I first read The Silmarillion when I was 12. For someone who has been a Tolkien fan for almost his entire life, The Silmarillion is not simply a good book. It is required reading. Admittedly more difficult to follow than The Lord of the Rings; yet it, in many ways, more completely fulfills the depth of culture and history that Tolkien has always tried to bestow. The Silmarillion coves the long history of the Elves and the first age of Middle-Earth. It is the Bible of Middle-Earth. It’s as glorious as it is heartbreaking. It is easily one of the most “unique” books I have ever read, combining fantasy with history; biography with myth.
If you are a fan of Tolkien’s world, and not simply a fan of the movies, then I strongly recommend reading this book. It will leave you in awe of the “completeness” of the world that Tolkien created. Its one of my most prized books.