The Silmarillion: Of the Valar and Valinor before the Darkening

Of the Valar and the Valinor before the Darkening is the first of five collections of unabridged stories from The Silmarillion.

The tales of 'The Silmarillion', tell of the First Age of Tolkien’s world, long before the time of 'The Lord of the Rings', when Morgoth, the first Dark Lord, dwelt in Middle-earth and the High Elves made war upon him for the recovery of the Silmarils, the precious jewels containing the pure light of Valinor.

This first volume opens with the 'Ainulindalë', an account of the Creation of the world, and the 'Valaquenta', the history of its guardians, the Valar. It also contains the early tales of the 'Quenta Silmillion', in which the three Silmaril jewels are fashioned by Fëanor, most gifted of the Elves, and Morgoth – known then as Melkor – rises to power and brings terrible destruction to the land of Valinor.