Synopsis
In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.
Written for J.R.R. Tolkien’s own children, The Hobbit met with instant critical acclaim when it was first published in 1937. Now recognized as a timeless classic, this introduction to the hobbit Bilbo Baggins, the wizard Gandalf, Gollum, and the spectacular world of Middle-earth recounts of the adventures of a reluctant hero, a powerful and dangerous ring, and the cruel dragon Smaug the Magnificent.
4.5 out of 5 stars
Tolkien's work and the films that have been adapted from it live in a very special place in my heart. Interestingly though, I don't know one person in my life who even remotely enjoyed The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings. In fact, most of those that have read the books (so few, so few have read these treasures) hold such contempt for them. A contempt so deep it would be comical if it didn't sadden me. The primary criticism of Tolkien's work is that it's very dry and slow burn (not in a good way), at least, that's the critique that I've heard from my aforementioned people. Granted, even I as an avid Tolkien fan and reader, have found that the reading experience can be tedious at times. In that regard though, I won't speak to the pacing of the story because Tolkien's work is characteristically deliberate and rich with lore detail. I will say, Tolkien's books aren't for everyone, they are an acquired taste after all.
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