J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Silmarillion was first published in 1977.
Tolkien worked on the mythology behind The Silmarillion for much of his life, but he did not complete a final publishable version before his death in 1973. His son Christopher Tolkien edited the surviving manuscripts and arranged them into the book published by George Allen & Unwin on 15 September 1977.
The work describes the creation of Eä, the history of the Valar and Elves, and major events of the First Age, including the wars against Morgoth. It also contains material about Númenor and the later history that leads toward The Lord of the Rings.
Because it was assembled from unfinished and sometimes contradictory materials, The Silmarillion differs from a straightforward novel. Christopher Tolkien’s editorial decisions shaped the published form. The title refers especially to the three Silmarils, jewels made by Fëanor that drive much of the First Age’s conflict.