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The Silmarillion tells of the Elder Days, of the First Age of Tolkien's World, when Morgoth, the first Dark Lord, dwelt in Middle Earth, and the High Elves made war upon them for the recovery of the Silmarils, the jewels containing the pure light of Valinor.  It is to this ancient drama that the characters in The Lord of the Rings so often look back to.

Before the world began, the startling beauty of the Holy Ones awakened into song.  The sound, like countless choirs, became an ever-changing melody.  It was the music of the Ainur that set the world spinning within the endless habitation of space.  Music filled the earth with air and fire and water; stone and silver and gold; vast halls and spaces.  And Music it was that caused the Children of Invatar, Men and Elves, to be born.

Of the Elven races, it was the Noldor, the most skilled of Elves in Earthlore, who first achieved the power of making gems.  And it was the great Elf FÙanor who made the Silmarils, the fairest of all gems, long since lost.  Kept within the Silmarils was the glory of the light of the Two Trees of Valinor, long after the Trees themselves were poisoned by the greed of the first Dark Lord Morgoth.  These three great living jewels were hallowed so no mortal flesh nor anything evil may touch them.  But deep within His fortress underground, the Dark Lord lusted after them.  The peaceful days of Valinor were numbered, and despite the revolt of the Elves, the Dark Lord triumphed.  As was His wish, Elves and Men became estranged.  Those of the Elven race waned and faded and men usurped the sunlight....

The Silmarillion, considered to be Tolkien's most important work, is the story of the creation of the world and the happenings of the First Age, clearly setting the stage for all his other works. With a superb performance by Martin Shaw, this first installment of three volumes will thrill and delight Tolkien fans of all ages, and listeners will treasure this extraordinary presentation for years to come.

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