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It's not -all- bad. It's actually a number of books of varying quality and completeness. If you know how it came to be written you will understand why it tends to be disjointed. And Tolkien's sons didn't inherit their fathers literary style. However there are some good tales and, more importantly perhaps, it fills in a lot of the background for LOTR. It answers questions like:
Who are the Valar, what is the undying land and why can't mortals go there?
What are the origins of Elves, Dwarves and Men?
Who is Sauron, who was his master?
Who are the Wizards?
Who is this Elbereth that the Elves sing of and why is the mention of her name more dangerous to a Nazgul than a sword?
Why are the Elves leaving Middle-Earth and why must they all make a final choice when Elrond leaves?
What were the 'seven stars, seven stones and one white tree'?
What is that light in Galadriel's phial and why is it so powerful?
What is the origin of dragons and balrogs?
It's been years since I read it - it looks like it's time again.
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