Most helpful customer reviews
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5.0 out of 5 stars
In a hole in the ground, Mar 20 2007
"The Hobbit or There and Back Again" is the first story of Middle-Earth that was ever read by the masses, after a pre. And to this day it remains a beloved favorite due to Tolkien's exceptional writing, realistic and lovable characters, and the fantastic, complicated world with its unlikely hero: a fuzzy-footed hobbit.
Bilbo Baggins lives a pleasantly stodgy and dull life in the Shire, in a luxurious hole under a hill ("It was a hobbit hole, and that means comfort"). But his life is completely turned upside-down by the arrival of the wizard Gandalf and thirteen dwarves. The dwarves, led by the exiled king-in-waiting Thorin Oakenshield, want to regain the Lonely Mountain (and a lot of treasure) from the dragon Smaug, who drove out the dwarves long ago. Why do they want Bilbo? Because Gandalf has told them that he'd make a good burglar (even though Bilbo has never burgled in his life).
So before Bilbo is entirely sure what is going on, he is being swept off on a very unrespectable -- and dangerous -- adventure. Bilbo and the Dwarves battle goblins and spiders, are nearly eaten twice, are captured and Bilbo is forced to riddle with the treacherous, withered Gollum, and ends up escaping with a magical Ring. But even after these obstacles, the dragon Smaug is still in the Lonely Mountain, and Bilbo is not entirely sure what to do to deal with this enemy.
Author J.R.R. Tolkien had been crafting his mythos of Elves, Dwarves, Wizards and Men for years before writing "The Hobbit," but "The Hobbit" is the first story that people had the opportunity to read. It began as a line scrawled on a sheet of blank paper, and then into a bedtime story for his children.
And even though it's overshadowed by "Lord of the Rings" and "Silmarillion," this book is an essential link. It's definitely sillier and lighter, but it provides the springboard for a lot of the stuff in "Lord of the Rings" -- especially the magical Ring that Bilbo finds in Gollum's cavern.
It's definitely not the same as his later works -- Tolkien's Elves are goofier and less dignified, and his dwarves are more unintentionally comical. But Elrond hints at the full majesty of the Elves, and Thorin Oakenshield is still the most dignified, proud and impressively flawed dwarf there is. The last chapters of the book hint at the epic majesty of "Lord of the Rings," and some of the same victory/loss themes. And of course, the idea that even little people -- like a hobbit or a bird -- can change the world.
Tolkien's writing is quick and light, while providing sufficient detail to let you picture what's going on, but also letting his words paint the landscapes, the atmosphre of Mirkwood and Laketown, and the menace of the goblins. The dialogue is less influenced by Old English, and the pace is a lot faster (not surprising, since it was originally read to his kids before bedtime).
Bilbo is a likable little guy -- he seems to be the last person whom you'd expect to be a courageous hero, but he shows incredibly strength and smarts when he's under pressure. Supporting characters like Thorin, Bard the Guardsman-turned-King, the king of the wood-elves, and even Smaug himself are never cookie-cutter -- each is given his own quirks and strengths.
And what of the annotation for "The Hobbit"? Douglas Anderson's annotations are an excellent addition to the original text, addressing various questions about where this and that came from, and questions like "did the elves have pointy ears?" Definitely a bonus.
With the "Lord of the Rings" movie trilogy solidly entrenched in pop culture, J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit" is now receiving a well-deserved boost of attention. Rarely has a bedtime story for children become such a beloved story.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
great but not outstanding, May 24 2004
I enjoyed Anderson's book, especially the background into Tolkien's sources and early writings that is invaluable. I must say I have read the Hobbit at least 100 times and yet I have never enjoyed reading it as much as when I read it with Anderson's anotations. I especially appreciated the philological background into the many proper names and archaic words that Tolkien used. What is a "carrock"or what does "confusticate and bebother" mean? Now I know!I also enjoyed the immense number of illustrations that were included, many of them sketches and pictures made by J.R.R himself. Alas, they are not in color, most are black and white prints of original color pictures. If more had been invested in the visual quality of this book, it would have greatly added to the level of pleasure in the words of Tolkien that Anderson's comments bring out. Still worth the money, hopefully Anderson will add color in the next edition
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent for Tolkien Fanatics!, Sep 17 1998
This book will probobly not interest those reading The Hobbit for the first time, but it's excellent for those who want the inside scoop on Tolkien's inspirations and drafts. A good resource for hard-core fans!
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