The Hobbit

Just reread this in November 2023, and I've apparently written the following in the days gone by.

I'd read The Hobbit some ten years ago, went to see the film without any clear memory of the thing, and then just had to reread it again. What really struck me was how much fun this story really is. Sure, it has its meandering sections as do most travelogues. But especially the role of the narrator becomes the highpoint of the book for me: he pinpoints certain things, important or peripheral, breaks off the narrative to explain something else entirely, intervening in good humor.

The Hobbit is brilliantly redolent and entertaining literature on its own, not only as a kind of sidekick to The Lord of the Rings. I'm sure I'll revisit it many times in years to come.

Going forward, the only acceptable way to consume this story is via audiobook narrated by Andy Serkis.

I'll be honest. I didn't get it at first. I was so bored the first time I read this story. I barely would've given it 3 stars. My second reread was better, but not by much. Solid three star. I didn't love how Tolkien addresses the reader. It pulled me out of the story and stopped me from connecting with the characters. Then I tried the audiobook narrated by Rob Inglis, and that was a flop for me (though I enjoyed him for LotR for some reason). But eventually I came to love the story for how it set up the world in LotR, and The Hobbit was officially a four star read for me. My humor also developed over the years, which helped me with Tolkien's writing a lot.

Then the disaster that is 2020 came along and Andy Serkis bestowed upon us the most wonderful gift to ease our suffering: Hobbitathon. He read the whole book straight through, live on YouTube. I woke up at 3 AM and watched/listened to the whole thing. He brought this story to life for me in a way I had never experienced, as cheesy as that sounds. Seriously, he made me absolutely LOVE The Hobbit. Teenage me would never believe it. Anyway, I love the journey, the characters, the writing, and I still can't get over ‘Gollum' reading Riddles in the Dark.

Tolkien è Tolkien.
Letto adesso può non fare impazzire i lettori del fantasy abituati ad altri canoni, ma se consideriamo che è stato pubblicato nel 1937 e quasi un secolo dopo lo leggiamo vuol dire che il suo perché ce l'ha :)

Scorrevole e condito da un filo d'ironia è adatto a tutte le età. Personaggi come Gandalf, Bilbo Baggins, Thorin e Bombur entrano nel cuore.

È molto interessante leggere i riferimenti di Tolkien e sapere che Lo Hobbit affonda le sue radici nei poemi islandesi e norvegesi (Edda e Beowulf in primis).
Altrettanto importante è sapere che Tolkien era un grande filologo e ha compiuto svariati studi sul norreno, sulle rune e sulle traduzioni :)

A good introduction to the Lord of the Rings universe. The story is fluid and we feel that it was written for children. We might perhaps regret the somewhat hasty resolution of certain situations even if it fits with the audience originally intended by the author and the way he wrote it.


Une bonne introduction à l'univers du Seigneur des Anneaux. L'histoire est fluide et on sent qu'elle a été écrite pour les enfants. On pourrait peut-être regretter la résolution un peu hâtive de certaines situations même si ça colle avec le public visé à l'origine par l'auteur et la façon dont il l'a écrite.

I haven't read this since college, and I'd forgotten just how good it is. The style just wraps around me like a warm blankie. I find I can identify a lot more with Bilbo as I get older, and I love watching his growth as a character and a burglar. Say what you will about Eagles and deux ex machinas, I love this book and always will.

First read in ... er, 1989 or so, I guess?

The Hobbit wasn't the first fantasy novel I read - as far as I can recall, that honour goes to Lloyd Alexander's The Book of Three. The Hobbit was, however, the book that made me a fantasy fan, so it's fair to say that this book helped shape my life when I read it; as a result, that 5 star rating I gave it can in no way be objective.

Still, it's a good, classic read, one that serves as a nice introduction to Tolkien's legendarium, and which tells a fairly straightforward but exciting story about dragons, dwarves, goblins, and gold. What made it even better was that I read along with the Tolkien Professor's podcast series - he's a university professor who specializes in Tolkien and records his lectures. It really helped me appreciate The Hobbit on a deeper level, especially as he made sure to show a lot of the subtle links between this book and both Lord of the Rings but also the Silmarillion.

Read as an audiobook by Andy Serkis (highly recommend)

A fantastic start to Tolkien's vast fantasy world. It very much reads like a bedtime story filled with excitement and wonders. The only reason it isn't a 5 star book for me is because I want more depth and more explanation, but I understand that this is not where Tolkien dives into more complicated matters.
Great book and looking forward to his other works!

Summary:
Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit of high regard, lives comfortably in his hobbit-hole when he is introduced to the old wizard Gandalf. Gandalf approaches him with the prospect of adventure, which he refuses, and then is subsequently almost forced into the services of a troupe of dwarves that aim to reclaim their kingdom under The Lonely Mountain. They embark on a journey, which takes them through Rivendell; through the home of a shape-changer, Beorn; through the goblin infested caves, where Bilbo Mets Gollum and finds a ring of power; through the dark forest called Mirkwood and then ultimately to the Lonely Mountain. Bilbo enters the mountain as a bugler and meets the treasure guardian and current resident of the great hall, Smaug. Smaug is defeated by Bard. Bilbo is adventurous and becomes a voice of warning and wit and is trusted as a leader with the dwarves. He finds the treasured Heart of the Mountain and pockets it. When Thorin Oakenshield begins to develop a jealousy for all gold and treasure, Bilbo appeals to the king's enemies. The mountain and it's riches are desired by many, and different enemies come to war to lay claim. Goblins appear to get vengeance for their fallen king. The armies of the Elfking, the humans of Laketown, and the dwarves attack together. Many are killed including Thorin, Fili, and Kili. Thorin's cousin becomes King Under the Mountain.
Bilbo is rewarded a share of the treasure and journeys back home with Sting, his riches, his mithril shirt, and his precious ring of power.

I can not believe that it has taken me so long to read this book. The detail is a bit overwhelming at first. However, you quickly become immersed in this new world where the danger is there, but the story teller keeps your feet from the fire. You are at a comfortable distance from the danger so that you do not feel the need to stop reading. The character of Bilbo changes and expands in a natural movement with the story. The character of some of the dwarves, elves, and so on remain a bit illusive until the end.

After reading this one, I am even considering reading the trilogy.

If you have not yet read this book, do yourself a favor and read it. It is a delightful story that is well written and well paced.

A classic story with great thoughts about life and the challenges of life. Add to that a top notch narrator and you get a winning combination.

I did have some struggles. There is so much detail in the journey and long songs. There are parts that feel like reading parts of the Bible. Inglis did a fantastic job of reading the characters with voices in a way that I could keep them straight—a heroic feat in itself. Still, some of those passages caught my mind wandering and, at times, I found myself drifting off.

So, I rated the audiobook as a 4 star overall because of my challenges in holding my attention. That being said, this has a permanent spot in my library and I plan to listen again in the future.

December ‘12 Sword and Laser book pick.

Love this book! First read it when I was maybe 14 years old, and now I must be on my 3rd or 4th re-read. It's such a fun read, and unlike the LOTRs trilogy, it doesn't delve too deeply into the rich history of Middle Earth. I love seeing Bilbo grow and develop his independence as he goes on this crazy adventure with Thorin and Co. I still always cry when I get to the Thorin's death after the Battle of Five Armies. This is one of those books that has left its mark on me.

This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: The Hobbit

Bilbo Baggins was content to stay in the Shire, living his days out in his hobbit hole. But when Gandalf the wizard visits the Shire and Bilbo invites him to tea, the hobbit's life changes forever. Thirteen dwarves show up on his doorstep with Gandalf, speaking of an adventure to reclaim their family's mountain and gold from the dragon Smaug. The itch to travel and experience life outside the Shire overcomes Bilbo, and he starts his journey to help the dwarves reclaim what was lost.

When you begin reading The Hobbit, don't expect the flashy drawn out fight scenes and plot twists you'll see in modern day fantasy. Written in 1937, the style of writing is vastly different but has aged well over the years. There is a wide cast of characters, but Tolkien makes sure they all stay in the reader's view and keeps the story steadily moving forward. While the characters will have mishaps and battles, the details are oftentimes summarized making the scenes appropriate for a younger crowd while still maintaining enough for the older.

Following along with Bilbo was like walking among friends. The way the narrator talks about the hobbit and his companions is with familiarity and respect for their choices. Often Bilbo has to think outside of the box, and instead of rushing into situations, he tries to talk through them and keep open communication instead of resorting to fighting. I wish this style of confrontation made into more modern day fantasy.

Listening to The Hobbit on audiobook enhanced the experience for me. Rob Inglis did a wonderful job voicing the characters and bringing to life the songs I most likely would have skipped over if I were reading the print version. And his version of Gollum was phenomenal! If you haven't had the chance to read, or listen to, The Hobbit I highly recommend it. This is one of the only classics I have enjoyed.

Still a great, classic book on reread. However, it just didn't feel the same on another read. There are just other books that I feel are better.

Bilbo is very smart and crafty. I appreciate that. A lot of dwarfs to remember but you get the gist of who is important. I feel like the trilogy is more of an epic but this is still a wonderful tale that sets it up.