Middle-earth Reading Order - Lord of the Rings, Silmarillion, and beyond! | Tolkien 101

Today, I present my recommended Reading Order for all of JRR Tolkien's books on Middle-earth! My philosophy is to make it as easy a transition into the more difficult books (like The Silmarillion) as possible. In so doing, I've recommended a reading order that goes by difficulty and books that contain the most narrative content.
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My Recommended Order
Narrative Books:
The Hobbit (amzn.to/3qrlN5X)
The Lord of the Rings (amzn.to/341Mfvt)
The Children of Húrin (amzn.to/3mzQrJa)
The Silmarillion (amzn.to/3yYTWy1)
Slightly academic approach:
Unfinished Tales (amzn.to/3puTbtb)
Beren and Lúthien (amzn.to/3enUjZs)
The Fall of Gondolin (amzn.to/3FAHpmM)
Heavy academic approach:
The History of Middle-earth (amzn.to/3ErOCnL)
The Nature of Middle-earth (amzn.to/3sBCmyE)
The Letters of JRR Tolkien (amzn.to/3mAZKIW)
The History of The Hobbit (amzn.to/3mzXodw)
Biographical Books:
A Tolkien Biography - Humphrey Carpenter (amzn.to/3qv8UIb)
J.R.R. Tolkien: Author of the Century - Tom Shippey (amzn.to/3etgwoM)
Tolkien and the Great War - John Garth (amzn.to/3mv3Br1)
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Gandalf and Thorin at Bree - Ted Nasmith
Bilbo - Raoul Vitale
Bilbo and the Eagles - Ted Nasmith
Bilbo at Rivendell - Brothers Hildebrandt
Riddles in the Dark - Lonesome Crow
Riddles in the Dark - Tim Kirk
Thus Came Aragorn - Ted Nasmith
Battle of the Black Gate - Ted Nasmith
Gandalf vs Balrog - Elbardo
The Balrogs of Morgoth - Thylacinee
Turin - Kenneth Sofia
Nirnaeth Arnoediad, Turgon and Glorfindel - Ivana Lekseich
Morgoth and Fingolfin - Joel Kilpatrick
Glaurung - Amis Gaudi
Morgoth Punishes Hurin - Ted Nasmith
Turin Confronts Glaurung - Turner Mohan
Aure Entuluva - Jenny Dolfen
Nienor and Glaurung - John Howe
Turin and his Band are Led to Amon Rudh - Ted Nasmith
Beleriand Map - Lamaarcana
Turgon and Fingolfin's Cairn - Ted Nasmith
Music of the Gods - Kip Rasmussen
The Forging of the One - Ted Nasmith
Tuor Reaches the Hidden City of Gondolin - Ted Nasmith
Alqualonde - Ted Nasmith
The Coming of Fingolfin - Jenny Dolfen
He Beheld a Vision of Gondolin Amid the Snow - Ted Nasmith
The Oath of Feanor - Jenny Dolfen
Hurin and Huor Approaching Gondolin - Donato Giancola
The Fall of Gondolin - Ralph Damiani
Gandalf and the Balrog Upon Celebdil - Ted Nasmith
Sting - Wes Talbott
Artanis and Feanor - Tolman Cotton
Galadriel's Gift to Gimli - Magianna
The Oath of Felagund - Antti Autio
Minas Tirith - Stefan Meisl
Beleg Approaches Amon Rudh - John Howe
Druedain in the Forest - John Howe
The Hunt for the Ring - John Howe
The Numenoreans Sail to Middle-earth - John Howe
The Battle of Dagorlad - John Howe
The Blue Wizards Journeying East - Ted Nasmith
Isildur's Last Counsellor - Anke Eissmann
The Oathtaking of Cirion and Eorl - Ted Nasmith
Galadriel and Celeborn - Ted Nasmith
Huan's Leap - Ted Nasmith
Huan vs Sauron - Soys Dav3y34
Beren and Luthien in the Court of Thingol and Melian - Donato Giancola
Luthien in the Court of Morgoth - Pete Amachree
Luthien, Huan, and Sauron - N Nowak
Of Beren and Luthien - Ulla Thynell
Beren and Luthien - Justin Gerard
The Fall of Gondolin - Ralph Damiani
Gondolin - spartank42
Glorfindel's Bane - Ted Nasmith
Tuor, Idril, and Earendil Flee Gondolin - Alice Beckstrom
Tuor Reaches the Hidden City of Gondolin - Ted Nasmith
Love and Loss - Sara M Morello
Tuor and Idril - Jenny Dolfen
Glorfindel and the Balrog - Alan Lee
Tuor strikes a note - Alan Lee
Ugluk - John Howe
Black Rider- John Howe
Elrond, Elros, Earendil, Elwing - Jenny Dolfen
Death of Feanor - Jenny Dolfen
Unexpected Party - John Howe
Visit to Bilbo - Alan Lee
Eowyn and Faramir - Ted Nasmith
Get thee gone - Jenny Dolfen
Then Fingon rose against him - Jenny Dolfen
#tolkien #readingorder #lordoftherings

[@drix4275]

The part about The Silmarillion: "The big one. The crusher of dreams."; I get what you mean by that but it also is the maker of dreams. Such an epic story. ^o^

[@Jim_N_RFC]

I started 'The Silmarillion' in high school, and after several starts, just finished it... I'm 51 years old!!!

[@JPSardinha]

The challenge starts when you try to read the title

[@shnorglebop1798]

@@JPSardinha lmfao💀❤️

[@steffanyschwartz7801]

@@Jim_N_RFC I’m in high-school and thanks to covid just finished

[@shadowofthestarsdespair]

I read the silmarillion first after I saw the movies and was I interested my teacher suggested trying it as it would provide greater insight a feel when reading the others and like ya It real do

[@Genarek8]

I remember when I was a kid, I read Fellowship, was barely able to finish it, constantly falling asleep 😄 Then I read Hobbit, and after that everything became smooth and fun and I finished LoTR trilogy in no time. And a little bit after, I read Silmarillion

[@AjReiss-gl1sq]

You were lucky, as a kid I was forced to read the Silmarillion by my parents. I hadn't read or watched any of the books or films so I was very lost. After the first chapter I kind of threw it in the garbage and told my parents I had lost it lol. Although I do have a copy, I still haven't read it, these videos have made it much easier to understand!

[@indio4-215]

@@AjReiss-gl1sq Listen to an audiobook recording of the Silmarillion and see if that helps with the experience should you decide to read it.

[@justadams677]

At 12 or so i tried reading the lord of the rings. Bore me to death! At 18 it's my all time favorite. I'm reading the hobbit now, and next year I'll dive into the silmarillion

[@johnnybhoff226]

I read the silmarillion first and I do not regret it one bit. It was very interesting because it was a challenge to read. I had to go back and forth, reread chapters or even full sections.

[@markjosephbacho5652]

I can't pass through The Two Towers. Especially when Frodo and Sam were trying to go to Mordor. Dialogues are so limited. It's mainly descriptions of what their path looks like. I just can't imagine it as I didn't grow up in the countryside. I don't know how those trees described look like 😥

[@johanliebert375]

Finally a youtuber who mentions Audiobooks without an advertisement for Audible 😂😂😂

[@peksacola]

It's funny right as I read this comment the video played an audible ad 😂😂

[@DG-iw3yw]

Well now that random commenters are advertising audible, they dont need to pay anyone, clearly the psychological damage has been done, and you have also brought audible to the attention of anyone who goes onto this vid. Just thoughts

[@michaelmccray8610]

I’m looking for an audio version without theme music!

[@fredgaeta62]

The chances of you seeing this is slim and you may have already made a video but where doe the fall of numenor fit in here

[@valentinkambushev4968]

When I was a kid my mom gave me a whole tower of children comic book magazines from her childhood called "Rainbow" . Those magazines had many series in them, some for small children , others for teens. While I was reading I was captured by one of the series called "Bilbo Baggins" . I loved this story so much that kept re-reading it all the time. An year or two later my family and I were watching some movie called "Lord of the rings" and I think you can imagine my surprise when they mention Gollum and Bilbo. Shortly afterwards I bought myself "The Hobbit" book and the rest is history. I still return to my "Rainbow" magazines from time to time to thank them for introducing me to Tolkien's world.

[@ninsuhnrey]

What an adorable story. 😌

[@Cabin_Pat]

The fact that you needed a YT vid to explain HOW to read the Tolkien books says it all really. And when it’s all laid out in front of you gives a great perspective as to just how expansive and deep the rabbit hole goes. Great vid, thanks Mr Nerd!

[@weseethetruth158]

Just imagine what Christopher had and omitted. I'd love to dig through JRR notes.

[@historybutitsdumb]

don't you mean the hobbit hole 🤣

[@JoeMama410]

When anyone asks about the Silmarillion, I ask them if they like the appendices in LotR. I think that is the best barometer of whether they will be able to finish it.

[@lorenzobazdresch7449]

The appendices are great!

[@steffanyschwartz7801]

Didn’t read em and I love the Simerilion. The chapter on the dimming of Aman is my one of my favorites in Tolkien.

[@thekillers1stfan]

I disagree, I think the Silmarillion is just difficult because it has a dense, and often abstract, beginning

[@JoeMama410]

@@thekillers1stfan It has a significantly different and archaic writing style and it is hard to skip the dense beginning chapters. It doesn't help that you have to keep so many characters straight, especially Finwe, Fingolfin, Finarfin, Fingon, Finrod, Finduilas, and Feanor.

[@lorenzobazdresch7449]

@@JoeMama410 The f-parade. I sometimes just forget about some of those, like Finwe, because we never really get too see him.

[@mauriciocantu6745]

I read the Silmarillion directly after the trilogy, and I had no problem doing so because your channel had already prepared me for and helped me get familiar with all the stories/characters/places/etc. So thank you very much!! Keep making awesome videos!

[@thomasbrown8468]

About to dive in

[@insurrbution]

The Silmarillion is PART of a trilogy: ~ The Hobbit ~ The Lord of the Rings ~ The Silmarillion

[@TuorTheBlessedOfUlmo]

​@@insurrbutionno it's not. Originally Tolkien wanted the lotr to be six books. It's Peter Jackson and new line cinema who have this weird trilogy's obsession

[@ChrDauer]

I would also include The Atlas of Middle-Earth by Karen Wynn Fonstad. Great guide to have nearby when reading the Silmarillion, The Hobbit or Lord of the rings.

[@matthewsmith4170]

Totally agree. I just finished reading it after reading The Hobbit, The Trilogy, and the Simarillion. Going to read the The Children next, then reread The Sim using the atlas.

[@algojeff]

@@matthewsmith4170I’m 100% with you on that ! The Atlas is offering the perfect keys to a better understanding of both time and space in Tolkien’s mighty landscape. Scholar Wynn Fonstad works are unmatched. Luckily, we now have a fantastic French adaptation of the Atlas, which is such a great companion while (re)reading The Sim and all the older tales.

[@luudest]

Haha, great topic! I asked that question of the reading order myself. As a Teen I said „Start with the Silmarlion and read the books in chronological order“. In my twenties I said „Start with The Lord Of The Rings, one of the greatest stories ever“. And now as a father in my thirties I say: „start with the Hobbit, a ‚childern‘ story.“ Happy reading 🙂

[@turtleanton6539]

I think hobbit or watch the movies

[@NerdoftheRings]

What tips would you give to someone making their way through Tolkien's world? Let's help folks finally tackle the Silmarillion!

[@FandomFeliciano]

This just really makes me wanna finish/read The New Shadow so we have a definitive conclusion to the Legendarium.

[@gandalftehdank6052]

Honestly, what helped by far the most is acquainting myself to the Lore by watching KZbin videos) Your channel was among them - I knew since you were barely at 90k!

[@Enerdhil]

I would say watch the extended edition of Peter Jackson's LotR trilogy. If they fall in love with the world they see on screen, they will eventually read all the books, even if they have to borrow them from a library. If they think the movies are just okay or good, they probably won't finish reading any of the books.

[@Eowyn3Pride]

The maps...and Artistic sketches of the Characters themselves, almost how Marvel heroes are set up...

[@Enerdhil]

@@Eowyn3Pride I agree that readers of Tolkien's Legendarium absolutely need good maps to refer to. I depended heavily on The Atlas of Middle Earth. I photocopied and cut and folded the maps and kept them in the books. They are still there. lol

[@gamayundoom]

For me, the perfect order is: The Silmarillion, Beren and Lúthien, The Children of Turin, The Hobbit, The Lord of The Rings and then Unfinished Tales. Good reading!

[@qwertyTRiG]

I like the way you presented this list with supporting reasons and justification.

[@jamesogle5045]

I've read through most of these a couple times now. A few years ago, a friend showed me a website where I could read Tolkien's writings in chronological order of Middle Earth. Since I already knew the characters and stories it was a fun read through.

[@inolynch7526]

i would love to check that site out if you could provide the link please? i've always been curious about a more chronological order of things not the ' easiest to heaviest' listing i find everywhere

[@jamesogle5045]

@@inolynch7526 This is where I found it. www.chronology.org/tolkientable/calculator.html

[@jjcooks7401]

Drop that link bro

[@lucasnascimento3712]

I've started my Tolkien readings with The Silmarillion and, honestly, I loved it. Best way to dive into Arda and to learn about all the background that precedes LOTR.

[@CarlosVargas-jz8gl]

I’ll be honest, I love Lord of the Rings but my favorite is The Simarillion. my first reading of the Simarillion was accompanied by the audiobook. It immersed me into the world. I couldn’t get enough of the book! It was soo good and the stories were so interesting! Feonor and his pride and all the family and house kin connected to his Simarils, the lore ,I was filled with wonder at each story and the events, I just had to buy more of Tolkien’s books. The Children of Hurirn, Beren and Luthien and The Fall of Gondolin were in deep immersions into the fascinating stories told in the Simarillion. They had they’re own gripping events. The reason I believe the Simarillion is the best is becuase it encompasses everything that makes this world so amazing

[@turtleanton6539]

Yes

[@Bdelliumharts]

Beren and Luthien was a hard one to get through though. Like listening to a song on repeat.

[@wrealini]

Read the Silmarillion three times, love it!

[@isaacyotes4764]

I just worked my way through pretty much everything, albeit in a much more insane order. I like your approach of starting with the better known books very much.

[@madcyborg1822]

Before even watching, I'll say this; Thanks for getting me excited to get into this legendarium again! Your videos are amazing. Edit: Just finished with your list. I wholeheartedly agree. The reason many leave the epic of the Silmarilion is because the Hobbit and LOTR do little to prepare you for it. Watching this channel and reading the Children of Hurin before the Silmarilion is the actual way to read the legendarium.

[@FontenlaAndres]

Hi! I agree on your reading order, but I still can’t understand why everybody keeps saying that "The Silmarillion" is the most difficult thing or that you have to be "prepared" to read it or people abandoning the reading because it´s too hard. I think it´s an exaggeration that almost became a “myth” and it´s a shame that people shy away from it, because, for me, it´s the best of all. The first time I read it, I couldn´t take my hands out of it. Not really a struggle at all. In my opinion "LOTR" is far more complex to read, a LOT of landscape description and obviously much much longer. I can see why people can´t get through "The History of Middle Earth" though, well... THAT´s a hard read. (But a really rewarding one 😉 )Thank you for all your work!

[@luudest]

3:26 „The Silmarilion is more biblical“. Indeed!

[@caitlinevans1054]

This is immensely helpful! I have yet to read anything other than The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and I have never been sure where to go next. Thanks for the recommendations!

[@carlthecaesar]

This video is great! I'm 16 and have read the Hobbit, LOTR, and the Silmarilion and have adored them all. A friend and I have become complete nuts about Tolkien and his work and we're both huge fans of your vids! I'll definitely use this list as a reference for engulfing myself in Tolkien over the summer. Thank you for the great content!

[@stuartpenzer773]

Not exactly a read but the art of the Lord of the rings by j r r Tolkien (edited by Christina Scull and Wayne Hammond) is a beautiful book to add to the collection

[@foxykc]

Word

[@dr-malgus2892]

Thank you! My mum started to read the hobbit to me when I was in elementary school, because I didn’t like reading and was lacking vocabulary and grammar knowledge. I highly recommend the Silmarillion version on audible, if you are struggling with lack of time.

[@simoncooper6752]

I had some failed attempts at reading The Silmarillion where I only got a few chapters in. It was only since the first lockdown that I finally got through it, Unfinished Tales, and the 3 Great Tales. Can't wait to finish the 12 volume History of Middle-Earth series.

[@foxykc]

Your channel is a godsend. I started reading Tolkien in 1966 when I was 15 and when I got to the end of The Return of the King I just turned around and started all over again. At one point I even read the entire thing out loud to myself starting with The Hobbit. The addition of Christopher Tolkien books on his father's manuscript has been incredibly important. I'm going to have to get some of the other books that you recommended. I'm one of those that has tried numerous times and failed to plow my way through the silmarillion. As I like to say, I have a vacation property in the Shire

[@tonybaker1268]

Multiple readings are always a good idea. The best way to read the Silmarillion is just to read it and read it again. Tolkien's writing thrives on multiple passes through because even his more simple writings reveal new insights upon closer inspection. The Silmarillion just forces you to take your time, and taking the same approach with all of his works is definitely worth your time. I read the Hobbit, the Lord of the Rings, the Silmarillion,and the Children of Hurin once a year at least. The last few years I've read them two or three times a year. I've been a fan of LOTR since I saw the film's when I was 5. When I started reading the books I was 11, and being slightly younger than I'd recommend to start, I had to reread the books (and reread pages and paragraphs several times) to understand it.

[@WxGuy08]

This is a fantastic video and I look forward to beginning "The Children of Hurin" as I have finished "The Lord of the Rings" in the last couple months. The only addition I would make to this is at the very beginning prior to reading "The Hobbit": Humphrey Carpenter's biography of the man himself, J.R.R Tolkien. I read it right before I started "The Hobbit" earlier in the year and I was so glad I did. It helped me understand the man behind the myths and gave me a deeper appreciation for what he was writing. I highly recommend it to anyone who hasn't read it yet.

[@jfk8540]

i just got gifted a set of the books including the hobbit for christmas. i was obsessed with the movies and then more obsessed with lore videos but never read the books because videos are more densely packed with information and visuals. i’m starting with the hobbit and i love it, even though tolkien’s vision of his world was much different than our modern interpretations of the world he presents. since the hobbit was written 20 years before lord of the rings was published.

[@ellengoodhart1185]

Today I finished LoTR, The Fellowship of the Ring. Excited to start the next book. This channel has me falling in love with Middle-earth.

[@jorgearetakis9688]

Never thought the silmarillion was a challenge for others than me, I finished it for the third time last week , still have four more to go, thanks Eru for a book reading order , and YES the audio book helped A LOT the names are better digested , I don't remember any of then though

[@AshenDruid]

The Hobbit and LotR being read to me are some of my earliest memories. The Silmarillion is much, *much* easier if you skip past the first couple of parts. Once you're past the part where he names all of the divinities and what they do and get to the part where they come down to Middle Earth and start doing stuff it's much easier to follow. Also, just let all the names wash over you, if they're important you'll hear about them again when they're relevant. Edit: Just to throw it out there the Andy Serkis versions of the audiobooks are fan-freakin-tastic

[@maxmercer1931]

I have to disagree. Lord of the Rings is far more interesting when one is aware of the way Middle Earth came into being and who has the biggest stakes in the game

[@AshenDruid]

@@maxmercer1931 I'm not saying never read those parts, but that's the place where people seem to get stuck when they try that book

[@anthonyamato1647]

I found The Atlas of Middle-Earth extremely helpful as a supplement when reading the other works

[@JasonFisk]

I have recently become aware of your channel and have enjoyed a small binge of them. Keep up the great work.

[@amandag5072]

My first read through of the Silmarillion was hard going, but I have found with every subsequent reading, it gets easier and more enjoyable. :)

[@brandengagne9134]

Thank you for this. This helps a lot. I’ve read LOTR and the Hobbit several times and I love them. A few years ago I saw the Children of Hurin at a cousin’s house and I borrowed it. After a couple chapters, I realized I was completely lost and had no clue what I was talking about. That’s what first opened my eyes to history and works of Middle Earth outside LOTR. I knew at some point I would have to take a dive into it all. I didn’t know where to begin. And then I discovered your channel. I started bingeing your content. And that has awoken in me the desire to dig further. I bought Silmarillion, Children of Hurin and Unfinished Tales. I’ve started Silmarillion. Life has gotten busy and I got distracted by important things, so I had to restart it. And now I’m into it. At times, I will pause and watch videos by you and Voice if Geekdom and those are helping make it easy. I’m excited. But I wasn’t sure how I should proceed. This helps. Thank you for everything you do. You have made a difference in my fandom.

[@Symbioticism]

although not middle-earth, do also read A Leaf by Niggle and Smith of Wootton Major which are two of his finest literary achievements.

[@Ravenesque]

Leaf by niggle is actually my fave tolkien work ^^

[@jaimevazquezruiz7276]

Thanks for the video, this has guided me so much. I am currently with 14 years finishing the lord of the rings with desire of starting new books!

[@norquay626]

I "found" Tolkien in grade 8. Never heard of him before that. I happened to pick up "The Two Towers" first and read it without knowing about the series or anything else. I fell in love with it and realized there was more than this first book, but still didn't know who Tolkien was, but I found the other two books of this series; The Fellowship of the Ring and the Return of the King. I went looking for more books by Tolkien and this is when I finally learned about the "Tolkien World" and fell in love with the world. In the end, just read. I don't think it really matters. Have fun!!

[@alexharris6481]

This is super helpful!!! Have a great new year everyone!

[@Izzysai]

And, "Debbie". I always love to hear that at the end.

[@alfredvincent594]

Reading History of and Nature of at the moment. Love them. The Silmarillion 'Crusher of Dreams ' is still my favorite of all JRRT's works. But it took me years to discover it's utter brilliance.

[@gregorykollarus8190]

Thank you very much I will definitely be checking out more of these books

[@virnan]

I was fifteen when I read La Hobbbit and LOTR and I remember grinding through The Council of Elrond and how I thought it was so boring. However, my appreciation for JRRT has only grown in time and I appreciate his works much more now. I have since started my second reading of The Silmarilli and I appreciate it much more.

[@Zapp_Lightyear]

This is outstanding! I'm just diving into Middle Earth and your channel has been the best of the best. I think Tolkien would be proud of your work.

[@megansbooknook519]

Thank you so much! I've wanted to explore the other books beyond Lord of the Rings, but was so intimidated. I will definitely be following your recommendation!

[@colinbrannon2051]

I got The Hobbit and the 3 LoTR for XMas. I'm so hyped to read them all

[@Crunch104]

Thank you very, very much for your hard work on this channel. The illustrated story summaries made it easy for me to read The Simillarion. I could picture the stories in my head and this made them easy to comprehend. Tolkien himself I am sure would be thankful for what have done!

[@kristiankaravasilev105]

Thank you for the list it will for sure be in need because i just finished The Lord of the rings a couple of days ago and wasn't really sure with what to continiue!

[@maxmercer1931]

1. Silmarillion 2. Unfinished Tales 3. Fall of Gondolin 4. Lord of the Rings

[@Enerdhil]

Most people won't make it through the Ainulindale.🤣😆😂

[@Keijspermeister]

yeah but youre gonna need a concentration span of 3000 to get through that

[@Enerdhil]

@@Keijspermeister Actually a lot of free time and ready-access to maps and family trees would do it.

[@EricBridges]

I 100% support this read order. Children of Hurin is fantastic, and it really does give enough context for the Silmarillion to kinda almost make sense on the first read.

[@ElffriendYT]

1:23 - I read the Hobbit and LOTR first. The Silmarillion was hard at first but for me it was definitely harder to retain and remember than other books but I’m reading it again and enjoying it. But when I first got started I ended up listening to Children of Hurin before (after LOTR) so I kind of read both at the same time.

[@lorenzobazdresch7449]

I read all the books on the list in the exact order you said to several years ago (except for the ones I missed: sons of Húrin, Lay of Beren and Lúthien, everything in the History of Middle-Earth except for the lost tales one and two, and the last two things you recommended). I'm 14 and have never been bored of reading anything on the list. Gondolin and Unfinished Tales were particularly good.

[@Cloofinder]

I got through reading the Silmarillion in a month and I actually LOVED reading through this book, and I can see how many would find it tough chew to swallow. As an inspired fantasy writer myself I can see how Tolkien spent many years trying to write these books.

[@Bouncy_penguin]

I read the lord of the rings first as a teenager and adored it. Hungry for more, I found the hobbit and devoured it in one sitting. Then I picked up the silmarillion and failed. Re-reading the lord of the rings years later I realized it’s due completely to the language. Even the return of the king gets steadily more archaic in its prose and in my first reading I was able to look past that because of the story. Ironically, although many hate the Amazon show, it has piqued my interest again and I think I’ll give the Silmarillion another go. KZbin channels like this one really help to understand the contexts better and I am grateful for your work on these.

[@chefkochjay]

As Audiobooks go, I reccommend: - "The Hobbit", read by "Andy Serkis", which... it just does not get better than that. - "The Silmarillion", read by "Martin Shaw", which is just a classic. - "The Lord of the Rings", read by "Phil Dragash", who imitates the Voices of Peter Jackson's Film Trilogy. It's a nice touch, really - wherever you stand on the movies themselves - but what really sells it, is the musical accompanying of the movie's original soundtrack. Edit: -"The children of Hurin", read by "Christopher Lee" (Thanks to Valentin Kambushev, for reminding me)

[@valentinkambushev4968]

Don't forget "The children of Hurin" read by Christopher Lee !

[@Ravenesque]

@@valentinkambushev4968 Came here to second that!

[@nickt1417]

The music accompaniment is great, but sometimes I find the other sounds a bit overwhelming. I don't need to hear sound effects when the text itself is describing what's happening. That defeats the purpose of imagining in my head what I'm being read.

[@DeeMorrison818]

Someone suggested I read The History of the Hobbit + by Fonstad’s Atlas of Middle Earth, and I FINALLY was able to make it into the Silmarillion. I’m on chapter 21 now.

[@delavalmilker]

It would be great to have a video analyzing the narrative differences between The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion. I think most people are introduced to Tolkien's world by reading LOTR, or maybe the Hobbit. These books read like a present day novel, with a clear daily narrative and precise definition of place and tense. When they get to the Silmarillion, it has an entirely different structure. It's more akin to the works of Homer. Some chapters, such as the chapter "Of Turin Turambar" are very a very detailed narrative. While the chapter on the Great Battle and the Fall of Morgoth seem high and remote.

[@christophertipton2318]

JRR Tolkien's works are quite amazing. When I was in 10th grade (1968), my English class was required to read The Hobbit. I was not happy as fantasy stuff was not my favorite at all. By the time I read three chapters I was hooked. I've since read all of the books mentioned in this video except I took The Silmarillion plunge some years after reading The Lords of the Rings. I read the remaining books over the following years. The Silmarillion can be a tough read, no question, but worth the effort.

[@captainstage2009]

Thanks for making this channel, man! It truly feels like a love letter to Tolkien ❤

[@DMM9619]

I don’t know why people struggled to get through The Silmarillion, I just finished it last week and was blown away at the detail and world building it presented. 👌🏻🔥

[@nonsononessunooko4066]

hell yeah same man! now i go with the hobbit

[@DMM9619]

@@nonsononessunooko4066 finished hobbit in about 2 days, after reading silmarillion that was such an easy and fun read 😆

[@AndrewCarlisle11B]

Talk about perfect timing for a video! Excited to dive into the books and watching more vids as I hit the stories

[@SIMONVDH]

I find it very odd that you did not mention The Atlas of Middle Earth. For me it's a must have when you read almost any Tolkien book. I had trouble reading the Silmarillion because I could not locate cities and areas on the map. But they are SO well portrayed in that book. Even the travels of the fellowship are just drawn in lines. Keep up the good work! Ty for content

[@nock_5]

Found a copy of Children of Hurin at my local bookstore for $4 and began reading it. I was a little lost with all the references at first but I'm glad to know I'm on the right track in your opinion haha

[@faustomadebr]

I knew it was not the recomendation, but I decided to go chronologicaly and loved The Silmarillion to the point I've read it 7-8 times when I was 16-17yo. Also, Túrin is my favorite character overall, so it really made love the book even more.

[@ianian4162]

Same! Chronological is the way to go.

[@kirandeepchakraborty7921]

The Best Video to end this Year. Happy New Year to Everyone in Middle-Earth.

[@VoiceoftheRings]

This Was really well-done @Nerd of the Rings! I 100% agree with your order and I really want to join the Book Club! I want to read through all of it from start to finish!!! =D

[@phatpigeonii]

I first read the Silmarillion at age 11, and while I missed some of the themes I loved the book. By then I had alread read or listened to the Hobbit 3 times and LOTR twice, and I wanted more, so I slogged through the first chapters, then was just enthralled by the rest. That said it is a bit dense and I understand why a lot of people don't care for it. I wish Christopher had taken a couple years longer to finish it, it's a shame he was rushed by the publisher.

[@Ravenesque]

My first exposure to The LOTR universe was acutally the 1983 BBC radio play. My dad had it on cassette and I listened to it a lot when I was a kid. Then I found my grandad had a first edition Silmarillion on the shelf when I was about 9 and I devoured it. I'm not sure how, but it took me two years to finish it. My teachers immediately noticed the change in my vocab as I learnt new words. I remember sitting on my bed with the Silmarillion and a very well thumbed dictionary! It was 4 years later I read the Hobbit, and finished it in one sitting. My school library actually had really decent copies of the LOTR trilogy, and I used to pour over the maps in the back of them.

[@ivordundic6095]

I read The Hobbit again this summer to refresh my memory, and then decided to do a second attempt on LOTR (stopped at page 100 as I felt it was too slow when I was about 15 years old), and ended up considering this the best book I’ve ever read. Just needed patience. I followed your advice, as I was nervous about The Silmarillion, so I read Children Of Hurin first. And so happy I did, as I noticed how it sets the foundation for your knowledge of the first age and it’s map and locations, together with all the elf lords and kings in the different realms. Now I’m half-way through Silmarillion and I have no problems reading it. Only tough part was keeping track of all the valar and maiar at the start, and then the family-tree of Finwe;Feanor/Fingolfin/Finarfin. Other than that it’s been surprisingly easier than expected mainly through what I learned in Children Of Hurin :) (Tip for track of Valar, Maia and Finwe’s family tree: sit with your computer/phone close by, and have two tabs open with a picture of the Valar and Maiar names and characteristics, and a picture of Finwe’s children and their children. Helped me alot to keep track while reading without having to disrupt my rhythm) This video helped alot, thank you so much! Already bought and waiting to read Unfinished Tales, Beren And Luthien, and The Fall Of Gondolin :)

[@joakimlan]

Daem I love your videos Mr Nerd. You are basically a historian for the virtaul reality of Mr Tolkien. It is inspiring to see that someone could create a world of pure imagination inspiring enough to have you, and many others, though unfortunately few as adept at making videos, to put in the reseach to make content like this. I am coming at this as someone who's only seen the movies, and read none of the books, and I feel like I have all of my questions are answered by now, but considering I had never heard of Morgoth, and had no idea that Gandalf, Sauron and the balrog were all the same "species" before coming to this channel, I am sure there is more to learn about this wonderful world of imagination Tolkien created.

[@BingoBongoBingerz]

Finished reading the Silmarillion for the very first time a few days ago. October last year I read the hobbit and then the Lord of the Rings, also for the first time. Now the silmarillion for me felt like a bible of middle earth. In that it ends with a briefing of the end of the 3rd age. I found it very enjoyable. When I wasn't reading it. I was researching videos from previous chapters and characters. Can't wait to continue reading the rest of Tolkiens books related to Middle Earth. If only I read these when I was a kid.

[@LurkerAnonymous]

The first time I've put my hands on the Silmarillion I've read it all in 2 days. No, I've devoured it! Since then, I've been re-reading it at least once every year...

[@LazySleestack]

Overall I would agree with the this order, except for putting Children of Hurin in the middle. It is certainly a lot more approachable than The Sulmarillion, but if you are going to go past the first 4 books I think you would do better to just dive right in. I've read The Sil about 4-5 times now and there are really just two things to keep in mind when approaching it. 1. It is NOT a prequel to TLotR. It is not a novel AT ALL. It is not even a set of short stories or novellas. It is a group of mythic and epic tales similar to Bulfinch's Mythology. 2. Some people have "many names". Just like in TLotR The Sil has a LOT of characters. Way more than TLotR, which itself has quite a few. And just like TLotR which has Strider aka Aragorn aka Elessar and Gandalf aka Mithrandir aka Olorin aka Incannus aka Tharkun, The Sil has those people who can be referenced by different names at different times, like Thingol aka Elwe aka Elu (not to be confused with Eru). It might be worth doing a prep video for reading The Sil that points out the difference in the prose style as well as the tricky characters that pop up repeatedly. Not to mention a quick pronunciation guide since almost NOBODY has a name like "Sam" or "Bilbo" or "Frodo".

[@Keijspermeister]

Thingol aka Elwe aka Elu? Do you mean Thingol aka Elwe aka Elu aka Greycloak aka Singollo?

[@LazySleestack]

@@Keijspermeister No, you must be thinking of ANOTHER Thingol.

[@abjab0179]

I would love to buy the first 4 narratives books with you as narrators, I can listen to your videos for hours. Awesome content!

[@leenicholas3279]

I would add that a short read that really gives you an insight into Tolkiens philosophy and theology is the essay On Fairie-Stories. Brilliant little piece.

[@dailycarolina.]

My TBR list has increased. Thanks

[@colmortimer1066]

I would recommend taking your time with the Silmarillion. An audio book could help with pronunciation, but I would have been lost without referring to the appendix every page or 2. You read it bit come across a new term, you do not understand then look through the index. Also look for maps online. I have 2 maps of middle earth, one with more human names and one more elvish, a map of Beleriand, and one of the Undying Lands, Numenor and Middle Earth, on my computer ready to reference as I read. I also referenced a couple middle earth wiki's as well to help sort out what I read. I think your reading order was good, I usually would advise Hobbit, LotR, then Silmarillion, and then from there you are probably deep enough to pick and chose as you see fit. But Children of Hurin might actually be a better way to ease people into the Silmarillion.

[@feanor7080]

Whenever someone talks about Tolkien, the books, the movies - I’m stuck with this permanent goofy smile on my face.

[@urbynwyldcat9131]

The moment I retire i shall devote all my resources to help building Tolkien's Mordor. Your channel rocks! Thank you and Happy New Year.

[@Matthewwithers33]

I’ve read my copy of LOTR so much it’s time for me to get a new copy because some pages want to fall out if I open the book 😅 Say what you want about marvel or Star Wars or GOT but no world will ever be as large and amazing as tolkiens middle earth and LOTR. Reading the books you can feel the love that Tolkien had for his world and it’s history

[@floodkevin4716]

Silmarillion is so good. It's so epic. I'm halfway through my second re-read. I'll do Children of Hurin next ! Thanks for all the goodies man

[@Silivrenwolfie]

Funny I started with The Silmarillian. One of my favorites! ❤ Thank you for this. Planning to go back again and read them all.

[@0listar]

I just googled this yesterday after watching a tonne of your videos the past week, the hell is this wizardry?

[@afolsom685]

This was fabulous! Don't yet have Carl's book and had not heard of John's. Thanks!!!

[@twon18c54]

Not an ad in any way, but I am listening to Silmarillion read by Andy Serkis on audible. It is amazing!

[@jabba359]

Thanks for the video. I've been a long-time fan of The Hobbit and LotR (since the late 80's), but had never read the other material. One of my friends is a history professor that streams world history on Twitch and, as bonus subscriber goal streams, has been doing The History of Middle Earth. This has gotten me excited to read all the other material and I've picked up almost all the other books you've highlighted, with 2022 being the year I'm doing the great Tolkien read-a-thon (so I start tomorrow). I wasn't sure what order I'd tackle the books, but this video seems like a great guide and the order I'll likely follow. I can't wait to take this deeper dive into Middle Earth!

[@tuor8296]

Nerd! Thank you for your amazing videos - I grew up as a Tolkien fan kid, and read the whole of Silmarillion for the first time this spring, and was blown away… strongest Tolkien-experience at 28 y/o 😅! Then went on to plow through the trilogy and now I’m in Unfinished Tale. Your channel has greatly helped and boosted my Tolkien excitement, I just wanted to express my thankfulness! Also - the music used in this video? I love the chords over the Silmarillion parts for example, goosebumps!

[@CynicVash]

Thank you! 🙏🏽 I’m slowly building my collection of all these books ❤❤ 📚

[@Zuma91]

Diving into the Silmarillion and man the Audio book does help with understanding the names. I’m ready.

[@thekillers1stfan]

Hobbit, LOTR, Children of Hurin, Silmarillion is the exact order I read them actually and I agree it was a very sensible order and each transitioned well into the next. Also for those who struggle with the Silmarillion I'd just like to suggest powering through the beginning talking about creation and everything as it's by far the most dense part of the book and it gets interesting really quickly when Faenor starts doing outrageous bullshit right after.

[@David-fh6rr]

I just listened to the children of Hurin audiobook, and it was amazing! :D

[@jackyc6919]

Amazing list. So helpful to reading and understanding Tolkien's world.

[@darth_hylian]

I read them mostly in chronological order. It was difficult starting with Silmarillion but seeing the movies first had helped. I just saw the silmarillion sitting on our bookshelf and now recently picked up reading as a hobby because of it

[@HookHouse]

So read Lord of The Rings for the first time in my life. And wow. Blown away! Picked up the Sil - on my next list, I’ve decided I will do the Sil and Lost Tales and work my round back and End it with the Hobbit… before picking up Lord of The Rings again ❤️

[@annap.1711]

This is a great list and well reasoned! I want to just shout out The Lord of The Rings: A Reader’s Companion by Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull, it is an incredible companion book to reference while reading LOTR, both authors are true scholars and the work to explain meanings and the insight shared there is remarkable. Anyway, love this channel, and appreciate all the work you do!

[@katiejon17]

Wow... I really had no idea there were so many books! I knew about the Hobbit and the Trilogy only. Thank you for this video! I’m reading through the early American historical fiction Leather Stockings series, but want to take a break. SomI thought I’d delve into Tolkien. Thank you!

[@jaysgamingcorner8539]

Another great video. I'll have to check out some of Tolkien's other books, The Children of Hurin definitely sounds interesting. Think I'll start there.

[@Colin13ify]

Idk… I read the Hobbit in elementary school. I didn’t actually read the LOTR until highschool. And I didn’t read the Silmarillion until I was in college. Tbh I thinks that is the best order. And your appreciation grows beyond all of that. As you read and get older. The concepts grow more over time in Tolkiens work. And as you grow intellectually you approach and appreciate his work differently, in a more complex way. And then you can move on to Tolkiens later works which were finished by his son. Who I would say has attempted to stay true to his father’s works.

[@nathanbeer3338]

I heavily disagree with the suggestion of Children of Hurin being read before the Silmarillion, there are so many names that come from the Silmarillion that in Children of Hurin it seems like it assumes you're already familiar with them, ring-bearers who decide to read the Children of Hurin before the Silmarillion will get confused with names like Ulmo or Fingolgin or Melkor, making a simpler story than the Silmarillion much harder to understand if you didn't read the Silmarillion beforehand.

[@hanak69]

Thanks for this great video, read allreadt Hobbit and Lotr. Now I will contineu this great saga.