurin is about 200 pages if I remember correctly, and a very good read. MUCH more in depth.

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"Leave Sauron to me."
If you're in the Raleigh, NC area, let me know.

Try reading the separately released version, even better IMO.

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"... Telchar wrought it in the deeps of time."
-On Andùril, The Lord of the Rings

Yeah but so far I only stumbled upon the dutch translation and that was sooooo bad... I liked all the translations done by Max Schuchart or whatever he is called because he captured the epicness of it all. The new translator didn't even try to come up with 'difficult' words...

And if I'm not mistaken, christopher tolkien added parts in the book the way he saw it fit. (correct me if I'm wrong.) I'm not a huge fan of assembling stories after the good man JRR died. We may know what his intentions with the stories were in terms of probability, but we can't really be certain. I dunno maybe I'm too much of a purist.:p

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"Mickey, my friend!"

He added in stuff of his father's that he found after Silmarillion was published. All he did was put it together. The only things he changed/added were small sections so that parts of it would make more sense ie rewriting some sections, adding a connection between two parts. But all of it fits what JRR wrote

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"Leave Sauron to me."
If you're in the Raleigh, NC area, let me know.

Children of Hurin hands down. It's just so awesome and epic! But when Finglofin goes and fights Morgoroth it is pretty darn epic and awesome.

Haha here I am, trying to make sure I don't spoil CERTAIN parts of the Silmarillion, but go ahead, just spread it around for all to see.:p

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"Mickey, my friend!"

Oops, haha didn't notice But its not gonna ruin the book just because you know that.