Customer Reviews

The Hobbit

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1 star:		(65)

 

 

[This is a review of the 70th Anniversary Edition, not so much of THE HOBBIT itself. I've reviewed the book proper elsewhere, and would rather focus on the actual edition itself.]

THE HOBBIT is one of those few books that I have felt justified to buy multiple copies over the years. It is a book I have read and cherished, and a book I dearly love. THE HOBBIT is a novel that deserves to be bought multiple times over, and I always enjoy looking at new editions of this classic work. So imagine my excitement when I found out they would be publishing a 70th anniversary edition of one of my most cherished novels!

This has been a big year for Tolkien fans. Christopher Tolkien published THE CHILDREN OF HURIN, a newly completed version of Turin's legend, in April. We've gotten (at long last), THE HISTORY OF THE HOBBIT, expertly handled by brilliant Tolkien scholar John D. Ratcliffe and published in two separate volumes. And of course, we have the 70th anniversary of Tolkien's first primary work, THE HOBBIT, which this edition is published in celebration of that momentous occasion. And does it live up as a major new edition of this fantasy classic?

That's a pretty easy answer. The answer is NO.

First off, here are the positives. The 70th anniversary edition is pretty much how the first edition of THE HOBBIT was actually published back in 1937 with some notable improvements, and conforming to Tolkien's pretty exacting specifications, including how the dust jacket should appear, as well as the art and maps that accompany the text.

These are the notable differences between the first edition and this edition. Due to cost, Tolkien was not able from a production standpoint to have the book appear exactly as he envisioned. The 1937 publication cut some of his artwork, the map was not how he so desired, and the dust jacket, due to printing cost, was limited to three primary colours (green, black, and white). Originally, Tolkien wanted the sun on the front cover and the dragon on the back cover to be totally in red, but this was not feasible.

Obviously Tolkien's work is successful enough that these production costs are no longer an issue, and so this is a relatively accurate facsimile of what Tolkien would have wanted to publish in 1937 had money not been an object, as it too often is in the real world. For that, this edition has some worth.

Now, there are some negatives. And these are big negatives.

First off, paper quality and binding. It's bad.

Then there's the actual art work. The colour artwork is quite nicely implemented into the main text, and overall I don't have a problem with the colour artwork from a production standpoint. The paintings are bright and colourful, and remain true to higher quality prints of Tolkien's phenomenal painting. But unfortunately the same cannot be said of the black and white illustrations. Like a reviewer said before me, it appears Tolkien's drawings were reproduced on a cheap scanner. Tolkien's artwork is highly valuable, but unfortunately the drawings here are rather badly reproduced in this edition.

Then there's the advertisement for LOTR at the end that's rather annoying. They reproduce the first chapter of FELLOWSHIP and place it at the end of the novel, acting like a cheap plug for Tolkien's masterpiece. I don't have any problem with plugging LOTR, but to me this inclusion of the first chapter just cheapens the whole book, especially when it's supposed to be a major edition of a major work. We all know about LOTR. Do we really need the first chapter here? Rather tacky, to say the least.

Then there's the problem of Christopher Tolkien's forward. This is what I was most looking forward too, actually. Having read E. A. Solinas's review, I was under the impression this was a new forward prepared specifically by Christopher for the 70th anniversary of his father's work. Not the case. It's simply a reprint of the forward he wrote for the 50th anniversary of THE HOBBIT, twenty years previously.

As far as textual authenticity, I must be honest in the fact that I've only browsed it at a Borders bookstore, but I'd be very surprised if they did not use the text from The Annotated Hobbit, as it is the most definitive and accurate text yet established for the book. Still, I can't verify that that is the case.

Overall, this is a fair edition of THE HOBBIT. It could have been a lot more. What sets this apart from the other copies is this is how Tolkien truly envisioned how he wanted the book to appear, and for that fact alone, this is a valuable edition to the Tolkien collector. Unfortunately the poor production quality of the black and while illustrations, the rather tacky inclusion of LOTR's first chapter, and the disappointment of the publishers' just reprinting a twenty year old introduction to the 50th anniversary publication rather brings the whole affair down. I think I'll pass on this one.

For those looking for the best edition of Tolkien's book, buy THE ANNOTATED HOBBIT, first published in 1988 and republished in a new format in 2003. The second version of THE ANNOTATED HOBBIT is the definitive edition of this phenomenal work as far as I'm concerned.

The biggest problem with this novel is perception. Tolkien wrote this story for children; to be more specific, this was written for HIS children. There were several stories like this, but it was this, The Hobbit, that was his master achievement in children's literature.

The Lord of the Rings ( a single epic, NOT a trilogy) was written to cash in on The Hobbit's success. Tolkien wanted to get on with the more serious work of his mythology, and ultimately that is what happened with The Lord of the Rings. It became attached to his mythology, and became as important to him as The Silmarillion.

So delineation is required if you want to read this. Do not go in with the thought that The Hobbit is a "precursor" or any such nonsense to The Lord of the Rings. Think of it like you would think of any other children's classics: children's classics. If you take it on The L. R.'s terms, this is a failure, primary because it is not written to be like that. But, on the flipside, The L. R. is as much a failure in children's fiction. It is not children's fiction, it is epic fantasy, and one should not equate it with children's fiction. That is EXACTLY what people try to do with The Hobbit. They try to put it in the same type of genre or playing field as The L. R. They are both masterpieces, and I love them both dearly. But one is for children, the other with adults.

Of course, Tolkien is part of the problem. How many books do you know that is a children's book and has an adult sequel? Not very many. The Hobbit, scarcely 300 pages, was written and published in the children's market. He then talked to his publishers, and they wanted a sequel. So he began "the new Hobbit", as C. S. (Jack) Lewis so aptly put it. He was preoccupied with his mythology, and the sequel was drawn into it. So we have two works, spanning two different genres, and as far as surface connections go its little more than prequel/sequel. Instead of looking at The Hobbit as a prequel, a precursor to his ADULT masterpiece, an inferiour version, think of as his CHILDREN'S masterpiece. The Hobbit is top of the class in children's fiction, one of the few contenders against such other great children's works as Narnia and Wrinkle in Time. The Lord of the Rings, likewise, is THE crowning masterpiece of the fantasy genre, of which its influence is incalculable to that fantasy market. Both are as important as the other, just in different fields.

I haven't talked about The Silmarillion much. I have already reviewed it, so I won't go real in-depth here. But the same thing happened with it. People, expecting another Lord of the Rings, were inevitably disappointed with the Biblical style of the published version. If Tolkien wrote that book out in narrative form as he did Lord of the Rings, it would be ten times longer than Lord of the Rings. The biggest problem with Tolkien is people have to many preconceptions that are incorrect.

So, basically, in conclusion, think of it like this:

1. The Hobbit - Children's masterpiece. He scores big with this one.

2. The Lord of the Rings - a single fantasy, not a trilogy. (Tolkien was always quick to point that out). The Crowning achievement of modern fantasy.

3. The Silmarillion - the Bible of Middle-earth. Much more for students of his work than the causal reader.

Tolkien's Hobbit takes the imagination on a wonderful flight of fantasy. I read this book on a yearly basis and each year I am delighted and captivated by the world of Bilbo Baggins. Bilbo is a reluctant member of an adventure that will forever change his life and the lives of those around him. He accompanies 13 dwarves on a mission to reclaim the gold and mountain kingdom of their ancestors from the dragon, Smaug. They have many adventures and mishaps on their journey to the lonely mountain including the climactic battle of five armies. Bilbo finds a magic ring along the way which leads, not only to a rise in his stature, but also to a new adventure for his friends in "The Lord of the Rings." Tolkien is a master storyteller and the depth of his skill is best seen in this tale. In the following trilogy, "The Lord of the Rings" the story is continued, but the sheer delight of "The Hobbit" is never fully recaptured. This collector's edition is beautifully bound. Even more enjoyable are the illustrations and paintings by the author himself.

I bought this book because I wanted a hardcover illustrated fancy version of "The Hobbit".

I'm just going to pretend that everyone who reads this review has already read "The Hobbit" and knows what it's about. Like I suspect many others do, I have my own old sacred tattered and dog-eared paperback version on the Tolkien bookshelf.

This book (the physical object, not just the story) is beautiful. It's clothbound in dark green and embossed in gold, and the bottom corner of the front cover has a gold embossed dragon, tastefully rendered. The paper dustjacket/cover features a dragon as well (I'm guessing Smaug). Eye-catching.

There are many full-page color paintings, and many grayscale drawings (not full page) throughout. I'm not an art student, so I don't know what they're really called. Pencil-drawings or something. I call them grayscale because they're gray. Anyway, the Allen Lee illustrations are utterly charming, soft and colorful without being too bright. However, I wouldn't recommend this illustrated book for very young children; some of the goblins and trolls are frightening!

I was a bit disappointed that Alan Lee didn't include more illustrations of Elves. Most of the pictures dealt with Bilbo and the dwarves, with a few of goblins and Gollum (scary). Also, I pictured Bilbo Baggins to be somewhat on the "stout" side...the text *does* refer to Hobbits as being "inclined to be fat in the stomach" and liking two dinners a day, "when they can get it." The Bilbo Baggins in these illustrations is quite slender and looks as if he could use that second dinner right away! Maybe even a third and fourth! The balding, skinny Hobbit did surprise me. But then, I kind of expected the chubby halfling I saw on some old Tolkien calendars.

This book makes a wonderful coffee table book and would make a great gift. It's printed on thick glossy paper, so the book is heavy. In these days of cheap hardcover bookbinding and paperbacks that have the consistency of the thick weekly manga, this book is truly a work of art in itself.

Recommended for all but the very young, or the easily frightened.

My father introduced the late great Mr J.R.R. Tolkien to me when I was 8 years old, at a time when I had an insatiable appetite for literature of all kinds. From one night to the next I used to long to hear of events that - somehow - had been happening during my daily absence.

"The Hobbit" only added to my impatience. The animated tones of my father's voice as he described Bilbo Baggins's journey into the middle earth, created images of green mist, rugged mountains and dark woods that only a childs mind can see so vividly. Yet I can remember the look on my father's face as he turned every page to rejoin the adventure. And I realised that this book - this fantasy land - had captured my fathers imagination as it had mine.

For years after my father read me "The Hobbit", I longed to recapture the feelings that I first encountered in Bilbo's adventure - to learn more about Gandalf, and conjure up further images of dark, mysterious scenery. But maybe that time was too special. Maybe I'm never mean't to find another book with such magical power ..... because maybe I was lucky to be introduced to one in the first place.

There are a lot of maybe's in life - questions that go along unanswered - as there are in this book...... that's the magic.

In my adult wisdom (!?) I now know that I'll never truly recapture the feelings that I had as a little girl. But - when the time arises - I will strive to provide the same atmosphere in which my children can realise the magic of reading. And "The Hobbit" is the book that made me realise how important the magic is.

So Mr Tolkien, wherever you are, I give you 5 stars.... for the thousands that you have already given me.

I always thought this book was for children so I got it for my son for Christmas. He had read all the Harry Potter books and was waiting for the next one so I figured this classic fantasy would help fill the void.

Well fill the void it did! My son absolutely loved it and has already read through it twice. Intrigued, I picked up the book myself and was immediately captivated by the story and stayed up until 2AM one morning to finish it! This is a book that any adult can appreciate and while it might be challenging for a child under 14, the effort will be rewarded.

This is the story of a hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, who is very much like many of us. He would rather avoid "adventure" and sit by the fireplace with a mug of beer and a good meal in his stomach. He is suddenly dragged unwittingly into an adventure that ends up transforming him and teaching him things about himself that he never knew.

As Bilbo and his dwarf companions encounter trolls, goblins, giant spiders and ultimately a giant dragon in their quest to recover lost treasure, you will find it increasingly difficult to put the book down.

J.R.R. Tolkien is a master of prose and you find yourself reading paragraphs over again to absorb all the rich detail. They sure don't write them like that anymore!

I highly recommend getting this book on tape (or CD) as well. My son and I "re-read" the book this way and we gained much more appreciation for this timeless classic (the medieval music added a whole new dimension to the tale).

The biggest problem with this novel is perception. Tolkien wrote this story for children; to be more specific, this was written for HIS children. There were several stories like this, but it was this, The Hobbit, that was his master achievement in children's literature.

The Lord of the Rings ( a single epic, NOT a trilogy) was written to cash in on The Hobbit's success. Tolkien wanted to get on with the more serious work of his mythology, and ultimately that is what happened with The Lord of the Rings. It became attached to his mythology, and became as important to him as The Silmarillion.

So delineation is required if you want to read this. Do not go in with the thought that The Hobbit is a "precursor" or any such nonsense to The Lord of the Rings. Think of it like you would think of any other children's classics: children's classics. If you take it on The L. R.'s terms, this is a failure, primary because it is not written to be like that. But, on the flipside, The L. R. is as much a failure in children's fiction. It is not children's fiction, it is epic fantasy, and one should not equate it with children's fiction. That is EXACTLY what people try to do with The Hobbit. They try to put it in the same type of genre or playing field as The L. R. They are both masterpieces, and I love them both dearly. But one is for children, the other with adults.

Of course, Tolkien is part of the problem. How many books do you know that is a children's book and has an adult sequel? Not very many. The Hobbit, scarcely 300 pages, was written and published in the children's market. He then talked to his publishers, and they wanted a sequel. So he began "the new Hobbit", as C. S. (Jack) Lewis so aptly put it. He was preoccupied with his mythology, and the sequel was drawn into it. So we have two works, spanning two different genres, and as far as surface connections go its little more than prequel/sequel. Instead of looking at The Hobbit as a prequel, a precursor to his ADULT masterpiece, an inferiour version, think of as his CHILDREN'S masterpiece. The Hobbit is top of the class in children's fiction, one of the few contenders against such other great children's works as Narnia and Wrinkle in Time. The Lord of the Rings, likewise, is THE crowning masterpiece of the fantasy genre, of which its influence is incalculable to that fantasy market. Both are as important as the other, just in different fields.

I haven't talked about The Silmarillion much. I have already reviewed it, so I won't go real in-depth here. But the same thing happened with it. People, expecting another Lord of the Rings, were inevitably disappointed with the Biblical style of the published version. If Tolkien wrote that book out in narrative form as he did Lord of the Rings, it would be ten times longer than Lord of the Rings. The biggest problem with Tolkien is people have to many preconceptions that are incorrect.

So, basically, in conclusion, think of it like this:

1. The Hobbit - Children's masterpiece. He scores big with this one.

2. The Lord of the Rings - a single fantasy, not a trilogy. (Tolkien was always quick to point that out). The Crowning achievement of modern fantasy.

3. The Silmarillion - the Bible of Middle-earth. Much more for students of his work than the causal reader.

The Hobbit is a masterpiece of Fantasy literature. It combines elements of drama, comedy, suspense and adventure to bring your emotions to the surface. The book appeals to fans of the Fantasy genre of almost all ages. The grandfather-telling prose in which The Hobbit is written will appeal to adolescents while the sheer language, storyline and myths that Tolkien has created will surely entice the adult readers.

In the opinion of this reviewer, no Fantasy fiction author gives as vivid depictions of all aspects of environments, characters and story as well as Tolkien. So much, in fact, that many popular authors since have tried to parallel Tolkien's writing style. The Hobbit (and The Lord of the Rings) is the echelon of every Fantasy book written since and should belong in every Fantasy liturature reader's library.

This reviewer strongly recommends the 1997 edition of The Hobbit which marks the 60th anniversary of the first edition. The book is in beautiful hardcover format filled with lavishly painted illustrations by noted Norse myth artist Alan Lee. The illustrations serve as a wonderful supplement to an already well depicted story. The paper and typeface used in this particular edition is of the highest quality and will last for generations to come. It is wrapped nicely in a glossy paper sleeve, edged with gold foil on the top and bottom in which ancient runes of old are scribed. The sleeve is also adorned with one of the many beautiful paintings of Lee.

In conclusion, please be sure to make it a point to read The Hobbit if you have not already done so. If you have had a chance to read it, you will have been rewarded with an incredible journey of the mind and will most likely want to read it again and again during the course of your lifetime, with each reading giving you a greater appreciation for Tolkien's talent.

The Hobbit written by J.R.R. Tolkien
There and Back Again told by Bilbo Baggins

"The Hobbit or There and Back Again" is, simply put, the seminal novel in modern fantasy fiction. Although many may see "The Hobbit" as strictly being a children's book or at best one for the teenagers, there is much in this novel for fans of fantasy fiction of all ages. I believe the last time I read this wondrous and beautifully crafted story was when I was a teenager myself but having been inspired by Peter Jackson telling the tale of "The Lord of the Rings" in the theaters I gladly purchased this novel to reread the epic and recapture the joy that it is to read one of Tolkien's classics.

Although many an author in many different fantasy series have come close to creating worlds such as Middle-Earth in the fantasy genre, they have done just that, come close. Giving credit where credit is due though, a majority of these authors were inspired by Tolkien and their great works may never have been were it not for his in the beginning.

If you're like me, making a revisit to the world of Tolkien's writings or coming to it for the first time, "The Hobbit" is definitely the place to start. This review is for the Leatherette Collector's Edition, ISBN: 0-395-17711-1 which is a beautifully crafted novel and the illustrations by J.R.R. Tolkien himself all combine to make for a wonderful experience as Tolkien weaves the tale of Bilbo Baggins and his first big adventure through an extraordinary premise, exceptional plot setup and execution and perfect pacing.

The premise:

"The Hobbit or There and Back Again" tells the tale of Bilbo Baggins, a Hobbit that is visited by Gandalf the Wizard and the very next day twelve dwarves show up in his "hole" and enlist his aid as a "burglar" in their quest.

Before poor Bilbo knows it, he's on a quest with the twelve dwarves and Gandalf to the far reaches of Middle-Earth to rob Smaug the dragon of that which belonged to dwarf King Thorin's father Thrain and is rightfully his, the treasure of Lonely Mountain.

What follows from there is most certainly one of fantasy fiction's classic tales and an extremely enjoyable tale for all ages where Bilbo, Gandalf and the twelve dwarves go from one adventure to another on their way to the Lonely Mountain and an inevitable meeting with Smaug.

I highly recommend this novel in this Leatherette Collector's Edition to those who've never read the story before and to those that have and wish to have the best possible version of it. It would be absolutely perfect if Peter Jackson would see fit to further immortalize this novel by bringing it to the silver screen after the overwhelming success of the "The Lord of the Rings!" {ssintrepid}

This 70th anniversary edition of The Hobbit is a fine production which includes the most recent corrections to the text. The introduction by Christopher Tolkien is about twenty years old, having been written for the British 50th anniversary edition in 1987. I don't believe this introduction has been available in an American edition before, so its good that it finally made it into print here. The book is well-designed and made so that it will last through many rereadings, as a classic should, and it is much nicer to hold and read than previous American editions, which tend to feel cheap and clunky. The paintings and line drawings by JRR Tolkien are as fresh and beautiful as they must have been when they were new, and much to be preferred over the illustrations provided by other artists. I believe that this edition of The Hobbit is the closest American version of how Tolkien himself would have liked it to have been published.