lighthearted wonderful read. pick it up if you want to be transported to a mystical world with rich and engaging characters and plot.

I had the pleasure of listening to the Rob Inglis audiobook version of The Hobbit on a recent long car trip. While I was already familiar with the story, I hadn't read it in a long time. Mr. Inglis' reading was very engaging and entertaining. His voices for the characters and singing of the included songs/poems were delightful.

I highly recommend this audiobook version of The Hobbit.

If you are a Lord of the Rings fan, you will definitely enjoy this story of Bilbo Baggin's adventures and the discovery of the ring. Amazing story for anyone to listen to, and the narrator does an excellent job.

Our 10 year old and 7 year old sons and their mum are really enjoying this recording every time we get in the car. Mum thinks the reading by Rob Inglis is superb (he uses different voices for the various characters and the narration and also sings). The boys are gripped by the story. This is 10 CDs long so you need stamina. Our four year old son finds it boring because it is so long. Highly reccommended for 7 to 12 year old boys.

Bilbo is hysterical. Gandalf charms. The writing shines. If there were 6 stars I'd give it 7. That said, my 11 year-old daughter couldn't get into it. I'm not so sure the 4-8 year-old crowd (stated as the suggested audience on Amazon) is quite ready for this masterpiece; I'd say 10-14, or 10-110 rather. I loved the narrator and Tolkiens's vivid imagination. Things like Bilbo saying, "...and I missed second breakfast." Oh that delicious world of hobbits! Incredible. I adored every page.

I have found the Lord of the Ring trilogy (books and films) fantastic. However for those that have not read the Hobbit, it is a must. It sets the history and background for many of the critical elements of the trilogy. For those who have only seen the films, reading the book(s) will reveal soo much more that did not make the films. This is something you will enjoy now and reread for years ahead.

I purchased this book as a gift, and while it is nice, the pictures of it are slightly deceiving. The marbled pages are more like blue dots, and the illustrations in the book are comic-like.

However, the recepient was still pleased with it and for the price, it's a pretty good deal.

/
"The Hobbit" by JRR TOLKIEN

Tolkien never lived to see the glorious acceptance of his labor of love, but it as though the story poured forth directly from his heart into the hearts of a public much in need in a reaffirmation of the values we all share with his little people of the Shire: Food, presents, pipe and bowl, and tales of adventures to warm cozy evenings by a fire with tea and cakes. Somewhere, in Tolkien's heaven, his heart has rest, for all of this joy given cannot go unrewarded.


I feel that Tolkien showed us, through various races which peopled his Middle Earth, the various phases of human development. The races are earthy, airy, watery, and finally, fiery. The amazing Hobbits seemed to hold the balance necessary. They valued gold without greed, friends without demanding power over others, and family lineage, wherein even those of a "Tookish" nature could find acceptance in a neighborhood. Fundamentally, they were farm folk and tradesmen. One cannot help but observe there was a minimum of financiers in the Shire. Everybody works in the Shire, and elsewhere in Middle-Earth, soldiering is seen.

Only a children's story? A book for children of all ages is more the case. Though the story originated in the childhood imagination of Tolkien on the foggy downs of England, it shows us a very subtle construction, a woven fabric of esotericism. At the pinnacle of the weave is the great advancement of the Wizards. Wizards have every opportunity to develop as Gandalf, full of fiery power, yet ever-vigilant and self-sacrificing; yet, as we are later to learn, sometimes they become susceptible to selfishness, self-centeredness, and a megalomanical preoccupatin with EGO and power. Wizards can fall from the grace which elevated them.

Essential to all understanding of the adventures of the Hobbit is the fact that Bilbo Baggins does not like adventures at all. When Gandalf chooses Bilbo to host Thorin Oakenshield's party of Dwarves, Bilbo gives his opinion of Adventures thusly:

"Nasty, disturbing, uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner!"

The excitement is infectious as the troop encounters many dangers, for not all problems can be solved by the powerful axes of the dwarves. Sometimes, only the peculiar stubborn courage of the little Hobbit can get the troop out of harm's way. All along the journey, wondrous creatures are met; Elves, Men, and dangerous things of darkness and shadow, ending with an encounter with a dragon.

****So How Does Tolkien Write So Magically?****

Tolkien compresses TIME. Alternatively, he decompresses TIME. He does this by presenting history, events, and other characters through a very childlike perception of time. Sometimes vast epochs are explained in a single paragraph, or several generations of Hobbit, Dwarf, Elven or Human history presented in a blur. Chronological events and occurrances are alternatively slowed or speeded up in the telling. TIME is magical for Tolkien. The reader is captured and fascinated, led along a narrative path like a child, sometimes fully awake, observing a blur of rapid action. Other times, it is though the reader is in a half-sleep, a "dreamtime" and unsure of the measurements of minutes, hours, days, years and epochs of time.

This "child-time" is the distinct voice Tolkien achieves, causing many readers to view the Hobbit as a children's story, distinct from Lord of the Rings. It is not a different story. It is that the Hobbit represents the psyche before it awakens. It's primary concerns are creature comforts, rather than adventures.

In the Hobbit adventure, it is far too early to present the power of Tolkien's purpose in its full revelation. Tolkien must allow us to wake up gradually. That is the adventure he invites us to take. The fullness of the truth is not yet shown. Tolken needs for the reader to develop an adventurous spirit.

This shows itself by comparing the Hobbits. First is Bilbo Baggins, who grows by every adventure; but for Bilbo, the Shire can still be a home, at least, for many more years. Second, Frodo never expects to return to the Shire. Frodo lives, believing that only death awaits him, but his childlike psyche is now transformed into that of a fully-developed spiritual identity. Now he knows. The childlike dreamworld is gone. If Frodo fails, he knows Middle Earth will fall into despair. Frodo knows, what Gandalf and Aragorn knows. Bilbo had the assurance that the Shire would always be there. Frodo sees that if he fails his quest, all of Middle Earth will literally fall under the Shadow. Frodo's is not the psyche of the child-like Hobbit.

Tolkien's masterpiece has much in common with C. S. Lewis' "Chronicles of Narnia". In both, martyrdom of self is very real. In LOTR, Frodo willingly marches to his own death, obeying the call to duty which bound the Fellowship. This compels him to an ultimate act of self-sacrifice, just as Aslan in the "Chronicles of Narnia" orchestrates his own martyrdom, to save a Son of Adam.

The same device may be found in the tale of "Peter Pan" who claimed that he never wanted to grow up, and yet he fought a very real evil in Captain Hook.

Tolkien & Lewis seem to have offered a clarion call to man, inviting us to transcend the mere pursuit of comfort, and to enter into the conflict between Good and Evil. It is nearly impossible to claim either author as superior. They are both exceedingly good.

With childlike wonder we learn in this dear tale a simple truth that we find in other literature; the simple fact that conflict is seldom far, and Evil is always to be countered with courage. The reader may not remember the name of he who slays the dragon Smaug, but does it matter? A little reflection upon the character GANDALF will reveal much. --Bruce Bain

If you have never read this, buy this book. At the very least, borrow it from someone.

I first read The Hobbit in eighth grade, on recommendation from a friend of mine (whom I am extremely grateful for, since it was my introduction to a world I have never managed to find my way back from and never want to). Though it may seem a little slow-moving at first, it is actually an excellent adventure story, though perhaps a bit much for younger children to attempt to read for themselves. (However, reading it aloud to them is strongly recommended!) Bilbo is a likable character, easy to relate to, because all of us want to go out and have adventures and slay dragons, and yet we also enjoy the comforts of home a bit too much. Gandalf is appropriately mysterious and yet somehow feels like a loving grandfather, and the Dwarves are endearing and bring a smile to your face. Even if you don't like fantasy, give this book a try. Who knows, it could end up being your new favorite.

The Lord of The Rings, everlasting masterpiece of Tolkien, begins here. Therefore, anyone interested in reading LOTR must read The Hobbit first. Why and when the Shire-folk got involved in the War for the Middle Earth? How does Bilbo Baggins becomes the bearer of The One Ring for while?
Besides, it't more than time we stimulate our youngsters with this excellent quality reading.
So, I read it for my son when he was about 9, and now, I purchased his own The Hobbit, which he is already reading. I expect he will read LOTR in the sequence, and I shall buy it here, at Amazon!
Amazon, thanks for being an excellent connection channel between me (in Brazil) and my 13 year old son (in USA).

The Hobbit is a fairly good book. It has an interesting storyline an grabs the reader throughout the whole novel. I for one read it when I was in 5th grade at school. I found it interesting and usually was a chapter or two ahead of the class. The Hobbit is a beginning book. What I mean by this is that it takes a lot of time explaining the story. This takes up a couple of chapters and I think it would have been a better book if it had built some more suspense in the end scene and extrapolated it a bit more. But otherwise, this book has few shortcomings. Other than the fact that they spent a lot of time in Mirkwood forest, I liked the book. Beorn was portrayed well. The plot line is nice, although there is a kill stealing at the end. All-in-all, I recommend this book

I am the type of reader who will pick up a book and spend months reading it. I go through books in different cycles. Sometimes I can't put them down. Sometimes it takes me forever to finish them. In regards to The Hobbit, I can say that I have read and reread this wonderful book many times. While I have read The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and most would curse me in some form of literary blasphemy, I have to admit that I enjoyed this book more than the trilogy. If I remember correctly I've read it about five or six times. (Coming from a very inconsistent reader, it has to be a pretty good recommendation.) While I loved the trilogy, I did find that the pacing of The Hobbit to be much better, and aside from the fact that this book was geared more towards children, I found the story to be exciting and very entertaining to read. (I suppose I am a bit biased since I watched the cartoon movie from when I was a child and this film greatly fascinated me, enough to end up reading the novel.) Regardless of the fact that this novel was geared towards a younger audience, one can't deny that it holds its own as a great tale of adventure and personal growth. Bilbo Baggins' transformation is one that all readers can relate to. One can't deny the impact Tolkien's work has had on the world of literature, and this piece is no exception. In all this book is a wonderful introduction to the world of J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle Earth and whether or not readers venture into his other books, they will find this one to be entertaining and exciting to read.

This well-written fantasy attracts and emerges the reader into a world that is not previously known to the reader. Well-developed maps and historical knowledge of this world is presented to the reader in a flowing manner that informs, but does not overwhelms the reader with too much information about this new world. Keeping in line with other books involving wizards and warriors, J.R.R. Tolkien is able to bring the reader into his fantasy world filled with different races and cultures and develops stark contrasts in their lives and cultures. While J.R.R. Tolkien takes his reader to worlds not uncommon in other fantasy books, his in-depth development of the world, in which his characters lives makes the Hobbit, and his other works, unique to the fantasy genre. This book is the prequel to Tolkien's more famous books the Lord of the Rings trilogy, which develops and even more in-depth development and historical background to the world of Middle Earth. The main theme, while is in some ways is also good versus evil, is overcoming obstacles and completing the goals that are set out to do, because not all obstacles within this tale could be considered evil, such as the elves, but merely obstructions in which need to be overcome to complete their journey. The Hobbit is a strong book to use when attempting to frame the importance of not giving up on a difficult goal, even if the path to the completion of that goal is difficult and appears to be nearly impossible. Overcoming unforeseen obstacles in the presence of failure is a common underlying metaphor, within this book. Bilbo is a character of small stature and few expected him to play as large of a role as he did in the story and because of this the story also has the ability to show that even the most unlikely individuals can achieve success. The recommended age level for the book is fifth grade and up. This book can be read for pure entertainment purposes or to introduce students to a high quality fantasy book. Teachers can incorporate a variety of instruction ideas including journals, K-W-L charts, cause and effect charts, reports, and presentations.

I first read the Hobbit over 30 years ago. At that time it was probably my favorite book (I was 9.) Here it is all these years later and I still really enjoy this great book. Not to long ago I read it to my children and I was again amazed at how well Tolkien takes his readers and actually brings them to Middle Earth. This story of Bilbo, Gandalf and the Dwarves, and their journey There and back again, is an outstanding prequel to probably the best work of fantasy ever written.

The hobbit is a great book. I purchased this book and read it for the first time since high school and enjoyed it even more than I did then. You can tell that the book is written for a younger audience but the story is still wonderfully written and the adventure is still riveting!

Great service and fast delivery. Excellent product!!

After writing LotR Tolkien should have hunted all of his Hobbit books and burnt them in a giant bonfire.
This book tells about the adventure of Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf and a number of Dwarves (I can't remember the actual number, because all the dwarves were so similar).

This book is so silly, juvenile and ridiculously written that it is completely unprecedented.

People are defending this book by saying that it's a childrens' book unlike LotR. Well here's some news for you. There are some actually good childrens' books out there.

Not all would doom this 1 star, but no way would this book be receiving so many 5 star reviews unless it was written by Tolkien.

I'm not saying someone couldn't like it, but from any sane point of view it just isn't *good*. Period.

Amazon did a great job of getting us the product we wanted quickly and efficiently. The book of course is great as it is the book before The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Awesome reading!

I bought this book for my son who is 9. He enjoyed the book but did feel it was kind of intense. The fight scenes are very well written and subsequently scary. All in all he did enjoy this book and it is a great alternative to harry potter ect.

i thought this book was great. entertaining for the young, and the young at heart. it wasn't quite as good as C.S. lewis, but very fun and adventurous nonetheless.

well worth the read.

A master of language, Tolkien certainly worked his magic on my four children, ages two to nine. They sat with rapt attention as I read The Hobbit aloud to them. After an hour of reading, they begged for more stories about Gandalf, Bilbo, and the dwarves.

Bilbo's adventures serve as the field experience his education was lacking. On the road with the dwarves, he develops his talents spurred on by Gandalf's confidence in him. His courage, character, and creativity grow throughout the book as Bilbo faces trolls, spiders, elves, and finally the dragon. In the end, Gandalf observes that Bilbo has truly become a new hobbit through his adventures.

the hobbit is such a nice little story. About the adventures of bilbo the hobbit. His travels with the trolls and out smarting the cave dweller for the ring were interetsing.

The book came quickly and in perfect condition. It's truly a must for any Tolkien fan!

"The Hobbit" is many things. It is an inspirational coming-of-age tale, starring a reluctant hero who is made of tougher stuff than he realizes. It is a classic--perhaps timeless--children's tale that adults enjoy more so than the younger audience, especially in modern times. It is an epic fantasy tale that has influenced the genre--along with The Lord of the Rings--more than any other book. However, it is not--in my opinion--perfect.

The biggest complaint you'll find about "The Hobbit" is that the prose is 'too descriptive.' You'll see many Tolkien-enthusiasts bashing those who think that, insinuating that those reviewers who dislike Tolkien's style are simply too stupid to properly understand it. I, however, disagree. It all comes down to a matter of taste and, for me (at times), Tolkien's highly descriptive prose bogs the story down a bit too much. However, not a sentence in this story can be deemed "bad," because the writing--whether you consider it too descriptive or 'just right'--is beautiful. His talent for describing both landscape and character is immense, and will leave any high-fantasy fan more than satisfied.

"The Hobbit" is undoubtedly a beautiful book. As I said, I wouldn't call it perfect, but the story of Bilbo Baggins and his epic adventure is at the very least a "must-have." I recommend you buy it in hardcover, preferably the Alan Lee Illustrated Edition, so it will last through the ages.

8/10

This is an amazing book to read. I will credit for my love of fantasy, through his vivid worlds and carefully crafted characters he brings the stories to life. I only wish they would have made this into a movie prier to the others.

I had wanted this edition of the Hobbit for several years, and finally found it on Amazon. It is a beautiful book and well worth the reasonable price. It includes some color illustrations done by Tolkien, which really add to the depth of the wonderful story.

Completely unabridged, the narrator is the same as for the lord of the rings unabridged audio. Alas, he does not narrate the Silmmarillion, whose narrator leaves a lot to be desired for. Get this adaptation today!

The Hobbit is just good clean fun, delightful for children and adults. If you've read LOTR and wondered how Bilbo got the ring, here's the story. I enjoyed Tolkien's omnicient narrator style in this book --somewhat like Thackeray's Vanity Fair, and more recently Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norell-- which I suppose he adopted because he was writing for children. I think it's charming.

I highly recommend the audiobook, read by Rob Inglis. He's a Royal Shakespeare company actor and the best audiobook reader I've ever heard (and I've heard a lot of them). He has a different voice for each dwarf, and he does a great Gollum, too. He actually sings the songs (nice voice!) and he even belches up ponies. The scene with the trolls is especially well-done. Mr. Ingliss could probably make one of Terry Goodkind's later books sound exciting, but The Hobbit actually is exciting and I highly recommend it for adults and kids.
--FanLit.net

I was looking for other books when I found this one. I love the green leather and it is my favorite book in the series! It was such a good buy that I bought 2! :-D

I have nothing to say about the story except I enjoy it. However, I am disappointed in the edition that my husband selected for me. It has some mar's on some pages, there is nothing special about it except it is called "Collector's Edition" and it was printed in China, not in the USA.
Not only that, but since my hubby doesn't often shop at Amazon, he ended up paying $17.98 for shipping, ridiculous!!!!.

Too bad about his excitement about buying me a special book, and him getting a raw deal. Since it is a gift I haven't said anything to him, but, Amazon, shame on you. I shop here often but must now rethink my shopping habits.

for children and grow ups. the hobbit is a all time classic. even funny as it ressults in my last lecture

I think this book is perfect for that people who get into adventure novel after reading harry potter and you are afraid to the lord of the rings

dont wait. read it and youll love it since page 1

The book is often considered as just a prequel to Lord of the Rings, but it is no such thing. It is an extremely good book from a great author. If you are reading it after you've read the Lord of the Rings, you are going to be quite pleasantly surprised.

FINALLY - THIS IS WHAT I WANTED FOR MY COLLECTION -

NOW THAT I CAN AFFORD A COLLECTION...AND NOT PAPERBACKS!

This is a great book option for elem. age children. My son (8 years) started with the novel format, but found much greater success with this book, which is formated much like a comic book! The dialog is true to the novel and the text is only shortened by the descriptive details which are included in the beautilful illustrations! When my son took this version to school it was a hit with both teachers and children. I recommend this book to any family assigned to read the novel!

It takes a remarkable author to write a book that satisifies both children and adults on this level. This book is an easy read and a perfect introduction to the fantasy genre for children. For adult fans of LOTR (like myself), this is a pleasant stroll through Bilbo's early adventures. Worth reading once a year no matter your age.

I read this for the first time as an adult and will forever lament that I did not grow up with this story. I had seen the animated movie but thought I should start reading Tolkien at the beginning, so I picked up my dad's copy of The Silmarillion. Not a great choice for me at ~10 years old, as I was used to reading Judy Blume and Beverly Cleary at that time.

I didn't try Tolkien again until I was an adult and looked over my husband's illustrated copy of The Hobbit, gifted by his school-teacher aunt and uncle when he was a child.

I have devoured JRRT's works since then. That's how good The Hobbit is.

Great to use as a classroom novel for 7th graders. A high percentage of them do not feel that reading this novel is work, and wish more homework could be as enjoyable.

We all know the story of The Hobbit...as perceived the last time we read it. And we'll know it even better each time we revisit it. Nothing increases our appreciation of history more than having a history of our own. So if you plan on returning to The Hobbit at various stages of your life, this is the edition to own. It will endure for generations to come with its handsome gold-stamped, deep green leatherette binding and sturdy slip case that allows the volume to vertically free-stand when outside a bookcase.

The crisp, clear print allows your eyes to flow effortlessly over the text with occasional pauses to delight in Tolkien's original illustrations rendered with elegant simplicity. Gandalf's observation that "There is always more about you than anyone expects" could very well be said about this special edition of The Hobbit. Highly recommended.

"The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien is commonly referred as a classic. While this is an often over-used term, it definitely applies in this case. Of the four books Tolkien is known for primarily, "The Fellowship of the Ring", "The Two Towers", "The Return of the King" and "The Hobbit", this is the most satisfying. I t introduces and sets up key characters for "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy consisting of the three books previously named.

In Tolkien's Middle-Earth, the principle races are men, elves and dwarves. There also goblins (orcs), giants dragons, wizards and assorted odd characters and fantastic beasts. Then there are hobbits who have as little to do with the rest of Middle-Earth as possible.

They like it that way.

Hobbits are interested in green growing things, eating and smoking pipe weed. When they aren't being industrious, they enjoy their comforts. They are very short in stature and move through the woods efficiently and silently. This isn't so they can sneak up on someone so much as it is to stay out of adventures.

Of these conservative, predictable folk, there is one Bilbo Baggins. The Bagginses are prosperous and respectable as hobbits go. Which means Bilbo is perfectly happy leading his boring comfortable life. The only mild eccentricity noted in Bilbo's line is he's related to the Tooks through his mother. Tooks had been known to get into little adventures from time to time and as such were of questionable respectability.

Central to this connection is Gandalf the Grey, a wizard. For some reason he has developed a curiosity and a fondness for these little people. Maybe it`s because in his adventure-filled life, it's nice to have a little peace and quiet. Gandalf is also renowned for his fireworks of which everyone enjoys.

One day the family friend shows up on Bilbo's doorstep. Shortly after this, Bilbo finds himself hosting not just Gandalf but also twelve dwarves lead by Thorin Oakenshield. Not long after this, Bilbo finds himself `assigned' to this motley crew as a "Burglar". They are on a quest to recover Thorin's lost fortune.

This is when the book really begins. This is a journey tale. That means Bilbo goes through transformation in the process of this quest. Relationships are developed and tested in a way none can predict. This being a fantasy they see and do fantastic things.

Eventually Bilbo returns home no longer respectable. Along the way he has picked up a ring...........

As the prelude to the Lord of the Rings, the Hobbit or There and Back Again, is a magnificent tale of magic, fantasy, and adventure. I found that I could not set this book down. With each page, I was that much more drawn into the realm of Middle Earth, and I made myself put the book down for a little bit in order to enjoy it.

The characterization in this book is phenomenal. Both the protagonists and antagonists throughout the novel help creat the landscape of the book, as well as set the foundation for Middle Earth. Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit, displays the ideal character in that he is forced into a world of adventure of magic. As an innocent creature unaware of the outside world, Bilbo matures throughout the book, and is a classic example of a character who, by the end of the book, has developed into a great intellectual character. Bilbo continues to display this intellect throughout the Lord of the Rings.

I have experienced many a conflict with other readers who did not enjoy the Hobbit, and I'm not saying that this book is in everyone's favor, but any reader of fantasy, magic, and adventure will love this book. I recommend the Hobbit to every person no matter what age. As a timeless tale of Tolkien, I give this book five stars (although, it probably deserves more).

This book was boasting with the great imagination of J.R.R Tolkein. About 60 years before the lord of the seires Bilbo Gandlaf and a gang of Dwarfs travel through the misty moantians to get to a treasure stolen from the Dwarfs. As the gang travels through the land they meet tons of epic characters (elfs dwarfs goblins trolls). Tolkein could have written more voilence like its sequel Lord of the Rings. Overall it was a epic classic.

I generally do not read books if there is a possibility of a movie being made on the same. However, this is a really very interesting book. You can not keep it down once you start reading.

Though I grew up reading fantasy, playing Lone Wolf books and sometimes joining an AD&D game, I had never read any of Tolkien's works until recently. The Hobbit sat on my bookshelf for seven years because I couldn't get past the first chapter. Now I breezed through it, soaking in the rich world of Tolkien's imagination and discovering where most modern fantasy has its roots. Though I've seen the first two Lord of the Rings movies, I'm now going to get and read those books and anything else JRR Tolkien wrote in the way of fantasy.

I think this book is a much better read than Lord of the Rings. I also think Peter Jackson should have made a movie out of this book. There are a million reviews out there for this book, so I just want to add that I thoroughly enjoyed it. Beautiful imagery, interesting storyline... This is one book that everyone should read.

'The Hobbit', by JRR Tolkien, a book which is known through out the world as being the enchanting prelude to 'The Lord of The Rings' Trillogy. When I first read 'The Hobbit', I was a fourteen year old High School student who had, at that time, not yet learned the true enjoyment of reading. Considered by many to be a book for children, which indeed it is written to be appealing to children, it is also much more than that, in being a wonderfully enjoyable tale for all ages.



Bilbo Baggins was a Hobbit approaching middle age, living a respectable, and comfortable life in is little Hobbit hole. Then Gandalf the Wizard, along with thirteen Dwarves, appeared on his door step for tea one afternoon, and after that meeting, Bilbo's life was changed for ever, as was the fate of Middle Earth. Bilbo endured many adventures during his travels with Thorin Oakenshield and his band of Dwarves, as they quested for the enchanted gold of the Dragon Smaug.



All in all, a wonderful read, a wonderfully written story filled with magical beings that set the imagination to sparkle. I would suggest this book for any child or adult.



RD Williams, author of 'The Lost Gate'

'The Hobbit', by JRR Tolkien, a book which is known through out the world as being the enchanting prelude to 'The Lord of The Rings' Trillogy. When I first read 'The Hobbit', I was a fourteen year old High School student who had, at that time, not yet learned the true enjoyment of reading. Considered by many to be a book for children, which indeed it is written to be appealing to children, it is also much more than that, in being a wonderfully enjoyable tale for all ages.

Bilbo Baggins was a Hobbit approaching middle age, living a respectable, and comfortable life in is little Hobbit hole. Then Gandalf the Wizard, along with thirteen Dwarves, appeared on his door step for tea one afternoon, and after that meeting, Bilbo's life was changed for ever, as was the fate of Middle Earth. Bilbo endured many adventures during his travels with Thorin Oakenshield and his band of Dwarves, as they quested for the enchanted gold of the Dragon Smaug.

All in all, a wonderful read, a wonderfully written story filled with magical beings that set the imagination to sparkle. I would suggest this book for any child or adult.

RD Williams, author of 'The Lost Gate'

This is a really nice unabridged reading of the Hobbit. It is a classic hero-epic tale, and the audio verson is a great way to introduce it to younger readers who are not ready to tackle it in print. It got two thumbs up from my 7 year old godson, and though violent in parts, it is considerably less intense than Lord of the Rings.
Also, as an adult who enjoyed this book as a child, I loved listening to it in the car on the way to work. The performance was first rate, and the material delightful. I also enjoyed going back and seeing the differences in Tolkien's concepts of characters and such between this book and Lord of the Rings.

Mr. Inglis does an excellent job narrating The Hobbit. His different voices for each character adds a little extra to this timeless story. I consider myself a veteran reader of The Hobbit, The Silmarillion along with the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I cannot count the times I have read all the books. I started reading them back in the 70s long before the resent popularity push. The story is a great escape from my stressful life style. This rendition is no different. The only drawback I have to listening to an audiobook is my concentration level. If I play the CDs while roaming the web or doing other work, I loose a lot of the story. There is nothing better than settling down with a good book, but I guess someone else reading it to you comes in a close second. This audiobook is one that should be used as a bedtime story for the young'ns. That is why Mr. Tolkien wrote The Hobbit, and here is your chance to be a hero for once.

It's difficult to decide where J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit ranks among the all-time greatest works of fantasy literature. In a manner of speaking, guilt by association is to blame (or thank). A major factor in the success of The Hobbit is its connection with Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. The tale of the burglar Bilbo and his Dwarven compatriots' journey to find and slay the dragon Smaug acts as a prelude to Rings, and as such has developed a very unique stigma - it can almost be labeled the black sheep of Tolkien's fantasy universe, relying on The Lord of the Rings for its fame. The original edition of The Hobbit, released in 1937, was even altered to better match the storylines developed in the more recognized Rings series. However, despite these changes (which may or may not have been necessary), The Hobbit is a top-notch fantasy epic through and through. From Gandalf's battle with the mighty cave trolls for Elvish treasure, to Bilbo's battle of wits with the creature Golum, all the way to the Battle of Five Armies, the story is consistently energetic and the characters remain warm and welcoming throughout. What makes The Hobbit truly unique to this day is Tolkien's ability to use the setting of Middle Earth as a tool to weave a story that is unique in its intentions, but parallel to the fantasy epics it sets up.

Many aspects of The Hobbit evolved out of the beliefs and knowledge of its author. J.R.R. Tolkien was an extremely educated man. He was the professor of Anglo-Saxon language and English language and literature at Oxford University for thirty-four years. All of his works of literature reflect his love of language - modern and historical, real and invented (including the beloved Elvish tongue). Tolkien's works were influenced by English and Celtic lore, and Norse and Finnish mythology, but above all he was influenced by a devout belief in Roman Catholicism, as evident by the Christian theology sprinkled throughout his works. This is evident at the close of The Hobbit when Bilbo renounces the treasure offered him at the end of his quest because he has no practical use for too much gold. In other words, he already had everything he needs at The Shire in his warm hobbit hole.

One of the many timeless aspects of The Hobbit is its approachability. People of all ages have read and fallen in love with Tolkien's prelude. This speaks volumes as to the narrative voice with which Tolkien tells the story of a hobbit, a wizard, and thirteen grumbling dwarves. The language used to convey the story is very simple and yet paints a perfect picture in the reader's mind. For example, the riddles Bilbo uses to trick Golem out of his `precious' ring are complex enough to dupe the readers (along with Golem), and yet simple enough to warrant thoughts of "oh man, I should have known that!" In a genre as imagination-driven as fantasy, being able to clearly visualize a world as vivid and complex as Middle Earth is essential to both the plot and the characters, and it is one of the strongest aspects of The Hobbit.

Tolkien's method of storytelling is very similar to the way he employs simple language. Like an inverted funnel, everything starts off simple enough in Bilbo's hobbit hole in The Shire, but it doesn't take long for the characters to find their way into situations that compound upon one another as the story moves along. Without the reader even noticing it, Tolkien takes Bilbo and the dwarves from smoking tobacco in the large region of Eriador to the horrific events at the Battle of Five Armies - that is, from a nothing to an epic. This pacing is best represented towards the book's conclusion when all manners of Goblins and Wargs are closing in on the dwarves, humans, and elves that have taken refuge in the halls of the Misty Mountain. Just as all the energy of the war seems primed to take the book beyond its typical `micro-epic' feel, Bilbo is knocked unconscious, and wakes only after the battle has been concluded. This type of transition is so smooth that, like the book itself, the scope of the War might not be comprehensible to readers until they have completely finished reading the aftermath.

It's a very hard task to find fault in one of the greatest works of fantasy fiction ever written. In fact, the only way to find shortcomings of any kind is by comparing it to the few books in the genre that may have had better reception from the public - including The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter just to name a couple. In this way, once again, it's guilt by association for Tolkien's The Hobbit. The three volume Rings series is the quintessential fantasy epic - well-written characters from all different backgrounds and races traverse alien lands and face unimaginable foes so that they can save the world and their way of life. While some of those elements are present in The Hobbit, they certainly aren't to the same extent that they are explored in Rings. For example, the reader doesn't find out that any piece of land in Middle Earth is in peril until all but the end of Hobbit, whereas Rings is totally devoted to saving the world by destroying the One Ring. Up until the war in The Hobbit, Bilbo, Thorin and his dwarves want nothing more than to find and reclaim a long lost material wealth.

In the end, a reader should never have to choose between any of Tolkien's works - they are all special, all brilliant, and, especially in the case of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, they all complement each other. And while The Hobbit may not have the truly epic feel of Rings, it does achieve a level personal interaction with the reader that the sprawling, conquering epic cannot match.

This is my favorite book that Tolkien wrote. I honestly wish that it would be come a movie not unlike its sequels in the Lord of the Rings.

The characters are well thought out and everything just seems to flow. The novel is creative and exciting. It often gets overshadowed by the Lord of the Rings but honestly this is the gem of the series in my mind.

Pick it up today if you haven't read it!