I don't think I've ever read anything nearly as enthralling and visual as the beginning of the Silmarillion. Singing existence into being is so beautiful, and the sowing of discord into the melody is such a genius way to depict the idea of the fall
It's my favorite creation story I've ever read, the way the 3 themes of the Song reflect the 3 ages took me a few read throughs to fully understand, but it's like reading an overture for the entire story of Arda- telling the framework of the story without giving anything away. And after reading it a few times, I've started to really feel some honest sympathy for Melkor- he starts out more-or-less as a deity of temperature, so while the others each have their own personal element to work with, Melkor by his very nature had to act on the creations of the others to be able to do anything at all. He brought out the potential in all the others by pushing them to their extremes, just as Eru intended.
I love how the character Tom Bombadil existed long before the novel "Lord Of The Rings" was written; this perfectly mirrors how he is older than pretty much everyone in the actual story.
"A" for Aragorn for whom the timeless pass, "B" for Boromir who never transcends "A" "C" for Celebrimbor whose mettle is crass "D" for Denethor worst dad of all In the realm of RUclips where the haters lie. One "E" for Eowyn, betrayed by Rankin, One "F" for Faramir, likewise forgotten by Bass In vast RUclips where Algorithms decry But they were all of them deceived, for another tier was made. In the land of Mordor, in the fires of Mount Doom, the Dark Lord Sauron forged in secret, a master rank, to surpass all others.
Is that what Gandalf says in the movie right before he's pulled down by the balrog? I always wondered because it sounds to me like he says "flutter, you fools" or "flubber, you fools", but I always figured I probably wasn't hearing it right.
@@adamdavis1648 Oh it's an old fan joke that he was actually advising them to find some Eagles to fly them to Mordor, but unfortunately they didn't understand him.
I couldn’t even finish it, it was just too boring and felt like I was in a history class. I think C is a solid choice based purely off its readability. If you’re ranking based off of importance to the lore then it would probably be an S
@@trexasaurus5322 Its written like a religious text, it works better if it's being read to you, similar to a priest/preacher would. The audio book is the best way to consume it.
@trexasaurus5322 the Silmarillion is really written in the style of old mythic epics like say the Elder Edda and the Prose Edda. These types of texts have sweeping narratives, epic heroes, and fantastic exploits but don't have some of the features we associate with modern novels (like character development based on internal emotional struggles, comic relief, etc). If you approach the Silmarillion as a mythic epic in the style of ancient texts it works well, but it's definitely a different genre than Lord of the Rings or other modern novels.
The only tolkein book I've read is the Hobbit, but I was told to challenge your tier list for engagement, so.... Wait, you put the Hobbit in S tier, 100% correct tier list
I have been searching for Farmer Giles of Ham for over a decade. It's a book I have vague memories of reading as a kid, but I had no idea what it was until now. So thank you.
I haven't read it for years but I remember it extremely well. It's a very donnish sort of book, which never made me laugh out loud but often made me smile appreciatively.
You can find "Farmer Giles" in the book, "Tales from the Perilous Relm." Along with "Leaf by Nigle" "Roverrandom" "Smith of Wottan Major," and many of Tolkien's poems. It's alot of his works without having to buy them separately.
@@docsavage8640 does this seem poorly written to you? 😐 "Lúthien Tinúviel more fair than mortal tongue can tell. Though all to ruin fell the world and were dissolved and backward hurled unmade into the old abyss, yet were its making good, for this- the dusk, the dawn, the earth, the sea- that Lúthien for a time should be." ------------------ "In that time were made those things that afterwards were most renowned of all the works of the Elves. For Fëanor, being come to his full might, was filled a new thought, or it may be that some shadow of foreknowledge came to him of the doom that drew near; and he pondered how the light of the Trees, the glory of the Blessed Realm, might be preserved imperishable. Then he began a long and secret labour, and he summoned all his lore, and his power, and his subtle skill; and at the end of all he made the Silmarils."
The Silmarillion is definitely tier S for me. I love how the Music of the Ainur presages how important music is in the magic of Middle Earth. Most of the the magic, e. g. the magic of Luthien, is accomplished through song
@@P1Gman I’m on my first time and I don’t understand a word. I intend to read it another 4-5 times in order to actually understand it. I WILL FOLLOW THROUGH THIS ONE I PROMISE.
The translations/adaptations like Sigurd and Gudrun or The Fall of Arthur have been a revelation for me. More than the Green Knight translation, they show Tolkien’s talent at thinking through entire literary traditions.
Jess in Leaf By Niggle and you talking about getting caught up in little details. I read something Einstein wrote to a friend about young scientists he was acquainted with. He wrote his friend that the scientists he was meeting had no notion of subjects outside their fields, but thought they did. Einstein said they reminded him of someone who had studied thousands of trees, but had never seen a forest. I don't know why what you said brought that to my mind, but it seemed appropriate.
Honestly, as much as I love the Lord of the Rings and the Silmarillion, the Children of Hurin is my absolute favorite of Tolkien's work. It feels even more ancient and dark with it's grim narrative and heroic deeds. It reminded me a lot of Beowulf (another favorite of mine; Tolkien's translation is superb).
@@docsavage8640(coughs throat, grabs staff, stands straight). "BE SILENT. Keep your forked tongue behind your teeth". Jokes aside I have no idea wtf you're talking about, as far as the books go, I read & fell in love with the Silmarillion first, THEN the Lord of the rings. I had seen the lotr movies prior to reading the Silmarillion but regardless, the Silmarillion REALLY made me fall in love with the universe, its a beautiful story, & in my eyes atleast its beautifully written.
Jess, if you're into European Heavy Metal, you should check out "Nightfall in Middle Earth" by Blind Guardian. It's an entire Tolkien inspired album, not about Lord of the Rings, but The Silmarillion. "Curse of Feanor" is a bombastic masterpiece. Would love to hear your take on the album, even if you're not into Metal.
I am married to an Irish nazgul, the most charming of that frankly disreputable crew. It keeps a hobbit agile. There's about three people I follow online, I trust not inappropriately. Excepting until now I have always made a point of thanking them. I shall correct the otherwise unfortunate omission. by thanking you. Years ago when an erstwhile academic I visited an Oxford don and somewhat underperformed. He offered me biscuits with a fortuitous tea. He was like J R R Tolkien and madam I was affeared. Such is youth. My best wishes..
Children of Hurin is one of my favorites ... but it is very painful read :) But not mad at the B... I spent my entire life thinking I was the only one reading Tolkien's stories until I was like... 24 .. so yeah i'm just glad you have a channel and so many subscribers :)
My two favorite tolkein stories have got to be 1) Beren and Luthien, 2) Sam confronting Shelob. I really like the short and concise version of Beren and Luthien in the Silmarillion, so I think that makes it my favorite book of Tolkein's. I also like how the Silmarilion ties Beren and Luthien to the larger story of middle earth. The whole story of Beren and Luthien, in my opinion, is continued in such a beautiful way with Sam and holding up the vial of Galadriel to fend off Shelob, since it was the same silmaril that Beren and Luthien got from Morgoth, which was then taken with Earendil off into the sky, after he convinces the Valar to drive out Morgoth. The fact that the whole Sam and Shelob story is in the Two Towers makes it my second favorite Tolkein book. Both of these stories just gave me chills the first time I read them. I see a lot of similarity in these two stories, especially with both of them being sort of "unlikely heroes" (Sam, Beren, Luthien, and Frodo are all unlikely in their own special ways), as well as how its about hope in defiance of overwhelming darkness. Also, I think there's a cool similarity between Beren dying and Frodo appearing, from Sam's perspective, to die.
Seeing everything ranked like this made me realize how many children’s stories Tolkien really wrote. I’ve never thought of him specifically as a children’s author before, but I love that!
I have not yet been able to get thru the Silmarillion (I’m on my 3rd try), but before I even tried once, I listened to a podcast about it to help me familiarize myself w/the names & so on. Something that the host explained helped me visualize it so much better. I think it was actually in one of the History of Middle-earth books that has the manuscripts that Tolkien started with & shows how he grew the stories. It seems his initial concept was to have a frame narrative around it. An Anglo-Saxon sailor gets washed ashore on the island of Tol Eressea & the elves tell him the stories that become the Silmarillion. He then takes them back to England to share w/his people & it eventually comes down to us in various writings found along the ages. By using this frame, it gives a better perspective on the stories & helps make more sense of them, in my mind. It’s not just a bible handed down by the gods. I will keep attempting to read it, this time I have the audiobook, & I hope that will help me get thru it at least once, lol.
I just want to say that I recently found your channel while doing research for a Lord of the Rings LARP I’ll be attending in June and I’ve become so captivated by your ability to convey the magic that lies in Tolkiens works. Your deep dives into folklore, myths and cultural history has me tingling with inspiration. I think you truly are of the fae world and you carry so much magic with you! Every video of yours I watch makes me want to take my shoes off, go touch grass and lay in the sun with a book. Thank you for what you do! ❤
Most influential: On Fairy Stories. Most inspiring for artists and writers: Leaf By Niggle Most noble-romantic: Beren and Luthien Most memorable scenes: Return of the King: Mt Doom, Gandalf on the Bridge, Eowyn whipping her helmet off and saying "I am no man!" (though this is more the movie), The Grey Havens Most heartbreakingly beautiful and personal: Letters from Father Christmas. I cry, too.
I absolutely love your channel. I also find you completely charming. Leaf by Niggle is a favorite, partially because it is wonderful story and partially because I found my copy purely by accident in my local used bookshop.
That was shire genius A very old journalist friend had bought me Tolkien' letters. I am fond of Tolkien as one would be of an ageing hobbit. Thank you for your work.
You have almost certainly inadvertently emailed me an invitation to massage you. I am a married man and even when single would never be so forward in the company of hobbits. I found it a delightful error. My wife perhaps less so but I have always considered her to be an agent of Sauron. Apart from that she's pretty nice. You probably wouldn't want to visit Weathertop in her company. As always with thanks.
Just got the notification! At work now, but happy I'll have a video from you to check out later tonight. I binge watched your obscure adaptations and loved them!
This video is relatable in two ways. The first is that I live near a US airbase in Japna and frequently hear the thundering of jets and wonder if I am finally going to be killed by an airstrike or ballistic missile. The other is that I have the first lines of Beowulf in Old English memorised and would recite it so often that my brother could recite it from when he was like 11 years old
@@Jess_of_the_Shire It also draws heavily from the Kalevala, specifically the legend of Kullervo (it's almost a rewriting of it but with a Christian undertone).
I personally don’t separate the three LOTR books from each other, I think that that’s something that more people do who first became familiar with the world through the movies (I’m old). I’d have to rank The Silmarillion higher myself if I were doing the list. I agree that it reads more like a history book than his other two biggest works but I read a lot of history books so I have a definite taste for them. While both The Hobbit and LOTR have a greater feeling of intimacy and immediacy to them the Silmarillion gives me a greater sense of majesty and antiquity. When I re-read the books as I do every few years I always start with The Hobbit, progress through LOTR (including the appendices) and inevitably go to The Silmarillion.
Exactly. It's kind of odd to me to separate Lord of The Rings, because it is one story. That's why it is not understandable to put Fellow in A, but Return in S
"Leaf by Niggle" (which I have not read) makes me think of "Before the Law" by Franz Kafka. In that story, a man sits before a gate all his life, hoping it will open. When he is aged and about to die, he asks the guardian if someone else will be able to open this door at later time. And the answer is no, this door was here for him alone. Most people read this with a pessimistic framing, but I do not. What the story tells me is that there is a door for each of us, something only we of all people can achieve, and we should not just sit there, we should work on opening this gate. And this seems to be what happens in Leaf by Niggle, with less room for putting a negative spin on it.
I have a Swedish edition of The Hobbit (Bilbo is the Swedish title) with illustrations by Tove Jansson, of Mumin fame. Cute, but some are also quite scary for a children's book. Look them up if you can. I do love the Mirkwood elves with horns! www.google.com/search?q=bilbo+illustrations+by+tove+jansson&rlz=1C1CHBD_svSE1041SE1041&oq=bilbo+illustrations+by+tove+jansson&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRifBTIHCAMQIRifBdIBCDc2MjlqMGo5qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
My top tiers (ranked internally): S: Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, The Children of Hurin A: The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun, The Hobbit, Leaf By Niggle, The Lay of Leithian B: Farmer Giles of Ham, The Homecoming of Beortnoth Beorthelm's Son, On Fairy-Stories
Have to commend you, Return of the King is so good. Aragorn superseding Gandalf as Middle Earth’s protector is such a delicate but empowering storyline, and witnessing the fellowship’s interpretation of Aragorns subtle but humble sense of power grow into a “Servant Leader” after the Battle of Pelennor Fields (my favorite of all battles) gives the reader such a sense of the delicate power balance that follows the succession of a King’s departure (Or steward, Denethor). I for one cannot think of a more deserving King than Aragorn in that moment. So powerful
1. Leaf By Niggle is an allegory (Gasp!). The workhouse is Purgatory. The final place where Niggle and his neighbor can become whole is Heaven. You have to understand Catholic theology to understand the story. 2. The Lord of the Rings is ONE NOVEL! It was written as one novel. 3. I believe the The Silmarillion should be S tier.
Great video. My dad gave me Tolkien's translation of Beowulf for Christmas. I found a great gem at the end of the book, a poem/song of a shortened version of the Beowulf story written by Tolkien that he sung to his children. I just wish I knew the tune that he used when he would sing it.
27:38 speaking of the Bible, I found out recently that Tolkien also assisted in translating some of the books in the Jerusalem Bible (a Catholic Bible), chiefly the book of Jonah...
So glad you put the Hobbit in S tier :) It was my introduction to Tolkien and holds a very special place in my heart. And is just a very enjoyable and well-written story!
I still remember reading the hungarian translation of Farmer Giles of Ham. I really loved this fella when I was a kid. Also, Tom Bombadill rules. Thank you for bringing up these memories in me.
After you talking about Niggle, I have to wonder how long this took to edit? As one of the original hippies that first read TLOR , I was so very excited when the Silmarrilion came out and I was not disappointed. And you are right about that first chapter, absolutley beautiful! don't worry about how you rated them, everyone will have their own rating but I just rate them ...to misquote Howard Carter, "wonderful things!"
I'd unashamedly have a more top heavy ranking with all three Lord of the Rings book in S tier; they are after all, why there is a Tolkien fandom to begin with. I'd also put Smith of Wooton Major higher, in the A tier, as I think it's such a good story, and deserves to be read alongside his On Fairy Stories essay. I see where you've coming from with The Silmarillion, but for the creation stories alone, I'd put it into B. Also I'd include Unifinished Tales in the ranking, placed alongside The Silmarillion. And I agree about Tolkien's letters, and just wish someone would publish a comprehensive version, as has been done for his friend C S Lewis, and many other literary characters.
I waited sixty years to make my old school friend and Tolkien fan laugh. Got him today with some littile inspiration from you. Was it worth it. Absolutely yes. Madam you have my thanks. Got him. You have made an old hobbit very happy. Got him.
Many of his dark and tragic works are like a classic Greek tragedy as told through the lens of Middle Earth. Difficult to read through because of all the emotional angst it provokes. That is what makes Tolkien such a profound and talented writer.
You are so easy to listen to, and I enjoy your presentations. Thank you, and I wish you well! My daughter entered into a marriage that is very Tolkien-esque. I gave her a very nice copy of Beren and Luthien as a wedding gift. I'm not sure she fully understood many of the nuances of what I was trying to say.
Smith of Wootan Major is a favorite, and I had a different interpretation. Smith was chosen to be an explorer, like a Shaman or an inventor, on a heroic mission to bring back knowledge from places unknown. Eventually he aged out, had to retire from that for teaching; to be Gandalf for a new explorer.
I totally understand all of your rankings and enjoyed the video greatly. It can be tough to put yourself 'out there' and rank things, so thanks for this!
At 60, I have read the trilogy and Hobbit and a few others many many times yearly. I've never been able to get through the Silmarillion, sadly enough. Mayhaps I'll try again before I die. Retired, I have the time. Cheers, beautiful Jess!
Than you for this video! I recently purchased the Easton Press collection of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion. I finished The Hobbit and I will break out Fellowship of the Ring tonight and get started because of your video.
I know you said you weren't gonna include everything, but I was hoping to see The Fall of Númenor & The Fall of Gondolin for your thoughts, just because I've been curious about them
I'm so glad the algorithm sent me to your channel.😊 I'm a little sad it was so late in the evening because I can't stop watching your Tolkien content. 😂
The Hobbit is essential---but it's also very much a children's book that I have thought to crack in ~3 decades for only two reasons: - to refresh my memory of the spider song - to confirm the meaning of "tosspot" when I learned of the "professor" who goes by that name.
A very good, thorough, and honest effort at a very dificult task. I see it as ranking from "most favorite" to "just a little less favorite." For tiers, I'd go Smeagol, Aragorn, Boromir, Celeborn, Denethor, Elrond, and Faramir. All great characters, but some are more favorite than others. Edit - or maybe Farmer Maggot, since I think Faramir deserves a higher spot.
ROVERANDOM was actually a story he made up for his little brother after he lost his toy dog at the beach, and he would eventually write it after retelling the story to his own kids.
Good summary of Tolkien's works. And good effort by Jess, under rather unusual circumstances. I've read some of these works, but only LOTR and the Hobbit stand out in my mind. I've got Beowulf in my queue to read, one of these days.
I’m shocked, cuz most people’s favorite tends to be the first two books, as in the fellowship. For my part I’ll always love his light, humorous writing in the first chapter.
So, I almost stopped watching when I saw how you ranked Father Christmas , but I’m glad that I pushed through! I definitely agree with your rating of the Lord of the Rings. The eucatastrophic endings are so cathartic, even when I just sit and remember them. Although I agree that the Silmarillion is a more difficult read than some of his other works, I think I would’ve rated it as B tier because when it’s good, it is GOOD 😊 great vid, as always!
Treebeard and Quickbeam being my two favorite characters, I have to put Two Towers above Return of the King. Also, it is in Return that the die is finally cast for ents, elves, dwarves, hobbits, and wizards to fade from the realm, leaving humans in charge. It's hard to imagine a more terrible idea than that.
I just found your channel, I adore your enthusiasm, I’m motivated to try and tackle lord of the rings one more time. (I’ve tried a few times, it’s dense I mean you know) but I had no idea he had some of these books, the letters from Father Christmas sounds lovely.
Just to take the three I read 45 to 40 years ago, that is The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion. I'm not going to attempt to rank them, rather I'll say what they are to me. Hobbit was where I started, and it's the best place to start on Middle earth. It led directly to LOR, which is hands down the most rounded entertaining tale where you know there is more behind the scenes, but there is an ending(s). Then there's Silmarillion, which was my first failed attempt, I was probably 11 at my first try. Possibly i managed to read it throug when I was 15, but it is the one I've read the most times after. And the one I don't read end to end, and it is the one I'll never be done with.
I am going to try some of these that you brought to my attention. I loved Farmer Giles and the Smith (and of course LOTR and the Hobbit). I have tried the Children of Hurin twice, and man, I just couldn't hang. It was like if a crappy midwestern winter day was a book, full of greyness, snirt and the death of hope.
I just started the legendarium a few years ago. Never knew he wrote all these other stories. Good to know. Just read Beren and Luthien for February. Just finished Children and Hurien. Currently reading Fall of Gondolin. Hope to tackle Silmarillion some day. Return of the King was also my favorite but may change when i do a reread.
Would you consider doing a video on the Dagor Dagoroth? I'm honestly super inspired by the idea...this would never happen, but a movie about Tolkien's end of the world would be fantastic.
“It’ll drive up engagement, so I can’t really be mad.”
S tier for honesty.
This is actually my favorite thing youtubers do. Honesty is cool, clickbait is cringe.
I don't think I've ever read anything nearly as enthralling and visual as the beginning of the Silmarillion. Singing existence into being is so beautiful, and the sowing of discord into the melody is such a genius way to depict the idea of the fall
It's my favorite creation story I've ever read, the way the 3 themes of the Song reflect the 3 ages took me a few read throughs to fully understand, but it's like reading an overture for the entire story of Arda- telling the framework of the story without giving anything away.
And after reading it a few times, I've started to really feel some honest sympathy for Melkor- he starts out more-or-less as a deity of temperature, so while the others each have their own personal element to work with, Melkor by his very nature had to act on the creations of the others to be able to do anything at all.
He brought out the potential in all the others by pushing them to their extremes, just as Eru intended.
Brava!! What an eloquent way of expressing it. And, I agree with you. Tolkien was a true genius. In every sense of that word.
I never would’ve expected the “my cabbages” guy from Avatar the Last Airbender to be a Tolkien invention but here we are
Right? I laughed out loud at that part
Running into cabbage carts is a trope as old as time
@@Jess_of_the_Shire Maybe Rings of Power was underwhelming because it was lacking in cabbage guy.
@@EvelynDayless And so are hybrid animals, apparently.
I don't understand what they mean. Can someone explain it to me plz?
I love how the character Tom Bombadil existed long before the novel "Lord Of The Rings" was written;
this perfectly mirrors how he is older than pretty much everyone in the actual story.
He does give the impression of having strayed into ME from a different universe, because that's exactly what happened.
"A" for Aragorn for whom the timeless pass,
"B" for Boromir who never transcends "A"
"C" for Celebrimbor whose mettle is crass
"D" for Denethor worst dad of all
In the realm of RUclips where the haters lie.
One "E" for Eowyn, betrayed by Rankin,
One "F" for Faramir, likewise forgotten by Bass
In vast RUclips where Algorithms decry
But they were all of them deceived, for another tier was made. In the land of Mordor, in the fires of Mount Doom, the Dark Lord Sauron forged in secret, a master rank, to surpass all others.
Excellent.
This is a severely underrated comment
Tolkien's Letters to Father Christmas?!
TOLKIEN: "Fly, you fools!"
SANTA AND RUDOLPH: "Ok"
I mean it's still Tolkien, so they have to fight hordes of goblins attacking the north pole occasionaly...
Is that what Gandalf says in the movie right before he's pulled down by the balrog? I always wondered because it sounds to me like he says "flutter, you fools" or "flubber, you fools", but I always figured I probably wasn't hearing it right.
@@adamdavis1648
Oh it's an old fan joke that he was actually advising them to find some Eagles to fly them to Mordor, but unfortunately they didn't understand him.
I'm shocked. For me putting the Silmarillion anywhere but in S tier is madness (in Gandalf's voice).
The Silmarillion is genuinely my favorite book and what made me truly fall in love with Middle Earth.
I couldn’t even finish it, it was just too boring and felt like I was in a history class. I think C is a solid choice based purely off its readability. If you’re ranking based off of importance to the lore then it would probably be an S
Honestly, you need to divide the books in the Silmarillion. Like Ainulindale is an F tier book. Quenta and Akallabeth on the other hand are A tier.
@@trexasaurus5322 Its written like a religious text, it works better if it's being read to you, similar to a priest/preacher would. The audio book is the best way to consume it.
@trexasaurus5322 the Silmarillion is really written in the style of old mythic epics like say the Elder Edda and the Prose Edda. These types of texts have sweeping narratives, epic heroes, and fantastic exploits but don't have some of the features we associate with modern novels (like character development based on internal emotional struggles, comic relief, etc). If you approach the Silmarillion as a mythic epic in the style of ancient texts it works well, but it's definitely a different genre than Lord of the Rings or other modern novels.
B for "Bilbo's translations"
C for "Celeborn's collection"
D for "Denethor's ramblings."
E for "Eowyn hates it"
F...I got nothing.
Feanor…. Nuff said
Fell-beast food
Fangorn Forest
F is just Faramir. Just Faramir.
F for “Faramir-the movie version”
The only tolkein book I've read is the Hobbit, but I was told to challenge your tier list for engagement, so....
Wait, you put the Hobbit in S tier, 100% correct tier list
I have been searching for Farmer Giles of Ham for over a decade. It's a book I have vague memories of reading as a kid, but I had no idea what it was until now. So thank you.
I haven't read it for years but I remember it extremely well.
It's a very donnish sort of book, which never made me laugh out loud but often made me smile appreciatively.
It should be easy to find. If you don't want to order it online, go to your local bookstore and they'll get if for you.
@@michaelsommers2356 Oh yeah, I found a pdf through google. It was a good yarn.
You can find "Farmer Giles" in the book, "Tales from the Perilous Relm." Along with "Leaf by Nigle" "Roverrandom" "Smith of Wottan Major," and many of Tolkien's poems. It's alot of his works without having to buy them separately.
@@paulpasche7853 Well yeah. Or you can just type "name of the book pdf" into google and it'll pop right up
The rating for the Silmarillion is in the name itself. S. 😀
Same with the lord of the ringS and the Shobbit
@@azanocegrog748 shobbit 😂
It's not even a C. Poorly written. It's only seen as great because of the backstory it provides which informs the actual good books.
@@docsavage8640 does this seem poorly written to you? 😐
"Lúthien Tinúviel
more fair than mortal tongue can tell.
Though all to ruin fell the world
and were dissolved and backward hurled
unmade into the old abyss,
yet were its making good, for this-
the dusk, the dawn, the earth, the sea-
that Lúthien for a time should be."
------------------
"In that time were made those things that afterwards were most renowned of all the works of the Elves. For Fëanor, being come to his full might, was filled a new thought, or it may be that some shadow of foreknowledge came to him of the doom that drew near; and he pondered how the light of the Trees, the glory of the Blessed Realm, might be preserved imperishable. Then he began a long and secret labour, and he summoned all his lore, and his power, and his subtle skill; and at the end of all he made the Silmarils."
The Silmarillion is definitely tier S for me. I love how the Music of the Ainur presages how important music is in the magic of Middle Earth. Most of the the magic, e. g. the magic of Luthien, is accomplished through song
It's not even a C. Poorly written. It's only seen as great because of the backstory it provides which informs the actual good books.
You had me at “held up by a gang of bears”.
I have read the Silmarillion even more times than LOTR. It is so good!
I needed to read it 4 times to actually take in all of the information. Such a hard read, but so rewarding.
@@P1Gman I’m on my first time and I don’t understand a word. I intend to read it another 4-5 times in order to actually understand it. I WILL FOLLOW THROUGH THIS ONE I PROMISE.
@@RayaAllen13 God speed, RUclips has some of the stories on audiobook.
Same here. There is no other book I've read more often than the Silmarillion
@@P1Gman I've read it so many times and still I forget things or mix up characters. But as you said it is rewarding
The translations/adaptations like Sigurd and Gudrun or The Fall of Arthur have been a revelation for me. More than the Green Knight translation, they show Tolkien’s talent at thinking through entire literary traditions.
Jess in Leaf By Niggle and you talking about getting caught up in little details. I read something Einstein wrote to a friend about young scientists he was acquainted with. He wrote his friend that the scientists he was meeting had no notion of subjects outside their fields, but thought they did. Einstein said they reminded him of someone who had studied thousands of trees, but had never seen a forest. I don't know why what you said brought that to my mind, but it seemed appropriate.
Honestly, as much as I love the Lord of the Rings and the Silmarillion, the Children of Hurin is my absolute favorite of Tolkien's work. It feels even more ancient and dark with it's grim narrative and heroic deeds. It reminded me a lot of Beowulf (another favorite of mine; Tolkien's translation is superb).
I agree. The standalone of the Children of Hurin is an incredible work of art. It's so unique and so heartwrenching.
i agreeeee
silmarillon and children of hurin both incredible@@adamsjoberrg
Yes, I am finding that as well.
According to sources, Jess ranking the Silmarillion at a C is the primary cause for The Battle of Unnumbered Tears 😢
It's not even a C. Poorly written. It's only seen as great because of the backstory it provides which informs the actual good books.
@@docsavage8640(coughs throat, grabs staff, stands straight). "BE SILENT. Keep your forked tongue behind your teeth". Jokes aside I have no idea wtf you're talking about, as far as the books go, I read & fell in love with the Silmarillion first, THEN the Lord of the rings. I had seen the lotr movies prior to reading the Silmarillion but regardless, the Silmarillion REALLY made me fall in love with the universe, its a beautiful story, & in my eyes atleast its beautifully written.
Jess, if you're into European Heavy Metal, you should check out "Nightfall in Middle Earth" by Blind Guardian. It's an entire Tolkien inspired album, not about Lord of the Rings, but The Silmarillion. "Curse of Feanor" is a bombastic masterpiece. Would love to hear your take on the album, even if you're not into Metal.
His essay/lecture on Beowulf "The Monsters and the Critics" is one of my favorite things I've ever read. I do recommend it to anyone.
I am married to an Irish nazgul, the most charming of that frankly disreputable crew. It keeps a hobbit agile. There's about three people I follow online, I trust not inappropriately. Excepting until now I have always made a point of thanking them. I shall correct the otherwise unfortunate omission. by thanking you. Years ago when an erstwhile academic I visited an Oxford don and somewhat underperformed. He offered me biscuits with a fortuitous tea. He was like J R R Tolkien and madam I was affeared. Such is youth. My best wishes..
Children of Hurin is one of my favorites ... but it is very painful read :)
But not mad at the B... I spent my entire life thinking I was the only one reading Tolkien's stories until I was like... 24 .. so yeah i'm just glad you have a channel and so many subscribers :)
My two favorite tolkein stories have got to be 1) Beren and Luthien, 2) Sam confronting Shelob.
I really like the short and concise version of Beren and Luthien in the Silmarillion, so I think that makes it my favorite book of Tolkein's. I also like how the Silmarilion ties Beren and Luthien to the larger story of middle earth. The whole story of Beren and Luthien, in my opinion, is continued in such a beautiful way with Sam and holding up the vial of Galadriel to fend off Shelob, since it was the same silmaril that Beren and Luthien got from Morgoth, which was then taken with Earendil off into the sky, after he convinces the Valar to drive out Morgoth.
The fact that the whole Sam and Shelob story is in the Two Towers makes it my second favorite Tolkein book. Both of these stories just gave me chills the first time I read them. I see a lot of similarity in these two stories, especially with both of them being sort of "unlikely heroes" (Sam, Beren, Luthien, and Frodo are all unlikely in their own special ways), as well as how its about hope in defiance of overwhelming darkness. Also, I think there's a cool similarity between Beren dying and Frodo appearing, from Sam's perspective, to die.
Seeing everything ranked like this made me realize how many children’s stories Tolkien really wrote. I’ve never thought of him specifically as a children’s author before, but I love that!
I have not yet been able to get thru the Silmarillion (I’m on my 3rd try), but before I even tried once, I listened to a podcast about it to help me familiarize myself w/the names & so on. Something that the host explained helped me visualize it so much better. I think it was actually in one of the History of Middle-earth books that has the manuscripts that Tolkien started with & shows how he grew the stories. It seems his initial concept was to have a frame narrative around it. An Anglo-Saxon sailor gets washed ashore on the island of Tol Eressea & the elves tell him the stories that become the Silmarillion. He then takes them back to England to share w/his people & it eventually comes down to us in various writings found along the ages. By using this frame, it gives a better perspective on the stories & helps make more sense of them, in my mind. It’s not just a bible handed down by the gods. I will keep attempting to read it, this time I have the audiobook, & I hope that will help me get thru it at least once, lol.
I just want to say that I recently found your channel while doing research for a Lord of the Rings LARP I’ll be attending in June and I’ve become so captivated by your ability to convey the magic that lies in Tolkiens works. Your deep dives into folklore, myths and cultural history has me tingling with inspiration. I think you truly are of the fae world and you carry so much magic with you! Every video of yours I watch makes me want to take my shoes off, go touch grass and lay in the sun with a book. Thank you for what you do! ❤
Most influential: On Fairy Stories.
Most inspiring for artists and writers: Leaf By Niggle
Most noble-romantic: Beren and Luthien
Most memorable scenes: Return of the King: Mt Doom, Gandalf on the Bridge, Eowyn whipping her helmet off and saying "I am no man!" (though this is more the movie), The Grey Havens
Most heartbreakingly beautiful and personal: Letters from Father Christmas. I cry, too.
Oh, I forgot: Gandalf on the Bridge is Fellowship....
I absolutely love your channel. I also find you completely charming. Leaf by Niggle is a favorite, partially because it is wonderful story and partially because I found my copy purely by accident in my local used bookshop.
That was shire genius A very old journalist friend had bought me Tolkien' letters. I am fond of Tolkien as one would be of an ageing hobbit. Thank you for your work.
You have almost certainly inadvertently emailed me an invitation to massage you. I am a married man and even when single would never be so forward in the company of hobbits. I found it a delightful error. My wife perhaps less so but I have always considered her to be an agent of Sauron. Apart from that she's pretty nice. You probably wouldn't want to visit Weathertop in her company. As always with thanks.
Just got the notification! At work now, but happy I'll have a video from you to check out later tonight. I binge watched your obscure adaptations and loved them!
This video is relatable in two ways. The first is that I live near a US airbase in Japna and frequently hear the thundering of jets and wonder if I am finally going to be killed by an airstrike or ballistic missile. The other is that I have the first lines of Beowulf in Old English memorised and would recite it so often that my brother could recite it from when he was like 11 years old
15:59 this rant about biases was my favorite part of the video (with the Sir Gawain bit being a highlight for its inclusion!)
I think The Children of Hurin is Tolkien’s Oedipus Rex.
Honestly, a great point. It very closely follows the form of a classical tragedy.
@@Jess_of_the_Shire It also draws heavily from the Kalevala, specifically the legend of Kullervo (it's almost a rewriting of it but with a Christian undertone).
It's simultaneously the best book and the worst book, both reasons being the incest
@@gatergates8813 George RR Martin being a fan of Tolkien really checks out now.
I personally don’t separate the three LOTR books from each other, I think that that’s something that more people do who first became familiar with the world through the movies (I’m old). I’d have to rank The Silmarillion higher myself if I were doing the list. I agree that it reads more like a history book than his other two biggest works but I read a lot of history books so I have a definite taste for them. While both The Hobbit and LOTR have a greater feeling of intimacy and immediacy to them the Silmarillion gives me a greater sense of majesty and antiquity. When I re-read the books as I do every few years I always start with The Hobbit, progress through LOTR (including the appendices) and inevitably go to The Silmarillion.
Exactly. It's kind of odd to me to separate Lord of The Rings, because it is one story. That's why it is not understandable to put Fellow in A, but Return in S
I wish your laptop a speedy recovery! 💐
When I was reading the Silmarillion, I felt like I was reading a bible for Middle Earth. I've gotta say, it's the only book I've read like it.
It's exactly that.
"Leaf by Niggle" (which I have not read) makes me think of "Before the Law" by Franz Kafka. In that story, a man sits before a gate all his life, hoping it will open. When he is aged and about to die, he asks the guardian if someone else will be able to open this door at later time. And the answer is no, this door was here for him alone.
Most people read this with a pessimistic framing, but I do not. What the story tells me is that there is a door for each of us, something only we of all people can achieve, and we should not just sit there, we should work on opening this gate. And this seems to be what happens in Leaf by Niggle, with less room for putting a negative spin on it.
I love Smith of Wotton Major and rate that A.
I have a Swedish edition of The Hobbit (Bilbo is the Swedish title) with illustrations by Tove Jansson, of Mumin fame. Cute, but some are also quite scary for a children's book. Look them up if you can. I do love the Mirkwood elves with horns!
www.google.com/search?q=bilbo+illustrations+by+tove+jansson&rlz=1C1CHBD_svSE1041SE1041&oq=bilbo+illustrations+by+tove+jansson&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRifBTIHCAMQIRifBdIBCDc2MjlqMGo5qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
I admire your passion and beautiful passionate narration miss Jess. God bless you and your work miss. respect from Croatia ❤❤❤
"I cry at a lot of things." Me too, Jess. Me too.
"Leaf by Niggle" is Tolkien's greatest work. Anyone with any creative impulse will identify with the theme. It is a great work.
Haven't seen Dillon in a bit, glad to hear about him, he seems nice and just the right sort of quirky that I can support.
My top tiers (ranked internally):
S: Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, The Children of Hurin
A: The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun, The Hobbit, Leaf By Niggle, The Lay of Leithian
B: Farmer Giles of Ham, The Homecoming of Beortnoth Beorthelm's Son, On Fairy-Stories
Simply You're Ranking and leave it at that. I enjoyed it and it was not confused at all. I had not heard of the Bliss book and will look for it.
Mr. Bliss is so fun!
Have to commend you, Return of the King is so good. Aragorn superseding Gandalf as Middle Earth’s protector is such a delicate but empowering storyline, and witnessing the fellowship’s interpretation of Aragorns subtle but humble sense of power grow into a “Servant Leader” after the Battle of Pelennor Fields (my favorite of all battles) gives the reader such a sense of the delicate power balance that follows the succession of a King’s departure (Or steward, Denethor). I for one cannot think of a more deserving King than Aragorn in that moment. So powerful
1. Leaf By Niggle is an allegory (Gasp!). The workhouse is Purgatory. The final place where Niggle and his neighbor can become whole is Heaven. You have to understand Catholic theology to understand the story.
2. The Lord of the Rings is ONE NOVEL! It was written as one novel.
3. I believe the The Silmarillion should be S tier.
Great video. My dad gave me Tolkien's translation of Beowulf for Christmas. I found a great gem at the end of the book, a poem/song of a shortened version of the Beowulf story written by Tolkien that he sung to his children. I just wish I knew the tune that he used when he would sing it.
27:38 speaking of the Bible, I found out recently that Tolkien also assisted in translating some of the books in the Jerusalem Bible (a Catholic Bible), chiefly the book of Jonah...
So glad you put the Hobbit in S tier :) It was my introduction to Tolkien and holds a very special place in my heart. And is just a very enjoyable and well-written story!
I still remember reading the hungarian translation of Farmer Giles of Ham. I really loved this fella when I was a kid. Also, Tom Bombadill rules. Thank you for bringing up these memories in me.
After you talking about Niggle, I have to wonder how long this took to edit? As one of the original hippies that first read TLOR , I was so very excited when the Silmarrilion came out and I was not disappointed. And you are right about that first chapter, absolutley beautiful! don't worry about how you rated them, everyone will have their own rating but I just rate them ...to misquote Howard Carter, "wonderful things!"
Children of Hurin sounds like Tolkien's version of Oedipus Rex.
I'd unashamedly have a more top heavy ranking with all three Lord of the Rings book in S tier; they are after all, why there is a Tolkien fandom to begin with. I'd also put Smith of Wooton Major higher, in the A tier, as I think it's such a good story, and deserves to be read alongside his On Fairy Stories essay. I see where you've coming from with The Silmarillion, but for the creation stories alone, I'd put it into B. Also I'd include Unifinished Tales in the ranking, placed alongside The Silmarillion.
And I agree about Tolkien's letters, and just wish someone would publish a comprehensive version, as has been done for his friend C S Lewis, and many other literary characters.
I waited sixty years to make my old school friend and Tolkien fan laugh. Got him today with some littile inspiration from you. Was it worth it. Absolutely yes. Madam you have my thanks. Got him. You have made an old hobbit very happy. Got him.
Leaf By Niggle is S Tier. The ''It's a gift'' line is a gift itself.
The Silmarillion a C? You are playing with fire here.
It's not even a C. Poorly written. It's only seen as great because of the backstory it provides which informs the actual good books.
@@docsavage8640 You're pretty much alone on that one.
Nah, L take on your part
Many of his dark and tragic works are like a classic Greek tragedy as told through the lens of Middle Earth. Difficult to read through because of all the emotional angst it provokes. That is what makes Tolkien such a profound and talented writer.
You are so easy to listen to, and I enjoy your presentations. Thank you, and I wish you well!
My daughter entered into a marriage that is very Tolkien-esque. I gave her a very nice copy of Beren and Luthien as a wedding gift. I'm not sure she fully understood many of the nuances of what I was trying to say.
Smith of Wootan Major is a favorite, and I had a different interpretation. Smith was chosen to be an explorer, like a Shaman or an inventor, on a heroic mission to bring back knowledge from places unknown. Eventually he aged out, had to retire from that for teaching; to be Gandalf for a new explorer.
I totally understand all of your rankings and enjoyed the video greatly. It can be tough to put yourself 'out there' and rank things, so thanks for this!
Good job! Thanks for taking the time to go through it all.
The professor is worthy of the title.
Great video!!!
After reading the books I realised Fellowship was my favoruite, for me it was the perfect introduction. Before I thought it was boring
At 60, I have read the trilogy and Hobbit and a few others many many times yearly. I've never been able to get through the Silmarillion, sadly enough. Mayhaps I'll try again before I die. Retired, I have the time. Cheers, beautiful Jess!
There can only be one book to rule them all.
Regarding the pages it's also the one to in the darkness bind them.
Teehee😄
Than you for this video! I recently purchased the Easton Press collection of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion. I finished The Hobbit and I will break out Fellowship of the Ring tonight and get started because of your video.
Thanks for another great video Jess! I watch your videos while i do cleaning
"Laptop broken, doing on paper" ... LOVE YOU already!
The Two Towers is my favorite part probably, because of the interaction of Frodo, Sam, and Gollum.
I know you said you weren't gonna include everything, but I was hoping to see The Fall of Númenor & The Fall of Gondolin for your thoughts, just because I've been curious about them
Thank you Jess, you must made my weekend much better!❤
I'm so glad the algorithm sent me to your channel.😊 I'm a little sad it was so late in the evening because I can't stop watching your Tolkien content. 😂
“It sold very well” understatement of the day
I enjoy your hard work. I follow you and two other lads who indefatigabley talk about miniature wargaming. It is a joy and hardly won. Thank you.
Thank you Jess! I love these videos.
I think you did a masterful job. You brought out some works I was unaware of. Mission accomplished ;)
The Hobbit is essential---but it's also very much a children's book that I have thought to crack in ~3 decades for only two reasons:
- to refresh my memory of the spider song
- to confirm the meaning of "tosspot" when I learned of the "professor" who goes by that name.
So much fun to watch! The struggle was real. heh. I particularly enjoyed when you exclaimed a little. Too cute. :)
A very good, thorough, and honest effort at a very dificult task. I see it as ranking from "most favorite" to "just a little less favorite." For tiers, I'd go Smeagol, Aragorn, Boromir, Celeborn, Denethor, Elrond, and Faramir. All great characters, but some are more favorite than others. Edit - or maybe Farmer Maggot, since I think Faramir deserves a higher spot.
ROVERANDOM was actually a story he made up for his little brother after he lost his toy dog at the beach, and he would eventually write it after retelling the story to his own kids.
OMG yes I read his Father Christmas letters when I was a kid and they were magical!
favorite line: "I am really fun at stories." ... its the dead pan delivery that kills it. :D
I love your channel and find it easy to watch you talk about LotR for some reason....
F-Tier certainly is "Fool of a Book!"
Good summary of Tolkien's works. And good effort by Jess, under rather unusual circumstances. I've read some of these works, but only LOTR and the Hobbit stand out in my mind. I've got Beowulf in my queue to read, one of these days.
I’m shocked, cuz most people’s favorite tends to be the first two books, as in the fellowship. For my part I’ll always love his light, humorous writing in the first chapter.
So, I almost stopped watching when I saw how you ranked Father Christmas , but I’m glad that I pushed through!
I definitely agree with your rating of the Lord of the Rings. The eucatastrophic endings are so cathartic, even when I just sit and remember them. Although I agree that the Silmarillion is a more difficult read than some of his other works, I think I would’ve rated it as B tier because when it’s good, it is GOOD 😊 great vid, as always!
Have you ever read his translation of Beowulf? It is my favorite version and he made a shorter poem version and short song for his kids.
Excellent. Rankings are of course subjective, but I appreciate your thoughts.
Can't wait for you to dive into Ursula K. LeGuin.
Cool cup, I'm envious.
What!!! The Silmarillion is my favorite! Probably in part for why she gave it a "C", I love the history. I got a History degree for a reason.
I like hearing your personal opinions on the books. I'm engaging!
Treebeard and Quickbeam being my two favorite characters, I have to put Two Towers above Return of the King. Also, it is in Return that the die is finally cast for ents, elves, dwarves, hobbits, and wizards to fade from the realm, leaving humans in charge. It's hard to imagine a more terrible idea than that.
I just found your channel, I adore your enthusiasm, I’m motivated to try and tackle lord of the rings one more time. (I’ve tried a few times, it’s dense I mean you know) but I had no idea he had some of these books, the letters from Father Christmas sounds lovely.
Was about to hit "unsubscribe" when you put the Silmarillion in C-tier, but when you put The Hobbit in S-tier, all was forgiven.
15:36....youmean I'm supposed to take off the plastic wrap off my fridge??? 😉
Just to take the three I read 45 to 40 years ago, that is The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion. I'm not going to attempt to rank them, rather I'll say what they are to me. Hobbit was where I started, and it's the best place to start on Middle earth. It led directly to LOR, which is hands down the most rounded entertaining tale where you know there is more behind the scenes, but there is an ending(s). Then there's Silmarillion, which was my first failed attempt, I was probably 11 at my first try. Possibly i managed to read it throug when I was 15, but it is the one I've read the most times after. And the one I don't read end to end, and it is the one I'll never be done with.
I am going to try some of these that you brought to my attention. I loved Farmer Giles and the Smith (and of course LOTR and the Hobbit). I have tried the Children of Hurin twice, and man, I just couldn't hang. It was like if a crappy midwestern winter day was a book, full of greyness, snirt and the death of hope.
I just started the legendarium a few years ago. Never knew he wrote all these other stories. Good to know. Just read Beren and Luthien for February. Just finished Children and Hurien. Currently reading Fall of Gondolin. Hope to tackle Silmarillion some day. Return of the King was also my favorite but may change when i do a reread.
Would you consider doing a video on the Dagor Dagoroth? I'm honestly super inspired by the idea...this would never happen, but a movie about Tolkien's end of the world would be fantastic.
Thanks for giving this a try!