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The Silmarillion cover art

The Silmarillion

Written by: J. R. R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien
Narrated by: Andy Serkis
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Publisher's Summary

The forerunner to The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion tells the earlier history of Middle-earth, recounting the events of the First and Second Ages, and introducing some of the key characters, such as Galadriel, Elrond, Elendil and the Dark Lord, Sauron.

The tales of The Silmarillion are set in an age when Morgoth, the first Dark Lord, dwelt in Middle-earth, and the High Elves made war upon him for the recovery of the Silmarils, the jewels containing the pure light of Valinor.

Included on the recording are several shorter works. The Ainulindalë is a myth of the Creation and in the Valaquenta the nature and powers of each of the gods is described. The Akallabêth recounts the downfall of the great island kingdom of Númenor at the end of the Second Age, and Of the Rings of Power tells of the great events at the end of the Third Age, as narrated in The Lord of the Rings.

This brand-new unabridged recording is read by the acclaimed actor, director and author, Andy Serkis.

©1977 The Tolkien Estate Limited and C.R. Tolkien (P)2023 HarperCollins Publishers

What the critics say

‘How, given little over half a century of work, did one man become the creative equivalent of a people?’ The Guardian

‘Demanding to be compared with English mythologies… at times rises to the greatness of true myth’ Financial Times

‘A creation of singular beauty… magnificent in its best moments’ Washington Post

What listeners say about The Silmarillion

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Excellent Listen!

Fantastic work by Andy Serkis reading this epic story!

10/10 would recommend to any Tolkien fan.

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Great

I got audible just for the Silmarillion (and the hobbit) read by Andy Serkis, was not disappointed.

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Mesmerizing

A fantastic reading-passionate and compelling. Serkis really brings these stories to life. Hearing them read aloud I was struck how beautiful is Tolkien's prose. The formal and rich tone is perfectly matched by Serkis' deep voice and clear articulation. A sublime experience listening to these fantastic and tragic tales.

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Wonderful listen, but better enjoyed as a book

I very much enjoyed listening to Andy's performance of Tolkien's masterpiece. However, given the depth of world building and breadth of characters, the Silmarillion would be better enjoyed as a book, especially if this is your first time going through it.

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Andy Serkis is a god of voices, and tone. He has a passion for Tolkien and you can tell in the narration of every book.

He has a passion for Tolkien and you can tell in the narration of every book.

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Love both versions!

Loved this version of Andy Serkis. Something new to my ears. Crisp and clear narration. Would be awesome if he can also do all of the other Tolkien books.

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  • 2023-11-08

Andy Serkis makes this an easy listen

I had tried to read the physical copy a couple of times before, but it’s so easy to get lost in all the names thrown at you. After listening to Andy Serkis read the LotR books, I figured I’d give this a shot too, and I’m so glad I did. I thought I know the lore pretty well, but there were so many stories with which I wasn’t familiar. Solidified LotR for me as the best fictional universe to get immersed in, and will come back to listen to these books many more times.

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Superb Listen

Andy Serkis was amazing; His pronunciation and passion are stellar. I could never read through a book this size with the number of characters you're introduced to, plus the older-english verbiage. He brings the text to life. Enjoyable listen from start to finish. If you're a middle-earth fan and love the history/world-building, this is lore on lore on lore. Highly recommend.

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Love the narration

My first time reading/ listening to The Silmarillion. Yes theres a lot of characters and confusing names but I still followed and understood the majority of the story. I will listen again. Dont put pressure on yourself to follow perfectly, just sit back and enjoy.

The performance is brilliant

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Absolutely breathtaking in all categories

Andy Serkis brings the lore of middle earth to life like nothing I’ve ever heard before. The book is a masterpiece, and the storytelling by Serkis is perfect for it.

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