If you’ve always wanted to take a stab at this monster, do it! I genuinely enjoyed reading it. While the different chapters don’t always flow together, they are all connected by the same history and make for a fairly cohesive plot. Diving in to Tolkien lore is amazing and provides so many Easter eggs to the movies and other books (and also for anyone who’s just started watching Rings of Power). If you do read it, refer to the indexes in the back a lot and keep google handy! And don’t be afraid to read summaries online if you need them. Have fun!