J. R. R. Tolkien: The Hobbit (Paperback, 1984, Ballantine Books)
mass market paperback
English language
Published Jan. 12, 1984 by Ballantine Books.
The Hobbit is a tale of high adventure, undertaken by a company of dwarves in search of dragon-guarded gold. A reluctant partner in this perilous quest is Bilbo Baggins, a comfort-loving unambitious hobbit, who surprises even himself by his resourcefulness and skill as a burglar.
Encounters with trolls, goblins, dwarves, elves, and giant spiders, conversations with the dragon, Smaug, and a rather unwilling presence at the Battle of Five Armies are just some of the adventures that befall Bilbo.
Bilbo Baggins has taken his place among the ranks of the immortals of children’s fiction. Written by Professor Tolkien for his children, The Hobbit met with instant critical acclaim when published.
Absolut gar nicht mein Genre und ich musste mich zwischendurch echt quälen weiterzulesen. Hat mir schlussendlich aber doch gefallen und der Nachwuchs ist jetzt schon an der Geschichte interessiert, die ich mit der Karte im Buch immer wieder nacherzählen soll. Vielleicht war das also der erste von vielen Durchläufen?
Y'all heard about this book? It's great minus maybe the political ending... I recommend the audio book read by Andy Serkis, and I recommend reading together with a kid.
It's been a couple of decades since I last read The Hobbit, but the story still holds up. This new audiobook edition is read by Andy Serkis (the actor who voiced and played Gollum, among many others). His voice acting is spectacular and really adds to the book. Highly recommended!
I read it years ago (70's) and I spent many of hours reading the trilogy in high school when I should have been doing other things. I do not regret it though.
When I was a kid, it was hard to read, but interesting at the same time. I think, it's a good book to help children learn that patience reaps rewards. Of a cool story in this particular case.
While I already knew the gist of what happens from the movie, this was still enjoyable. It's a captivating story, and I rather enjoyed the various asides and commentary that comes through more in words than in movie. Also, I'm wondering how much of the movie was the <10 page battle at the end...
A classic. I find new things every time I read it.
The absolute best of all his books. The LoTR may get all the attention, but this is a beautifully written and paced.
I like the book myself, but it was even more enjoyable when I read it with my daughter. Had to buy her a separate copy so she would stop stealing mine!
Towards the end I started ignoring the annotations because I got so wrapped up in the story. For the 19th time. Thereabouts, anyway. I will never stop rereading this book.
(Note: this review is about one of my many numerous re-reads of the book.)
"In a hole in the ground there lived ...", well, you probably know who.
A story that started out scribbled on the back of a piece of paper being marked by J.R.R. Tolkien has grown in the telling and now supports a whole mythology set out in the books "The Silmarillion" and "The Lord of the Rings" as well as a multi-billion dollar entertainment industry.
The story of Bilbo Baggins and how he got involved in a quest involving dwarves, a Wizard, elves, men, goblins, wargs (wolves) and, of course, a dragon, is set out in this tale that has been read multiple times by me.
The most important event in the book, almost trivial in its treatment (which it was, at the time) was the discovery of a seemingly innocuous magic ring by Bilbo deep …
(Note: this review is about one of my many numerous re-reads of the book.)
"In a hole in the ground there lived ...", well, you probably know who.
A story that started out scribbled on the back of a piece of paper being marked by J.R.R. Tolkien has grown in the telling and now supports a whole mythology set out in the books "The Silmarillion" and "The Lord of the Rings" as well as a multi-billion dollar entertainment industry.
The story of Bilbo Baggins and how he got involved in a quest involving dwarves, a Wizard, elves, men, goblins, wargs (wolves) and, of course, a dragon, is set out in this tale that has been read multiple times by me.
The most important event in the book, almost trivial in its treatment (which it was, at the time) was the discovery of a seemingly innocuous magic ring by Bilbo deep in the mountains which was to have an impact well after the telling of this tale.
Light-hearted in tone, the story skips gaily from Bilbo's home at Bag End to Rivendell, from the Misty Mountains to Mirkwood, from the Elven King's halls to its final destination; the Lonely Mountain far to the east. It is there that things turn grim as Bilbo finally performs the tasks he was hired to do; to be a burglar.
A good tale and best considered as a stand-alone tale, rather than a 'prequel' to Tolkien's major work, "The Lord of the Rings".
If you want to know more, also consider reading "The Annotated Hobbit" by Douglas A. Anderson and the two volume "The History of The Hobbit" by John D. Rateliff.
It's hardly worth reviewing The Hobbit - it's been done so many times. But for those who only know it from the movies, prepare for a very different experience. This is more child-friendly but more epic, more philosophical but more realistic.
I mean it’s a classic. How could you hate on it?
A very nostalgic book for me, the one that first got me into reading Fantasy novels long long ago.
I would be great if I could give ratings without saying anything.
