Introduction: Reading the Sil for the First Time

[Bombadillo]

As you probably noticed, I don’t make any posts in the Silmarillion forum. Right, because I never read the book. Just like countless other people, even other Tolkien fanatics, I’ve picked it up time and time again, but never got far past Valaquenta. It’s been lying patiently at my desk for over a year, but when I touch it, it’s always so confusing, so historical, and so in-depth that it blows my mind to nervous little pieces.

I’m finally changing that. I’ve decided to keep a reading journal this time, to express all of my thoughts and feelings on the story. I’m starting this week with a really old copy of the book. After each reading session, I’ll post my reaction in a new thread on Entmoot. You guys can take it from there, comparing my thoughts to yours (if you remember what you had been thinking), guessing how I’ll be surprised, making fun of my naivety , sympathizing with me, reliving the scenes, rereading it with me, whatever, SPOILERS ALLOWED. I will avoid your posts until I’m finally done, so don’t hold back any discussion.

I want to point out the reasons I made this decision.

• for Entmoot. I was inspired by this old thread. Everybody seemed to like that idea a bit, and I thought it was the coolest idea ever. Why didn’t I think of that? Then I could look back and… but I didn’t expect LotR to be so good. I hope you all enjoy this to the fullest extent.
• This guarantees fun for everyone. Like the other projects, it will stay up and available for comments once I've moved on in my reading. Then I can retrace my own thought processes. I'm going to love it!
• Everybody says it rocks. I expect it to rock.
• to help me actually understand it. English Teachers always blab about what a benefit this could be. I know they're right. In writing about a passage, I am more likely to comprehend it.
• for motivation. Now I'll read it, okay? I promised you guys, so here goes.

The one thing I can’t do by myself is a schedule. Since these entries are for you to read, what is most convenient? The LotR Discussion Project has two weeks between each few chapters, so would a weekly piece be too often?
Your input needed. DISCUSS! Who else is looking forward to it?