J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Silmarillion was published posthumously in 1977.
Tolkien died in 1973, leaving a large and complex body of writings about the mythology and history of his invented world. His son Christopher Tolkien edited these materials into a coherent book, with assistance from the fantasy writer Guy Gavriel Kay. George Allen & Unwin published the result on 15 September 1977.
The Silmarillion begins with creation mythology and continues through the history of Arda, including the wars against Morgoth in the First Age. It introduces foundational figures such as Fëanor, Beren, Lúthien, and Túrin Turambar.
The book is not a conventional sequel to The Lord of the Rings. It is a collection of mythological and historical narratives, presented in styles that range from creation account to legend and annal. Christopher’s editorial decisions shaped the published form from texts Tolkien had revised repeatedly over many decades.