The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
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Book Reviews of The Hobbit
Book Review: In the shadow of 'Rings'
Summary: 5 Stars
It's difficult to decide where J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit ranks among the all-time greatest works of fantasy literature. In a manner of speaking, guilt by association is to blame (or thank). A major factor in the success of The Hobbit is its connection with Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. The tale of the burglar Bilbo and his Dwarven compatriots' journey to find and slay the dragon Smaug acts as a prelude to Rings, and as such has developed a very unique stigma - it can almost be labeled the black sheep of Tolkien's fantasy universe, relying on The Lord of the Rings for its fame. The original edition of The Hobbit, released in 1937, was even altered to better match the storylines developed in the more recognized Rings series. However, despite these changes (which may or may not have been necessary), The Hobbit is a top-notch fantasy epic through and through. From Gandalf's battle with the mighty cave trolls for Elvish treasure, to Bilbo's battle of wits with the creature Golum, all the way to the Battle of Five Armies, the story is consistently energetic and the characters remain warm and welcoming throughout. What makes The Hobbit truly unique to this day is Tolkien's ability to use the setting of Middle Earth as a tool to weave a story that is unique in its intentions, but parallel to the fantasy epics it sets up.
Many aspects of The Hobbit evolved out of the beliefs and knowledge of its author. J.R.R. Tolkien was an extremely educated man. He was the professor of Anglo-Saxon language and English language and literature at Oxford University for thirty-four years. All of his works of literature reflect his love of language - modern and historical, real and invented (including the beloved Elvish tongue). Tolkien's works were influenced by English and Celtic lore, and Norse and Finnish mythology, but above all he was influenced by a devout belief in Roman Catholicism, as evident by the Christian theology sprinkled throughout his works. This is evident at the close of The Hobbit when Bilbo renounces the treasure offered him at the end of his quest because he has no practical use for too much gold. In other words, he already had everything he needs at The Shire in his warm hobbit hole.
One of the many timeless aspects of The Hobbit is its approachability. People of all ages have read and fallen in love with Tolkien's prelude. This speaks volumes as to the narrative voice with which Tolkien tells the story of a hobbit, a wizard, and thirteen grumbling dwarves. The language used to convey the story is very simple and yet paints a perfect picture in the reader's mind. For example, the riddles Bilbo uses to trick Golem out of his `precious' ring are complex enough to dupe the readers (along with Golem), and yet simple enough to warrant thoughts of "oh man, I should have known that!" In a genre as imagination-driven as fantasy, being able to clearly visualize a world as vivid and complex as Middle Earth is essential to both the plot and the characters, and it is one of the strongest aspects of The Hobbit.
Tolkien's method of storytelling is very similar to the way he employs simple language. Like an inverted funnel, everything starts off simple enough in Bilbo's hobbit hole in The Shire, but it doesn't take long for the characters to find their way into situations that compound upon one another as the story moves along. Without the reader even noticing it, Tolkien takes Bilbo and the dwarves from smoking tobacco in the large region of Eriador to the horrific events at the Battle of Five Armies - that is, from a nothing to an epic. This pacing is best represented towards the book's conclusion when all manners of Goblins and Wargs are closing in on the dwarves, humans, and elves that have taken refuge in the halls of the Misty Mountain. Just as all the energy of the war seems primed to take the book beyond its typical `micro-epic' feel, Bilbo is knocked unconscious, and wakes only after the battle has been concluded. This type of transition is so smooth that, like the book itself, the scope of the War might not be comprehensible to readers until they have completely finished reading the aftermath.
It's a very hard task to find fault in one of the greatest works of fantasy fiction ever written. In fact, the only way to find shortcomings of any kind is by comparing it to the few books in the genre that may have had better reception from the public - including The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter just to name a couple. In this way, once again, it's guilt by association for Tolkien's The Hobbit. The three volume Rings series is the quintessential fantasy epic - well-written characters from all different backgrounds and races traverse alien lands and face unimaginable foes so that they can save the world and their way of life. While some of those elements are present in The Hobbit, they certainly aren't to the same extent that they are explored in Rings. For example, the reader doesn't find out that any piece of land in Middle Earth is in peril until all but the end of Hobbit, whereas Rings is totally devoted to saving the world by destroying the One Ring. Up until the war in The Hobbit, Bilbo, Thorin and his dwarves want nothing more than to find and reclaim a long lost material wealth.
In the end, a reader should never have to choose between any of Tolkien's works - they are all special, all brilliant, and, especially in the case of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, they all complement each other. And while The Hobbit may not have the truly epic feel of Rings, it does achieve a level personal interaction with the reader that the sprawling, conquering epic cannot match.
Book Review: Reader's Choice
Summary: 5 Stars
Looking for a good book to read? If boredom comes knocking at the door, reading The Hobbit is a great excuse for staying put! In 1937, J. R. R. Tolkien wrote this classic book as a prelude to his vision for the upcoming Lord of the Rings series. Originally, The Hobbit was not a well-liked book, but when The Fellowship of the Ring was released, it became exceptionally popular because readers realized that The Hobbit filled a gap. This book recaps in detail events, which the trilogy only brushed upon. Questions are answered. Definitely, The Hobbit will be cherished by new and experienced readers alike.
The story begins. One day, Bilbo's doorbell rang with mysterious, unexpected visitor. Bilbo was a hobbit, which is a creature that looks like a very short human. Living in a forest called the Shire with a large colony of other hobbits, Bilbo lived in a house carved into a small knoll. Hobbits are known for their love of simplicity and dislike of change; however, Bilbo was about to be thrust into an adventure whether he wanted to or not. When he opened the door, he found that his visitor was a wizard named Gandalf. Unquestionably, Gandalf was a good man because he protected the innocent and foiled malicious schemes. After a particularly long discussion, he finally persuaded Bilbo to go questing across the land with him and thirteen dwarfs to rightfully recover an ancient dwarf treasure of gold and silver. Years ago, the treasure had been stolen and hidden in a mountain fortress where it was now guarded by an evil, fire-breathing dragon. Although Bilbo was reluctant to go with Gandalf, the excitement was as exhilarating as the moment when a child learns he or she is going to Disneyland. He was going questing.
Shortly after leaving the Shire, Bilbo and the rest of the travelers encountered the first major obstacle of the time-consuming, tedious trip. To leave the Shire, a traveler would have to travel over a secluded, dangerous mountain, which only had one small, curving road. The travelers were in peril. This road was known to be inhabited by goblins, but no one knew for sure since no one had ever returned; however, the traveler's fears were confirmed. They were separated and ensnared by goblins. While trying to escape, Bilbo stumbled upon an underground lake and found the Ring of Power. For those not familiar with the history of the Ring, the others books go into more detail because the Ring is more important, but the main idea is it makes its wearer invisible. Using the Ring, Bilbo was able to save his friends and allow them all to escape. After traversing and barely surviving an enchanted forest, the travelers were finally at their destination. However, there was still one more challenge ahead of them: the evil, fire-breathing dragon Smaug, who was the guardian of the treasure.
Normally, if a treasure hunter endeavored to enter the ancient mountain stronghold, he would have to survive a passage through a giant wood gate, because it was the only entrance to the city. However, the dwarfs knew of another entrance, which had only been used for a secret escape route. Using this underground entrance and the Ring, the dwarfs, Bilbo, and Gandalf were able to enter without Smaug knowing, or so they thought. When they tried to remove the treasure, the battle began. However, Smaug was not the only one who was fighting the dwarfs. When the Elves and Men who lived in the area heard about the treasure, and that the dwarfs were trying to take it all, they wanted their share. In reality, the treasure belonged to the dwarfs as it had been stolen from them, but the Elves and Men were covetous and wanted more wealth. It would seem that the thirteen Dwarfs, a hobbit, and a lone wizard would be wiped out by the massive armies, but Gandalf's timely intervention saved the party. Because he was up high in the mountain, he could see for miles in a panoramic view. Another army was coming, an army of goblins and dark wolves! Realizing that in order to survive they would have to settle past differences, the Men, Elves, Dwarfs, Gandalf, and Bilbo made up past differences and proceeded to ride to battle. Will Bilbo survive the battle? Will differences be settled? Will good triumph? Reading the book is the only way to find out whether Bilbo and the Ring survive.
Reading The Hobbit is a great activity, which people of all ages will enjoy. After people try to comprehend the original books, they often complain, "The Lord of the Rings trilogy is grueling to read as it is difficult to follow the plotline." The Hobbit is different. Apparently, Tolkien tried hard to make The Hobbit more appealing to a broader audience. The plot is easy to follow and the characters are well explained. Personally, the only thing that this book needs is a movie because the others become great movies, and The Hobbit would probably be even better. When this charismatic fantasy novel has been completely read, any reader will agree that The Hobbit is a great book.
Book Review: History 101: the Hobbit- the World's First Self Help Book
Summary: 5 Stars
There are several important facts to remember in history: the first being the signing of the Magna Carta, the first movement towards democracy; the second is the rise and fall of the Roman Empire; the third is the Declaration of Independence in 1776; and lastly is the creation of The Hobbit. Now, the reader of this might be questioning the validity of this statement, however, in every case a new "empire" rises to introduce something so revolutionary that it shakes the foundation of the Planet itself. Understandably, overthrowing tyranny, introducing governments for the people, and building understanding for all that is good in the face of evil mark monumental events in history. Unlike previously mentioned events, The Hobbit is the first book to use fantasy to capture interest in the struggle to overcome pure evil from an underdog. The Hobbit is the world's first view at a self-help book that uses a magical world created by J.R.R. Tolkein to illustrate overcoming adverse odds to learn about the power of the mind and breaking out of the ordinary: in short, a must read.
When reading The Hobbit there are a few key things to remember. A Hobbit is a small person, only about three to four feet in height, with a taste for beer and food, a life without adventure, and normality. Bilbo Baggins represents the boring life of a Hobbit, constantly in uniform behavior with which he is expected to partake in. However, surrounding the land of the Shire, home to Hobbits, lies an immense world filled with goblins, trolls, dwarves, elves, dragons, and other fantastic creatures eager to be explored. Bilbo Baggins is the book's main character and symbol for taking on the unordinary and challenges contemporary theology. Living in Hobbiton, there are key differences between men and Hobbits, all of which Bilbo represents. Hobbits are only about half the size of regular humans, have hairy feet because they do not wear shoes, and are foremost opposed to taking up adventures, much rather preferring to Garden or drink tea. Bilbo's quest into adventure begins with the introduction of Gandalf, the Grey Wizard, and 13 dwarves in search of a `burglar' to accompany them on a mission to hunt out the marauding dragon Smaug, who took their gold and hordes it on Lonely Mountain. Surprised to find himself involved in such a quest, unbecoming of a Hobbit, Bilbo accepts the introduction to the `unexpected party' and heads out of his comfort to the land of Middle Earth.
While on his quest, Bilbo learns about relying on others, himself, and bravery. Bilbo partakes in fighting goblins, tricking trolls, riding upon eagles, and saving his entire band from killer, giant spiders. The themes of the novel and motifs are not very well exhibited, except through Bilbo's narration and the chapter titles, such as "out of the frying pan, into the fire". Through the chapter titles, and Bilbo's personal queries into fighting off creatures unknown in his homeland, the Shire, Bilbo learns the most about himself and displays the book's message: if faced with adversity and doubt, anyone can do anything if they just try and push through the comfort boundaries. Overall, The Hobbit is a wonderful book because it introduces things children and adults can come to enjoy in fantasy, with real world, mature lessons about life that connect to a broad range of readers. Like the Magna Carta, Declaration of Independence, and Roman Empire, The Hobbit teaches its followers to rise up against the tyranny of doubt and fight for anything previously linked to doubt, a true historical masterpiece of the human spirit and escape to a world of Fantasy.
BY SEAN CAMPERSON (NOT CYNDIE CAMPERSON)
Book Review: History 101: the Hobbit- the World's First Self Help Book
Summary: 5 Stars
There are several important facts to remember in history: the first being the signing of the Magna Carta, the first movement towards democracy; the second is the rise and fall of the Roman Empire; the third is the Declaration of Independence in 1776; and lastly is the creation of The Hobbit. Now, the reader of this might be questioning the validity of this statement, however, in every case a new "empire" rises to introduce something so revolutionary that it shakes the foundation of the Planet itself. Understandably, overthrowing tyranny, introducing governments for the people, and building understanding for all that is good in the face of evil mark monumental events in history. Unlike previously mentioned events, The Hobbit is the first book to use fantasy to capture interest in the struggle to overcome pure evil from an underdog. The Hobbit is the world's first view at a self-help book that uses a magical world created by J.R.R. Tolkein to illustrate overcoming adverse odds to learn about the power of the mind and breaking out of the ordinary: in short, a must read.
When reading The Hobbit there are a few key things to remember. A Hobbit is a small person, only about three to four feet in height, with a taste for beer and food, a life without adventure, and normality. Bilbo Baggins represents the boring life of a Hobbit, constantly in uniform behavior with which he is expected to partake in. However, surrounding the land of the Shire, home to Hobbits, lies an immense world filled with goblins, trolls, dwarves, elves, dragons, and other fantastic creatures eager to be explored. Bilbo Baggins is the book's main character and symbol for taking on the unordinary and challenges contemporary theology. Living in Hobbiton, there are key differences between men and Hobbits, all of which Bilbo represents. Hobbits are only about half the size of regular humans, have hairy feet because they do not wear shoes, and are foremost opposed to taking up adventures, much rather preferring to Garden or drink tea. Bilbo's quest into adventure begins with the introduction of Gandalf, the Grey Wizard, and 13 dwarves in search of a `burglar' to accompany them on a mission to hunt out the marauding dragon Smaug, who took their gold and hordes it on Lonely Mountain. Surprised to find himself involved in such a quest, unbecoming of a Hobbit, Bilbo accepts the introduction to the `unexpected party' and heads out of his comfort to the land of Middle Earth.
While on his quest, Bilbo learns about relying on others, himself, and bravery. Bilbo partakes in fighting goblins, tricking trolls, riding upon eagles, and saving his entire band from killer, giant spiders. The themes of the novel and motifs are not very well exhibited, except through Bilbo's narration and the chapter titles, such as "out of the frying pan, into the fire". Through the chapter titles, and Bilbo's personal queries into fighting off creatures unknown in his homeland, the Shire, Bilbo learns the most about himself and displays the book's message: if faced with adversity and doubt, anyone can do anything if they just try and push through the comfort boundaries. Overall, The Hobbit is a wonderful book because it introduces things children and adults can come to enjoy in fantasy, with real world, mature lessons about life that connect to a broad range of readers. Like the Magna Carta, Declaration of Independence, and Roman Empire, The Hobbit teaches its followers to rise up against the tyranny of doubt and fight for anything previously linked to doubt, a true historical masterpiece of the human spirit and escape to a world of Fantasy.
Book Review: An 11-year-old's review
Summary: 5 Stars
When I first picked up this book at the bookstore, with my parents, I didn't know what to expect. I decided to get The Hobbit because of its immense popularity. Being 7 years old at the time, this was one of my first 300+ page chapter books. The introduction was simple enough: A hobbit named Bilbo Baggins was sitting lazily outside his hobbit hole, with a long pipe, when the wizard, Gandalf, came by. Our first exposure to Gandalf is quite a bit different however. "Gandalf came by. Galdalf! If you heard only a quarter of what I heard about him, and I have only heard very little of what there is to hear, you would be prepared for any sort of remarkable tale." To the reader, Bilbo Baggins seemed the lazy type -- content with his quiet life, baking seedcakes, smoking pipes, and living in his father's enormous hobbit hole. One must question Gandalf's motives for choosing such a person to go on a daunting quest. The "daunting quest" is helping 13 dwarves, including the great Thorin Oakensheid, recapture their gold from the dragon, Smaug. Smaug smashed down on the merry village of Dale, utterly destroying the village itself, eating up all its inhabitants, and (to add insult to injury) taking all of the gold and moving it into the Lonely Mountain. Thorin himself was the grandson of The King Under the Mountain, and so was even more outraged at this attack. After eating most of his food, the dwarves sang a song, which made Bilbo feel many adventurous things. Hobbits do not normally even appreciate this type of music. Bilbo must use all of the qualities he never knew he had (i.e., bravery, wisdom, ingenuity, and unselfishness). Along the way, a major part of the book takes place in Bilbo's legendary meeting with Gollum, a peculiar underground creature who calls himself "My Precious". Here Bilbo picks up a magic ring that gives the wearer the power of invisibility. Now, to fully understand the curiousness of a hobbit going on an adventure, you may want to know details about them. Hobbits are half the height of humans, love to eat, dress in bright colors such as green and yellow, live in holes in the ground, and hate adventures or anything that is unpredictable. The Tooks are an exception to this, and are the unpopular relations of the Bagginses. This is why Bilbo has his "Tookish" side. Another amazing part is Bilbo's memorable confrontation with Smaug. I would recommend this book for all ages. As this was also the intended age, since J.R.R. Tolkien wrote this book for his children (unlike the darker, yet still fabulous Lord of the Rings). And many other children will probably also enjoy this book. Lastly, I have to say that my soft cover edition of The Hobbit has lasted four years, an amazing feat for a soft cover book.