This was the graphic novel version of the hobbit, and my word was it well done. I feel like everything was in there. Every bit of dialogue that I was expecting, and every bit of description. And the drawings were amazing. If you’d like a graphic novel, this was a good one.

"The Hobbit or There and Back Again" is the first story of Middle-Earth that was ever read by the masses. And to this day it remains a beloved favorite due to Tolkien's exceptional writing, realistic and lovable characters, and the fantastic, complicated world with its unlikely hero: a fuzzy-footed hobbit.

Bilbo Baggins lives a pleasantly stodgy and dull life in the Shire, in a luxurious hole under a hill. ("It was a hobbit hole, and that means comfort") But his life is completely turned upside-down by the arrival of the wizard Gandalf and thirteen dwarves. The dwarves, led by the exiled king-in-waiting Thorin Oakenshield, want to regain the Lonely Mountain (and a lot of treasure) from the dragon Smaug, who drove out the dwarves long ago. Why do they want Bilbo? Because Gandalf has told them that he'd make a good burglar (even though Bilbo has never burgled in his life).

So before Bilbo is entirely sure what is going on, he is being swept off on a very unrespectable -- and dangerous -- adventure. Bilbo and the Dwarves battle goblins and spiders, are nearly eaten twice, are captured and Bilbo is forced to riddle with the treacherous, withered Gollum, and ends up escaping with a magical Ring. But even after these obstacles, the dragon Smaug is still in the Lonely Mountain, and Bilbo is not entirely sure what to do to deal with this enemy.

Author J.R.R. Tolkien had been crafting his mythos of Elves, Dwarves, Wizards and Men for years before writing "The Hobbit," but "The Hobbit" is the first story that people had the opportunity to read. It began as a line scrawled on a sheet of blank paper, and then into a bedtime story for his children. And even though it's overshadowed by "Lord of the Rings" and "Silmarillion," this book is an essential link. It's definitely sillier and lighter, but it provides the springboard for a lot of the stuff in "Lord of the Rings" -- especially the magical Ring that Bilbo finds in Gollum's cavern.

The concept of hobbits started in this book -- the quintessential peaceful "wee" people, based on British countryfolk, with simple pleasures and unexpected depths of strength and resourcefulness. And, of course, fuzz on their large feet. Tolkien's Elves are a little more ethereal and less dignified, and his dwarves are a bit more comical and less grim. But Elrond hints at the full majesty of the Elves, and Thorin Oakenshield is still the most dignified, proud and impressively flawed dwarf there is. The last chapters of the book hint at the epic majesty of "Lord of the Rings," and some of the same victory/loss themes. And of course, the idea that even little people -- like a hobbit or a bird -- can change the world.

Tolkien's writing is quick and light, while providing sufficient detail to let you picture what's going on. The dialogue is less influenced by Old English, and the pace is a lot faster (not surprising, since it was originally read to his kids before bedtime). Bilbo is a likable little guy -- he seems to be the last person whom you'd expect to be a courageous hero, but he shows incredibly strength and smarts when he's under pressure. Supporting characters like Thorin, Bard the Guardsman-turned-King, the king of the wood-elves, and even Smaug himself are never cookie-cutter, but multidimensional and immensely interesting to read about.
really awesome book, i really enjoyed it

Not crazy about the art style and would definitely give the artist a piece of my mind over how he depicted the Elves . . .

. . . but then, I love the Professor to bits, and "The Hobbit" is amongst my most loved fantasy books, so just for that I'm going to keep this book in the shelf of cherished books at home.

Abbastanza fedele all'originale nel racconto della storia e nella rappresentazione dei personaggi (molto più del film in cui Thorun Scudodiquercia sembra appena uscito da un allenamento con il suo personal trainer)

A different take than the movie trilogy. Truer to the novels.

A fun read, especially if you already have read the novel.

MY GRADE: B minus to B.

My dad read this book to me when I was younger and I watched the animated movie. I know the plot.

I read it for myself recently with an adult's view. This book makes me grateful for our modern banking systems where I don't have to cross a mountain, enter a toxic forest, and rely on a hobbit and an archer to slay a dragon to liquidate my assets.

I like how Tolkien acknowledged how wrong the dwarves were for hoarding their wealth when for the entire book they relied on others to liquidate their assets and get their home back. The dwarves should have been handing out IOUs to Beorn and others because they took his preserved foods RIGHT BEFORE WINTER and ate the food of the men in Laketown RIGHT BEFORE WINTER too. I'm glad the lesson at the end was "pay those that helped you along the way".

A faithful rendition, though it naturally loses some of the richness of the book.

Wenzel's artwork is certainly proficient, and I enjoyed the look of his watercolour technique but (you knew there was a but coming!) I was less enamoured of his characterisations. Bilbo looked a little too homely - perhaps an indication of my own prejudice in regard to what a 'heroic protagonist' should look like - the elves not ethereal or other-worldly enough. Gandalf and the dwarves were very good, though, and the illustration of Smaug on page 101 is magnificent.

Despite my grumbles, this is a worthwhile adaptation and an enjoyable read.

This was an okay read. I liked this better than the original novel as I found that the art added a lot to the story. The drawings were beautiful. I did get a bit bored about halfway through, just like when I read the original.

I have read this book twice: once in my own time, and once for school.

I like Bilbo in The Hobbit more than I like him in The Lord of the Rings. To be honest, I like the whole book more than I like TLOTR trilogy. I mean, Lord of the Rings was cool, don't get me wrong, but Eowyn and Faramir's romance turned me off from quite finishing that one. (Eowyn drove me crazy!)

I loved Chapter 5 (Riddles in the Dark) the most. Gollum and Bilbo's riddle game was so clever! I had fun trying to guess the answer before I read on. I learned I am not great with riddles, haha.

The descriptions in this book are lovely, and anyone who knows me knows I am a total sucker for detailed setting description and mood setup.

Modigt att gå emot strömmen och skriva en kokbok utan både recept och bilder. 5/5

Great adaptation of the novel. This is the definitive visual adaptation of The Hobbit in my opinion. I'd love to see an LOTR comic in this style.

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