Magic in LotR: Yes, the Istari are indeed not human. In fact, they are Maiar, sort of second-rank angels, if you will, serving the Valar. You may recall in LotR, when Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli discover Gandalf the White, he recites a little poem about his name, and says Olorin I was, in the West that is forgotten. In The Silmarillion, Olorin is named as a Maia in the entourage of the Vala Lorien. His counterpart, Sauron, is named as a Maia of Melkor.
The Silmarillion: I tend to think of The Silmarillion as the Bible of the Elves - it begins with The Creation, and tells the entire history of Elvenkind. Some of the tales are told in broad vista, like those of the Five Battles, while others are told in close detail, like the Lay of Leithian or the Narn i hîn Húrin.
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Magic in LotR: Yes, the Istari are indeed not human. In fact, they are Maiar, sort of second-rank angels, if you will, serving the Valar. You may recall in LotR, when Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli discover Gandalf the White, he recites a little poem about his name, and says Olorin I was, in the West that is forgotten. In The Silmarillion, Olorin is named as a Maia in the entourage of the Vala Lorien. His counterpart, Sauron, is named as a Maia of Melkor.
The Silmarillion: I tend to think of The Silmarillion as the Bible of the Elves - it begins with The Creation, and tells the entire history of Elvenkind. Some of the tales are told in broad vista, like those of the Five Battles, while others are told in close detail, like the Lay of Leithian or the Narn i hîn Húrin.