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**Before the Fellowship: Fans Read and React to the Silmarillion by JRR Tolkien Every Week**

Three friends read and react to the greatest story you’ve never heard — the Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien. This is a book everyone should read, but it can be intimidating. Go on a journey with us: witness the creation of Tolkien’s universe, meet the villain who’s bigger and badder than Sauron, and hear a love story that will leave you in tears. We are not experts, we’re just fans like you. And we’re having a blast going through this masterpiece of fiction, 15 minutes at a time. Grab a cup of tea or your favorite scotch (or your steering wheel!) and join us each week!

Latest Episodes:

Melkor Breeds Orcs and the Valar Attack (pages 49-53) — Episode 11 Nov 02, 2022

Show notes

Melkor commits the most hateful thing to Iluvitar, the creation of the orcs. The Valar decide to make war upon him. He is captured and tried in the Ring of Doom.

Three friends read and react to the greatest story you've never heard — the Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien.

00:30 Cameron reads pages 49-53 from the Silmarillion, 2nd Edition

13:16 Discussion

"Manwë sat long in thought upon Taniquetil, and he sought the counsel of Ilúvatar. And coming then down to Valmar he summoned the Valar to the Ring of Doom, and thither came even Ulmo from the Outer Sea."

Send feedback to beforethefellowship@gmail.com

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The Rings of Power comes to Amazon, but nothing compares to the real story JRR Tolkien wrote. Is the Silmarillion his masterpiece? The Silmarillion is a book everyone should read, but it can be intimidating. Go on a journey with us.

Witness the creation of Tolkien's universe, meet the villain that's bigger and badder than Sauron, and hear a love story that will leave you in tears. We are not experts, we're just fans like you. And we're having a blast going through this masterpiece of fiction, 15 minutes at a time. Grad a cup of tea or your favorite scotch (or your steering wheel!) and join us every week!

Melkor Makes Monsters and a Fortress (pages 47-49) — Episode 10 Oct 26, 2022

Show notes

Melkor (Morgoth) delves a fortress called Angband and makes some Balrogs. The Valar hold counsel. Should they intervene or wait for him to reveal himself?

Three friends read and react to the greatest story you've never heard — the Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien.

00:30 Greg reads pages 47-49 from the Silmarillion, 2nd Edition

09:35 Discussion

"Yavanna spoke before the Valar, saying: 'Ye mighty of Arda, the Vision of Ilúvatar was brief and soon taken away, so that maybe we cannot guess within a narrow count of days the hour appointed. Yet be sure of this: the hour approaches, and within this age our hope shall be revealed, and the Children shall awake. Shall we then leave the lands of their dwelling desolate and full of evil? Shall they walk in darkness while we have light? Shall they call Melkor lord while Manwë sits upon Taniquetil?"

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Season 2 is COMING! Send Your Feedback and We'll Send You the 4th Silmaril(?) Oct 25, 2022

Show notes

Do you like one reader over another? Should Greg wear a tie? Should Cameron become British? Should Dan join Morgoth's boy band? What feedback do you have? We want it all. Send it in and you might be featured on the show! Let us know what you like and we'll keep doing it.

Send in any feedback to beforethefellowship@gmail.com

*there is no fourth Silmaril

Aulë makes the Dwarves, but his wife (and Iluvitar) are not happy about it! (pages 43-46) — Episode 9 Oct 19, 2022

Show notes

Aulë creates the dwarves in secret, so Iluvatar rebukes him. Now what will happen to the Dwarves?

Three friends read and react to the greatest story you've never heard — the Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien.

00:38 Dan reads pages 43-46 from the Silmarillion, 2nd Edition

15:36 Discussion

"For it is said that after the departure of the Valar there was silence, and for an age Ilúvatar sat alone in thought. Then he spoke and said: 'Behold I love the Earth, which shall be a mansion for the Quendi and the Atani! But the Quendi shall be the fairest of all earthly creatures, and they shall have and shall conceive and bring forth more beauty than all my Children; and they shall have the greater bliss in this world. But to the Atani I will give a new gift."

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The End of the Beginning. Death is the GIFT of Iluvitar?! (pages 40-42) — Episode 8 Oct 12, 2022

Show notes

The stage is set. The Children of Iluvatar come on to the scene. Elves are made more in the likeness of the Ainur, and their lives are tied to the Earth. Men have been given strange gifts, such as mortality and the power to shape their lives beyond the Music of the Ainur.

Three friends read and react to the greatest story you've never heard — the Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien.

00:13 Cameron reads pages 40-42 from the Silmarillion, 2nd Edition

10:04 Discussion

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The Two Trees, the Source of the Silmarills (pages 37-40) — Episode 7 Oct 05, 2022

Show notes

The Valar mourn after the marring of Arda. Yavanna makes the most renowned creation in all of the world: the Two Trees of Valinor. (Also, do you think Morgoth is in a punk band?)

Three friends read and react to the greatest story you've never heard — the Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien.

00:13 Greg reads pages 37-40 from the Silmarillion, 2nd Edition

08:57 Discussion

"And as they watched, upon the mound there came forth two slender shoots; and silence was over all the world in that hour, nor was there any other sound save the chanting of Yavanna. Under her song the saplings grew and became fair and tall, and came to flower; and thus there awoke in the world the Two Trees of Valinor. Of all things which Yavanna made they have most renown, and about their fate all the tales of the Elder Days are woven."

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The Valar Rest but Melkor Strikes! (pages 35-37) — Episode 6 Sep 28, 2022

Show notes

Behind the walls of Almaren, the Valar rest in contentment, but evil never sleeps. Melkor attacks and forever changes the world of Arda. We share the meaning of our names. (Everyone knows which one is the coolest.)

Three friends read and react to the greatest story you've never heard — the Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien.

00:30 Dan reads pages 35-37 from the Silmarillion, 2nd Edition

10:59 Discussion

"Now Melkor began the delving and building of a vast fortress, deep under Earth, beneath dark mountains where the beams of Illuin were cold and dim. That stronghold was named Utumno. And though the Valar knew naught of it as yet, nonetheless the evil of Melkor and the blight of his hatred flowed out thence, and the Spring of Arda was marred."

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Gandalf's Origin Story and Melkor's Descent (pages 30-32) — Episode 5 Sep 21, 2022

Show notes

Today, we hear about the Maiar coming to Arda (including a familiar grey wizard) and Melkor descends into deep darkness.

Three friends read and react to the greatest story you've never heard — the Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien.

00:28 Cameron reads pages 30-32 from the Silmarillion, 2nd Edition

08:25 Discussion

"Wisest of the Maiar was Olórin. He too dwelt in Lórien, but his ways took him often to the house of Nienna, and of her he learned pity and patience.

Of Melian much is told in the Quenta Silmarillion. But of Olórin that tale does not speak; for though he loved the Elves, he walked among them unseen, or in form as one of them, and they did not know whence came the fair visions or the promptings of wisdom that he put into their hearts. In later days he was the friend of all the Children of Ilúvatar, and took pity on their sorrows; and those who listened to him awoke from despair and put away the imaginations of darkness."

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Lords and Queens Take Shape (pages 27-29) — Episode 4 Sep 14, 2022

Show notes

Today, we hear about the rest of the Lords and Queens of Middle Earth. We pick our favorites!

Three friends read and react to the greatest story you've never heard — the Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien.

00:13 Greg reads pages 27-29 from the Silmarillion, 2nd Edition
08:15 Discussion
"Among them Nine were of chief power and reverence; but one is removed from their number, and Eight remain, the Aratar, the High Ones of Arda: Manwë and Varda, Ulmo, Yavanna and Aulë, Mandos, Nienna, and Oromë."

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Meet the Mighty Lords and Queens! (pages 25-27) — Episode 3 Sep 07, 2022

Show notes

Today we meet the first of the Valar (Lords) and Valier (Queens) of Arda. Aulë fights Melkor.

Three friends read and react to the greatest story you've never heard — the Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien.

00:17 Dan reads pages 25-27 from the Silmarillion, 2nd Edition
10:10 Discussion

WATCH this Episode on YouTube

Ever wondered if Tolkien wrote anything that matched the Lord of the Rings? Well he did! Kind of. The Rings of Power comes to Amazon, but nothing compares to the real story JRR Tolkien wrote. Is the Silmarillion his masterpiece? The 'Before the Fellowship' Podcast gets right into the story. So grab your cup of tea or favorite scotch (or your steering wheel!) and join us each week as we read and react to the Silmarillion by JRR Tolkien.

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Before the Fellowship: Fans Read and React to the Silmarillion by JRR Tolkien Every Week

Aulë creates the dwarves in secret, so Iluvatar rebukes him. Now what will happen to the Dwarves?

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