The Simarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien

I received this book from my sister as a Christmas Gift last year. This same Christmas, my mother gave me James Frey's counterfiet autobiography, A Million Little Pieces. But that book is another story...

The Simarillion is a sort of "Year One" story for the Lord of the Rings series. It's a creation story that goes ALL the way back to the very beginning--before elves, before men, and before dwarves and works it's way up to the events that start The Fellowship of the Ring.

It's an interesting read if you've already read the trilogy. There are all sorts of "Ah-ha" moments when you recognize how certain events and characters will later give way to the stories and characters that were made so familiar by the core series(and their movies).

Really, that's this book's greatest value: To see more of this world Tolkein created. This book is broader in scope whereas the LOTR series kept you focused on a singular quest.
This book shows you the depth of Middle Earth and the time Tolkein put into developing this world. Not just a make-shift sci-fi setting where all you get is just enough to color the plot and move it along. Tolkein took the time to flesh it all out. And he didn't half-ass it either.
He even put together an in-depth history of Middle Earth as a separate volume of literature. This was how ambitious his vision was. And as a writer, I applaud him for it. And there's additional literature besides this out there. Everything you could possibly want to know about Middle Earth.

It's a good read--Particularly if you're a fan of the LOTR series.