Mythmakers Encore: Andy Serkis Reads The Silmarillion - The Verdict

Since April of 2022 Andy Serkis has been working his way through Tolkien's books, producing audio versions of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit- he has now turned his attention to The Silmarillion. Our expert on audiobooks, Andrew Head, who as a blind consumer often turns to audio versions to access stories, talks with Julia Golding about this latest version of The Silmarillion and the Martin Shaw reading that came before it. Which would you buy now? How does Andy cope with a book that has far less opportunities for a dramatic reading than the other Tolkien books? What more do you get from this version? Tune in to hear our verdict!

00:00 Introduction: Welcome and Andy Serkis' Silmarillion

01:51 What is The Silmarillion? A Listener's Guide

03:50 The Style and Structure: History Book vs Novel

06:26 Top Three Takeaways: Voices, Tone, and Accessibility

09:22 Pronunciation and Dramatic Moments: Serkis Shines

11:18 Comparing Narrators: Andy Serkis vs Martin Shaw

15:17 Favorite Parts: Beren and Luthien, and the Music of Creation

18:13 The Standalone Novels: Children of Hurin, Beren and Luthien, and Fall of Gondolin

21:51 Dream Projects: Stories That Deserve Full Novels

26:47 Best Places for Storytelling: From Rivendell to Cair Paravel

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