How many of YOU haven't read this

[Dramapuppy]

I haven't. Is it good?

[John (Taloni)]

I read it when I was 13 and found it pedantic and overlong, but more interesting than average. Decades later I found much more depth. I would suggest giving it a read whatever stage of life you are at. There is a reason it is a classic.

[Hot Chocolate Confessions]

I read the hobbit a couple of years back and while at times it was a little hard, I really loved it. The story is great, and I love Bilbo.

[Felicia]

I like it a lot, but it has its flaws.

[Chris]

I have read it when I was a teen and loved it. since then I have reread it several times still loving it. The movie does not do the book justice. Smaugg gets killed by Bard the lakeman using a black arrow. That is not shown in the movie.

[Chloe]

Chris wrote: "I have read it when I was a teen and loved it. since then I have reread it several times still loving it. The movie does not do the book justice. Smaugg gets killed by Bard the lakeman using a blac..."

Well technically they haven't even gotten to that part of the story yet. And it looks like that is going to happen.

[Chloe]

I absolutely love this story. It is one of my all time favorites. I just read it for the first time this past April. When I finished it I immediately wanted to start it over again.

[Linda]

I read it when I was a teen and loved it. I keep meaning to re-read it and I haven't seen the movie.

[Mahilet]

It's an amazing book. But it depends on what age u were/are when you read it

[Chris]

I read this book when I was 12 or 13, I have since reread it several times since and still love it.

[Anthony]

I read it several times. It is enjoyable and less dense than the LOTR.

[Hayley]

I read it when i was nine hated it my friends convinced me to read it again so i read it again and i loved it and watch all the movies as soon as they came out.

[Jake]

I read it about a year ago. It definitely reels you in

[Scott]

I read this and LOTR when I was 12 or 13 and loved them all.

[David]

i read it some 30-35 YEARS ago - but thinking of rereading it (i must have been 13-14!).. then i did - las year - i sur missed a LOT! but it's a long read nonetheless

[Adam]

Dramapuppy wrote: "I haven't. Is it good?"

I think so. Keep in mind that it's what we would call YA today. It's the most accessible of Tolkien's work and the best place for new readers to start. Save The Silmarillionfor last.

[Esteb]

I tried several times to read it, but it is impossible for me....

[Peter]

Like most I read it in my early teens. It WAS written for the YA demographic, after all.

It was my introduction to F&SF, a passion which I still have nearly 50 years on, so well done Professor Tolkien.

[Tara]

I started it.. but still havent read it all. It was my busbook, but i couldnt follow it as good as i wanted.

[Raymond]

I read it when I was ten or maybe a little younger. I absolutely loved it. It's meant for children. That might be why some adults have trouble getting into it.

[Alice]

My Dad and I read it when I was about eight. I think that if you are going to read this find some way of doing it out loud because it feels shorter that way.

[Alice]

Also I loved it

[Peter]

Raymond wrote: "I read it when I was ten or maybe a little younger. I absolutely loved it. It's meant for children. That might be why some adults have trouble getting into it."

Something a lot seem to forget/ignore

[Nicole]

My teacher read it to my 7th grade class I think it was. It was also in my second language, which I do not like to read in, so I don't really count that. I do have plans on reading it someday though.
I used to watch the cartoon version from the 80's when I was younger, loved it. :)

[Robin]

This was the first chapter book my mom read out loud to my big sister and me. I think I was about 5 years old at the time. After watching the first movie, I read the Hobbit again and it still had all the magic I remember.
The movies followed a basic plot structure of a chase, or a pursuit, where I think the book was a true quest (there and back again). I think that is what made the movies such a dissappointment for me.

[G]

The first time I read it I didn't like it because of something that Bilbo does, but rereading it I can totally understand why he did it and I love it and the movie so much.

[David]

I read it. Didn't like it. Tolkien is an innovator and trailblazer who has influenced so many people that he himself has become somewhat obsolete, imo.

The Hobbit has a very weird story structure that I find incredibly unsatisfying. (view spoiler)[none of our heroes we've come to know are the ones to actually kill Smaug, the antagonist that's been talked about the whole book--instead it's some random bowman guy who has zero character development or screen time. Then Bilbo gets knocked out at the start of the big battle at the end. Seriously, what the hell? I feel like the main character should have been bard the bowman, not Bilbo. (hide spoiler)]

I'm sure my opinion is an unpopular one, but I think if you're going to read Tolkien skip The Hobbit and LoTR and just read the Simarillion, because world-building was really the only thing he excelled at, and boy did he excel at it. He still hasn't been surpassed on that front, but he's a terrible storyteller compared to today's best fantasists.