Unpopular opinion time: I don't like The Hobbit.



Before all of you start hating me forever, please, hear me out. I truly respect J. R.R Tolkien. If I'm not mistaken, this was one of the first really popular fantasy books ever written. And fantasy just happens to be my favourite genre. So you can see why I really wanted to like this book. I wanted to like it so much, in fact, that I have tried to read it three times now. But each time, I have had to DNF it.



I love The Lord of the Rings movies. I love The Hobbit movies. But I cannot, for the life of me, finish this book.



Allow me to explain:

n  Three Perfectly Logical Reasons As to Why Ryan Can't Finish The Hobbit, So Please Don't Hate Her, Thank Youn

1) The writing style is just not for me.
I love beautiful descriptions in books, but when the description has been going on for more than four sentences, I'm out. I get it. It's a really nice tree. Just get back to the story.



2) The plot dragged on.
Not much seemed to be happening. I can't even remember 90% of what little I read. A 366 page book somehow managed to seem like an 800 page book. It was tedious.



3) I've already seen the movies.
Now before you shout, "SACRILEGE, HOW CAN YOU LIKE THE MOVIES AND NOT THE BOOK!" let me reiterate the fact that I've tried reading this book three times. After the supposed "third time's a charm" attempt failed, I moved on to the films. And I really enjoyed them. (Well, I didn't like how they stretched one book into three movies, but that's a discussion for another time.) The movies managed to keep everything I liked about the book, and cut out everything I didn't. Lovable characters and awesome world? Check. No overly-descriptive writing? Check.



If you're one of those many people who adore this book with all of your heart and soul, great for you! I'm glad you liked it. It's just not for me.



(And no, I will not try to finish this book again. That'd make four failed attempts. I've got to draw the line somewhere.)

Como parte de la iniciativa del #febrerofantastico, he leído mi primera novela de Tolkien.

Me ha costado su lectura en algunos momentos y no sé por qué, porque no me ha parecido compleja, ni aburrida, cosas que pasan en las lecturas, me ha gustado descubrir el mundo que ha creado Tolkien, quien sabe si en un futuro me atreva con el señor de los anillos.

The Hobbit is probably my favorite book of all times. I should meditate a bit more, but for sure it is between my three favorite books! :D I think the Hobbit is a tale rather than a novel, a tale for adults. I love the contrast between the quiet, comfortable and almost boring life of Bilbo against the adventure full of dangers that he will live with the dwarves. For me, The Hobbit is a metaphor of life, with a strong and clear moral that we all learn at the end of its reading. I encourage everyone to read this fantastic book, with agile reading and exquisite narrative.

Spanish version:
El Hobbit es probablemente mi libro favorito de todos los tiempos. Tendría que meditarlo bien pero seguro que está entre mis tres libros favoritos! :D Creo que el Hobbit es un cuento más que una novela, un cuento para adultos. Es una de esas historia que te gusta leer antes de ir a dormir. Adoro el contraste entre la vida tranquila, cómoda y casi aburrida de Bilbo con la aventura llena de peligros que los enanos le obligarán a vivir. Para mí el Hobbit es una metáfora de la vida, impregnada de una moraleja muy fuerte y evidente que todos aprendemos al final de su lectura. Animo a todo el mundo que lea este fantástico libro, de ágil lectura y de exquisita narrativa.

Bilbo Baggins is adventurous (not that he agrees to it initially), honest, jolly and very helpful. He loves to live in his hobbit hole, drink tea and eat as much as he desires.

His life changes when Gandalf, the wizard, his father’s friend comes to visit him along with the Dwarves. The Dwarves wanted to find their treasure which Smaug the Dragon took from them and has been sleeping on it in the mountain. Bilbo was selected as the burglar on Gandalf’s recommendation, though initially he declined but nonetheless went on the journey. While they were on their way, they met with Trolls who would have killed them all had Gandalf not used his trick to turn them into stones with the help of sunlight.

From the Trolls' cave they found food which they ate and then continued on with the journey. In the forest, they met with Elves who helped them with food, directions and gave Gandalf a pony as his horse was not suitable for the mountains. After some rest, they started off again but unfortunately came across Goblins who took them as prisoners. Bilbo somehow escaped from the Goblins and went into a cave where he found a Ring. He tricked Gollum into his riddles and vanished into thin air with the help of the Ring. He didn’t tell anyone about the Ring, not even to Gandalf.

Finally they reached their destination, as expected out of Bilbo, he went inside the mountain to look for the treasure with the Ring on. He stole the Arkenstone from the treasure and gave it to Bard who killed Smaug with his sword so that he could bargain with Thorin, the leader of the Dwarves. In the The Battle of Five Armies Thorin was killed. Before dying he made peace with Bilbo, as Bilbo stole the stone and gave it to Bard. Once they were done with the war, Bilbo returned to his hobbit hole with all his promised treasure and the Ring.

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In so many ways The Hobbit is the perfect read or reread for me. It's heartwarming, heartbreaking, adventurous, imaginative, page-turner, colorful, inspiring, mature. It speaks beautiful to the reader, lectures you without sounding condescended or superior and mantains your attention the whole time. It has so much to say and more for you to discover in just a few pages. The Hobbit is everything I ask for a light fantasy to be, and will forever be the way I end my reading year.



n  “Seguir adelante fue la mayor de sus hazañas. Las cosas tremendas que después ocurrieron no pueden comparársele. Libró la verdadera batalla en el túnel, a solas, antes de llegar a ver el enorme y acechante peligro.”n

Desde hace como 10 años tengo la costumbre de terminar el año releyendo El Hobbit, no sé porque lo escogí en su momento, pero después de tantos años entiendo que para mí el libro es el ejemplo estrella de una lectura perfecta.

Hacerle una reseña sería muy raro, casi imposible, de mi parte. Estructuralmente hablando es la aventura perfecta, pero el corazón de la historia es mucho más que el viaje y cambio del personaje, la transición de eventos y el cierre perfecto son el resultado de un libro que le apuesta a la narrativa más que al dialogo directo o acción. Y como antesala de la monstruosidad que es LOTR, El Hobbit sobresale por su diversión y singularidad. Bilbo aprende más de sí mismo estando rodeado de cosas que jamás ha visto ni vivido.

Una idea que inicia como cuento para sus propios hijos y se convierte en un clásico contemporáneo. El corazón del libro no es más que una ovación a todas las grandes historias de aventura, el inicio de una mitología tan grande que nadie vio venir.

No puedo no recomendarlo, no puedes irte sin al menos haberlo intentado.

n  "Hasta el final de sus días Bilbo no alcanzó a recordar cómo se encontró fuera, sin sombrero, bastón, o dinero, o cualquiera de las cosas que acostumbraba llevar cuando salía, dejando el segundo desayuno a medio terminar, casi sin lavarse la cara, y poniendo las llaves en manos de Gandalf, corriendo callejón abajo tanto como se lo permitían los pies peludos, dejando atrás el Gran Molino, cruzando el río, y continuando así durante una milla o más"n

This is a tough review to write. Let me go ahead and get this out there: I hate reading classics. I used to be really afraid to admit that, but I've accepted the inevitable judgment and have to be honest about it now. With very few exceptions, I do not enjoy them, and I find them to be boring and hard to trudge through.

Tolkien, however, was a writer who I have said many times I consider to be one of the single most influential and imaginative artists in all of literary history. He created a world that was so fleshed out, and impacted the world so strongly, I am truly convinced that the fantasy books we read today would be vastly different without his efforts having paved the way for so many creators. For that aspect alone, this book is worth 5 beaming, shining, solid stars.

On the other hand, it took me five tries to finish this damn book. I have been trying to read it my entire adult and teen life, and honestly thought I would DNF it again this time. While it's a gorgeous world full of lovable, interesting characters and creatures, it's an absolute chore to get through. If this were a story that had been published within the last decade or two, and hadn't been so damn creative for its time, this would probably be a 2-star review for how utterly bored I was during most of it.

All of that said and done, I have to acknowledge the previous gushing I offered up on Tolkien as a creator, as well as the fact that I already know I hate reading classics, and my boredom was just as much my own fault as anyone else's... so, I'm going to set this at 4 stars. I know my rating system for this review may not make a lot of sense to some of my friends and followers, but after a few days of deliberating, it's the decision I felt most comfortable with.

You can find this review and more on my blog, or you can follow me on twitter, bookstagram, or facebook!

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Original pre-review:
This will be my fifth time starting this book, and I am determined to finally finish it, with the help of my amazing buddy reading partner, Terry!

Andy Serkis is doing a live reading of this RIGHT NOW for charity!

To call this the epitome in which all high fantasy should be judged does not quite suffice; this is simply one of the best books that has ever been written or will ever be written. The Hobbit defines the high fantasy genre along with its sequel, of course, and has been an inspiration to countless authors and readers alike. Tolkien, quite literally, kick started a genre that would eventually capture the hearts of thousands of people. He changed the literary world. He made fantasy real.

The best fantasy universe ever created



Middle Earth is undoubtedly the best fantasy universe created. It is the most original and richly devised. It is very hard for fantasy authors not to borrow elements from Tolkien. He set the definition with his wonderful world. Tolkien’s references to modern day are also very amusing and almost unnoticeable in the brilliant narrative, but a perceptive reader will notice the whimsical contrasts he has drawn between his world and the real world. The sheer depth of Tolkien’s imagination is really unmeasurable. I wonder what other ideas for books he may have had that he never got to write.

“The road goes ever on and on”

Bilbo, like the reader, is blown away by the breath-taking landscape of Middle Earth. We must remember that he too is experiencing the majesty of Rivendell and the mightiness of Erabor for the first time. His reaction reflects a reader who is also awestruck by a world that is as beautifully magical as it is corrupt and wicked; it is a world in which both the benevolent and the malignant reside; it is a world whose people are capable of both great kindness and equally as great cruelty. The peoples are diverse and contrasting; I think the differences between the elves and the dwarves are best captured in their music. The music of the elves is full of mirth and is generally quite playful whereas the music of the dwarves is strong, deep and full of resolve to match their stubborn nature.

The wonderful, wonderful, story



This story belongs to Bilbo Baggins. This is something I think Peter Jackson would do well to remember, but that’s beside the point. The tale begins as Bilbo accidently, unexpectedly, invites Gandalf for tea the next day after a brief encounter. The Wizard marks him as the fourteenth member of his company, his burglar. Bilbo doesn’t really understand what he is getting himself in for when he agrees to join their mission. Indeed, the next evening thirteen dwarves, headed by Thorin Oakenshield, arrive along with their quest to reclaim their gold and slay a dragon: Smaug. Smaug has stolen their home fortress of Erebor. They want it back. Bilbo reluctantly gets dragged along though this reluctance is quickly overcome by a strong, secret, desire for adventure.

“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!”

The story becomes darker as they close in on the mountain. The company are attacked by spiders and abducted by the wood elves who want a share of the dwarfish treasure. The dwarves begin to rely on their burglar who they believed would become a liability. How wrong they were. Bilbo was destined to come along. They would have surely failed if he had not, and the ring of power may never have been destroyed. But, that’s another wonderful story. The game of riddles and the finding of the ring is one of the more memorable scenes of the book and is Bilbo’s gateway into heroism. I think the power he receives from the ring helps him to discover that not only does he have courage and fortitude, but he has lots of it. Gandalf, if anything, is an excellent judge of character.

The ending is just the beginning



The ending of this book is undeniably rushed. Bilbo is unconscious for most of it, and we receive a post battle update. There are off page deaths and victories. In this, I think Tolkien cements the message of the story; it is not about the tragic death of a dwarf who went slightly mad, and then redeemed himself; it is not about a boatman who slayed a dragon, and became a renowned hero: it is about a Hobbit. This is Bilbo’s story and no other's. It is a story in which a Hobbit who had no courage and no bravery found it. It is a story about a hobbit who was too scared to leave his house without a hanky eventually evolved into a Hobbit that would trick a dragon.

“You have nice manners for a thief and a liar," said the dragon.”

Five stars. I think you know why.

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I recently reread The Hobbit (after having read The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion). My first impulse was to check to what extent Peter Jackson’s adaptation to the screen was faithful to the original novel. In the process, I was surprised by the scope and length of this book, one of the first of Tolkien’s attempts at describing his imaginary world of Middle Earth.

It is said that he wrote this book as a nursery rhyme for his children. But I have the feeling that, in so doing, much of the outlines of his later novels were already in progress: the narratives, the myths, the geography, the races, the speeches and songs that Tolkien would later develop. In other words, The Hobbit feels like an elaborate sketch of what would later be The Lord of the Rings. Bilbo and the thirteen dwarves being but forerunners of The Fellowship of the Ring; Smaug and the mountain of Erebor heralding Sauron and the volcano of Orodruin (note the similarities of these names); the One Ring itself (just a magic invisibility ring in The Hobbit) still being in the shade of the Arkenstone: it seems that Tolkien hadn’t yet devised what it would become in later developments of his fantasy. But in the end, all the seeds are already there for the greater epic trilogy.

Jemima Catlin’s illustrations in this edition have a very naive quality that feels refreshing, a sort of comeback to Tolkien’s original paintings, after the elaborate lush of Alan Lee and John Howe’s artwork. As for Peter Jackson: it appears that the first movie doesn’t stray much from the book. The second film, however, takes liberties with Tolkien’s narrative (especially towards the end), which seem quite unnecessary. The third instalment is an utter disgrace.

Finally I've read this ultimate fantasy classic. I really liked it, but can't say I loved it. Maybe cos it's lacking epic atmosphere, I've expected it would have. Bilbo's adventures were funny and exciting but not unexpected thanks to the movie adaptation. Although it's a definite must-read to all fantasy fans.

First Read: April 2016, Rating: 4/5 stars
Second Read: September 2018, Rating: 5/5 stars
Third Read: September 2021, Rating: 5/5 stars
Fourth Read: November 2022, Rating: 5/5 stars

Despite being an avid fantasy fan, it took me until 2016 to first read this fantasy classic. I thoroughly enjoyed my first reading of it and found it exceeded all of my expectations. It wasn't until my second reading, two years later, that I found a firm favourite in this delightful little volume, however. My third reading, another three years after that, cemented that fact.

There is something about Tolkien's atmospheric creations that seems to emit perfectly autumnal vibes. I lined my reading perfectly with the change in seasons, beginning my journey in the Shire while the sun was shining and ending it under the mountain as the leaves were falling from the trees outside. This enhanced my immersion in the novel and brought me to a deeper level of adoration for his masterful creation.

But it was not just the setting that transfixed my attention but the characters who traversed it. The fourteen intrepid explorers travelled across Middle-Earth to take what was previously theirs and managed to get themselves into a whole host of troubles along the way. I really appreciated the sense of camaraderie there was between the group of dwarves, Gandalf, and Bilbo. Despite totalling 14 in number, I rarely got confused as to who each individual was and rooted for them all almost equally... although Bilbo does hold a special place inside my heart.

The wit in this novel was so understated. This is not a book renowned for its hilarity but the often dry humour had me chuckling along, and also served the purpose of make the trials that quickly followed feel that much bleaker.

So, with a startling setting, colourful characters, fantastic feats, and dazzling dialogue all combined, there was nothing left to fault and I will quickly continue on to journey once again in Middle Earth, in the Lord of the Rings.

"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!"