2018 February: Fantasy Read ~ The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

[Lesle, Appalachain Bibliophile]

The Hobbit, or There and Back Again is a children's fantasy novel by English author J. R. R. Tolkien. It was published on 21 September 1937 to wide critical acclaim, being nominated for the Carnegie Medal and awarded a prize from the New York Herald Tribune for best juvenile fiction. The book remains popular and is recognized as a classic in children's literature. (AR Level is 6.6) 366 pages

Gandalf tricks Bilbo into hosting a party for Thorin and his band of dwarves, who sing of reclaiming the Lonely Mountain and its vast treasure from the dragon Smaug. When the music ends, Gandalf unveils a map showing a secret door into the Mountain and proposes that the dumbfounded Bilbo serve as the expedition's "burglar". The dwarves ridicule the idea, but Bilbo, indignant, joins despite himself.

[Sydney]

What a book for all time, this is! Have read it and the trilogy 5-6 times, read the series to my children, and am about to begin reading the series to my grandchildren (we are finishing The Chronicles of Narnia). Packed with life lessons and timeless attributes to strive for. Grand choice, Lesle.

[Lesle, Appalachain Bibliophile]

I hope everyone that has not read it really enjoys this read. It is fun!

[Samantha, Creole Literary Belle]

I have never seen the movies, because I felt I wanted to read the books first, as it was meant to be. My husband has seen the movies but not read the books. When I showed him the Harry Potter movies, he called Dumbledore my generation’s Gandalf. (He is 10 yrs older than me.) having read some of the first chapter last night, I understand his comparison now past simply the appearance of the two characters.

[Janice]

I have read The Hobbit multiple times since I first read it in 1968 or so. I have it on audiobook too. It's a lovely story. I don't personally care for the movies, because there's not REALLY (IMHO) enough story in the book for 3 whole movies.

But the book is fine. Keep in mind it was originally written as a children's book, so its tone is a bit lighter and less serious than The Lord of the Rings.

[Rosemarie, Northern Roaming Scholar]

I too have read The Hobbit many times. I saw the first Hobbit movie and that was enough for me. The book is much lighter than the movie, and much more charming.

[Sydney]

The movies for me were simply a visual fleshing out of the books. The books allow me to use my imagination. However, I must say that the movie Gollum was close to my imagined Gollum.

And wouldn't you just like to live in the peaceful Shire?

[Samantha, Creole Literary Belle]

In Chapter 3 "A Short Rest", I absolutely love the description of Elrond, specifically "as kind as summer" That is a beautiful use of personification to me. As I am reading 4 books simultaneously right now, I have not yet devoted as much time to this one as I would like. So far, I find the story mesmerizing and see myself reading it much more often.

[Tr1sha]

I’ve never read this & am not sure that I want to, as I don’t usually enjoy fantasy books. But I’m starting it now & look forward to joining the discussions here.

[Kavitha]

Saw the movies first and then read the book. Seems to me Bilbo has more heavy role in the book than in the movies. Thorin steals the thunder in the movies. I enjoyed the book very much with little extra nuances of Bilbo's thoughts in the book :)

[Rosemarie, Northern Roaming Scholar]

This is definitely Bilbo's book.

[Sydney]

Trisha wrote: "I’ve never read this & am not sure that I want to, as I don’t usually enjoy fantasy books. But I’m starting it now & look forward to joining the discussions here."

You know, Trisha, I am not particularly a fantasy book reader either. But this is just so well written. And timeless too. Keep on reading.

[Tr1sha]

Yes, Sydney - I agree. I can see now why it’s so popular, Tolkien’s writing is wonderful. He’s so creative & the descriptions are beautiful. Interesting that you describe it as “timeless” - it is, & perhaps that’s another reason why it’s successful.

[Samantha, Creole Literary Belle]

I love how the book is written as if Tolkien (or simply, the narrator) is talking to the reader. It makes the story feel like a buddy is reading with me.

[Nancy]

I have an audible copy of this book, and I have started it a few times. I need to set aside time to listen to this book. I have seen the movie. My son is a big fan of this book. If I listen to a book at bed time, I will fall asleep. I set the timer on for various times, and go back to pick up what I have missed, but I don't think this is the best way for me to listen to the Hobbit.

[Lesle, Appalachain Bibliophile]

Nancy that sounds like something I do! If I lay in bed to read I am gone for sure!

[[deleted user]]

Sydney wrote: "What a book for all time, this is! Have read it and the trilogy 5-6 times, read the series to my children, and am about to begin reading the series to my grandchildren (we are finishing The Chronic..."

Good for you, Grandma! Every child deserves to hear this book, and every adult should read it again.

[Samantha, Creole Literary Belle]

I finished the book 2 days ago. I could’ve finished it probably last weekend, but I wanted to stretch it out. This is one book I did not want to end.

[Rosemarie, Northern Roaming Scholar]

I am so glad you enjoyed it, Samantha. I reread it every 10 years or so.

[Manybooks]

I love Tolkien's world, myth and language building. Liked the Hobbit, but loved Lord of the Rings and the Silmarillion. But feel almost in awe of attempting reviews.

[Manybooks]

Lesle wrote: "Nancy that sounds like something I do! If I lay in bed to read I am gone for sure!"

I fall asleep with books on my face.

[Piyangie, Classical Princess]

For my part, I only came to know that it was a children's classic after I finished the read. Had I known that before my read I would have liked it better.

This is the first step of the adventure that would span to the Lord of the Rings series. And the Hobbit tells the story of Bilbo's adventure with a group of dwarfs led by Thorin to reclaim the Lonely Mountain and their treasure in it from a dragon.

The proper order of read then should be from Hobbit to the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. But I have read this in reverse order and felt that Hobbit lacked the richness of Lord of the Rings.
Now I know why Hobbit is written the way it is. It is after all a children classic which is written in a simple fun way to entertain them, And the narration is like a grandfather reading a bedtime story to his grandchildren.

[Piyangie, Classical Princess]

Trisha wrote: "I’ve never read this & am not sure that I want to, as I don’t usually enjoy fantasy books. But I’m starting it now & look forward to joining the discussions here."

I'm not a fantasy fan either, Trisha. But then, when it is a one written by Tolkien, it is hard to resist.

[Piyangie, Classical Princess]

Manybooks wrote: "I love Tolkien's world, myth and language building. Liked the Hobbit, but loved Lord of the Rings and the Silmarillion. But feel almost in awe of attempting reviews."

I have read Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, but not the Silmarillion. I do have the book with me and want to read it at some point.

If I'm to read all in the series in order, where does Silmarillion fit? Would you be able to help, Manybooks?

[Manybooks]

Piyangie wrote: "Manybooks wrote: "I love Tolkien's world, myth and language building. Liked the Hobbit, but loved Lord of the Rings and the Silmarillion. But feel almost in awe of attempting reviews."

I have read..."

The Silmarillion happens before either the Hobbit or LOTR. And it is very different, almost biblical. It is not for everyone but I love it, but one needs to approach it like reading mythology or the Bible (and there are huge lists of names).

[Piyangie, Classical Princess]

Manybooks wrote: "Piyangie wrote: "Manybooks wrote: "I love Tolkien's world, myth and language building. Liked the Hobbit, but loved Lord of the Rings and the Silmarillion. But feel almost in awe of attempting revie..."

Thank you for you information and advise. Appreciate it very much. I'm currently reading The Iliad by Homer. I hope that it will be a starting point for me to practice on reading such difficult books.

[Manybooks]

Piyangie wrote: "Manybooks wrote: "Piyangie wrote: "Manybooks wrote: "I love Tolkien's world, myth and language building. Liked the Hobbit, but loved Lord of the Rings and the Silmarillion. But feel almost in awe o..."

The main point for me about appreciating the Silmarillion is to take one's time and not to assume one is reading either a novel or even a typical epic but rather a text like the Bible and other religious, mythological documents (and to realise that Tolkien was actually trying to create the latter, a true mythology).

[Tahera]

I read this book a few months back and loved loved it!! I had watched the Hobbit trilogy before I read this book and was amazed to find out that a single book resulted in 3 movies!

[Rosemarie, Northern Roaming Scholar]

My daughter pointed out to me that the battle near the end of the third Hobbit movie, which lasted a long time, was covered by two pages in the book.
I think that the movie producers forgot that the Hobbit is a children's book.

[Samantha, Creole Literary Belle]

With the book stretched into 3 movies, and the movies as good as the book? I can see much of the action taking a lot of movie time, but 3 movies seems like a lot for a typical novel length book. I can’t help but wonder if the movies have a lot of filler or scenes stretched out for no real reason except money.

[Manybooks]

Rosemarie wrote: "My daughter pointed out to me that the battle near the end of the third Hobbit movie, which lasted a long time, was covered by two pages in the book.
I think that the movie producers forgot that th..."

One reason I have not seen the movies!

[Patrick]

Samantha wrote: "With the book stretched into 3 movies, and the movies as good as the book? I can see much of the action taking a lot of movie time, but 3 movies seems like a lot for a typical novel length book. I ..."

A pure cash grab.

[Samantha, Creole Literary Belle]

Wow. Good to know. For those that have read the book and watched the movies, are the movies even worth the time? Or is this case the epitome of “the book was better”?

[Patrick]

I don't like Peter Jackson's take on Tolkien AT ALL, even in the more celebrated Lord of the Rings movies. Too monster-movie.

[Samantha, Creole Literary Belle]

That’s definitely something to take into consideration. I have someone who is a huge Tolkien fan. I’ll have. To ask him what he thinks.

[Patrick]

Opinions differ widely!

[Lesle, Appalachain Bibliophile]

I myself really enjoyed the movies, but I had not read the trilogy first. I almost always enjoy the books over the movie.

The only movie I found as enjoyable as the book, with reading the book first is The Firm by John Grisham, hard to tell them apart.

[Piyangie, Classical Princess]

I loved the Lord of the Rings movies, although the books were better. But I loved the Hobbit movies better than the book.

[Rosemarie, Northern Roaming Scholar]

I watched the first of the Hobbit movies and that was enough.
I watched all of The Lord of the Rings movies and enjoyed them.
I have read the books numerous times.

[Manybooks]

I enjoyed the LOTR movies, but the books are better and I did not like how Faramir was depicted in the movies.

[Rosemarie, Northern Roaming Scholar]

I reread the Hobbit not that long ago, and I wasn't planning on rereading LOTR any time soon, but that remark of yours, Manybooks, has got me curious. I just may move those books up on my list. 😉

[Manybooks]

Rosemarie wrote: "I reread the Hobbit not that long ago, and I wasn't planning on rereading LOTR any time soon, but that remark of yours, Manybooks, has got me curious. I just may move those books up on my list. 😉"
I should reread LOTR as well.

[Rafael, Brazilian Master of the Bookshelf!]

I am a Tolkien fan and I just watched the first and the second movies. I will not watch the third one. Although I did not like The Hobbit as much I like the other Legendarium books the movies don't worth my time. The book could be adapted in just one movie, but money rules so they stretched it.

I like the The Lord of the Rings movies.

[Rosemarie, Northern Roaming Scholar]

Rafael, I agree about the Hobbit movies. It was mostly about money. As a Tolkien fan, I was disappointed that the Hobbit was stretched out over three movies.

[Patrick]

A key characteristic of The Hobbit is charm. Peter Jackson could not care less about charm. He did good work early in his career, especially Heavenly Creatures, but that was 20+ years ago. Like Tim Burton, a similar case, he has ceased to be interesting.