Tolkien expert Flieger (English, U. of Maryland, College Park) examines Silmarillion, the mythology system he created to support his trilogy and The Hobbit. While others have focused on its content, she closely examines the logistics of its development as a comprehensive collection of stories as told by the storytellers he created, finding that despite its meticulous construction and level of detail, Tolkien was still building it to the last. She compares his mythology to those created by Milton, Spenser, Blake, Joyce, and Keats, and explores this bardic tradition as it extends to modern writers. Especially helpful for scholars of Tolkien and the bardic tradition is Flieger's list of works consulted. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)