Re-Read 4/20/23:

Read with my daughter!

Her review:

Before I read this book, I watched the movies. I thought there was a lot of details. But after reading the book, there's a lot more details in the book, and less. (Too much that isn't in the book and too little that was.)

I really liked the time at the end of the book where Gandalf said Bilbo had changed and I really loved all the songs, especially of the elves.

The Desolation of the Dragon was my favorite section.

Overall, I loved the entire story. I totally recommend this for anyone who loves adventures.


My addendum review:

Ditto. :)



Original Review:

Fourth time reading? I think so. Or maybe fifth. But any way you look at it, I'm a fanboy of the whole world, the author, and the writing.

From a pure enjoyment view, it's a pure delight. From Bilbo's annoyance with the dwarves to Bilbo's annoyance with the dwarves and all his hobbit relations, I can't get enough.

But what about the obvious correlations with Beowulf?

Meh, this is better. :)

Did I love Gollum, the wargs, Beorn, the spiders, the grey elves, the men of Dale, the jewel under the mountain, or SMAUG? Oh, yes. And the pointy-hat guy, too. :) And the wonderful songs. And the delightful pacing. And countless details that only enrich the history of this realm. :)

Is it better than just about any fantasy out there?

Possibly. There's more depth here than just about anywhere. And that's including massive tomes with dozens of volumes in the more modern varieties. This one is simply rich and well-written. :) And, of course, it has been copied and plumbed for all its depth in so many imitators.

Let's hear it for the king of all YA fantasy!

It's amazing to think that this was first published in 1937… Tolkien's modern classic AKA 'There And Back Again'. Peerless and beautiful, Middle England mash-up with Northern European mythology. Gandalf, Bilbo and a band of dwarves get caught up in dragon robbing plot... as in a plot to steal treasure off of a dragon! A story made even that better, for its usage of Hobbits, its look at conformity and standing out in a crowd, and personal growth! 8 out of 12.

2013 read

This is where everything begins. We’re introduced to younger wizard Gandalf, Frodo’s uncle Bilbo Baggins who is a talented thief, already crossed his path with Gollum and his preciooouss ring!

A short, fascinating, riveting, magical story and introduction to the hobbit world which shouldn’t be turned into a trilogy on big screen! ( Peter Jackson followed the same way as he did with Lord of the rings series but at least there were three books! In my opinion it was not necessary to watch more movies with so many elaborated scenes even though I enjoyed to hear velvet voice of Cumberbatch as the voice of Dragon Smaug. It was awkward reunion of Sherlock &Watson)

So I’d better reread this journey for celebrating 84th year of its publishing.

The story starts with Bilbo Baggins’ finding himself host a tea party for a party of dwarves ( Gandalf is also a skillful trickster and it would be hard to say no to him. He’s my favorite all time favorite fantasy character after Harry Potter’s Dumbledore) Those dwarves song of reclaiming Lonely Mountain and its treasure from the dragon Smaug. As soon as the song ends Bilbo also finds himself accepting the offer becoming a part of their journey as a thief, and Gandalf maps out a secret door to Lonely Mountain which help them to reach their unique destination.

We follow their heart throbbing adventure from Shire to Misty Mountains,Mirkwood Forest, introduced to wood-elves till they reach to the Lost Kingdom which is located under Lonely Mountain where the dangerous Dragon Smaug resides.

In my opinion this classic is my all time favorite reads which is better than its three movie long adaptations.

Here are my favorite quotes of this book:

“There is nothing like looking, if you want to find something. You certainly usually find something, if you look, but it is not always quite the something you were after.”

“May the wind under your wings bear you when the sun sails and the moon walks.”

“Where there's life there's hope.”

“It cannot be seen, cannot be felt,
Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt,
It lies behind stars and under hills,
And empty holes it fills,
It comes first and follows after,
Ends life, kills laughter.”

“This is a story of how a Baggins had an adventure, and found himself doing and saying things altogether unexpected.”

Gandalf Stormcrow.

Bilbo Baggins is a Middle-Earth halfling merrily living his peaceful and uneventful days in the joyous lands of Hobbiton. As any well self-respected hobbit, Bilbo loves cooking his tasty meals, enjoy the blissful sun, and dutifully drink his midday tea; ever so good-natured and hospitable with his neighbors, always undisturbed, and never bothering anyone else. This has been the way his whole pleasant life, until one fine day an unexpected troublesome visitor knocks heavily at his door; a wizard of all things, with a map, and an extraordinary treasure quest. The outrage!

What started it all. The timeless masterpiece and foundational basis of what later became the amazing Lord of the Rings trilogy that forever changed fantasy. How to ever forget poor pushover Bilbo, the formidable Gandalf, mighty Thorin Oakenshield, his band of lively dwarves, and their audacious adventure to reclaim Lonely Mountains from the terrifying dragon Smaug. So many fantastical moments to remember by  the troll dinner party, Elrond in Rivendell, Gollum’s riddle game, the awakening of Smaug, the Battle of the Five Armies  and a bittersweet ending that pierces the soul. An unforgettable fantasy journey like few others out there, considerably short, with a very simple and direct delivery for such an intricately complex world, with exquisite lovable characters, boundless lore, and an otherworldly universe that you just can never get enough of. Masterful, every single page of it. Highly Recommendable.

*** I’m not even sure how to rate the movies (2012-13-14), since they have way more stuff made up than the actual book. I mean really, one movie for each LOTR, and three for this third of a book? –cough- money grab! –cough-. I didn’t time myself but this may be one of few examples where reading the book may actually be faster than watching the films. Visually astounding, that’s for sure. Flawless scenography and special effects, granted. But faithful to the book? 20% yes, 80% NO. The glaring lack of Oscars and accolades pretty much says it all too. How many times have I watched it? Once, and it was more than enough.



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n  PERSONAL NOTEn:
[1937] [366p] [Fantasy] [Highly Recommendable]
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★★★★☆  A. The Silmarillion
★★★★☆  0. The Hobbit
★★★★☆  1. The Fellowship of the Ring
★★★★☆  2. The Two Towers
★★★★★  3. The Return of the King
★★★★★  1-3. The Lord of the Rings  

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Gandalf Cuervo de la Tempestad.

Bilbo Baggins es un mediano de la Tierra Media felizmente viviendo sus pacíficos y tranquilos días en las alegres tierras de Hobbiton. Como todo decente y bien respetado hobbit, Bilbo ama cocinar sus deliciosas comidas, disfrutar del dichoso sol, y beber su habitual té de mediodía; siempre bondadoso y hospitalario con sus vecinos, sin problemas, y nunca molestando a nadie. Esta ha sido siempre la manera de su muy placentera vida, hasta que cierto día un inesperado y problemático visitante golpea fuertemente a su puerta; un mago para colmo de males, con un mapa, y una extraordinaria misión en búsqueda de tesoros. ¡El descaro!

Lo que empezó todo. La obra maestra de todos los tiempos y base fundacional de lo que luego se convertiría en la asombrosa trilogía del Señor de los Anillos que para siempre cambió la fantasía. ¿Cómo alguna vez olvidar? Al pobre y doblegable Bilbo, el formidable Gandalf, el tenaz Thorin Oakenshield, su banda de vivarachos enanos, y su audaz aventura para reclamar las Montañas Solitarias del terrorífico dragón Smaug. Tantos fantásticos momentos para el recuerdo  la cena de los Trolls, Elrond en Rivendell, el acertijo del Gollum, el despertar de Smaug, la Batalla de los Cinco Ejércitos  y ese final tan agridulce que perfora el alma. Un inolvidable viaje de fantasía como pocos allá afuera, considerablemente corto, con una muy simple y directa entrega para tan intrincadamente complejo mundo, con exquisitamente adorables personajes, lore sin fin, y un universo de otro mundo del cual nunca se puede tener suficiente. Magistral, cada página de ella. Altamente Recomendable.

*** Ni siquiera estoy seguro de cómo calificar las películas (2012-13-14), ya que tienen muchísimas más cosas inventadas que el libro original. O sea en serio, una película para cada LOTR, ¿y tres para este tercio de libro? –cof - avaricia! –cof-. No me tomé el tiempo pero creo que este es uno de escasos ejemplos en que leer el libro pueda ser incluso más rápido que ver las películas. Visualmente asombrosa, eso por seguro. Impecable escenografía y efectos especiales, concedido. ¿Pero fiel al libro? 20% sí, 80% NO. La notable falta de Oscars y premios dice todo muy claro también. ¿Cuántas veces la vi? Una, y eso fue más que suficiente.



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n  NOTA PERSONALn:
[1937] [366p] [Fantasía] [Altamente Recomendable]
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The Hobbit and LOTR are so epic that even now when I go on a hike, I always pretend that my chocolate chip cookies to go are actually Lembas.

One of my favorite books I've ever read! I never have read this before today, but I am so excited that I finally have! I cannot wait to continue on with the LoTR trilogy!

What makes The Hobbit such a seminal work in the fantasy genre? Is it the nine hours of over-budget, sensorially explosive movies by Peter Jackson? Nope. Is it a complex tale of multiple human kingdoms slaughtering each other for an Iron Throne with buckets of blood and guts and plenty of sex? Nope. Is it simply wonderful writing. As simple and boring as that. Does that mean that I was incredibly disappointed in the movie adaptation (not to say abortion)? Yep. Does that mean I don't love Game of Thrones (books and TV shows)? No, they are great too. But the seminal work, the Divine Comedy that created the language and inspiration for George R.R. Martin as Dante created Italian from the common vernacular in Florence and Ravenna, was The Hobbit. The book, even for a slow reader is most likely able to be finished in 1/3 the time that Peter Jackson spent telling the story in 70mm film. Unlike Peter Jackson's version, there are no orcs and the element of danger is more psychological than psychical: Bilbo Baggins is battling his fears and his provincialism and growing up. The Hobbit should be read as the Odyssey of Middle Earth - a voyage of self-learning and maturation that is more about the monsters in Bilbo's imagination than those encountered in his baptismal voyage into the unknown with Gandalf. Gandalf. Honestly, would there EVER have been a Dumbledore had there not been a Gandalf? Did any Tolkien reader NOT picture Gandalf when Rowlings talked about Dumbledorf in the first Harry Potter book?

Bilbo does encounter some monsters and even outsmarts Smaug the Dragon (wow, I mean what a perfect name for a dragon! More evocative than Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion in my opinion - and again would they even have existed had Smaug not preceded them?) and he saves Middle Earth before returning to the Shire. He is not the same person he was before leaving. He is Ulysses without a Penelope waiting for him (unless his pipe is secretly called Penelope in his expanded imagination or his Penelope is a symbol of his vast library in Rivendell).

In literature, there is nothing quite like the Hobbit in its simplicity and beauty and its symbolic voyage: we are of course introduced to the elves, the humans, the dwarves...but they are all on the outskirts of the story. The Hobbit is about one small hobbit fighting his greatest fears...and winning.

Fino's Tolkien Reviews:
The Hobbit
The Fellowship of the Ring (LOTR 1)
The Two Towers (LOTR 2)
The Return of the King (LOTR 3)
Lord of the Rings 1-3 - General Comments and Observations
Raymond Edward's Tolkien biography

Not much more needs to be said about The Hobbit than that it is excellent! Great storytelling, fun characters, humor, action – it has it all. Tolkien is rightfully one of the (if not THE) founding fathers of modern Fantasy. If you are already into the Fantasy genre and you haven’t read him, you need to. If you are looking to get into Fantasy, The Hobbit is a great place to start.

One of the great things about The Hobbit is that I think it is easily accessible to a wide audience. The Lord of the Rings is a much larger and more daunting commitment which might be too much for the casual Fantasy fan. Then, if you are really into lore and world building, I hear people talk about The Silmarillion as a great but very dense history of Middle Earth. So, Tolkien has it all: Fantasy-101 or master’s thesis level Fantasy – you can decide how you want to approach his works.

One thing that has been bugging me about other Fantasy novels I have been reading lately is that there is a lot of wandering around without much action or story progress. And, this wandering around can stretch for several books. With The Hobbit, there is adventure, and “wandering”, but it moves quickly and gets to the point. Large chunks of progress are made without pages and pages of rambling dialogue. I appreciate how well The Hobbit gets to the point but does not leave you feeling cheated by it going too fast.

Another thing that I love about this Fantasy book is that it does not bog down with complicated names, location terminology, odd magic systems, etc. This is another thing that has been turning me off to other Fantasy lately because I cannot just escape and enjoy the book. Instead, I have to keep a notebook and a flowchart to keep everything straight! With The Hobbit, it was very organic and easy to follow – perfect for a relaxing Fantasy getaway for the brain.

I did not yet see the recent movies they made from this book but was surprised at first that they made it into three movies. After rereading this, I think I can see how they could expand on certain parts to make a movie trilogy. I will have to go and check it out now.

The Hobbit – read it!

it was like hella singing in this book

"Now it is a strange thing, but things that are good to have and days that are good to spend are soon told about, and not much to listen to; while things that are uncomfortable, palpitating, and even gruesome, may make a good tale, and take a deal of telling anyway."

Got a chance to get my hands on 'The Hobbit' at last, something that I wanted forever to read.. well, that is not entirely correct. For I always wanted to read 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy, because I just love those movies and watched them many a time time now (who doesn't and who haven't I guess), and saw everyone recommending that this is the book to start the series with, unlike how it is with the movies.

I found the story to be quite short, at least compared to how long I thought it would be, but does not cut any corners when it comes to the author's amazing, engaging and detailed narrative. It is one of the most unique stories I've every read.

Though I've watched LOR movies, I've never actually watch The Hobbit. That being said, I cannot help but wonder, what sort of an mental image the book would have made if I never watched the LOR trilogy. It would either have taken quite a bit more effort to visualize the whole thing, or have even left a very different impression. Whether you are a fan of fantasy or not - I cannot really say that I am one - this thing might just be the exception (this and LOR). Irrespective of your age, this is something that most readers will thoroughly enjoy.

"Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeons deep and caverns old
We must away, ere break of day,
To find our long-forgotten gold."

"The streams shall run in gladness,
The lakes shall shine and burn,
All sorrow fail and sadness
At the Mountain-king's return!"

First read this/heard this in the fifth grade when the teacher read it to the class. It was one of the books that started me on the road to reading. Loved the characterization, the story and the setting. Can't believe what a great book it is. I read it to my kids.

d.

Kako napisati review za najomiljeniju knjigu ikada? Nikako, zato ovo i nije klasičan review.


Već nekoliko godina, sestra i ja imamo običaj da pred kraj godine čitamo baš Hobita, to je naša mala tradicija kojom obeležavamo kraj jedne i početak nove godine.
Knjige dolaze i prolaze, ali samo za pojedine možemo da kažemo da su nas oblikovale kao čitaoce.
Hobit je jedna od tih knjiga za mene.
A evo kako je sve počelo:


Znate ono čuveno pitanje: Koje 3 knjige biste poneli na pusto ostrvo? E pa, ne znam koje bi bile preostale dve, ali Hobit bi bio moj prvi izbor.
Često nailazim na komentare kako je Hobit knjiga za decu, kako je tek uvod u mnogo kompleksniji i kvalitetniji svet (naravno, misli se na Gospodar prstenova), ali ja sam oduvek mislila da u Hobitu čuči mnogo više od onoga što se na prvi pogled čini ;)
I budimo iskreni, zar ovakav početak ne obećava jednu nezaboravnu čitalačku avanturu?


Ah, i kako da završim ovo pisanije, a da ne pomenem mog voljenog Torina <3
Iako knjigu skoro znam napamet, i dalje mi zastane knedla u grlu, a oči me zapeckaju svaki put kada dođem do poslednjih 50-tak stranica. Mislim da taj kraj nikada neću preboleti...

P.S. Da ne zaboravim, ekranizacija Hobita je jedno od najvećih skrnavljenja u istoriji Holivuda, i ono trodelno čudilo nikada neću oprostiti Džeksonu!!