The Hobbit
The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien 
Blurb:Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling further than the pantry of his hobbit-hole in Bag End. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard, Gandalf, and a company of thirteen dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an unexpected journey ‘there and back again’. They have a plot to raid the treasure hoard of Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon.My ReviewI'll start by saying that I haven't watched any of the Hobbit movies, or the Lord of the Rings, but I finally decided to read The Hobbit, since I heard it was a much easier way to be introduced to Tolkien's work than The Ring trilogy. And I loved it! I want to dive into his other work straight away!So much happens in this story, and yet it's actually a relatively short book, because Tolkien simply skips over the less important parts with a sentence or two, before moving onto the next exciting bit, which I enjoyed, even though I'm usually a lover of the little details.I also liked that Bilbo isn't your average hero, intact he's not much of a hero at all, although he grows into the role nearer the end. I also loved that he's an older character, which I've seen very little of in fantasy, though I'm sure there's lots out there.I'm not sure what else to say really, except that the writing was engaging and amusing at times and I loved the whole cast of supporting characters and how it all tied in at the end - although the dwarfs did blur into one, I'll be honest! Plus, apart from the fact that it was THEIR QUEST, the dwarf's didn't actually seem to do much on the mission, apart from start a war at the end; it was either Gandolf or Bilbo who always got them out of trouble... Also, I just have to say, am I the only one who finds it utterly hilarious that the ring, this amazingly powerful object, is used at the end so that Bilbo doesn't have to open the door to 'unpleasant callers'? I'll definitely be reading more of Tolkien's work now! :-) 
My favourite quotes from 'The Hobbit': ' "Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not,' 'He liked visitors, but he liked to know them before they arrived, and he preferred to ask them himself.' '... the less inquisitive you are as you go along, the less trouble you are likely to find.' 'Their clothes were mended as well as their bruises, their tempers and their hopes.' '... the silence seemed to dislike being broken... ' 'It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him.' '... the sort of rage that is only seen when rich folk that have more than they can enjoy suddenly lose something that they have long had but have never before used or wanted.' 'If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.' '... our back is to legend and we are coming home.' ' "There is a long road yet," said Gandolf. "But it is the last road," said Bildo. '
Blurb:Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling further than the pantry of his hobbit-hole in Bag End. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard, Gandalf, and a company of thirteen dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an unexpected journey ‘there and back again’. They have a plot to raid the treasure hoard of Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon.My ReviewI'll start by saying that I haven't watched any of the Hobbit movies, or the Lord of the Rings, but I finally decided to read The Hobbit, since I heard it was a much easier way to be introduced to Tolkien's work than The Ring trilogy. And I loved it! I want to dive into his other work straight away!So much happens in this story, and yet it's actually a relatively short book, because Tolkien simply skips over the less important parts with a sentence or two, before moving onto the next exciting bit, which I enjoyed, even though I'm usually a lover of the little details.I also liked that Bilbo isn't your average hero, intact he's not much of a hero at all, although he grows into the role nearer the end. I also loved that he's an older character, which I've seen very little of in fantasy, though I'm sure there's lots out there.I'm not sure what else to say really, except that the writing was engaging and amusing at times and I loved the whole cast of supporting characters and how it all tied in at the end - although the dwarfs did blur into one, I'll be honest! Plus, apart from the fact that it was THEIR QUEST, the dwarf's didn't actually seem to do much on the mission, apart from start a war at the end; it was either Gandolf or Bilbo who always got them out of trouble... Also, I just have to say, am I the only one who finds it utterly hilarious that the ring, this amazingly powerful object, is used at the end so that Bilbo doesn't have to open the door to 'unpleasant callers'? I'll definitely be reading more of Tolkien's work now! :-) My favourite quotes from 'The Hobbit': ' "Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not,' 'He liked visitors, but he liked to know them before they arrived, and he preferred to ask them himself.' '... the less inquisitive you are as you go along, the less trouble you are likely to find.' 'Their clothes were mended as well as their bruises, their tempers and their hopes.' '... the silence seemed to dislike being broken... ' 'It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him.' '... the sort of rage that is only seen when rich folk that have more than they can enjoy suddenly lose something that they have long had but have never before used or wanted.' 'If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.' '... our back is to legend and we are coming home.' ' "There is a long road yet," said Gandolf. "But it is the last road," said Bildo. '
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