• CaptainBlagbird
    link
    31
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    Not in my experience. 100% of people I know that have it, also have read it. We buy that because we’re Tolkien nerds. People who don’t want to read it don’t buy it. Also it’s not at all like yellow pages for looking stuff up, it’s more like the Bible I guess, a collection of mythological tales of old.

    I guess there are some people that have inherited it, or just bought it for collecting, but I don’t think this is the main case.

    It might be different for The History of Middle Earth, it’s huge and requires a lot of time, and it’s more yellow pagey as far as I understand. I have them but have not read much of it yet. (Maybe you meant these?)

    • Sylveon
      link
      fedilink
      91 year ago

      I rarely check people’s bookshelves but my experience has also been that people either don’t even know what it’s really about or they absolutely love it.

      But I guess it’s possible that some people buy it after reading LotR expecting more of the same and then give up after reading the first few pages of the Ainulindalë.

    • @Zahille7
      link
      71 year ago

      I sought that shit out and read every word. I gobbled that shit up. “The Middle Earth Bible” is 100% an accurate description of it.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      3
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      There is not much statistical evidence for my statement. Mostly from the people I know (though one actually read it, she is a true nerd) and myself (tried it but am probably not as much a middle earth fan as I thought)

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      English
      21 year ago

      As someone who has read the Silmarillion several times, any attempt at reading The History of Middle Earth peters out quite quickly.

      • CaptainBlagbird
        link
        2
        edit-2
        1 year ago

        That’s exactly my experience. It doesn’t help that I have the 12-in-3 book boxed edition that has almost see through thin pages… 😅

        The Silmarillion I have also read multiple times though, both in English and German.