35 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good, but not as described, March 20, 2007
This review is from: The Hobbit (Paperback)
This is a fun adaptation of Tolkien's classic work and I enjoy it as such, but it is *not* as described here by Amazon. First, buyers need to know that this is a graphic novel and an abridgment of Tolkien's work. Second, it is *not* illustrated by Alan Lee as stated in Amazon's description, the illustrations were done by David Wenzel. This is a glaring mistake that Amazon needs to correct quickly. There are plenty of Alan Lee fans out there, especially after the LOTR movies were made with his assistance, and those fans may be disappointed to find the work of a different illustrator show up in their mailbox. Amazon also gives the wrong ISBN-10 number, though I doubt many will notice or care.
Having said all this, I have enjoyed this adaptation of Tolkien's work. I bought it primarily for my 5 year old daughter who is a bit too young for the unabridged and non-illustrated novel but is still very interested in the story. She loves for me to read it to her and she gets a fuller and more accurate depiction of the story than the 1977 cartoon video provides.
I recommend this work, but Amazon needs a fuller, more honest description of what buyers will be receiving.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must have book for any library, May 7, 2011
This review is from: The Hobbit (Paperback)
Whatever size library you have, whether its a huge rambling thing in a room of its own or a small affair in the living room, the Hobbit is a must have book for you library.
From the master of fantasy, the Hobbit is the epitome of all that is good and wholesome in fantasy. It has this very unique quality of writting that is intended for children but at the same time adults not only can read but can really enjoy.
The adventures of Bilbo, Gollum's riddles, the evil goblins and the alien elves are all the stuff of legends. I've read this book as a child and I keep coming back to it, reading it again every few years. It never ceases to amaze me.
If you already own it, go back and read it again. If you don't, but it as soon as you can. You won't be disappointed.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Journey to Middle-End, and the life of Mr. Bilbo Baggins, January 25, 2011
This review is from: The Hobbit (Paperback)
****************************SPOILER ALERT****************************SPOILER ALERT*******************************************
Before Frodo, there was Bilbo, Mr. Bilbo Baggins. He is the Hobbit who led the Dwarves to the Lonely Mountain to reclaim their treasure from the dragon named Smaug. Bilbo is middle aged and resides in a clean, warm burrow dug into the side of a hill (the place is called "The Shire", home to many hobbits). In the beginning of the story Bilbo is a very weak character. He is easily frightened, and very shy (one of the conflicts, but I'll get to that later on in the review). Bilbo is also a Hobbit. Hobbits are known for their skills in thievery and spying. The Hobbits are very small creatures (they can only grow up to three feet... if they're lucky) with big feet, covered by tops of thick hair. They are very simple, and never wish to partake in very exciting activities. A very common profession found in their lives is gardening. Some of the other important characters are Gandalf; he is the wizard that accompanies Bilbo and the dwarves on their quest. Thorin Oakenshield is son of the king of the dwarves who were driven from the Lonely Mountain. Smaug is the dragon of the Lonely Mountain who hordes the treasure he stole. Gollum is a slimy creature that was born a Hobbit but had the ring too long; this is the character that Bilbo steals the ring from. Bard is the archer that kills Smaug.
I'm not going to go into depths with the story, but I'll give a brief summary. Bilbo enjoys his simple and peaceful life, but all this changes by a simple knock on the door, a surprise visit by the wizard Gandalf. To Bilbo's surprise, Gandalf has arrived with a company of dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield. They are embarking on a journey to recover lost treasure (from the town of men "Dale") that is guarded by the dragon Smaug, at the Lonely Mountain. Gandalf has decided, much to Bilbo's chagrin, that he will make an excellent addition to the team and Bilbo is going to play the role of a burglar. As they start on their way, Bilbo has serious misgivings. During their journey, they encounter various obstacles and, and all sorts of villains. They also encounter various creatures such as giant spiders, goblins, wolves and many others. In the end, they endure all of them. They eventually kill Smaug and on their way to claim the treasure, they are forced to battle armies of goblins and wargs (of course, Bilbo's party aided by several allies, otherwise they would've been out-numbered and killed). In the end, the wargs and goblins are vanquished and Bilbo returns to The Shire with treasure, the ring of power and a heart full of adventure.
The world of the Middle-Earth is a complicated one. Tolkien took great care in representing this world, from creating new languages to including very particular cultural details that add to the richness of the world's fabric. Tolkien states that Middle-Earth was the planet we live today in an imaginary time (supposedly 6,000 years ago), but of course, this is just fiction.
As I said, in the beginning Bilbo is the shy, weakest, and most frightened character of the group, but in the end he amounts to be the strongest. And now is when the conflict comes in. The main conflict is man vs. himself, or should I say Bilbo vs. Bilbo? Bilbo has to overcome his fears of dragons and other creatures in order to carry out his part of the mission.
Now, let us talk about the theme shall we? I have noticed the story has several themes and morals, but the main one is this: never let your fears get in the way of what you want to do or be in life. Bilbo is an excellent example of this. And then there comes greed. Whilst greed is a recurring theme in the novel, with many of the episodes stemming from one or more of the characters' simple desire for food, or a desire for beautiful objects, such as gold and jewels, it is only by the Arkenstone's influence upon Thorin that greed comes fully to the fore in the story and provides the moral crux of the tale. Bilbo steals the Arkenstone, a most ancient relic of the dwarves, and attempts to ransom it to Thorin for peace. However, Thorin turns on the Hobbit as a traitor, disregarding all the promises he had previously bestowed. In the end Bilbo gives up the precious stone and most of his share of the treasure in order to help those in greater need (this theme can also be seen in Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy with Frodo and the "One Ring").
Normally people read this book after watching the LOTR movies, and I don't blame them, I did the same thing. But some people look at this book as a prequel to the trilogy, and I really think they shouldn't do that. This is a completely different story to LOTR, one that may not be as good as the trilogy, but it definitely has more color than it.
My thoughts on the book? It was brilliant. I loved the way that Bilbo grows up from a shy humble tea-maker into this great, mature adventurer. It's fairly short, and easy to understand. The plot is fantastic, and the build-up is very well done. Anyone can easily read it, the story is written in a very lighter tone than the actual trilogy (even has its comical parts) and I do recommend it for those who have a thirst for adventure, interested in taking a journey to a new land, to Middle-Earth.
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