I have read it 3-4 times and actually my mate Davethecop and I listened to the audiobook while we did our Texas roadtrip.

It's TRUE high fantasy, on the same plateau as the sagas & myths of old (The intimate study of which Tolkien based much of this milieu upon! )

In direct contrast is the homeliness and identifiable traits of the hobbits and dwarves of his more celebrated works. Ones that an audience can readily identify with.

The characters of the Silmarillion bestride the stage like unto gods (and some actually ARE) Whereas Bilbo, Frodo etc are much like us and as a Literary device the latter is much more successful.

He uses the hobbits in the same way in both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. They are, above all, ordinary. They are not kings or wizards or mighty warriors. They are gardeners and poachers (and fools), the perfect point of access to this world.

with your permission lleimmoen i shall post another as i am fairly confident i got the answer correct

what date did Balin die? (date and month is fine i.e. 1st Jan.)

10 November , TA 2994 , according to the Book of Mazarbul

with your permission lleimmoen i shall post another as i am fairly confident i got the answer correct

what date did Balin die? (date and month is fine i.e. 1st Jan.)

'...... Yes, it must be yestre followed by day being the tenth of novembre Balin lord of Moria fell in dimril Dale. He went alone to look in Mirror mere.......'

10th of November, TA 2994

Edit: aww I type too slow.

well done nickpes, hard luck ellareth

A rather easy one I think ... who were Dior Eluchils parents ?

PS: Off to bed, if the answer is aknowendged as correct plz continue

Dior is the son of Beren and Luthien. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure that's right.

Here's my question: How many Valar are there total (counting Melkor), and who is their chief?

Also to go along with that: Which of the Valier dwells with the chief of the Valar?

14 (7 male and 7 female), the chief among the Valar is Manwe and his wife is Varda (aka. Elbereth Gilthoniel).

Or 15, if you count Melkor.

Right! Your turn.

Q: To whom do the elves refer to as the Eldest, and what name did they give him/her?

Tom Bombadil. The elves call him Iarwain Ben-adar. The interwebs call him The Witch King.

Nope. Just to clarify, Galadriel herself refers to this being as "Eldest".

Is it Treebeard, aka Fangorn?

Yes indeed. Your turn, Whitman.

Where did Thorin bump into Gandalf prior to inviting him to the Blue Mountains to discuss the Smaug venture?

Bree.

Though I think there may be an alternative version, in which they meet at the crossroad instead of the Prancing Pony? Still I think Bree applies.

If I'm right, I post this (otherwise disregard), it has multiple answers: Who is the Elf that helps Túrin on his way to Nargothrond? Where does the Elf escape from prior to meeting Túrin? And what tool helps him achieve that?

Correct, Ana!

Who is the Elf that helps Túrin on his way to Nargothrond? Where does the Elf escape from prior to meeting Túrin? And what tool helps him achieve that?

Phew! This was a hard one. I think the elf was Gwindor, son of Guilin, who escaped from Angband using a Feanorian Lamp.

All correct. Excellent.

All right! Which members of the Fellowship travelled to the Undying Lands?

All right! Which members of the Fellowship travelled to the Undying Lands?

Frodo, Gandalf, Legolas, Gimli?

(Going off memory, not sure)

Not quite!

and bilbo