Did you know Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar? 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.
Review:
The Hobbit is the first to a series of five books on Middle Earth. 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. He guards the treasure ever so carefully in the dwarves' once glorious kingdom. Bilbo is appointed as the "burglar". As the company travels towards the Lonely Mountain, they face the constant threat of orcs, trolls, giant spiders, and ultimately, the dragon they seek to slay, to name a few.
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.
This is a lovely, charming little book. It is quick paced and very entertaining, a pleasurable respite from the often bogged down with hidden meanings of what too frequently passes for literature.
All in all, a wonderful passage of time, transported to a magical place almost too real for the span of time you are being a voyuer, watching and waiting some never was characters fight never was creatures in a fundamentally never was land in this imaginative terrain that you have to believe in for such a short period of time. Going on to the massive sequal, The Lord of the Rings, you are even further left in awe of the thought and sheer imaginative brilliance Mr. Tolkien put into his life's work to create, with such immaculate detail, a new mythology for all the world to enjoy.
In other words, The Hobbit is a lighter adventure story, suitable for children, though even adults will find it a superb story. Tolkien's words paint a vivid picture of Middle Earth - of its beauty and its darkness. He does such an excellent job of portraying the characters that by the end of the book, you would be able to predict how any of them would react in a given situation. This is a book which would appeal even to people who think of fantasy literature as wierd and far-fetched. After you have read the Hobbit, which everyone capable of breathing should be required to do, run out and get Lord of the Rings and read it. This is a continuation of the story began by The Hobbit, and is a much darker tale. In L.O.T.R. we catch a glimpse of the deep and rich history of Middle Earth and its people. If you have not read any of these, then, by all means, stop what you're doing, order these books, shut yourself in a room, and don't come out until you've finished. You will be a better person because of it.
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.
Review:
The Hobbit is the first to a series of five books on Middle Earth. 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. He guards the treasure ever so carefully in the dwarves' once glorious kingdom. Bilbo is appointed as the "burglar". As the company travels towards the Lonely Mountain, they face the constant threat of orcs, trolls, giant spiders, and ultimately, the dragon they seek to slay, to name a few.
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.
This is a lovely, charming little book. It is quick paced and very entertaining, a pleasurable respite from the often bogged down with hidden meanings of what too frequently passes for literature.
All in all, a wonderful passage of time, transported to a magical place almost too real for the span of time you are being a voyuer, watching and waiting some never was characters fight never was creatures in a fundamentally never was land in this imaginative terrain that you have to believe in for such a short period of time. Going on to the massive sequal, The Lord of the Rings, you are even further left in awe of the thought and sheer imaginative brilliance Mr. Tolkien put into his life's work to create, with such immaculate detail, a new mythology for all the world to enjoy.
In other words, The Hobbit is a lighter adventure story, suitable for children, though even adults will find it a superb story. Tolkien's words paint a vivid picture of Middle Earth - of its beauty and its darkness. He does such an excellent job of portraying the characters that by the end of the book, you would be able to predict how any of them would react in a given situation. This is a book which would appeal even to people who think of fantasy literature as wierd and far-fetched. After you have read the Hobbit, which everyone capable of breathing should be required to do, run out and get Lord of the Rings and read it. This is a continuation of the story began by The Hobbit, and is a much darker tale. In L.O.T.R. we catch a glimpse of the deep and rich history of Middle Earth and its people. If you have not read any of these, then, by all means, stop what you're doing, order these books, shut yourself in a room, and don't come out until you've finished. You will be a better person because of it.
