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The Hobbit: Or There and Back Again (Lord of the Rings) by [J.R.R. Tolkien]

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J.R.R. Tolkien

The Hobbit: Or There and Back Again (Lord of the Rings) Kindle Edition

by J.R.R. Tolkien (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

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Now a major motion picture.

A great modern classic and the prelude to THE LORD OF THE RINGS. Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an adventure. They have launched a plot to raid the treasure hoard guarded by Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon. Bilbo reluctantly joins their quest, unaware that on his journey to the Lonely Mountain he will encounter both a magic ring and a frightening creature known as Gollum.

A glorious account of a magnificent adventure, filled with suspense and seasoned with a quiet humor that is irresistible . . . All those, young or old, who love a fine adventurous tale, beautifully told, will take The Hobbit to their hearts. -New York Times Book Review

Reading age

12 years and up
Print length

251 pages
Language

English
Grade level

7 - 9
Lexile measure

1000L
Publisher

Mariner Books
Publication date

February 15, 2012
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ISBN-13

978-0395071229
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The Hobbit (or There and Back Again) is a fantasy novel written by J.R.R. Tolkien. It follows the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit who embarks on an incredible journey. This children's classic and literary masterpiece was first published in 1937 and has since become a treasured work of fantasy literature. Dragons, trolls, and magic await the reader on this memorable adventure.

Bilbo, along with his friend Gandalf the Wizard, embarks on an adventure with a band of dwarves that sends them into the wild and the depths of the earth to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from a dragon. Along the way, he meets elves, men, giants, goblins, spiders, eagles, and a strange creature named Gollum.

While the tale of the Lord of the Rings has become highly popular in our modern society, The Hobbit is the original story that laid the groundwork for this epic tale to take place. What transpires as a game of riddles and escape from the creature Gollum in the Hobbit is, in fact, the foundation for an entire adventure for the whole of Middle Earth in Bilbo's later years.

Inspired by the author's time serving in World War I, The Hobbit builds to a climactic battle in which many characters met throughout the book reappear. This stunning fairytale is one of adventure, lessons learned, and an entire world born of Tolkien's imagination and desire for an English folklore. The Hobbit is a timeless classic that can be appreciated by readers of all ages.

Amazon.com Review

Scenes from The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies

Luke Evans as Bard and Orlando Bloom as Legolas in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, in theatres December 17, 2014. (cr. Mark Pokorny)

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Ian McKellan as Gandalf and Luke Evans as Bard in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. (cr. Mark Pokorny)

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Smaug the Dragon attacks Lake Town in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. (Courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.)

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A scene from The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. (Courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.)

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Luke Evans as Bard in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. (Courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.)

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Martin Freeman as Bilbo in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. (Courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.)

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--This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Review

"One of the most freshly original and delightfully imaginative books for children that have appeared in many a long day... The Hobbit is a glorious account of a magnificent adventure, filled with suspense and seasoned with a quiet humor that is irrestible... All those, young or old, who love a fine adventurous tale, beautifully told, will take The Hobbit to their hearts" The New York Times Book Review

--This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From the Publisher

Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit, is a peaceful sort of cozy hole in the Shire, a place where adventures are uncommon and rather unwanted. So when the wizard Gandalf whisks him away on a treasure hunting expedition with a troop of rowdy dwarves, he's not entirely thrilled. Encountering ruthless trolls, beastly orcs, gigantic spiders, and hungry wolves, Bilbo discovers within himself astonishing strength and courage. And at the ultimate confrontation with the fearsome dragon Smaug, the hobbit will brave the dangers of dark and dragon fire alone and unaided. Brilliantly conceived to evoke Tolkien's richly imagined Middle Earth, this production features an original score written for Renaissance era instruments outstanding ensemble acting by the best performers available to the BBC and innovative sound techniques designed to present a hobbit's eye view of Bilbo's adventures. A fitting tribute to the centenary of J.R Tolkien's birth. The Hobbit will captivate longtime fans and the newly initiated alike. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From the Author

J.R.R. Tolkien (1892–1973) is the creator of Middle-earth and author of such classic and extraordinary works of fiction as The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion. His books have been translated into more than fifty languages and have sold many millions of copies worldwide.

--This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From the Inside Flap

About the Author

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was born on January 3, 1892, in Bloemfontein, South Africa. After serving in the First World War, he embarked upon a distinguished academic career and was recognized as one of the finest philologists in the world. He was a professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford, a fellow of Pembroke College, and a fellow of Merton College until his retirement in 1959. He is, however, beloved throughout the world as the creator of Middle-earth and author of such classic works as The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. He died on September 2, 1973, at the age of 81.

From the Paperback edition. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From the Back Cover

THE LORD OF THE RINGS IS SOON TO BE AN EPIC MOTION PICTURE TRILOGY FROM NEW LINE CINEMA

Bilbo Baggins was a hobbit who wanted to be left alone in quiet comfort. But the wizard Gandalf came along with a band of homeless dwarves. Soon Bilbo was drawn into their quest, facing evil orcs, savage wolves, giant spiders, and worse, unknown dangers. Finally, it was Bilbo -- alone and unaided -- who had to confront the great dragon Smaug, the terror of an entire countryside...

THIS STIRRING ADVENTURE FANTASY BEGINS THE TALE OF THE HOBBITS THAT WAS CONTINUED BY J.R.R. TOLKIEN IN HIS BESTSELLING EPIC THE LORD OF THE RINGS. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

AN UNEXPECTED PARTY

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.

It had a perfectly round door like a porthole, painted green, with a shiny yellow brass knob in the exact middle. The door opened on to a tube-shaped hall like a tunnel: a very comfortable tunnel without smoke, with panelled walls, and floors tiled and carpeted, provided with polished chairs, and lots and lots of pegs for hats and coats—the hobbit was fond of visitors. The tunnel wound on and on, going fairly but not quite straight into the side of the hill—The Hill, as all the people for many miles round called it—and many little round doors opened out of it, first on one side and then on another. No going upstairs for the hobbit: bedrooms, bathrooms, cellars, pantries (lots of these), wardrobes (he had whole rooms devoted to clothes), kitchens, dining-rooms, all were on the same floor, and indeed on the same passage. The best rooms were all on the left-hand side (going in), for these were the only ones to have windows, deep-set round windows looking over his garden, and meadows beyond, sloping down to the river.

This hobbit was a very well-to-do hobbit, and his name was Baggins. The Bagginses had lived in the neighbourhood of The Hill for time out of mind, and people considered them very respectable, not only because most of them were rich, but also because they never had any adventures or did anything unexpected: you could tell what a Baggins would say on any question without the bother of asking him. This is a story of how a Baggins had an adventure, and found himself doing and saying things altogether unexpected. He may have lost the neighbours’ respect, but he gained—well, you will see whether he gained anything in the end.

The mother of our particular hobbit—what is a hobbit? I suppose hobbits need some description nowadays, since they have become rare and shy of the Big People, as they call us. They are (or were) a little people, about half our height, and smaller than the bearded dwarves. Hobbits have no beards. There is little or no magic about them, except the ordinary everyday sort which helps them to disappear quietly and quickly when large stupid folk like you and me come blundering along, making a noise like elephants which they can hear a mile off. They are inclined to be fat in the stomach; they dress in bright colours (chiefly green and yellow); wear no shoes, because their feet grow natural leathery soles and thick warm brown hair like the stuff on their heads (which is curly); have long clever brown fingers, good-natured faces, and laugh deep fruity laughs (especially after dinner, which they have twice a day when they can get it). Now you know enough to go on with. As I was saying, the mother of this hobbit—of Bilbo Baggins, that is—was the famous Belladonna Took, one of the three remarkable daughters of the Old Took, head of the hobbits who lived across The Water, the small river that ran at the foot of The Hill. It was often said (in other families) that long ago one of the Took ancestors must have taken a fairy wife. That was, of course, absurd, but certainly there was still something not entirely hobbitlike about them, and once in a while members of the Took-clan would go and have adventures. They discreetly disappeared, and the family hushed it up; but the fact remained that the Tooks were not as respectable as the Bagginses, though they were undoubtedly richer.

Not that Belladonna Took ever had any adventures after she became Mrs Bungo Baggins. Bungo, that was Bilbo’s father, built the most luxurious hobbit-hole for her (and partly with her money) that was to be found either under The Hill or over The Hill or across The Water, and there they remained to the end of their days. Still it is probable that Bilbo, her only son, although he looked and behaved exactly like a second edition of his solid and comfortable father, got something a bit queer in his make-up from the Took side, something that only waited for a chance to come out. The chance never arrived, until Bilbo Baggins was grown up, being about fifty years old or so, and living in the beautiful hobbit-hole built by his father, which I have just described for you, until he had in fact apparently settled down immovably.

By some curious chance one morning long ago in the quiet of the world, when there was less noise and more green, and the hobbits were still numerous and prosperous, and Bilbo Baggins was standing at his door after breakfast smoking an enormous long wooden pipe that reached nearly down to his woolly toes (neatly brushed)—Gandalf came by. Gandalf! If you had heard only a quarter of what I have heard about him, and I have only heard very little of all there is to hear, you would be prepared for any sort of remarkable tale. Tales and adventures sprouted up all over the place wherever he went, in the most extraordinary fashion. He had not been down that way under The Hill for ages and ages, not since his friend the Old Took died, in fact, and the hobbits had almost forgotten what he looked like. He had been away over The Hill and across The Water on businesses of his own since they were all small hobbit-boys and hobbit-girls.

All that the unsuspecting Bilbo saw that morning was an old man with a staff. He had a tall pointed blue hat, a long grey cloak, a silver scarf over which his long white beard hung down below his waist, and immense black boots.

“Good morning!” said Bilbo, and he meant it. The sun was shining, and the grass was very green. But Gandalf looked at him from under long bushy eyebrows that stuck out further than the brim of his shady hat.

“What do you mean?” he said. “Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?”

“All of them at once,” said Bilbo. “And a very fine morning for a pipe of tobacco out of doors, into the bargain. If you have a pipe about you, sit down and have a fill of mine! There’s no hurry, we have all the day before us!” Then Bilbo sat down on a seat by his door, crossed his legs, and blew out a beautiful grey ring of smoke that sailed up into the air without breaking and floated away over The Hill.

“Very pretty!” said Gandalf. “But I have no time to blow smoke-rings this morning. I am looking for someone to share in an adventure that I am arranging, and it’s very difficult to find anyone.”

“I should think so—in these parts! We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner! I can’t think what anybody sees in them,” said our Mr Baggins, and stuck one thumb behind his braces, and blew out another even bigger smoke-ring. Then he took out his morning letters, and began to read, pretending to take no more notice of the old man. He had decided that he was not quite his sort, and wanted him to go away. But the old man did not move. He stood leaning on his stick and gazing at the hobbit without saying anything, till Bilbo got quite uncomfortable and even a little cross.

“Good morning!” he said at last. “We don’t want any adventures here, thank you! You might try over The Hill or across The Water.” By this he meant that the conversation was at an end.

“What a lot of things you do use Good morning for!” said Gandalf. “Now you mean that you want to get rid of me, and that it won’t be good till I move off.”

“Not at all, not at all, my dear sir! Let me see, I don’t think I know your name?”

“Yes, yes, my dear sir—and I do know your name, Mr Bilbo Baggins. And you do know my name, though you don’t remember that I belong to it. I am Gandalf, and Gandalf means me! To think that I should have lived to be good-morninged by Belladonna Took’s son, as if I was selling buttons at the door!”

“Gandalf, Gandalf! Good gracious me! Not the wandering wizard that gave Old Took a pair of magic diamond studs that fastened themselves and never came undone till ordered? Not the fellow who used to tell such wonderful tales at parties, about dragons and goblins and giants and the rescue of princesses and the unexpected luck of widows’ sons? Not the man that used to make such particularly excellent fireworks! I remember those! Old Took used to have them on Midsummer’s Eve. Splendid! They used to go up like great lilies and snapdragons and laburnums of fire and hang in the twilight all evening!” You will notice already that Mr Baggins was not quite so prosy as he liked to believe, also that he was very fond of flowers. “Dear me!” he went on. “Not the Gandalf who was responsible for so many quiet lads and lasses going off into the Blue for mad adventures? Anything from climbing trees to visiting elves—or sailing in ships, sailing to other shores! Bless me, life used to be quite inter—I mean, you used to upset things badly in these parts once upon a time. I beg your pardon, but I had no idea you were still in business.”

“Where else should I be?” said the wizard. “All the same I am pleased to find you remember something about me. You seem to remember my fireworks kindly, at any rate, and that is not without hope. Indeed for your old grandfather Took’s sake, and for the sake of poor Belladonna, I will give you what you asked for.”

“I beg your pardon, I haven’t asked for anything!”

“Yes, you have! Twice now. My pardon. I give it you. In fact I will go so far as to send you on this adventure. Very amusing for me, very good for you—and profitable too, very likely, if you ever g... --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From AudioFile

The prologue to Tolkien's LORD OF THE RINGS series is lavishlyproduced by the BBC. In Middle Earth, an unassuming hobbit named BilboBaggins is reluctantly whisked off on a quest for treasure by themysterious wizard, Gandolf. The actors do a first-rate job. A lot ofwit as well as loving care went into the dramatization. However,important aural clues are missing, making the action frequentlyobscure. The producers went a little overboard on sound and music,further muddying things up. This is best enjoyed by those who alreadyknow the tale. Y.R. © AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From Publishers Weekly

Between the film release of Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings, this is the season of the magical movie, and this audiobook is an inevitable spinoff. Countless readers have grown up on the adventures of the little furry hobbits who crave good food and a warm bed, but wind up trapped in caves, attacked by spiders and burdened by a dizzying assortment of treacherous adventures. While the stories are quite intricate, the message of good triumphing over evil is always evident. This appealing theme of the downtrodden overcoming obstacles is what keeps listeners' attention. There is so much action on this dramatization that listeners may often feel pulled in many directions. The narrators, including Ray Reinhardt as Bilbo and Bernard Mayes as Gandalf, are engaging, and the sound effects (including noises in the cave or forest, or the hobbits sitting down to a meal) are also quite strong. But those not already familiar with the story may find it difficult to distinguish between the various characters or keep track of all the action. Listeners will probably want to read the book along with listening, or perhaps listen and then watch the movie. The tapes are presented in a rustic-looking wooden box, making this appropriate for gift giving.

--This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From Library Journal

Honoring the 50th anniversary of the U.S. publication of The Hobbit, this edition offers more than the expected annotation of names, chronology, sources, and commentary (although literary criticism and cross-references to Lord of the Rings are limited). There is a fine introduction to the book's inception and reception, a rune-key, both primary and secondary bibliographies, a wealth of black-and-white illustrations from foreign editions and from Tolkien's own hand, and an appendix detailing all text revisions in the many U.S. and English editions. Though there are omissions (e.g., the Biblical and other traditional English sources for Tolkien's prose style), the scholar and general reader alike should find this commemorative edition both instructive and pleasing. Patricia Dooley, Lib. Sch., Univ. of Washington, Seattle
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Review

‘One of the best loved characters in English fiction… a marvellous fantasy adventure’
Daily Mail

‘Finely written saga of dwarves and elves, fearsome goblins and trolls… an exciting epic of travel, magical adventure, working up to a devastating climax’
The Observer

‘A flawless masterpiece’
The Times

--This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Review

'The English-speaking world is divided into those who have read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings and those who are going to read them.' Sunday Times 'A finely written saga of dwarves and elves, fearsome goblins and trolls... an exciting epic of travel and magical adventure, all working up to a devastating climax.' Observer --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Book Description

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt paperback

ISBN 978-0-618-26030-0

--This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0079KT81G
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Mariner Books (February 15, 2012)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 15, 2012
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 6426 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 251 pages
Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1482077574
Lending ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled

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J.R.R. Tolkien
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J.R.R. Tolkien was born on 3rd January 1892. After serving in the First World War, he became best known for The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, selling 150 million copies in more than 40 languages worldwide. Awarded the CBE and an honorary Doctorate of Letters from Oxford University, he died in 1973 at the age of 81.
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Jake and Donna Huff

Still a great story

Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2019

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At 60 years of age I still love the story of Mr. Bilbo Baggins and his adventures to There and Back Again. I read this story for the first time when I was 12 years old and my father introduced me to the writings of JRR Tolkien. I read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy every year thereafter clear through my freshman year of college. All these years later I still love this story and will read it again and again.

122 people found this helpful

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Audrey

Recommend to any book lover! Even those that HATE LOTR

Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2016

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I cannot tell you how many times I have read this book. While Tolkien is not my favorite writer by any means, this is my favorite novel of all times. I believe that Tolkien's talent lies in character, relationship and world building and that's what makes books go from GOOD to GREAT to AWESOME. I really adore the characters in this book and Bilbo will always have a place in my heart. I 100% recommend picking up the audiobook as well. My favorite thing to do after a hard week is to put on the audio book and bake bread while I delve into words I've practically memorized. The audible audio book has little to no frills and the narrator does a phenomenal job at keeping to the heart of the series. You can tell who the different characters are by the subtle changes in his voice, yet he's not so drastically different that it's disorienting.

There's really not much I can say here that hasn't already been said. The Kindle Version is JUST like the old tattered paper back I have in my bookshelf (I actually purchased the deluxe set to replace said tattered copy). I'm really glad I have this as apart of my kindle library! It definitely held up to the paper back and kept the magic of Tolkien with little to no changes in the editing.

89 people found this helpful

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Erik

Green Leather Bound Hardback version.

Reviewed in the United States on September 25, 2017

Verified Purchase

This Green leather bound and boxed version is gorgeous and worth much more than the $11 I paid for the delivered book. The book is a good size, with good size type. The pages are high quality, smooth paper that reads well and feels good in the hand. The book includes several green and black woodcut style pictures and maps by Tolkien himself and several color plates as well. Of course the story is a classic. I understand an 80th anniversary boxed version of The Hobbit and LOTR is due out next month (Oct 2017). Not sure what that version will be like, but I believe this is the best existing (not including collectibles such as first printing, etc.) version of The Hobbit at this time.

89 people found this helpful

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The Classic Tolkien Story - Kindle Edition is Excellently Done

Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2018

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I've enjoyed Tolkien's Hobbit and Lord of the Rings since first reading them in my teenage years. The stories are well known and timeless, and for anyone who has not yet enjoyed them in the written form, it is highly worthwhile (whether you are young or old, I might add).

I've re-visited them quite a few times over the years, and when the Kindle editions became available, and for a very reasonable price, I decided to grab them both. I've examined the formatting and functionality, and have found that they are well done Kindle editions with fully functioning table of contents and links. The maps and illustrations are just barely readable on the displays of any of the black-and-white regular Kindle models, and even when viewed on a full sized color display (on my iMac, for example), they are small and somewhat blurred. That is really the only disadvantage to this Kindle version that I think is worth pointing out.

Overall these Kindle versions bring the The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings to my favorite reading device, and I can now have them with me at all times to enjoy conveniently wherever I may happen to be.

(Note regarding pricing for the Kindle versions - I was able to get both of these Kindle editions for three bucks each here on Amazon, so it is worth keeping an eye on them as they do go on sale from time to time).

26 people found this helpful

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HEIDI F.-F.

The hobbit tells a fantastic story of adventure

Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2017

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The book The Hobbit is a fantasy/adventure by J.R.R Tolkien that takes place in the fictional world of Middle Earth, which is the setting of most of the author’s works. The hobbit tells a fantastic story of adventure, danger, friendship, and courage, and serves as a prequel to the even more immersive and epic book series, the Lord of the Rings. This book shows that even the littlest of people can be the biggest heroes.
I loved this book. It is set in a large, detailed, and lore-filled world that made me feel like I was there while I was reading it. The book also has many likable characters.
The Hobbit starts out showing the life of Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit. A hobbit is much like a human. The differences between a human and a hobbit is that a hobbit only stands about 4 feet tall, and all hobbits have long and curly hair. One day while minding his own business, a wizard he knows named Gandalf the Gray shows up with a party of 13 dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield. While everyone eats dinner at Bilbo’s house, he finds out that Gandalf volunteered him to help in their quest to retake their home in the lonely mountain, which was taken from them by the dragon Smaug. Bilbo initially declines the offer to join the party, but changes his mind the day after they leave, and he catches up with them. The group embarks on a long journey through the misty mountains and mirkwood forest, making enemies and allies along they way.
This book introduces many characters. Bilbo Baggins is a Hobbit who like nothing more than staying in the comfort of his own home and smoking his pipe. These qualities become evident throughout his adventure, as he grows very homesick. Perhaps his best quality is his courage, which shows, as he sticks by everyone until the very end. Gandalf is also a great character. He is a 5,000 year old wizard, and throughout those 5,000 years he has grown very wise and powerful. He knows all the ropes of Middle Earth, and is always there to offer some wisdom or fatherly advice.
The author, J.R.R. Tolkien has a somewhat lighthearted and quirky way of writing. He always takes the time to explain things in the story. He also has built up one of the best fantasy worlds in all of literature, and has a way in his writing that makes your feel like you’re there.
The Hobbit (and also Lord of the Rings) is set in a land called Middle Earth. It is filled with forests, mountains, and fantasy creatures of all types. Middle Earth is a fantasy world, and, like other similar fantasy worlds, everything is somewhat primitive. While there are big and beautiful structures and cities in Middle Earth, there are no technology or electricity. The main races; elves, dwarves, and mortal men, all have unique cultures.
In conclusion, I believe that The Hobbit is absolutely worth reading. It is a fantastic journey of bravery, friendship and courage, that is set in a beautiful, massive, and lore filled world. Perhaps the best part is that it is just the beginning of The Lord of the Rings, an even bigger and amazing story.

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Sarker's Review

Reviewed in India on June 30, 2018

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"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort."

With these words we are introduced to Middle Earth. The Hobbit is a timeless classic, which is a tale of Bilbo Baggins, the wizard Gandalf, Gollum, and the spectacular world of Middle-earth recounts of the adventures of a reluctant hero, a powerful and dangerous ring, and the cruel dragon Smaug the Magnificent.
This book was written in 1937 and even today it is a best seller all over the world. The way Tolkien narrates the story you will know he is a master of his trade right away from the first page. This book started it all, the Lord of the rings, Simarillion, Beren and Luthien, Children of Hurin and the multi-million dollar industry. But at it's heart this is a simple children's story which Tolkien wrote for his own children and that's why it works.

Attaching some pics for your benefit. Hope this review was helpful to you. Thanks for reading.

80 people found this helpful

Sarah Hope

a timeless adventure for all ages

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 18, 2019

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The Hobbit is a wondrous tale of adventure and heroism set in the fantasy realm of middle-earth. Bilbo Baggins, an unambitious Hobbit is unwillingly recruited as a burglar by a party of dwarves and sent on a most extraordinary adventure. Coming head to head against trolls, goblins, wolves and the mighty dragon Smaug, Bilbo faces his worst fears, makes some unlikely allies, travels further than ever before and is changed, forever.

Having watched the three Hobbit films a few years back, and having only a vague recollection of their events, I was unsure what to expect when I started this book, needless to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. I love reading classical literature that has this beautiful old-timey English and the Hobbit was no exception, the wonder and pureness of it never fails to transport me into days gone by.

Bilbo is a funny, likeable character who’s thoughts actions and conversations are so wonderfully innocent that I immediately fell in love with him. His character evolution throughout the book made reading this a true delight. My only complaint is that I didn’t read this sooner.

It really isn’t difficult to see why this book became a classic and I honestly believe that regardless of your age, knowledge of middle-earth or affinity for the fantasy genre, there’s something that everyone can take away from reading this.

22 people found this helpful

A great story

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 3, 2018

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The best way to enjoy and truly understand J R R Tolkien's classic masterpiece The Lord of the Rings is to invest a little time in reading The Hobbit. Not necessarily first, but certainly at some point. The writing styles of each book are quite different. The Hobbit was originally intended for the pleasure of children and was, I understand, created with that purpose in mind. Even so, it can be enjoyed by children of all ages.

23 people found this helpful

Bob C

The Hobbit: Facsimile First Edition

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 15, 2016

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This has been a long-delayed product, but I found it to be worth the wait. I was pleasantly surprised by how nice the slipcase was and it arrived here in the U.S. undamaged, which is not always the case. I had to order this from AmazonUK because AmazonUS cancelled the product, several times. And I wasn't going to wait for them to actually get it in stock. Because frequently many of the Tolkien offerings from AmazonUK never end up here in the U.S. To me, it's well worth international shipping.

As others have mentioned, the first edition of The Hobbit is not within most folks budget and so I was quite excited to see this offered many years ago. I'm not sure I am going to actual pore over it and check to see what the differences between the first edition and subsequent ones (Rateliff's The History of the Hobbit does that). But just to look at it and page through it is worth the purchase price.

It is a wonderful addition to my bookcase!

30 people found this helpful

Bex

A World I'd Love To Explore To The Ends Of Its Map.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 11, 2020

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Who would have thought that reading about short, hairy footed creatures with a peculiar nature and a distinct lack of wanting to leave the safety of their Hobbit-Hole would be enjoyable. If you'd asked me before, I would have unquestionably chosen Elves as my most favourite of Tolkien's creations. But maybe I was wrong, because it turns out Hobbits are more relatable and far more hilarious than originally thought; hairy feet aside. It would appear that Hobbits are also stupendously resilient, loyal and respectable creatures with far less sass than Elves!

I would imagine it would be quite difficult to find someone who didn't know the tale of The Hobbit, at the very least from the movies. But The Hobbit, the novel, is something else entirely and an experience all its own. Tolkien's narrative is lyrical, completely compelling and, whilst not nonsensical at all, has a whimsical feel to it akin to Alice in Wonderland. I adored how the story is addressed to the reader, as though a secret is being shared of a story well-known and enjoyed between friends. Perhaps that was Tolkien's intention, given that it was ostensibly a tale to entertain his children, initially.

There are some unusual choices and some areas which, for me, lack depth. It feels absolutely crazy to say that about a world so rich and beautiful, but The Hobbit really does feel like a more accessible and less descriptive world than that of The Lord of the Rings, presumably to allow for a younger audience to enjoy it. Battle scenes, deaths and transitions between key moments are sometimes more quickly resolved than I expected from such a rich tapestry, and character connections are formed with the reader from very superficial descriptions. Because of this, I didn't enjoy the book as much as I expected to, and nor did I really feel the connection I hoped to with key characters. But you'd be hard pressed to criticise this book anywhere else.

The Hobbit is a perfect adventure; a terrifying, hilarious and heart warming combination uniquely its own. Tolkien's imagination is limitless, and The Hobbit feels so small in the grand scheme of the world he created, but it's a world I would gladly explore to the ends of its map.

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