The entire book is like an epic volume of historical fiction, with a mythological emphasis. Almost like a made-up Bible, but taking place in Tolkien's world. I would attempt to describe the story, but that would be absurd; the so-called ‘plot' is as detailed and complex as a millenium of world history, and I scarcely know where to start anyhow. It is a tale of elves, dwarves, humans, demons, and gods, all of whom mingle in an eternal battle of good versus evil. It's an awesome, beautifully written story, provided you can follow it. I did, but unfortunately, I have forgotten most of it. There was simply far too much ‘information' in the novel to process properly, and I think I let go most of that information after completing the book.

The main problem was that I never got into the characters. There are too many of them, for one thing (something like twenty significant characters and who knows how many others), for the reader to relate to every single one of them. And while many had memorable traits, we are often missing their perspective, since they appear only as historical figures. This causes an immediate detachment from the novel. Fortunately, the characters are interesting, and so are the (often) drastic circumstances in which they find themselves.

And then we get the entire palette of huge battles, tragic love stories, betrayals, and falling cities—in fact, the entire novel is almost Wagnerian in its scope. There are also a surprising amount of thematic messages, more so than the other Tolkien novels. If you can handle the historical-fiction point of view and the tons of names you'll encounter, this might make an enjoyable read for you.

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