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Summary: My Book Review
Review: The Hobbit.J.R.R.Tolkien.United States- New York.Ballantine Books.1937, 1938, and 1966.287 pages.My attention was grabbed, my mind was stretched, and my thoughts were taken to amazing enchanting places. Reading "The Hobbit" was not only and intriguing experience, but kept me wanting more and more. When a timid, respectable creature called a hobbit is talked into going on a wild, dangerous quest by a wizard by the name of Gandalf, Bilbo's cozy, quiet lifestyle is drastically changed. J.R.R. Tolkien is an incredible story teller, and his studies of ancient languages and his life in Britain influenced and enhanced the ideas and characters in the book. The fictional land of Middle-Earth in which the story takes place is magical and sometimes evil. Bilbo Baggins leaves the comfortable, beautiful shire to embark on a journey in the midst of danger and evil, and along the way he is transformed into a hero.
By the author showing Bilbo's development into a hero, he proves that ordinary people can overcome obstacles and also develop into heroes. Bilbo started off as a weakling. He was surrounded by luxury and a wide array of foods, but after he got over the shocking news, he accepted Gandalf's request for him to be the "burglar" of the quest, and from then on he got increasingly courageous. By the end of the journey, he had accomplished so much. He had confronted the trolls, escaped from Gollum and stolen his ring, slaying a giant spider, rescuing the dwarves from Mirkwood, and even coming face to face with a treacherous, gold-stealing dragon named Smaug. All of these things molded him into a hero, not to mention helping the dwarves regain their stolen wealth, and making the area surrounding Lonely Mountain safe again.
When the author wrote this book, he was looking past its enchanting tale to the trilogy to come known as "The Lord of the Rings." This book is the solid foundation of which all of those books follow. This book really emphasizes the character development of the main character, Bilbo. It is interesting the way the author created the creatures of middle earth in that all hobbits are good, but all goblins are evil, and the personality of someone differed according to their family. Bilbo Baggins is heir to the Tooks, who are more adventurous, and the Baggins's, who are very respectable and would never take part in such radical happenings. Throughout the story he sometimes switches back and forth between each family's point of view, but for him to reach his full potential he must be like the Tooks so he can be courageous and unafraid to partake in the great quest for the dwarves stolen gold. In the book I also noticed that there is a constant struggle between good and evil. The magic ring that Bilbo acquires from a hideous creature named Gollum in the darkness of a deep tunneling cave, affects him in a powerful way. The ring he found allows him to disappear instantly when he puts it on his finger. Although he thinks this is very useful, the ring is evil and Bilbo becomes addicted to it and always keeps it with him.
"The Hobbit" is a good, original read, but it obviously lacks realism because of it's out of this world setting and characters. That's not so bad though because it is fun reading about something that is completely made up, so you can leave your present state of mind and just relax and enjoy the book. J.R.R. Tolkien had a very smart way of writing which is shown in the elaborate details he put into each creature and the way he made everything come together in a complete way at the end but at the same time made you want to read "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. I did not detect any flaws in the plot, but then again I wasn't really looking for them because I was so caught up in the story. I have never read a book that has a similar subject as "The Hobbit" because it is so unique, so it makes it difficult to compare it to other books in that way. Relating to the book can be done only by the underlying tones, not the actual events since it is a fantasy. The forces of good and evil is something that I can relate to because we all know what right and wrong is, and the consequences of each kind of action. I thought the book was well-written and very amusing and fun to read and I would recommend it to anyone.
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Summary: The one
Review: I first read the Hobbit along with the Lord of the Rings and the histories (Similitron) etc. back in the third grade. And every year since. I have read at least 10 different versions and this is the best yet. The quality is simply unreal. The art in the book is wonderful. If you like the Lord of the Rings this is the version of The Hobbit to get. I also have the Lord of the Rings collectors edition. BUY IT!
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Summary: Very Pleased!
Review: I knew when I ordered the book that it was hard back, but when I opened the box and there was this beautiful green box with a very beautiful green book inside with a picture and the gold writing around the edge I was very pleased. It was much more than I was expecting. There are pictures inside that are illistrated by the author. This book has most definatly lived up to "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" legacy. It is truly a beautiful book!
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Summary: Gee Whiz
Review: From a Letter to JRR Tolkien's son Christopher (JRRT, Letters #87): Dear Mr Tolkien, I have just finished reading your book The Hobbit for the 11th time and I want to tell you what I think of it. I think it is the most wonderful book I have ever read. It is beyond description... Gee Whiz, I am surprised that it's not more popular...If you have written any other books, would you please send me their names? John Barrow, 12 yrs., West Town PA. I thought these extracts from a letter I got yesterday would amuse you. I find these letters which I still occassionally get (apart from the smell of incense which fallen man can never quite fail to savour) make me rather sad. What thousands of grains of good human corn must fall on barren, stony ground, if such a very small drop of water should be so intoxicating! But I suppose one should be grateful for the grace and fortune that have allowed me to provide evn the drop. God bless you beloved. Do you think The Ring will come off, and reach the thirsty? Your own Father. P.S. It's nice to find that little American boys do really say "Gee Whiz".
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Summary: Good show Bilbo!
Review: What can I say that's not been said before; a timeless classic I highly recommend. See you in the Shire!
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Summary: The gateway drug to Tolkien addiction
Review: This is the first book to delve into the world popularized in The Lord of the Rings, in which the reader's focus is on hobbits, a race comprised of homebodies with large furry feet and a decided lack of ambition.
Bilbo Baggins is one of the least adventurous of hobbits, and is less than pleased when Gandalf the Wizard appears and twists his arm into embarking on a quest with a gaggle of rambunctious dwarves. But embark he reluctantly does, and what follows is an adventure that is far more charming, if less epic, than the pomp-laden Rings trilogy.
Tolkien presents his own twist on existing mythologies and fairy tales, giving us a game of riddling and presenting, for the first time, in-depth cultures that defined orcs, elves, trolls, dwarves and humans under a unifying concept that has lasted for well over a half-century (and counting).
Okay, okay, so this book is important in the annals of fantasy. But is it a good read?
Yes.
Tolkien has taken all of this in-depth detail and hung it on a time-honored plot that will never get old. Bilbo is the unlikely, reluctant adventurer who finds within himself the capacity to be a hero, overcoming various obstacles to a climax involving a firebreathing dragon (the evil Smaug). Stories don't get any more exciting than this, and the details that are Tolkien's trademark add a layer of depth and texture that help to bring this world to life.
If you are considering reading the Lord of the Rings because the movies made such a big splash, or have already started that trilogy but been turned off by the weightiness, I urge you to start with the Hobbit. It is clean, easy reading that really inspired everything that came after it. The trilogy is everything that a Tolkien fan could want, but The Hobbit is what makes Tolkien fans happen.
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Summary: the hobbit
Review: The Hobbit is a book centered on Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit who is briefly seen in 'The Fellowship of the Ring' and 'The Return of the King'. Here is the main storyline:
Bilbo is living quietly in his hobbithole when Gandalf and thirteen dwarves whisk him away and engage him to travel with them on a journey to the Lonely Mountain to recover the lost treasure of Thorin Oakenshield, the son of Thrain, King Under the Mountain, which has been stolen by a dangerous dragon named Smaug. The fifteen of them hike all the way to the Misty Mountains when they are waylaid by the goblins. While trying to escape from them Bibo gets lost and manages to escape Gollum with a ring that makes whoever wears it invisible(the Ruling Ring in the Lord of the Rings). Then the dwarves and Bilbo journey into the forest of Mirkwood(Gandalf is away, saying that he has some other buisiness to attend to) and there they escape capture by some gigantic, talking spiders and the Elvenking, all by the help of Bilbo's brain and his Ring. Then they finally get to the Lonely Mountain, Mr. Baggins has a few talks with Smaug, then the dragon gets killed(I am not going to say why, for people who dont enjoy spoilers), a few arguments start, and the Battle of Five Armies(Elves, Men and Dwarves vs Goblins and Wargs) takes place. Then Bibo travells with Gandalf back to his hobbithole, and there he lives Happily Ever After(cough, cough).
There were more punch lines and funny bits in the Hobbit than in LOTR, which makes sense, because the Hobbit was written by Tolkien as a "children's book". Still, I really enjoyed the book, and I also liked the personality of Bilbo turning from comfort-loving, adventure-shunning Shire Hobbit to a brave, (some extremely smart)plan-brewing, and rich Hobbit. Also, the book sort of explains how Bilbo got the Ring in a fun way.
Which all explains how The Hobbit got five stars, in my opinion:)
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Summary: The Hobbit Review
Review: The Hobbit
I read the Hobbit bt J.R.R. Tolkien. It only took a couple of days for me because it was definately a oage turner. If you like stories of good versus evil and stories of adventure than this is a book for you. The Hobbit is probably my favorite book of all time. If you read the Lord of the Rings trilogy than you should the hobbit. The trilogy takes place after The Hobbit, and if you read The Hobbit it puts things together that you didn't realize in the trilogy. So i definately recomend this book to everyone because it's a fun read.
John
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Summary: Great book.
Review: I just got done reading this. I loved this book! It's got moments when it's adventurous (?), funny, sad, and moments when these elements are mixed. Some people complain about how 'bilbo gets out of stuff to easy'. They obviously zoned out some when they missed Tolkien reminding us that Bilbo's luck was very high. Very interesting. Pulls you in once they actually begin their adventure.
An interesting read. Five outta five! :)
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Summary: 2nd Lunch
Review: I have read both the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit twice. And, like a scant few other people, I have seen the movies (note the sarcasm). In addition to this, I have read numerous Terry Brooks novels which, in my opinion, greatly rival Tolkien in originality and depth.
With my esteemed credentials out of the way, here goes...
I feel that of all the aforementioned books, the Hobbit is the best. It is an easier read and isn't nearly as deep as LotR, but this does not take away from it in any way. Trust me, I am a HUGE fan of LotR (movies and books), but the Hobbit is a much better read. It has a much more carefree feel to it, as the hero is a bit of a pansy and clutz. While it is obviously fictional due to the Hobbits, Dwarves, Elves, and Dragons involved, it has a ring of truth to it in that the hero, much like us, oftentimes will be afraid in situations that any normal person would be afraid in. He is no superman.
LotR, while I greatly enjoyed it, seemed at times to drag on at times. This is due to the fact that there several tales going on at once, and while it leaves cliffhangers, the transition is often slow. With the Hobbit, I felt that everything was very fresh. There was just one main story and this story was told with enough, but not too much, detail.
Many consider the Hobbit to be a great precurser/intro to the LotR. However, I feel that the Hobbit is great as simply a stand-alone novel. After I read the Hobbit, it was several years before I read LotR. I never felt like I was missing something, and as a matter of fact, I didn't even know a thing about LotR before I read it (this was years before the movie). In my mind, the ring was a trinket and Bilbo's tale was done.
If your looking for a fun read that is just a little different than that lastest New York Time's Bestseller, then check out the Hobbit. I would give it 6 out of 5 stars, but that is not an option.
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