The Hobbit (Middle Earth, #0)

by J.R.R. Tolkien

It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him.

This is kind of the understatement of the year, isn't it? It's part of the charm of Tolkien's narration style that everything is seen through the lens of a pragmatic hobbit rather than grandiose flowery prose. It makes the book much more readable. (Though I will admit I tend to skim over the poetry and song lyrics.)