How much less mature does this mere children's book of a well lit-world cause our darker fantasies to seem? Now, I admit I am biased in my review. I read this book 36 times before the age of I broke the spines of three copies of it with continual reading.
Yet in my defense I will say that I'm considered only a moderate fan of the book by many. I've known several devotees of the book who, like the protagonist of Bradbury's 'Fahrenheit ', can recite whole chapters from memory - ensuring that this would be one of the few books that would survive the sudden destruction of all the world's technology if only the world's story tellers survived.
If you are inclined to think no book can be that good, and that my review overhypes it, so much the better. Go in with low expectations so as to be certain that they will be met or exceeded.
Forget all I have said save that, "If you haven't read it, you should, because it is quite enjoyable. View all comments. KD My dad has been trying to get me to read this book for about a year now.
I had just picked it up to day to try reading it agian. When I read your revi My dad has been trying to get me to read this book for about a year now. When I read your review it made me want to read this book even more! So I guess thank you for encouraging me to read this book even more! If you've ever wondered which literary world would be the best to live in, wonder no longer, cause there's a BookTube Video to answer that!
The Written Review : In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Bilbo Baggins, living comfortably in his hobbit-hole in Bag End, finds himself on the wrong end of an adventure. Gandalf the Grey has come recruiting for a burglar willing to raid the home of Smaug a dragon whose taken over the ancestral home of the dwarves.
These dwarves, who If you've ever wondered which literary world would be the best to live in, wonder no longer, cause there's a BookTube Video to answer that!
These dwarves, who number thirteen, are deeply suspicious and are unwilling to proceed unless their number is rounded up. Evil is afoot and they refuse to ignore common sense aka superstition. Gandalf soon finds that persuading Bilbo ends up a quest in and of itself! We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner! Is it nice, my preciousss? Is it juicy? Is it scrumptiously crunchable?
And yet, despite the hardships, trials and tribulations. Bilbo finds himself eagerly plunging ahead. Already he was a very different hobbit from the one that had run out without a pocket-handkerchief from Bag-End long ago.
He had not had a pocket-handkerchief for ages. I've read it so many times , and yet each time through, I find myself just absolutely enamored with the book as if it is the first time.
Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on? It just has such a wonderful feel - I want to read it over and over and over again. I absolutely love Bilbo's reluctance to adventure - he and I would get along splendidly!
So many characters are just ready to run off and do things My blankets? My turtle??? You certainly usually find something, if you look, but it is not always quite the something you were after. And, above all, the world that J.
Tolkien is absolutely magical. Elvish singing is not a thing to miss, in June under the stars, not if you care for such things. Such an enchanting book - one that I truly, truly treasure. May the hair on your toes never fall out!
Audiobook Commnets Read by Rob Inglis You'd think that the narrator would be able to muster SOME enthusiasm for such a wonderful story. View all 60 comments. Dear Tolkien fans: please don't leave a comment if you're going to spew hatred - I'll just delete it. I'm glad you enjoy Tolkien's work, but I am actually allowed to feel this way, no matter how scandalous you find that idea. Thank you. To be fair, it really is a cool story. To be able to conjure a whole new, magical world and all these creatures in it..
But it is also a very long-winded story and I Dear Tolkien fans: please don't leave a comment if you're going to spew hatred - I'll just delete it. But it is also a very long-winded story and I found myself struggling to get the job done. For me, The Hobbit was not an engaging story — I was distracted constantly and kept missing paragraphs. The story in itself is pretty great, but the way it is told makes the magic disappear. I am not quite sure how to explain.
Maybe it was the way it was written, or the fact that they take a long time before anything happens. And the songs! Dear Merlin, the songs! I felt like I was in a ruddy musical. I wish I did. In any case, still a cool story. In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Books exist in time and place and our experience of them is affected by the specific time and place in which we encounter them.
Sometimes an uplifting or inspiring book can change the path of a life that has wandered onto a wrong course. Sometimes a book, discovered early on, can form part of the foundation of who we are. Or, discovered late, can offer insight into the journey we have taken to date.
Sometimes a book is just a book. But not The Hob In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. But not The Hobbit. Not for me. In January, , I pulled out my forty-year old copy in anticipation of seeing the recently released Peter Jackson film. It is a substantial book, heavy, not only with its inherent mass, but for the weight of associations, the sediment of time.
The book itself is a special hard-cover edition published in , leather bound, in a slipcase, the booty of new love from that era. The book, while victim to some internal binding cracks aren't we all?
Not surprising. I had read the story six times and been there and back again with this particular volume five. Tolkien - image from Vision. I was then a high school underclassman, and my eyes were drawn to it at a school book fair. That was probably the ideal age, for me anyway, to gain an introduction to Tolkien. Not too far along into adolescence and an appreciation of the reality of the world to have completely tarnished my capacity for child-like wonder. That is what one must bring to a reading of this book, openness and innocence.
Tolkien was a step sidewise for me, as I was a fan of the science fiction of that and prior eras. It was also, of course, a gateway drug for the grander addiction of LOTR, still my favorite read of all time.
One might think that looking at this book again with old, weary fresh eyes might lend new insight. After all, I have read literally thousands of books since, and have picked up at least a little critical capacity.
And yes, there are things I notice now that perhaps skipped past back then. Of course that begs a specification of which back then one considers. While I first read the book as a high-schooler, I read it again when I was gifted with this beautiful volume, in my twenties.
That makes two readings. But there would be more. I well recall reading the book aloud while sitting in a chair by my son's bed.
And yes, each of the major characters was delivered with a distinct voice. I went as deep as I could for Gandalf. I vaguely recall giving the dwarves a Scottish burr. Bilbo was definitely a tenor. My Gollum was remarkably like the sound of the one created by Andy Serkisssssss. Of course, my son was not the last to arrive at the gathering. Some years later there was a daughter, and more bedside theater. It was a bit more of a struggle then.
Life was rather hectic. Nerves were often frayed. Sleep was in short supply. And there were far too many times when my eyes closed before those of my little gingersnap. But reading it that fourth time, one couldn't help but notice the absence of any significant females. Who might my little girl relate to here?
It is certainly possible for folks to identify with characters of another gender, but the stark absence of representatives of the female persuasion did stand out. Somehow I managed to keep my eyes open long enough to get through the volume. But the party was not yet complete. There would be one more arrival, and one more opportunity to sit on or near a daughter's bed and read aloud, sometimes to an upturned, eager face, sometimes to a riot of ringlets as she settled.
My capacity for consciousness remained an issue. By then, my voice had also suffered a bit with the years, the reward for too many cigarettes, too much yelling, too much ballpark whistling, and the usual demise of age, so it took a fair bit more effort and strain than reading it aloud had done previously.
I am pretty certain I made it through that third time aloud. You probably know the story, or the broad strokes anyway. In the quiet rural village of Hobbiton Across the Water, in a land called Middle Earth, an unpresupposing everyman, Bilbo Baggins, lives a quiet existence.
He has a smidgen of wanderlust in him, the genetic gift of ancestors on the Took branch of his family tree, but he is mostly content to enjoy hearty meals and a good pipe. One day, Gandalf, a lordly, father-figure wizard Bilbo has known for many years, comes a-calling and Bilbo's life is upended. Gandalf is helping a group of dwarves who are on a quest. Led by Thorin Oakenshield, a dwarf king, they aim to return to their home, inside the Lonely Mountain, somehow rid the place of Smaug, the dragon who has taken up residence, and regain the land and incredible treasure that is rightfully theirs.
Gandalf has recommended that Bilbo accompany the group, as a burglar. Bilbo, of course, has never burgled a thing in his life, and is horrified by the prospect. But, heeding his Tookish side, Bilbo joins the dwarves and the adventure is on. One need not go far to see this as a journey of self-discovery, as Bilbo finds that there is more to him than even he realized.
This raises one question for me. How did Gandalf know that Bilbo would be the right hobbit for the job? Bilbo faces many challenges and I betray no secrets for any who have not just arrived on this planet by reporting that Bilbo's dragons, real and symbolic, are ultimately slain and he returns home a new, and somewhat notorious hobbit.
Bilbo serves well as the everyman, someone who is quite modest about his capacities, but who rises to meet the challenges that present, acting in spite of his fear and not in the absence of it. He is someone we can easily care and root for. Elements abound of youthful adventure yarns, treasure, a map to the treasure, a secret entrance that requires solving a riddle to gain entry, a spooky forest, foolishness and greed among those in charge, a huge battle, and, ultimately, good sense triumphing over evil and stupidity.
Sorry, no damsels in distress. Rivendell remains a pretty special place. If I am ever fortunate enough to be able to retire, I think I would like to spend my final days there, whether the vision seen by Tolkien or the Maxfield Parrish take as seen in the LOTR films.
There are magical beings aplenty here. Hobbits, of course, and the wizard and dwarves we meet immediately. A shape shifting Beorn assists the party but remains quite frightening. There are trolls, giant spiders, giants, goblins, were-wolf sorts called wargs, talking eagles, a communicative, if murderous dragon, elves of both the helpful and difficult sorts, and a few men, as well. Then there is Gollum. Arguably there is a lot more going on with Gollum, an erstwhile hobbit riven by the internal conflict of love and hate, corrupted, but not without a salvageable soul.
He is the single least YA element in this classic yarn, one of the things that elevates this book from the field and makes it a classic. The Hobbit was written before Tolkien's ambitious Lord of the Rings.
While there are many references to classic lore, the bottom line is that this is a YA book. It is easy to read, and to read aloud, something that is not the case with LOTR. I know.
It remains a fun read, even on the sixth or so, I may have dipped in again somewhere along the line time through. Were I reading it today for the first time, I would probably give it four stars. But as it bears the weighty treasure of memory and fond association, I must keep it at five.
If you are reading this for the first time as an adult, or an antique, the impact is likely to be different for you. If you are a younger sort, of the adolescent or pre-adolescent persuasion, particularly if you are a boy, it might become an invaluable part of your life.
Maybe one day you can sit by your child's or grandchild's bedside and be the person who reads these words to them for the first time, " In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit " and begin the adventure again. To see the glowing young eyes as the tale unfolds is nothing less than absolutely precious. He includes in his review outstanding, informative and very entertaining excerpts and comments re info on The Hobbit from JRRT's son Christopher.
It is just the thing for bedtime, yours or your child's. Adding it here was done with Rand's kind permission. There are some days when I actually think that the humble Hobbit is superior to it's bohemoth brother, The Lord of the Rings. It's a much tighter story, and Bilbo is a much more appeal character than is Frodo. I also just love this poem, from The Hobbit Far over the misty mountains cold To dungeons deep and caverns old We must away ere break of day To seek the pale enchanted gold.
The dwarves of yore made mighty spells, While hammers fell like ringing bells In places deep, where dark things sleep, I There are some days when I actually think that the humble Hobbit is superior to it's bohemoth brother, The Lord of the Rings.
The dwarves of yore made mighty spells, While hammers fell like ringing bells In places deep, where dark things sleep, In hollow halls beneath the fells. For ancient king and elvish lord There many a gleaming golden hoard They shaped and wrought, and light they caught To hide in gems on hilt of sword. On silver necklaces they strung The flowering stars, on crowns they hung The dragon-fire, in twisted wire They meshed the light of moon and sun.
Far over the misty mountains cold To dungeons deep and caverns old We must away, ere break of day, To claim our long-forgotten gold. Goblets they carved there for themselves And harps of gold; where no man delves There lay they long, and many a song Was sung unheard by men or elves.
The pines were roaring on the height, The winds were moaning in the night. The fire was red, it flaming spread; The trees like torches blazed with light. The bells were ringing in the dale And men looked up with faces pale; The dragon's ire more fierce that fire Laid low their towers and houses frail. The mountain smoked beneath the moon; The dwarves, they heard the tramp of doom.
They fled their hall to dying fall Beaneath his feet, beneath the moon. Far over the misty mountains grim To dungeons deep and caverns dim We must away, ere break of day, To win our harps and gold from him View all 45 comments.
This book was originally meant for the pleasure of children and was created with that idea in mind. Even so, it can be enjoyed by all ages. Regardless of your age, or affinity for the fantasy genre, there has an experience of an adventure that everyone can take away from reading this.
It's certainly worth reading. So comes snow after fire, and even dragons have their endings. View all 10 comments. What makes The Hobbit such a seminal work in the fantasy genre? Is it the nine hours of over-budget, sensorially explosive movies by Peter Jackson? Is it a complex tale of multiple human kingdoms slaughtering each other for an Iron Throne with buckets of blood and guts and plenty of sex?
Is it simply wonderful writing. As simple and boring as that. Does that mean that I was incredibly disappointed in the movie adaptation not to say abortion? No, they are great too. But the seminal work, the Divine Comedy that created the language and inspiration for George R. Unlike Peter Jackson's version, there are no orcs and the element of danger is more psychological than psychical: Bilbo Baggins is battling his fears and his provincialism and growing up.
The Hobbit should be read as the Odyssey of Middle Earth - a voyage of self-learning and maturation that is more about the monsters in Bilbo's imagination than those encountered in his baptismal voyage into the unknown with Gandalf.
Bilbo does encounter some monsters and even outsmarts Smaug the Dragon wow, I mean what a perfect name for a dragon! More evocative than Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion in my opinion - and again would they even have existed had Smaug not preceded them? He is not the same person he was before leaving.
He is Ulysses without a Penelope waiting for him unless his pipe is secretly called Penelope in his expanded imagination or his Penelope is a symbol of his vast library in Rivendell. In literature, there is nothing quite like the Hobbit in its simplicity and beauty and its symbolic voyage: we are of course introduced to the elves, the humans, the dwarves The Hobbit is about one small hobbit fighting his greatest fears View all 30 comments.
It was published on 21 September 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. Gandalf tricks Bilbo Baggins into hosting a party for Thorin Oakenshield and his band of dwarves, who sing of reclaiming the Lonely Mountain and its vast treasure from the dragon Smaug.
The dwarves ridicule the idea, but Bilbo, indignant, joins despite himself. The group travels into the wild, where Gandalf saves the company from trolls and leads them to Rivendell, where Elrond reveals more secrets from the map. When they attempt to cross the Misty Mountains they are caught by goblins and driven deep underground.
Although Gandalf rescues them, Bilbo gets separated from the others as they flee the goblins. Lost in the goblin tunnels, he stumbles across a mysterious ring and then encounters Gollum, who engages him in a game of riddles. As a reward for solving all riddles Gollum will show him the path out of the tunnels, but if Bilbo fails, his life will be forfeit.
With the help of the ring, which confers invisibility, Bilbo escapes and rejoins the dwarves, improving his reputation with them. The goblins and Wargs give chase, but the company are saved by eagles before resting in the house of Beorn.
View all 12 comments. When I first read Tolkien's books about 15 years ago I didn't experience The Hobbit until I finished LOTR, so it gave me the feeling of being able to read this one as an introduction to the latter book. Highly recommended to anyone who may not have read this yet; Tolkien's world building and storytelling skills are rarely matched and aimed for all ages. View all 7 comments. To call this the epitome in which all high fantasy should be judged does not quite suffice; this is simply one of the best books that has ever been written or will ever be written.
The Hobbit defines the high fantasy genre along with its sequel, of course, and has been an inspiration to countless authors and readers alike.
Tolkien, quite literally, kick started a genre that would eventually capture the hearts of thousands of people. He changed the literary world. He made fantasy real. The best fantasy universe ever created Middle Earth is undoubtedly the best fantasy universe created.
It is the most original and richly devised. It is very hard for fantasy authors not to borrow elements from Tolkien. He set the definition with his wonderful world. I wonder what other ideas for books he may have had that he never got to write. We must remember that he too is experiencing the majesty of Rivendell and the mightiness of Erabor for the first time. His reaction reflects a reader who is also awestruck by a world that is as beautifully magical as it is corrupt and wicked; it is a world in which both the benevolent and the malignant reside; it is a world whose people are capable of both great kindness and equally as great cruelty.
The peoples are diverse and contrasting; I think the differences between the elves and the dwarves are best captured in their music. The music of the elves is full of mirth and is generally quite playful whereas the music of the dwarves is strong, deep and full of resolve to match their stubborn nature. The wonderful, wonderful, story This story belongs to Bilbo Baggins.
The tale begins as Bilbo accidently, unexpectedly, invites Gandalf for tea the next day after a brief encounter. The Wizard marks him as the fourteenth member of his company, his burglar. Indeed, the next evening thirteen dwarves, headed by Thorin Oakenshield, arrive along with their quest to reclaim their gold and slay a dragon: Smaug. Smaug has stolen their home fortress of Erebor. They want it back. Bilbo reluctantly gets dragged along though this reluctance is quickly overcome by a strong, secret, desire for adventure.
The company are attacked by spiders and abducted by the wood elves who want a share of the dwarfish treasure. The dwarves begin to rely on their burglar who they believed would become a liability. How wrong they were. Bilbo was destined to come along. They would have surely failed if he had not, and the ring of power may never have been destroyed.
I think the power he receives from the ring helps him to discover that not only does he have courage and fortitude, but he has lots of it. Gandalf, if anything, is an excellent judge of character. The ending is just the beginning The ending of this book is undeniably rushed. Bilbo is unconscious for most of it, and we receive a post battle update.
There are off page deaths and victories. In this, I think Tolkien cements the message of the story; it is not about the tragic death of a dwarf who went slightly mad, and then redeemed himself; it is not about a boatman who slayed a dragon, and became a renowned hero: it is about a Hobbit.
It is a story in which a Hobbit who had no courage and no bravery found it. It is a story about a hobbit who was too scared to leave his house without a hanky eventually evolved into a Hobbit that would trick a dragon.
I think you know why. View all 25 comments. From a hole in the ground came one of my favorite characters of all time, the very reluctant and unassuming hero, Bilbo Baggins. As a child, The Hobbit sparked my young imagination, causing wonderful daydreams and horrible nightmares. As a teen, the book made me want to become a writer of fantastical tales As an adult, Tolkien's novel maintains within me a link to my childhood, safekeeping cherished memories and evoking everlasting emotions.
The From a hole in the ground came one of my favorite characters of all time, the very reluctant and unassuming hero, Bilbo Baggins. The troubles with trolls, those slinking spiders, the finding of treasure, cave exploration, riddles in the dark I would make many an ornate wooden sword in my father's basement workshop, because of Sting.
Funny I didn't take to wearing rings though Being pint-sized, Mr. Baggins makes the perfect magnetic character for a young person. He is about a child's size, yet he is mature.
Similar, yet something to aspire to. His diminutive stature made his implausible escapes and victories that much more satisfying. Nothing bores me more than muscle-bound killing machines wielding swords the size of windmill blades. I have read this fantastic tale a number of times, watched the 70s cartoon movie version countless times and was counting down the days with unabashed eagerness until Peter Jackson's new live action film came out.
I will continue to read The Hobbit again and again, for the road goes ever, ever on This is the one I can quote from start to finish and annoy the fuck out of my friends. Crazy-off-his-rocker Brother Theodore as Gollum still astounds me with the sheer depth of his guttural growl.
Sorry voice-straining Serkis, but this is the real Gollum, the creepy muthah that kept me up nights. Certainly it is truncated to absurdity during The Battle of Five Armies , but at least it's not overblown, as appears to be happening with Peter Jackson's unnecessarily long trilogy of this single book. It includes screenshots taken directly from the 70s cartoon, plus where the movie skipped over parts of the book they've included extra illustrations, admittedly of mixed quality.
It's a little strange to see the same characters rendered differently sitting side by side The Hobbit, a film version by Peter Jackson It's never fun to see an artist tear the heart out of a work. Peter Jackson was given too long a leash when New Line stretched this one book out to three separate movies.
Instead of one movie packed with awesome, we get three that, so far I've yet to see the third and I'm not eager to , have been watered down and dragged out. Extra scenes are added and add nothing: Really, a sleigh ride chase scene with an incredibly minor character? And honestly, can Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield act with any other part of his body besides his eyebrows?
View all 38 comments. 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.
Tolkien is telling us a story, with an occasional soliloquy and off stage remark to us the reader. Generations of readers and dreamers have loved this story for its whimsical allure and for its role as a stage setter for its more epic later cousins. The Films. Thorin, the important Dwarf and company leave from the Green Dragon in May, accompanied by the wizard Gandalf and having employed Mr. Baggins as their lucky number 14 and as a burglar. Certainly there had been wizards, magicians and sages in literature before , but Gandalf in many respects is THE wizard.
Chapter 5 — Riddles in the Dark. After some fairly pedestrian undertakings Tolkien has Bilbo getting lost in a deep cave and introduces us to one of his and literatures greastest, most complicated, and strangely likeable villains, Gollum. Kurt Vonnegut mentioned that as soon as the science fiction label was affixed to his name many critics would not take him seriously.
The Hobbit is a great example that sometimes critics can be myopic and time will tell the true greats. The prologue to a great trilogy, simple and charming, The Hobbit is a great book by itself. Finally, this review is of a re-visit to The Hobbit, after a hiatus of perhaps 30 years. I rarely will re-read a book, there are just so many great books and so little time — but The Hobbit is one of those special works that can be savored and enjoyed again and again.
I need to reread this more often. This time around I focused on the details that I had missed before, and Tolkien has provided many, some nuanced within his excellent story and other subtle enough to be missed, but important spice added to the recipe. In my memory, I sometimes forget what is actual canon and not artistic license.
I had forgotten that the Master of Laketown left out of the film was from Tolkien. If you have never read this work, please do. I can highly recommend an enjoyable reread to the rest of us. View all 40 comments. In certain crowds, my rating and the words I'm about to write well, type would probably get me shot. But The Hobbit is still one of the most boring books I have ever read.
Tolkien's writing seems so dry and impersonal, though I can't deny he had a lot of fascinating ideas. View all 33 comments. Click here to watch a video review of this book on my channel, From Beginning to Bookend.
Were it not for the irresistible allure of The Fellowship of the Ring , I'd start reading this book all over again right now. View all 27 comments. View all 8 comments. Now I don't remember all the names of those 13 dwarfs, but still I can legitimately say I enjoyed the book. The Hobbit the version rewritten by Tolkien is sophisticated enough to please adults and children alike. Initially, nobody knew how Gollum looked like. Seriously, just take a look at the various covers of the book and you'll see diverse bodies as Gollum.
The Ring acquired by Bilbo is so quaint, so practical. Tolkien weaved his magic here and delivered a timeless classic. The adventures of Now I don't remember all the names of those 13 dwarfs, but still I can legitimately say I enjoyed the book. The adventures of Bilbo, especially those without Gandalf to bail him out, are very original.
I hope the uninitiated don't get deterred by the movie trilogy. That would be a tragedy. I give this book a perfect five stars. View all 13 comments. Maybe one day soon I'll write a proper review of The Hobbit.
In the meantime, I want to say this: If you are a child, you need to read this for Gollum's riddles. If you are an adult, you need to read this book to children if you don't have children, rent borrow some for at least one opportunity to roleplay Gollum.
See here, he even won an award!! Since Gollum features so strongly in this review, here is an interesting video on the acting and CGI genius t Maybe one day soon I'll write a proper review of The Hobbit. Since Gollum features so strongly in this review, here is an interesting video on the acting and CGI genius that went into the making of the screen Gollum.
Update: commentary on the moviez below. Part 3 coming to a cinema house near you soon -ish. Ha, you didn't think one copy would be enough did you?? If you get around used bookstores a lot, do look out for an illustrated version of the book! Update: About the 3 films by Peter Jackson: I didn't find the first 2 films very memorable. He seemed to draw it out almost unbearably, and it also felt to me as if he was embellishing the original story a bit.
The whole thing seemed like actiony rubbish, though I personally actually quite enjoyed the swinging, shooting, swordfighting ninja elves and the bit of romance. I almost missed it on the big screen because of the mediocrity of the first two films. But I was glad, oh so glad that I actually did go and see it. The cinematics, acting and editing was all very well done, but it was the screenwriting and directing that really shone. Here we saw a story of courage and cowardice; of generosity; of greed and avarice; of greatness of soul and of smallness of soul; of love; of selflessness; of brotherhood; of hatred; of humanity; of pain; of sacrifice; of struggle; of moral and spiritual victories; of sadness and loss, but above all, of triumph of the soul.
Yes, The Battle of the Five Armies is certainly something that does Tolkien justice at the very least, and what a joy it was to behold on the big screen. The movies also taught us that dwarves CAN be hot! View all 51 comments. I love the feeling of connectedness you get when you've wondered about something for a long time, and finally discover the answer. I had a great example of that yesterday. I must have read The Hobbit when I was about 8, and even at that age I was fascinated by his made-up names.
They sort of made sense, but not quite. Then, when I was 21, I learned Swedish, and suddenly there were many things in Middle Earth th I love the feeling of connectedness you get when you've wondered about something for a long time, and finally discover the answer. Then, when I was 21, I learned Swedish, and suddenly there were many things in Middle Earth that came into focus! Of course, the Wargs get their name from the Swedish varg , wolf.
But I never figured out why Bilbo was teasing the spiders in Mirkwood by calling them "attercop". Now I know. It's an archaic English word related to the modern Norwegian word for spider, edderkopp. The Swedish word, spindel , comes from a different root.
I've thought about that for over 40 years. See how much fun it is to acquire a new language? View all 53 comments. Not much more needs to be said about The Hobbit than that it is excellent!
Great storytelling, fun characters, humor, action — it has it all. Tolkien is rightfully one of the if not THE founding fathers of modern Fantasy. If you are looking to get into Fantasy, The Hobbit is a great place to start. One of the great things about The Hobbit is that I think it is easily accessible to a wide audience. The Lord of the Rings is a much larger and more daunting commitment which might be too much for the casual Fantasy fan. Then, if you are really into lore and world building, I hear people talk about The Silmarillion as a great but very dense history of Middle Earth.
One thing that has been bugging me about other Fantasy novels I have been reading lately is that there is a lot of wandering around without much action or story progress. And, this wandering around can stretch for several books. Large chunks of progress are made without pages and pages of rambling dialogue.
I appreciate how well The Hobbit gets to the point but does not leave you feeling cheated by it going too fast. Another thing that I love about this Fantasy book is that it does not bog down with complicated names, location terminology, odd magic systems, etc.
This is another thing that has been turning me off to other Fantasy lately because I cannot just escape and enjoy the book. Instead, I have to keep a notebook and a flowchart to keep everything straight! With The Hobbit, it was very organic and easy to follow — perfect for a relaxing Fantasy getaway for the brain. I did not yet see the recent movies they made from this book but was surprised at first that they made it into three movies. After rereading this, I think I can see how they could expand on certain parts to make a movie trilogy.
I will have to go and check it out now. The Hobbit — read it! View all 29 comments. Now the route Mr. Bilbo Baggins transverses to seek adventure and a pot of gold The book includes all the drawings and maps by the author. To take that action, you gotta download Friendspire or log in to your account. Import Log in Sign up. Join now. An Hobad Tolkien - total 4. Save Rate. About the book 4.
Year: Language: Irish. Publisher: Evertype.
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