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"A Wonderful Entry Into the Joys of Middle Earth"
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J.R.R. Tolkien's classic 1937 fantasy novel that introduced readers to the mythical land of Middle-earth.
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I have an affection for the Hobbit that I don't have for the other volumes in the series, likely due to seeing the cartoon in childhood and enjoying the comic book adaption. (see paperback edition highly recommended!) It is rightly described as a prelude to greatness.
+5
We see how it all began when the most inoffensive of creatures Bilbo Baggins enjoying a day of smoke rings and the ordinary life he leads is drawn by fate (or Gandalf) into a great adventure with 13 Dwarfs, Elves, Spiders, Gobblins, Eagles, and of course a dragon. It is an adventure where he finds out more about himself than he himself knows.
Unlike the later volumes the songs are of a higher quality (or so I think) but that again could be because I have actually heard them sung in the old cartoon. The story is both exciting and calm and easy. Not even the climatic battle near the end seems to take the focus off the Hobbit.
The book seems to keep the calm and relaxed pace that a Hobbit likes in his life. In my opinion it adds to rather than takes away from the telling. Lots of time for more adventure in the next series.
I think the pace of the book more than anything else makes it. It doesn't thrust itself upon you. It seems to say; to paraphrase the words of Bilbo: "It is a fine day for smoke rings, come blow some with me."
It is an invitation worth taking
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More The Hobbit (novel) reviews
Forget Stephanie Meyers, younglings. THIS is the novel that will stretch your imagination. You want monsters? We got that. You want adventure? Got that too. Romance? Well, there is Bilbo and his love of food and creature comforts and the Dwarves and their love of gold... In the precursor to the Lord of the Rings series, we are introduced to Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf, and Middle Earth. Bilbo is the common man, or rather … more
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This is one of the first long books I remember my mom reading to me. I remember snuggling in next to her every night for the next chapter of the story, and being amazed at this story that had so many amazing things in it: Elves, dwarves, dragons, and one brave hero who had never really meant to be a hero at all. I think this is the book that introduced me to my lifelong love of fantasy, and gave me dreams of writing my own. This is a wonderful book to read … more
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Compliments (39)
Almost everyone has heard and read the Lord of the Rings series by Tolkien and is all too familiar with the adventures of Frodo and Sam as they try to destroy the ring. This book is more like a prologue and explains how Bilbo came upon the ring in the first place and describes all of his adventures in great detail. It has a much more focused plot than the Lord of the Rings because for the most part all of the characters stay together and there is only one storyline to keep … more
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Compliments (30)
This classic novel by J.R.R. Tolkien is a wonderful story about a respectable hobbit named Bilbo Baggins and his adventures with a group of dwarves as they take a journey to try and get back treasure that was stolen from them by a dragon. I really enjoyed reading about the many adventures the group had as they traveled toward their final destination, The Lonely Mountain. You first see the main character, Bilbo Baggins, as a hobbit of comfort, perfectly content with living out his life in his comfortable … more
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Compliments (28)
Here is an adventure book that I can read again and again and enjoy every moment of it just as when I read it for the first time. Even more so perhaps because I see new things in it each time. It isn't just a story for the action and adventure of it, but for the warm, lovely characters in it. I feel at home when I read this book. The rustic story and characters are comforting, as is the way Tolkien writes. It's like I'm being told a bedtime story all over again. Bilbo is the kind of … more
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Compliments (24)
"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort." The hobbit hole in question belongs to a Bilbo Baggins, an upstanding member of a "little people, about half our height, and smaller than the bearded dwarves." He is, like most of his kind, well off, well … more
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Compliments (24)
It stuns me to think that people can find this enchanting book boring. It really makes me wonder just how many of them have seen the recently filmed "Lord of the Rings" directed by Peter Jackson. If they have, and enjoyed them, I wonder if they know that The Hobbit was written by the same person that wrote the original book of The Lord of the Rings? This is a truly delightful book. I would recommend it to any reader above the age of eleven. Although the names are hard to grasp, the characters … more
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I loved reading "The Hobbit". However, I've known many people who could not make it through reading The Hobbit (lost interest) even though these same people have devoured dozens of fantasy books and enjoyed the Lord of the Rings movies. I find it impressive that Tolkien could weave such a great story without any romantic relationships to hold the reader's attention.
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Loved it when I read it myself. Was I too young when they read it to me at school, or did I just want to read at my own pace?
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This has got to be my favorite book of all time. It was introduced to me as a kid. Ignore all the hype. Prepare to hate it, and you might actually enjoy it!
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About the reviewer
Peter Ingemi (DaTechGuy)
I am a blogger who hosts a Saturday evening Radio show on WCRN 830 AM out of Worcester Mass. I blog about politics, religion, baseball and doctor who at datechguy.wordpress.com I also cover … more
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About this book
J.R.R. Tolkien's classic 1937 children's fantasy about a hobbit, a wizard and a group of dwarves who go on an epic quest for stolen treasure and of his misadventures.
The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, better known by its abbreviated title The Hobbit, is a fantasy novel and children's book by J. R. R. Tolkien. It was published on 21 September 1937 to wide critical acclaim, being nominated for the Carnegie Medal and awarded a prize from the New York Herald Tribune for best juvenile fiction. The book remains popular and is recognized as a classic in children's literature.
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The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, better known by its abbreviated title The Hobbit, is a fantasy novel and children's book by J. R. R. Tolkien. It was published on 21 September 1937 to wide critical acclaim, being nominated for the Carnegie Medal and awarded a prize from the New York Herald Tribune for best juvenile fiction. The book remains popular and is recognized as a classic in children's literature.
Set in a time "Between the Dawn of Færie and the Dominion of Men", The Hobbit follows the quest of home-loving hobbit Bilbo Baggins to win a share of the treasure guarded by the dragon, Smaug. Bilbo's journey takes him from light-hearted, rural surroundings into darker, deeper territory. The story is told in the form of an episodic quest, and most chapters introduce a specific creature, or type of creature, of Tolkien's Wilderland. By accepting the disreputable, romantic, fey and adventurous side of his nature (the "Tookish" side) and applying his wits and common sense, Bilbo develops a new level of maturity, competence and wisdom. The story reaches its climax in the Battle of Five Armies, where many of the characters and creatures from earlier chapters re-emerge to engage in conflict.
Themes of personal growth and forms of heroism figure in the story. ...
ISBN-10:
0261102664
ISBN-13:
978-0261102668
Author:
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (J.R.R. Tolkien)
Genre:
Fantasy,
Classic Literature,
Epic Adventure,
Children's Literature
Publisher:
Allen & Unwin,
Houghton Mifflin,
Ballantine Books
Date Published:
1937
Format:
Novel
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