The Hobbit, or There and Back Again question

In general, I say read the book first because I know once I've seen the movie I probably won't bother with the book. There are always exceptions, but The Hobbit is a classic and should be read by anyone with the slightest interest in the fantasy genre.

I like to read the book before seeing the movie almost always. In this case I don't think it is important. The movie is beautiful in a way the book is not. When reading the book I am horrified at the writing and the linear structure of the narrative. Sorry Tolkien fans, I do not think the guy was a great writer compared to the writers of today. However, he had incredible imagination and ability to create fantastic worlds. That's where the movie really shines - breathing life into sometimes one-dimensional characters and finessing the plot.

Yes, you must read the book first. I read the book before there was a movie (even though I didn't have a goodreads account the) and it was definitely worth it. You should read the book. Besides, then when your friends are all freaked out saying, "OMGosh, what's going to happen?" You can be like, "Lol, I KNOW what's going to happen."

The book is far far better---and shorter. Peter Jackson's LOTR films were great, but he dropped the ball on THE HOBBIT, so far at least. Turning a 300-pg book into a 9-hour epic was a bad idea.

I think you should read the book first.It's more detailed and you'll understand better.

I almost always like the book better and prefer to read it first. With the Hobbit movie there is one huge warning though, the movie is "based on" the book but does not follow it very well. In fact I would go so far as to say the movie was "inspired by" rather than "based on" the book.

I have a t-shirt that says "I have not read that movie yet". I think that says it all.

I would say yes. New people to the fandom should definitely read the book before the watching the movie. But than, I love the book. I view as a classic. The best part about it is that it appeals to many readers, it is a childs tale, yet it is also mature enough for adults to enjoy it as well.

Yes, definitely!

That's what I did. Trust me, the book is slow at first but I still preferred it over the movie.

The LOTR Trilogy is an exception, however. The Fellowship is still a tad slow, and I only carried on with the series (and I'm proud I did) because I loved the action from the movies and wanted to see it played out.

Yes-- then you get to laugh at all the lines from the book that are in the movie :D

The Hobbit is a simple tale of 13 dwarves and 1 Hobbit going on an adventure. Adding non-existant enemies like The White Orc is just daft. They've taken a simple, fun story and made it more complicated than it needs to be. Read the book first. What's with all the Wizards, I only remember Gandalf. Galadriel and Legolas weren't in it either.

I read the Hobbit first. It was difficult but it kind of goes against my principles to watch then read, so I did it and I'm happy I did. Though it was harder to imagine the dwarves as seperate personalities.

I read the book but didn't bother with the movie.
It's not often that a movie can top a novel because they have to cut data to fit the storyline in 60-90+ minutes. Once in a great while it works out the movie is better, but it's the exception. I favor my memories and imagination when it comes to a fantasy novel like this.

I don't think you have to, but in a book like the Hobbit where there is a detailed plot and a lot of characters it makes the movie easier to understand and more enjoyable.

I always find interesting the interaction between readers and non-readers about whether to read the book before watching the movie. I've seen this before with other books that have been turned into movies and to be honest there is not real yes/no answer to this question. I am of the opinion that reading the book is always a good idea, particularly from great authors.

I continue to enjoy reading both the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings every few years and pick up something each time I read them.

Tolkien's writings (all of his writings) create a world inside your head that is personalized since your own perceptions, interpretations and life experiences influence your reading. That is what a great book can do and it is also why after 25 years of reading these books, my interpretation changes as my life experiences change.

The first time I read Lord of the Rings was toward the end of the Viet Nam war and having studied World War I and II in school. I last read them as we are in the post-911 age, the age of Terrorism in the world. It's amazing how different the reading experience was.

So my suggestion is to keep reading and become immersed in the book while reading. Trust the author and let yourself be taken on the journey. And never compare the book to the movie, remember that the movie is someone else's interpretation of the book, and in some ways will provide you with a fresh perspective if you read that book again.

The book and the movie are very different. but if you haven't read the book and want to see the movie it kinda tells you what's going to happen in the last movie if you read it. so up to you but maybe wait now since 2 movie are all ready out. i read LORT and the Hobbit before seeing the movies thought !!!!!

Reading the book is always recommended before watching the film. I think reading should take precedence in any case before watching a film that is supposed to "Visualize" what our imaginations should do for us first in reading.

A struggle I have especially with LOTR and the Hobbit is now that I have seen the films, it becomes very hard to return to the visual interpretation of my imagination when having first read the books.

I think some parts of the upcomming movies will be harder to follow if you haven't read the book. Although there's some parts of the Silmarillion in it too...
I'd say, read the book, than watch the movie... but beware, you might get a bit agitated with the things they've changed in the movie :=)

The movie definitely takes things from the book and builds on it. I read the book first. The movie was more exciting, I believe, because all the songs written in the book came to life and things were added to the movie that were not in the book. I'm glad I read the book before I watched the movie, anyway. The book usually defines things that the movie cannot define.

Yes, I like to read the book before watching the movie. That way you can enjoy the story the way the author intended it to be told before you watch another person's interpretation of the tale. But, that is not to say all movies are not faithful to the book, some adaptations turn out quite well.

I'read the book over a dozen times, in the last forty years, and LOTR at least six times. I read the Hobbit again, a few days before seeing the film, just to see how it measured up to the book. The film was superb, and every bit as good as reading the book.

I would read and see both, but read the book first, it´s short, and won't take long.

I read The Hobbit years before the movie came out and I regret not rereading it before watching the movie. However, I struggled through the LOTR series as a whole (not sure why, I simply could not get into them) and enjoyed the movies better. All a matter of opinion.

Books give the background and general set up of the plot and story line itself. Plus, you get way more details from a book and can view alternate perspectives whereas with movies they usually stick to one narration.

Books are also easier to view since you can pick up and leave off anywhere and don't need a laptop etc to view.

Read the book before the movie!

As a lot of folks have stated for some movies it isn't necessary (or recommended with a bad adaptation) to read the book first.

In this case I would though as the movie is broken into three movies over the course of three years.

For me the book provided a nice backdrop and reference for the smaller items in the movie that take on a lot more importance later on.

I'm a book snob, so I think you should always read the book. IMO a film adaptation is, almost invariably, really a list of missed opportunities, arrogant changes and poorly interpreted themes. Some films are more of those things than others, but it is nearly impossible to translate the elegance of prose into the vulgarity of film without losing more than one gains.

Whether you should read the book first or not... well, that's a bit different. In general, I think books and film adaptations are two very different forms and should not really be considered ONE work. So, it's really a question of when one wants to have one's disappointment: before or after watching the movie?

Certain books (I'm thinking of Jurassic Park) can be read after the movie and it won't necessarily ruin your enjoyment of the film if you watch it a second time after having read the book, and the book is a pleasure to read too. Doing it that way would maximize your enjoyment.

In the case of a bad film adaptation, like The Hobbit, I think you should read the book first. The film is a very mediocre adaptation. Part of my snobbishness is that I'd rather not be deluded into thinking otherwise even for a minute.

If you don't think you would like the book and its not a very well known book, the. I think it's ok. But the hobbit and LOTR and Harry potter I think you should read the books. Most I think you should

I think it is a great idea but doesn't have to be in every case. I wanted to read "The Hobbbit" before seeing the movie because since the film wasn't out yet at the time, I saw the opportunity to read it and wait before the film actually came out. I have not however read the Lord of the Rings books though I have seen all 3 films (I do plan on reading them because I got the whole set with The Hobbit for cheap!)

yes defiantly read the book first

I read the Hobbit before seeing the movie, but I watched the Lord of the Rings before reading it. I think I got a better experience reading the books before watching the movie, because then you have a slight backstory and you can see the director's adaptation of the book.

I hadn't read The Hobbit before seeing the first film. I just recently finished listening to it and really enjoyed it. I don't think because I "read" it that it'll ruin my enjoyment of the remaining movies.

Well imo it doesn't really matter. If you have the opportunity to read the book before the movie, then I would say go for it, but if you don't have time to read the book but really want to see the movie, then go ahead. It's not worth fretting over it too much. Some stories work better as books, and some stories actually work better as movies imo. It doesn't really matter what order you do it in.

Neither really ruins the other. If you see the movie beforehand, then you'll know the twist in the book, but if you read the book beforehand, then you'll know the twist in the movie. So it goes both ways, but if you have the opportunity to read the book then I would say do it. It's just I don't always get around to reading the books.