The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien Review

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

Published by Houghton Mifflin on September 21, 1937

Genre: Fiction, Fantasy

Source/Format: I own a paperback copy

Pages: 366

Synopsis

J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic prelude to his Lord of the Rings trilogy

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.

Written for J.R.R. Tolkien’s own children, The Hobbit has sold many millions of copies worldwide and established itself as a modern classic. -Barnes and Noble

Review

***SPOILERS***

Plot/Premise:

One Hobbit. Thirteen Dwarves. The adventure of a lifetime.

When Gandalf the Grey comes calling on Bilbo Baggins one sunny morning, Bilbo can’t possible imagine that everything he knows is about to change. Bilbo embarks on a journey that will take him from his cozy hobbit hole to the Misty Mountains were a Smaug is guarding the dwarves’ lost treasure.

Along the way he encounters creatures that he never thought he would see such as trolls, goblins, the elves, and a peculiar little creature hidden deep in the goblin’s mountain. It is in this mountain that he finds a ring that has the ability to turn him invisible. This ring proves to be quite handy in his thieving during his adventures with the dwarves.

When the dwarves awake the fearsome dragon guarding their treasures of old, it bears bad news for the people of Lake Town living nearby. After Smaug is defeated, the men of the lake come to seek compensation for the damages caused by the dragon. Thorin, wrought with dragon sickness, refuses to give them any compensation. Others hear that the dragon has been slayed and come calling to take over the mountain, resulting in a battle of five armies.

My Thoughts

Before reading this book the closest I had come to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien was catching glimpses of The Lord of the Rings movies on TV when I was a child. I will admit that I have tried to read this book before but it wasn’t until The Hobbit movies started to be released that I really had an interest in reading the novel. The plot kept me entertained throughout the entire book. I was intrigued by the constant adventure that continued to happen as the journey went on. I loved the character development of Bilbo as the story unfolded. He went from being the timid little hobbit of Bag End to being an adventurous soul who takes after his grandfather.

I definitely plan on reading The Lord of the Rings series now. For anyone who loves fantasy, dragons, dwarves, elves, and the like I highly recommend reading The Hobbit.