Serkis is a gem, I could listen to him read anything. The story was OK, seemed like a high level history of the realm from creation to after the LOTR books. I wish there was more on the origin of Sauron, it seems like he just kinda shows up one day.

I just finished the hobbit and recognized a few connections but I’ll probably have to read the Silmarilion again once I finish LOTR to piece more of it together.