The Condensed Silmarillion by Cheeky

Glorfindel

Glorfindel.

You have no idea how much I was looking forward to reading about Glorfindel when I started reading the Silmarillion.

I love Glorfindel.
He is a great guy. 
Gorgeous, golden, Balrog killer, reborn elf, what's not to like about him?

I had read all about him in the Lord of the Rings. 
Was seriously annoyed when Arwen usurped him in the movies.

So when I picked up the Silmarillion I thought, yes, now I can read all about Glorfindel's fascinating backstory. Let's face it he was just about the only character I had actually heard of before. 
You can imagine my total and absolutely crushing disappointment when after trawling through over 3/4 of the book I finally get to his part and find he is barely mentioned at all.

He gets 3 sentences. 
Only 3 sentences!

I am serious.

Basically it just says " Glorfindel fought a Balrog and they fell into a chasm."
He is an afterthought!!! 

Thorondor gets more screen time than Glorfindel as he participates in his favourite pastime of Arriving Late and Flying Dead Elves Around the Countryside. In fact Thronodor attempts to steal all of Glorfindel's glory when Tolkien tries to tell us despite Glorfindel's amazing but inadequately described Balrog killing the elves only escaped Gondolin because of the Eagles.

It is a complete travesty. The worst attempt at nabbing all the glory yet by those drafted Eagles.

At least Glorfindel gets a very pretty grave. More time is spent describing that than telling us what he did.

I will do what I can to redress this injustice by giving Glorfindel his own chapter in this version. 

I suppose I should be grateful as it could have been worse. Poor old Ecthilion who killed Gothmog in another Elf/ Balrog mutual death fight during the same battle gets barely even 1 sentence. 

And even worse off than Ecthilion is Legolas,
Original Legolas, Legolas of Gondolin Legolas, Who the hell is he really? Legolas.
As a Legolas of Mirkwood lover I was looking forward to finding out all about this first age version.............and he isn't even mentioned. Not one word!

Whereas Tuor..... Well his name features in virtually every sentence. 
I will see if I can right that wrong by squeezing Tuor's part into these few sentences at the end of the wonderful Glorfindel's chapter.

Let Tuor be the afterthought for once. 

Basically Idril built a secret exit tunnel. Why it had to be secret I don't know but I envisage her carrying dirt out surreptitiously under her dress.........just like they did in the Great Escape. She and Tuor lead a small bunch of elves from the burning city as GLORFINDEL killed Balrogs......(well one Balrog), so they could get away.........Glorfindel.......NOT the Eagles!! Don't believe anything those Eagles tell you about this. 

I am SO disappointed.

This is going to take some getting over.