Quote:
Originally Posted by curtw
[...] Heinlein's Number of the Beast did the same.
Don't even get me started on The Silmarillion.
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Yes,
Number of the Beast is probably one of my most memorable DNFs. 30 pages of Heinlein at his best follow by far too many pages of Heinlein at his worst. I still sometimes wonder if there were any more good pages buried in there somewhere, but haven't been tempted to try again.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JSWolf
I read that. It turned out to be really boring. It felt like I was reading a text book.
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I read
The Silmarillion when I was still in my finish-what-I-start phase*, which corresponded with my only-read-once phase, both now in the past. I have been happily re-reading favourite books for many years, but I still struggle to put away books I am not enjoying.
But JSWoilf, I think your comment is close to correct. The works in this book were background and study and experimentation for the author. Yes, there are a few gems in amongst the collection, but really they are suitable for only the most avid enthusiast (of which there are many) ... and film-makers, I guess: those that want to squeeze the last drop of Middle Earth out of the source material. If you were the sort of reader to read (and enjoy) the appendices that came in
The Lord of the Rings then
The Silmarillion is for you, otherwise skip it.
* I got through the Bible in the same way, which - as Karellen observed - The Silmarillion bears some similarity to. I remember thinking that at the time.