The Hobbit

Rating:
Summary: The best there is
Review: I have done dozens of reviews for Amazon and I have hundreds of reviews on other sites, and The Hobbit is one of only 2 books I ever gave 5 stars to. Simply put, everything else is worse by comparison. This book began the entire fantasy genre, and it is still far and away above all of its competitors. Put simply, there has never been and probably never will be a fantasy author as good as J.R.R. Tolkien. I read this book for the first time when I was 6 and I have reread the series at least 20 times since. What makes this book (and the entire series) so compelling is the level to which Tolkien develops his characters and settings; it is very easy to completely lose yourself in his words. You don't read this book, you experience it. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to everyone.

Rating:
Summary: Evil Beware, Mr. Baggins is in Town
Review: Set in a magical land filled with adventure in the "old days", J.R.R. Tolkien's novel, The Hobbit, is a story of a hobbit named Bilbo Baggins who has an unexpected, unwanted, adventure of a lifetime. The main character, Bilbo Baggins, is just a normal, modern day hobbit that lives in a normal, modern day town (modern for the "old days"). He just wants to live in peace in his "hobbit hole" and to drink tea and eat cake all day. He enjoys visitors and certainly isn't looking for an adventure. But what he gets are unexpected guests who are strangers and an adventure he'll never forget. Over the edge of the wild, through the Misty Mountains, through Mirkwood forest, and to Lonely Mountain where the dreaded Smaug the dragon lies, guarding the not forgotten cache of treasure once belonging to the legendary dwarfs under the mountain whom once existed. Bilbo's job is to assist the descendents of the legendary dwarfs (yes, they are dwarfs too) in taking back their precious treasure. On this epic journey, they battle trolls, goblins, wolves, giant spiders, and encounter many more mysterious creatures and obstacles. I thought that this book was great, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes adventurous stories with a fantasy like quality to it. It has many bold, diverse, built up characters involved that make it exciting. It was an unpredictable adventure all the way through.

Rating:
Summary: A Fun Adventure
Review: I put off reading this book because everyone I knew had already read it in High School. So, naturally I felt I would be less then interested in the topic now that I was older. I finally gave in and picked it up since I wanted to read it before the major motion picture comes out this December. Let me tell you that my ideas about this book couldn't have been more wrong. I absolutely loved this book and kept flying through the pages eager to be swept up in the little Hobbit's next adventure. Tolkien keeps it fresh by introducing new and different characters throughout the book - and then does an excellent job tying them back into the story by the end. I feel this would be an excellent book for people of all ages.

Rating:
Summary: The Treasure Hunt
Review: J.R.R. Tolkien's book "The Hobbit" Is about Bilbo Baggins (The Hobbit), his Dwarve friends and Gandalf the wizard. They are all on a hunt for this treasure. But the treasure is guarded by a dragon. They all come into several encounters with: elves, giant spiders, eagles, goblins, wolves, and many more. It is a very far adventure. They myst travel hundreds of miles to get to the treasure through haunted forrests, across rivers, and through caves. "Must we go any further?" asked Bilbo at many parts in the story. And the answer was always "Yes" They all tried so hard at everything they did. Especially at getting the treasure and defending themselves and eachother when they were in dangerous situations. I think this is one of the best books that I have ever read. It is amazing how good someone can describe some things. Such as J.R.R. Tolkien does in this book. I would recomend this book to anyone who likes fictional stories, Dragons, elves,and all of that good stuff. This is an all around good book that you can't put down.

Rating:
Summary: Little People Can Do BIG Things
Review: Little Bilbo Baggins seemed at first like an innocent person, completely absorbed in his own little world, but as you read, you will find that no one escapes the wrath of Bilbo! This story is about a hobbit and a group of dwarves who set out to retrieve more plunder than is imaginable from the great dragon Smaug. Humor is very visible in this book, so if you like humor, and if you like fantasy, read The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien.

Rating:
Summary: Mystical creatures rule again
Review: The Hobbit was a great book. If you love to read about creatures such as elves, hobbits, dwarves, and trolls along with magic, this is the book for you. When Biblo Baggins meets Grandalf, he mever expects to go on the adventure of a lifetime. Want to know more? Read The Hobbit!

Rating:
Summary: PASSAGE TO A NEW WORLD
Review: I guess I'm writing this review about 35 years late. I first read "The Hobbit" while in high school. I didn't know what I was checking out of the New York Public Library as I was strictly a Sci-Fi reader. Since then, I've re-read it four times. I have bought copies for each of my three children. They all enjoyed it, but only one,the daughter, has accompanied me on this trek through Middle Earth. This mastery of fantasy has brought me and mine, hours of literary pleasure. No other author of fantasy has been able to touch JRR Tolkien, in respect to depth and intricacies of storyline. Bilbo Baggins will always be my favorite character because of the way JRR Tolkien presented him to us. If you haven't read it, do so, and if you have, give it as a gift to someone you feel is a kindred spirit and you 'll enjoy with them a new realm. JRR, you will always be the creator of Fantasy to me.

Rating:
Summary: The standard for Fantasy fiction
Review: I first read the Hobbit as a young child (but having a 12th + reading level in 4th grade made that an easy feat)and was immediatley drawn into Middle Eatrh. JRR Tolkien created an entire world, several languages and most importantly a story that will stand the test of time. Especially with the Lord of the Rings triology that followed Tolkien made Fantasy books what they are: an anology of our own history, both good and bad. The marshalling of the good powers against Mordor was nothing but WWII written in a fantasy style; superbley done. Most fantasy novels today are old reruns of Tolkiens work; I read some and give the books away; I still have The Hobbit, The Triology and The Simmerelian. The only modern fantasy novels that can compare (though the author is dragging things on a bit) is Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. Look out for the first Lord of the Rings feature movie due sometime at the end of 2001.

Rating:
Summary: A Big Tale about a Small Guy
Review: Bilbo Baggins was an ordianary hobbit, living in his ordianary home, doing his everday oridanary things. Until one day a brigade of dwarves and a magical wizard came barging into his ordianary life. Bilbo,then was forced to go on this insane quest across what seems to be an entire country, just to find some gold. This gold originally belonged to the dwarves until taken away by the terrible dragon, Smaug. Bilbo and the dwarves are now off on an adventure. A very dangerous adventure to be more precise. They start off by encountering trolls, who want to eat them for dinner. Wolves, elves, giant spiders, a terrible war and many other problems arouse for Bilbo and the Dwarves to weasal their way out of. An excellent read for the fantast lover!!!

Rating:
Summary: Although Extremely Good, Still not the Best
Review: I've always loved fantasy novels, and my friends have always told me that The Hobbit was a "most read", ok after several tries now I've read it and, don't get me wrong it's really good, but I don't think it's worth five of four stars. The descriptions of both settings and characters are very good, the story is extremely imaginative, but I think it's a very "light" adventures story because of all the perils Mr. Baggins (the Hobbit) and his dwarves companions encounter, there's not one in which you can really get concerned of what the outcome will be. I enjoyed it and never will regret reading it, but also think there are better fantasy novels, like the ones of Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman.