The Silmarillion
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Narrated by:
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Martin Shaw
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By:
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J. R. R. Tolkien
About this listen
The complete unabridged audiobook of J.R.R Tolkien's The Silmarillion.
The Silmarillion is an account of the Elder Days, of the First Age of Tolkien’s world. It is the ancient drama to which the characters in The Lord of the Rings look back, and in whose events some of them such as Elrond and Galadriel took part. 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 in the book are several shorter works. 'The Ainulindale' is a myth of the Creation and in the Valaquenta the nature and powers of each of the gods is described. 'The Akallabeth' 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.
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Jason and the Golden Fleece is one of the finest tales of Ancient Greece, an epic journey of adventure and trial standing beside similar stories of Perseus, Theseus and the Labours of Heracles. The finest classic account comes from Apollonius of Rhodes, the Greek poet of the 3rd century BCE and librarian at Alexandria. Though less well-known than Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, and much shorter, it is an epic poem which is both exciting and moving, with remarkably vivid portraits of the main characters, Jason and Medea.
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Varied but unemotional
- By Tad Davis on 04-25-19
By: Apollonius of Rhodes, and others
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Medea
- By: Euripides
- Narrated by: Jonathan Waters
- Length: 1 hr and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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Medea is an ancient Greek tragedy written by Euripides, based upon the myth of Jason and Medea and first produced in 431 BC. The plot centers on the actions of Medea, a former princess of the "barbarian" kingdom of Colchis, and the wife of Jason; she finds her position in the Greek world threatened as Jason leaves her for a Greek princess of Corinth. Medea takes vengeance on Jason by murdering Jason's new wife as well as her own children, after which she escapes to Athens to start a new life.
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Great Narrator makes this story work
- By cosmitron on 08-02-18
By: Euripides
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The Aeneid
- By: Virgil
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 15 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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The Aeneid represents one of the greatest cultural and artistic achievements of Western Civilization. Within the brooding and melancholy atmosphere of Virgil's pious masterpiece lies the mythic story of Aeneas and his flight from burning Troy, taking with him across the Mediterranean the survivors of the Greek onslaught. Aeneas, after many travails and adventures, including a love affair with Dido Queen of Carthage and a visit to the underworld to see his father, ends up in Italy.
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An epic in every sense of the word
- By James on 01-06-05
By: Virgil
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The Silmarillion
- By: J. R. R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien
- Narrated by: Andy Serkis
- Length: 19 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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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.
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TIPS when reading this book:
- By Anonymous User on 06-29-23
By: J. R. R. Tolkien, and others
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She And Allan
- By: H. Rider Haggard
- Narrated by: Barnaby Edwards
- Length: 15 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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She and Allan is a novel by H. Rider Haggard, first published in 1921. It brought together his two most popular characters, Ayesha from She (to which it serves as a prequel), and Allan Quatermain from King Solomon's Mines. Its significance was recognized by its republication by the Newcastle Publishing Company as the sixth volume of the celebrated Newcastle Forgotten Fantasy Library series in September 1975.
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Best of the Trilogy
- By emett holloway barfield III on 05-26-19
By: H. Rider Haggard
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The Gods of Pegana
- By: Lord Dunsany
- Narrated by: Ritchard Milton
- Length: 1 hr and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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" The Gods of Pegana" is the first book by Lord Dunsany, published in 1905. The book is a series of short stories linked by Dunsany's invented pantheon of deities who dwell in Pegana.
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Dunsany is great. This reader/performance is...
- By Advocatus Peregrini on 06-23-18
By: Lord Dunsany
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Mythology
- By: Edith Hamilton
- Narrated by: Suzanne Toren
- Length: 14 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Since its original publication by Little, Brown and Company, in 1942, Edith Hamilton's Mythology has sold millions of copies throughout the world and established itself as a perennial best-seller in its various available formats. Mythology succeeds like no other audiobook in bringing to life for the modern listener the Greek, Roman, and Norse myths and legends that are the keystone of Western culture - the stories of gods and heroes that have inspired human creativity from antiquity to the present.
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Good reading of classical myths
- By Kathi on 03-18-13
By: Edith Hamilton
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The Story of King Arthur and His Knights
- By: Howard Pyle
- Narrated by: David Thorn
- Length: 11 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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American author Howard Pyle (who also wrote The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood) weaves the tales of chivalrous knights, the magic sword of Excalibur, the magician Merlin the Wise, and the legendary Arthur, later to become King of Britain. Pyle describes bouts of jousting and knightly jealousies played out in grand style.
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An Entertaining Account of Arthur’s Early Days
- By Jefferson on 12-03-11
By: Howard Pyle
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Faust
- By: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
- Narrated by: David McCallion
- Length: 5 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Faust by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, is a poem, translated by Bayard Taylor, which tells the beautiful and emotional story of a man who has seen and done it all. However, despite all of his learning and education, his life still feels empty and unaccomplished. He believes wholeheartedly that there is something else out there. Faust, having exhausted all other fields of study, turns to magic for fulfillment. He summons the devil and makes a pact - that if the devil can show him something rewarding and fulfilling, he will give the devil his soul.
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Misleading
- By Grant Pajak on 03-29-17
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Roman Mythology: Captivating Roman Myths of Roman Gods, Goddesses, Heroes and Mythological Creatures
- By: Matt Clayton
- Narrated by: Randy Whitlow
- Length: 3 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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If you're looking for a collection of Roman myths that speaks to all ages then keep listening....Feats of strength and skill, monsters, magic, divine interventions, and the overcoming of impossible odds by larger-than-life figures all feature in this audiobook. The Roman myths contained in this collection will be brought to life so all the details are more than merely a bunch of dry facts. Not only does this audiobook offer captivating stories for you to enjoy, but it also gives you impressive knowledge about history.
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I'm Happy With This
- By Autumn in Spring on 09-15-18
By: Matt Clayton
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Gilgamesh: The New Translation
- By: Gerald J. Davis
- Narrated by: John Hanks
- Length: 3 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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The Epic of Gilgamesh relates the tale of the fifth king of the first dynasty of Uruk (in what is modern-day Iraq), who reigned for 126 years, according to the ancient Sumerian list of kings. Gilgamesh was first inscribed in cuneiform writing on clay tablets by an unknown author during the Sumerian era and has been described as one of the greatest works of literature in the recounting of mankind's unending quest for immortality.
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Poetic translation of an epic story
- By K on 07-12-15
By: Gerald J. Davis
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The Mabinogion
- By: Charlotte Guest
- Narrated by: Richard Mitchley
- Length: 10 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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The Mabinogion, the earliest literary jewel of Wales, is a collection of ancient tales and legends compiled around the 12th and 13th century deriving from storytelling and the songs of bards handed down over the ages. It is a remarkable document in many ways. From an historical perspective, it is the earliest prose literature of Britain. But it is in its drama that many surprises await, not least the central role of King Arthur, his wife, Gwenhwyvar, and his court at Caerlleon upon Usk.
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A Wonder Whose Origin is Unknown
- By John on 07-28-17
By: Charlotte Guest
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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.
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TIPS when reading this book:
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By: J. R. R. Tolkien, and others
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The Children of Hurin
- By: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Christopher Lee
- Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins
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There are tales of Middle-earth from times long before The Lord of the Rings. The story told in this book is set in the great country that lay beyond the Grey Havens in the West: lands where Treebeard once walked, but which were drowned in the great cataclysm that ended the First Age of the World.
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Powerful and Disturbing
- By Catherine Dalzell on 12-19-09
By: J. R. R. Tolkien
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Unfinished Tales
- By: J. R. R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien - editor
- Narrated by: Timothy West, Samuel West
- Length: 21 hrs and 53 mins
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Unfinished Tales is a collection of narratives ranging in time from the Elder Days of Middle-earth to the end of the War of the Ring and provides those who have read The Lord of the Rings with a whole collection of background and new stories from the 20th century’s most acclaimed popular author.
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Great, but read all the reviews.
- By Ross on 07-09-21
By: J. R. R. Tolkien, and others
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The Fall of Númenor
- And Other Tales from the Second Age of Middle-Earth
- By: J.R.R. Tolkien, Brian Sibley - editor
- Narrated by: Samuel West, Brian Sibley
- Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
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Story
J.R.R. Tolkien famously described the Second Age of Middle-earth as a ‘dark age, and not very much of its history is (or need be) told’. And for many years readers would need to be content with the tantalizing glimpses of it found within the pages of The Lord of the Rings and its appendices, including the forging of the Rings of Power, the building of the Barad-dûr and the rise of Sauron.
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A dry compilation of old material, minus images
- By SC on 11-12-22
By: J.R.R. Tolkien, and others
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Beren and Lúthien
- By: Christopher Tolkien, J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Timothy West, Samuel West
- Length: 6 hrs and 54 mins
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Beren was a mortal man, but Lúthien was an immortal Elf. Her father, a great Elvish lord, was deeply opposed to Beren, and imposed on him an impossible task that he must perform before he might wed Lúthien. Undaunted by Lord Thingol’s challenge, Beren and Lúthien embark on the supremely heroic attempt to rob Morgoth, the greatest of all evil beings, of a Silmaril, one of the hallowed jewels that adorn the Black Enemy’s crown.
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very disappointing
- By Ms. Rhiannon on 07-02-20
By: Christopher Tolkien, and others
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The Fall of Gondolin
- By: Christopher Tolkien, J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Timothy West, Samuel West
- Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Gondolin, beautiful but undiscoverable, is central to the enmity of two of the greatest powers in the world. Morgoth of the uttermost evil seeks in vain to discover the marvellously hidden city of his Elven enemies, while the gods in Valinor refuse to support Ulmo Lord of Waters' designs to protect it. Into this world comes Tuor, cousin of Túrin, and guided unseen by Ulmo he sets out on the fearful journey to Gondolin to warn them of their coming doom.
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Feels like a research paper
- By D. Limback on 03-18-20
By: Christopher Tolkien, and others
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The Silmarillion
- By: J. R. R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien
- Narrated by: Andy Serkis
- Length: 19 hrs and 24 mins
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Overall
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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.
-
-
TIPS when reading this book:
- By Anonymous User on 06-29-23
By: J. R. R. Tolkien, and others
-
The Children of Hurin
- By: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Christopher Lee
- Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There are tales of Middle-earth from times long before The Lord of the Rings. The story told in this book is set in the great country that lay beyond the Grey Havens in the West: lands where Treebeard once walked, but which were drowned in the great cataclysm that ended the First Age of the World.
-
-
Powerful and Disturbing
- By Catherine Dalzell on 12-19-09
By: J. R. R. Tolkien
-
Unfinished Tales
- By: J. R. R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien - editor
- Narrated by: Timothy West, Samuel West
- Length: 21 hrs and 53 mins
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Overall
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Performance
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Unfinished Tales is a collection of narratives ranging in time from the Elder Days of Middle-earth to the end of the War of the Ring and provides those who have read The Lord of the Rings with a whole collection of background and new stories from the 20th century’s most acclaimed popular author.
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-
Great, but read all the reviews.
- By Ross on 07-09-21
By: J. R. R. Tolkien, and others
-
The Fall of Númenor
- And Other Tales from the Second Age of Middle-Earth
- By: J.R.R. Tolkien, Brian Sibley - editor
- Narrated by: Samuel West, Brian Sibley
- Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
J.R.R. Tolkien famously described the Second Age of Middle-earth as a ‘dark age, and not very much of its history is (or need be) told’. And for many years readers would need to be content with the tantalizing glimpses of it found within the pages of The Lord of the Rings and its appendices, including the forging of the Rings of Power, the building of the Barad-dûr and the rise of Sauron.
-
-
A dry compilation of old material, minus images
- By SC on 11-12-22
By: J.R.R. Tolkien, and others
-
Beren and Lúthien
- By: Christopher Tolkien, J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Timothy West, Samuel West
- Length: 6 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Beren was a mortal man, but Lúthien was an immortal Elf. Her father, a great Elvish lord, was deeply opposed to Beren, and imposed on him an impossible task that he must perform before he might wed Lúthien. Undaunted by Lord Thingol’s challenge, Beren and Lúthien embark on the supremely heroic attempt to rob Morgoth, the greatest of all evil beings, of a Silmaril, one of the hallowed jewels that adorn the Black Enemy’s crown.
-
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very disappointing
- By Ms. Rhiannon on 07-02-20
By: Christopher Tolkien, and others
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The Fall of Gondolin
- By: Christopher Tolkien, J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Timothy West, Samuel West
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Gondolin, beautiful but undiscoverable, is central to the enmity of two of the greatest powers in the world. Morgoth of the uttermost evil seeks in vain to discover the marvellously hidden city of his Elven enemies, while the gods in Valinor refuse to support Ulmo Lord of Waters' designs to protect it. Into this world comes Tuor, cousin of Túrin, and guided unseen by Ulmo he sets out on the fearful journey to Gondolin to warn them of their coming doom.
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Feels like a research paper
- By D. Limback on 03-18-20
By: Christopher Tolkien, and others
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Tales from the Perilous Realm
- By: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Derek Jacobi
- Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Combined into one volume, this is the definitive collection of Tolkien's five acclaimed modern classic 'fairie' tales in the vein of The Hobbit, read by Derek Jacobi. The five tales are written with the same skill, quality and charm that made The Hobbit a classic. Largely overlooked because of their short lengths, they are joined here in one volume which reaffirms Tolkien's place as a master storyteller for listeners young and old.
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Enjoyable Tolkien short stories
- By Linda Luella on 03-28-17
By: J. R. R. Tolkien
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The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
- A Full-Cast BBC Radio Dramatisation
- By: Richard O'Callaghan, J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Peter Woodthorpe, Robert Stephens, Michael Hordern, and others
- Length: 4 hrs and 35 mins
- Original Recording
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Part One, The Fellowship of the Ring, introduces us to Frodo Baggins. With his uncle Bilbo having mysteriously disappeared, Frodo finds himself in possession of a simple gold ring that has great and evil power. It is the Ruling Ring, taken long ago from the Dark Lord, Sauron, who now seeks to possess it again. Frodo must do everything he can to prevent this, and with the help of Gandalf the wizard and a band of loyal companions he begins a perilous journey across Middle-earth.
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Great dramatization, but read the book first!
- By Lene on 10-06-13
By: Richard O'Callaghan, and others
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The Hobbit (Dramatised)
- The Classic BBC Radio Production
- By: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Heron Carvic, Paul Daneman, Anthony Jackson, and others
- Length: 3 hrs and 42 mins
- Original Recording
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The radio dramatisation of The Hobbit became a classic when it was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1968 and it continues to delight today. Tolkien's famous saga, the prelude to the Lord of the Rings, has all the ingredients of fantasy and adventure: dwarves, elves, goblins and trolls, a fearsome dragon, a great wizard, a perilous quest, and a dramatic climax.
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Takes a little getting used to
- By Jan Childress on 11-17-08
By: J. R. R. Tolkien
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El Silmarillion
- By: J. R. R. Tolkien, Rubén Masera - traductor, Luis Domènech - traductor
- Narrated by: Luis Posada
- Length: 15 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Edición revisada del clásico Silmarillion del gran J. R. R. Tolkien. El Silmarillion cuenta la historia de la Primera Edad, el antiguo drama del que hablan los personajes de El Señor de los Anillos, y en cuyos acontecimientos algunos de ellos tomaron parte, como Elrond y Galadriel… Una obra de auténtica imaginación, una visión inspirada, legendaria o mítica, del interminable conflicto entre el deseo de poder y la capacidad de crear.
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Fascinante libro
- By Jesus on 10-14-24
By: J. R. R. Tolkien, and others
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The Adventures of Tom Bombadil
- By: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Sir Derek Jacobi
- Length: 1 hr and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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The Adventures of Tom Bombadil is a collection of poetry written by J. R. R. Tolkien and was first published in 1962. The audio is read by Sir Derek Jacobi and is a collection of 16 poems that contain an assortment of bestiary verse and fairy tale rhyme. It is a stunning recording that captures all the characters in their own charming and mysterious ways.
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Almost disappointing
- By Christopher on 11-19-19
By: J. R. R. Tolkien
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The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth
- By: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Christopher Tolkien
- Length: 56 mins
- Unabridged
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The Homecoming of Beorhtnoth Beorhthelm’s Son was originally published in the 1953 edition of Essays and Studies. In December of that year, J.R.R. Tolkien took possession of a reel-to-reel tape recorder and, some time during the first few months of 1954, decided to record ‘the whole thing on tape’ as a way of ‘testing’ the performative quality of the dramatic dialogue between Tídwald and Torhthelm.
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Short sweet and to the point
- By Anthony Baker on 04-04-23
By: J. R. R. Tolkien
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The Hobbit
- By: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Martin Shaw
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- Abridged
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Whisked from his comfortable hobbit-hole by Gandalf the wizard and a band of dwarves, Bilbo Baggins finds himself caught up in a plot to raid the treasure hoard of Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon.
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ONLY 5 chapters
- By Michelle S. McCreary on 04-16-18
By: J. R. R. Tolkien
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Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
- By: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Terry Jones
- Length: 4 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
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A collection of three medieval English poems, translated by Tolkien for the modern-day reader and containing romance, tragedy, love, sex and honour.
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An absolute delight!
- By Shannon Slee on 07-15-18
By: J. R. R. Tolkien
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The Chronicles of Narnia Complete Audio Collection
- By: C. S. Lewis
- Narrated by: Kenneth Branagh, Alex Jennings, Michael York, and others
- Length: 33 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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For over 60 years, readers of all ages have been enchanted by the magical realms, the epic battles between good and evil, and the unforgettable creatures of Narnia. This box set includes all seven titles in The Chronicles of Narnia - The Magician's Nephew; The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; The Horse and His Boy; Prince Caspian; The Voyage of the Dawn Treader; The Silver Chair; and The Last Battle.
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Comes without book subdivisions - chapter key below
- By Daniel on 01-07-20
By: C. S. Lewis
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Dune
- By: Frank Herbert
- Narrated by: Scott Brick, Orlagh Cassidy, Euan Morton, and others
- Length: 21 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Here is the novel that will be forever considered a triumph of the imagination. Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune is the story of the boy Paul Atreides, who would become the mysterious man known as Maud'dib. He would avenge the traitorous plot against his noble family and would bring to fruition humankind's most ancient and unattainable dream.
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This classic deserves better
- By Matthew Salvo on 07-01-21
By: Frank Herbert
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The Fellowship of the Ring (Dramatized)
- By: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: An Ensemble Cast
- Length: 3 hrs and 24 mins
- Original Recording
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In the ancient lands of Middle-earth, a place of elves and dwarves, Orcs and wizards, the darkest evil and the brightest good, a hobbit named Frodo Baggins embarks on a perilous quest: to carry the One Ring, ruler of all the Rings of Power, into the shadowy land of Mordor and destroy it in the fires where it was forged.
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The worst dramatization ever
- By Jo on 06-11-07
By: J. R. R. Tolkien
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A Rare Recording of J. R. R. Tolkien
- By: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Length: 42 mins
- Original Recording
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J. R. R. Tolkien was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor best known as the author of fantasy works like "The Hobbit" and "Lord of the Rings." Listen as Tolkien reads "The Adventures of Tom Bombadil," "The Hoard," "Perry-The-Winkle," and "The Man in the Moon Came Down Too Soon." Also included is a reading of "A Elbereth Gilthoniel" in Elvish and "The Road Goes Ever on," sung by William Elvin with music by Donald Swann.
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Not all Tolkien - wish I'd noticed that
- By Tracet on 04-21-15
By: J. R. R. Tolkien
What listeners say about The Silmarillion
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Brian
- 11-22-18
Finally!
I’ve been waiting for a good audiobook version of the Silmarillion for a while. Here it is, and it’s great! The narrator does a good job, I think. You could argue that his delivery is a tad too stentorian or declamatory, but the text is a hard one to read naturally, and this way of reading it is not inappropriate. As far as I know, he gets all the pronunciations right, which is nice. The music may not win an academy award, but it feels appropriate in tone.
The Silmarillion is not for everyone. Even people who consider themselves fans of The Lord of the Rings may find it pretty off-putting, because it’s written in an extremely “high mythic” style. But if you want to understand all the obscure references in LOTR and The Hobbit to the elder days (Gondolin, Elbereth, Eärendel, Gil-galad, etc), then this is the place to come.
There are a few small audio glitches as of this writing, although they don’t impact the overall experience significantly. I’ve notified Audible about them and they say they are looking into it. [UPDATE: The audio glitches have been fixed as of January 2019.]
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- Kyle cacurak
- 10-30-18
classic
at first this is a difficult book to grasp however, after the second or third time through it's awesome!! normally it's not available for purchase in the US and,I travel to California for work and lo and behold it was available to purchase on Audibe. that was a great day!
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32 people found this helpful
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- Soul
- 12-09-16
Pretty good
For some reason part of the audiobook is weird. in that it repeats the title of the chapter throughout the whole chapter. which is annoying. otherwise, great book!
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- Mike Sullivan
- 10-16-18
Beautiful from beginning to end
An absolute delight to hear the story told verbally truly bringing to life the beauty that is the world tolkien created.
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- KS
- 06-22-21
Things you need to know before you begin
This book is probably the best Tolkien work, but is very difficult to get into. Whether or not you will find it rewarding is totally dependent on what you wanted to get out of it - if you wanted more Lord of the Rings, this isn't it. This is an epic - more in the tradition of an old tome written by a monk in a secluded monastery. The tales are at times written in the style of the great histories written in the middle ages, spanning story arcs that last thousands of years, and involving characters that live for thousands of years. There is a brief creation section which sets the stage and the main conflict of the curse of the Sons of Feanor, and the miseries that befall the Noldor over the millennia spanning the time from when the light of the trees was stolen by Melkor until the breaking of the earth. This is a foundational work in the sense that the appendices to LOTR deliver very dense exposition that are given context only after probably three readings of the main story of LOTR - if you enjoyed those appendices, The Silmarillion will be utterly fascinating. If you found those appendices simply boring, just skip The Silmarillion - and I really am doing a favor by giving that advice. but if you are into the LORE, this book is orgasmic. Breathing life into the dynamics between the various factions of the elves, their rivalries and bitterness, their ultimate tragedies related to their own hubris and arrogance, the valor and majesty of the great houses, the interactions between the elves and the first men, and the constant struggle against the great enemy of Melkor. It reads like a combination of epic, mythology, and history; and not necessarily the most exciting ways. You will find no hobbits, no silliness, no humor, and yet knowing that with very few exceptions all of the tales covered by the book end in tragedy, bitterness, and loss. But, if you ever wanted to know why the elves were the way they were, this is the way to find out. Also I see more than a few comments regarding the narration; I really don't understand what the problem is, so it must be purely subjective - which is fine. There's no need to look down on that completely valid opinion. This is one of those books that is definitely not for everyone. For my taste, the narration is absolutely amazing there's not a lot of dialogue, and much of what is there reads like a translation of a translation; like conversation in a holy book of some time. You have to do a lot of your own work to find the value here. That's normally not good, but for this particular case and this particular author, it's a never-ending source of discovery that gets better every time you read it. Tolkien is not a good "writer." But, he is undoubtedly the grandfather of modern epic fantasy world building, and this book is 100% world building with a very solid epic; but it's not a "fantasy novel" in the respect that Lord of the Rings is a "fantasy novel." It's dark mythology, with no attempt at teaching a morality lesson, and that's exactly how it reads. This is a long, slow-building tragedy that delivers a big payoff without any traditional character development whatsoever. The characters are who they are, and they don't change. They are flawed, and they play out their tragic roles. There are no real happy endings. The world is broken, and the majesty and glory of Gondolin sinks under the sea, and the sons of Feanor lose everything because of their oath and curse; and they nearly take all of middle-earth with them. Did I mention that there is not a hobbit in sight? And if you really wanted the origin of the nature of the evil in Sauron, you will find it here, and nowhere else. It's an experience not for everyone, and I can't even say that those who will end up loving this book will feel that way until they've read it 2 or more times. So, I can't even recommend it. You may be drawn to it. . . if so, then buy it and give it a shot. You've got to get 1/2 way through these dense exposition filled pages before you will know.
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- PulvisEtCinerem
- 12-19-18
Masterful
Excellent narration! I wish Mr. Shaw had read all the other books of Tolkien’s Legendarium!
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- Catherine LW
- 01-14-19
best reading!
the voice for this audiobooj was spot on. perfect for the book. id live to hear him do the orher Tolkein bioks as well.
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- Joseph Maki
- 01-23-19
Mandatory Tolkien-Read
To the first-time reader, the first 1/3 is sort of tedious, but after you grasp the content it’s excellent to re-explore the foundation of Tolkien’s world. If you have “the illustrated atlas of middle earth” on hand by Karen Wynn Fonstad, The Silmarillion will make way more sense. This book is a must read if you liked the trilogy, the scale and skill of the story is second to none, and it makes the events of the Return of the King seem trivial while at the same time providing an excellent framework. Martin Shaw’s voice possesses a natural “epic” quality, it’s too bad that he hasn’t done the trilogy. Of all the audiobooks I’ve been through, he’s my favorite narrator. 5 stars all around, and to the folks at Audible, I request that Martin Shaw reads The Book of Unfinished Tales.
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- Deborah F.
- 04-01-19
Delightful!
I have been a long-time J.R.R. Tolkien reader and have read The Silmarillion several times. I’m 22 and in graduate school now and this was the first audiobook I have tried out. Martin Shaw is an amazing narrator and he brings even more beauty and life to this story. I highly recollection purchasing this book! I played a portion of it for my Significant Other and he thought the narrator was Sean Bean. So, if nothing else, it sounds like you are being read to by Boromir himself.
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- William Barker
- 12-27-18
This book is just of one man who has one great min
The title alone makes this book for of fantasy leads the reader in a world of Light who fights up against the Dark to rule the land.
It is one fantastic, out all the books he wrote he has a mind that goes beyond most writers, when some one reads his books he or she is sent into another world be on reality just like J.K Rowling sent us all into the world Harry Potter and she has sent into
the world of NEWT in Fantastic Beasts and were to fine them, Now we're back in The Crimes of Grindelwald
All these writer like C. Dickens, E.A Poe, etc
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