Name: Vojtech's review of The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Item: The Hobbit
Rating: 5
Author: Vojtech

J.R.R. Tolkien

The Hobbit

Marshie

... The Running River came down into the lake from Dale and with the Forest River filled with deep waters what must once have been a great deep rocky valley. At the southern end the doubled waters poured out again over high waterfalls and ran away hurriedly to unknown lands. In the still evening air the noise of the falls could be heard like a distant roar.

They still throve on the trade that came up the great river from the South and was carted past the falls to their town; but in the great days of old, when Dale in the North was rich and prosperous, they had been wealthy and powerful, and there had been fleets of boats on the waters, and some were filled with gold and some with warriors in armour, and there had been wars and deeds which were now only a legend. The rotting piles of a greater town could still be seen along the shores when the waters sank in a drought. But men remembered little of all that, though some still sang old songs of the dwarf-kings of the Mountain, Thror and Thrain of the race of Durin, and of the coming of the Dragon and the fall of the lords of Dale. 

After a while, however, the river took a more southerly course and the Mountain receded again, and at last, late in the day the shores grew rocky, the river gathered all its wandering waters together into a deep and rapid food, and they swept along at great speed. The sun had set when turning with another sweep towards the East the forest-river rushed into the Long Lake. There it had a wide mouth with stony cliffike gates at either side whose feet were piled with shingles. The Long Lake!

The marshes and bogs had spread wider and wider on either side. Paths had vanished and many a rider and wanderer too, if they had tried to find the lost ways across. The elf-road through the wood which the dwarves had followed on the advice of Beorn now came to a doubtful and little used end at the eastern edge of the forest; only the river offered any longer a safe way from the skirts of Mirkwood in the North to the mountain-shadowed plains beyond, and the river was guarded by the Wood-elves' king.

The talk was all of the trade that came and went on the waterways and the growth of the traffic on the river, as the roads out of the East towards Mirkwood vanished or fell into disuse; and of the bickerings of the Lake-men and the Wood-elves about the upkeep of the Forest River and the care of the banks.

Very soon there was a fine commotion in the village by the riverside; but Bilbo escaped into the woods carrying a loaf and a leather bottle of wine and a pie that did not belong to him. 

'Small wonder,' said they, 'when the explanation stands close at hand in a jug! Come give us a taste of your sleeping- draught before we fall to! No need to wake the turnkey yonder He has had his share by the looks of it.'

Then they drank once round and became mighty merry all of a sudden. But they did not quite lose their wits.' Save us, Galion!' cried some, 'you began your feasting early and muddled your wits! You have stacked some full casks here instead of the empty ones, if there is anything in weight.'

'Get on with the work!' growled the butler. 'There is nothing in the feeling of weight in an idle toss-pot's arms. These are the ones to go and no others. Do as I say!'

'Very well, very well,' they answered rolling the barrels to the opening. On your head be it, if the king's full buttertubs and his best wine is pushed into the river for the Lake-men to feast on nothing!'

A number of elves came laughing and talking into the cellars and singing snatches of song. They had left a merry feast in one of the halls and were bent on returning as soon as they could.

"Where's old Galion, the butler?" said one. I haven't seen him at the table tonight. He ought to be here now to show us what is to be done.'

'I shall be angry if the old slowcoach is late,' said another. I have no wish to waste time down here while the song is up!

'Ha, ha!' came a cry. 'Here's the old villain with his head on a jug! He's been having a little feast all to himself and his friend the captain.'

'Shake him! Wake him!' shouted the others impatiently.

Galion was not at all pleased at being shaken or wakened, and still less at being laughed at. 'You're all late,' he grumbled. 'Here am I waiting and waiting down here, while you fellows drink and make merry and forget your tasks. Small wonder I fall asleep from weariness!' 

But all went well, and they met no guards. As a matter of fact there was a great autumn feast in the woods that night, and in the halls above. Nearly all the king's folk were merry-making.

Then Bilbo heard the king's butler bidding the chief of the guards good-night. Now come with me,' he said, 'and taste the new wine that has just come in. I shall be hard at work tonight clearing the cellars of the empty wood, so let us have a drink first to help the labour.'

When the barrels were empty the elves cast them through the trapdoors, opened the water-gate, and out the barrels floated on the stream, bobbing along, until they were carried by the current to a place far down the river where the bank jutted out, near to the very eastern edge of Mirkwood. There they were collected and tied together and floated back to Lake-town, which stood close to the point where the Forest River flowed into the Long Lake.

These opened upwards into the king's cellars. There stood barrels, and barrels, and barrels; for the Wood-elves, and especially their king, were very fond of wine, though no vines grew in those parts. The wine, and other goods, were brought from far away, from their kinsfolk in the South, or from the vineyards of Men in distant lands. Hiding behind one of the largest barrels Bilbo discovered the trapdoors and their use, and lurking there, listening to the talk of the king's servants, he learned how the wine and other goods came up the rivers, or over land, to the Long Lake. It seemed a town of Men still throve there, built out on bridges far into the water as a protection against enemies of all sorts, and especially against the dragon of the Mountain. From Lake-town the barrels were brought up the Forest River. Often they were just tied together like big rafts and poled or rowed up the stream: sometimes they were loaded on to flat boats.

One day, nosing and wandering about, Bilbo discovered a very interesting thing: the great gates were not the only entrance to the caves. A stream flowed under part of the lowest regions of the palace, and joined the Forest River some way further to the cast, beyond the steep slope out of which the main mouth opened. Where this underground watercourse came forth from the hillside there was a water-gate. There the rocky roof came down close to the surface of the stream, and from it a portcullis could be dropped right to the bed of the river to prevent anyone coming in or out that way. But the portcullis was often open, for a good deal of traffic went out and in by the water-gate. If anyone had come in that way, he would have found himself in a dark rough tunnel leading deep into the heart of the hill: but at one point where it passed under the caves the roof had been cut away and covered with great oaken trapdoors.

Magic shut the gates, but he could sometimes out, if he was quick. Companies of the Wood-elves, Sometimes with the king at their head, would from time to time ride out to hunt, or to other business in the woods and in the lands to the East. Then if Bilbo was very nimble, he could slip out just behind them; though it was a dangerous thing to do. More than once he was nearly caught in the doors, as they clashed together when the last elf passed; yet he did not dare to march among them because of his shadow (altogether thin and wobbly as it was in torch-light), or for fear of being bumped into and discovered.

Suddenly the torches stopped, and the hobbit had just time to catch them up before they began to cross the bridge. This was the bridge that led across the river to the king's doors. The water flowed dark and swift and strong beneath; and at the far end were gates before the mouth of a huge cave that ran into the side of a steep slope covered with trees. There the great beeches came right down to the bank till their feet were in the stream.

If the elf-king had a weakness it was for treasure, especially for silver and white gems: and though his hoard was rich, he was ever eager for more, since he had not yet as great a treasure as other elf-lords of old. His people neither mined nor worked metals or jewels, nor did they bother much with trade or with tilling the earth.

In a great cave some miles within the edge of Mirkwood on its eastern side there lived lived at this time their greatest king. Before his huge doors of stone a river ran out of the heights of the forest and flowed on and out into the marshes at the feet of the high wooded lands. This great cave, from which countless smaller ones opened out on every side, wound far underground and had many passages and wide halls; but it was lighter and more wholesome than any goblin-dwelling. and neither so deep nor so dangerous. In fact the subjects of the king mostly lived and hunted in the open woods, and had houses or huts on the ground and in the branches. The beeches were their favourite trees. The king's cave was his palace, and the strong place of his treasure, and the fortress of his people against their enemies.

The feasting people were Wood-elves, of course. These are not wicked folk. If they have a fault it is distrust of strangers. Though their magic was strong, even in those days they were wary. They differed from the High Elves of the bound West, and were more dangerous and Iess wise. For most of them (together with their scattered relations in the hills and mountains) were descended from the ancient tribes that never went to Faerie in the West. There the Light-elves and the Deep-elves and the Sea-elves went and lived for ages, and grew fairer and wiser and more learned, and invented their magic and their cunning craft in the making of beautiful and marvellous things, before some came back into the Wide World. In the Wide World the Wood-elves lingered in the twilight of our Sun and Moon, but loved best the stars; and they wandered in the great forests that grew tall in ands that are now lost. They dwelt most often by the edges of the woods, from which they could escape at times to hunt, or to ride and run over the open lands by moonlight or starlight and after the coming of Men they took ever more and more to the gloaming and the dusk. Still elves they were and remain, and that is Good People.

The dwarves then noticed that they had come to the edge of a ring where elf-fires had been. Whether it was one of those they had seen the night before, they could not tell. But it seemed that some good magic lingered in such spots, which the spiders did not like. At any rate here the light was greener, and the boughs less thick and threatening, and they had a chance to rest and draw breath.

There's a regular blaze of light begun not far away - hundreds of torches and many fires must have been lit sud- denly and by magic. And hark to the singing and the harps!

After Iying and listening for a while, they found they could not resist the desire to go nearer and try once more to get help. Up they got again; and this time the result was disastrous. The feast that they now saw was greater and more magnificent than before; and at the head of a long line of feasters sat a woodland king with a crown of leaves upon his golden hair, very much as Bombur had described the figure in his dream. The elvish folk were passing bowls from hand to hand and across the fires, and some were harping and many were singing. Their gleaming hair was twined with flowers; green and white gems glinted on their collars and their belts: and their faces and their songs were filled with mirth. Loud and clear and fair were those songs, and out stepped Thorin in to their midst. Dead silence fell in the middle of a word. Out went all light. The fires leaped up in black smokes.

After a good deal of creeping and crawling they peered round the trunks and looked int0 a clearing where some trees had been felled and the ground levelled. There were many people there, elvish-looking folk, all dressed in green and brown and sitting on sawn rings of the felled trees in a great circle. There was a fire in their midst and there were torches fastened to some of the trees round about; but most splendid sight of all: they were eating and drinking and laughing merrily.

About four days from the enchanted stream they came to a part where most of the trees were beeches. They were at first inclined to be cheered by the change, for here there was no undergrowth and the shadow was not so deep. There was a greenish light about them, and in places they could see some distance to either side of the path. Yet the light only showed them endless lines of straight grey trunks like the pillars of some huge twilight hall. There was a breath of air and a noise of wind, but it had a sad sound. A few leaves came rustling down to remind them that outside autumn was coming on. Their feet ruffled among the dead leaves of countless other autumns that drifted over the banks of the path from the deep red carpets of the forest.

Vojtech

A great modern classic and the prelude to The Lord of the Rings. Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an adventure. They have launched a plot to raid the treasure hoard guarded by Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon. Bilbo reluctantly joins their quest, unaware that on his journey to the Lonely Mountain he will encounter both a magic ring and a frightening creature known as Gollum. “A glorious account of a magnificent adventure, filled with suspense and seasoned with a quiet humor that is irresistible . . . All those, young or old, who love a fine adventurous tale, beautifully told, will take The Hobbit to their hearts.” – New York Times Book Review

Jaden Nelson

Yes! I did it! I read the first book in a series I was ashamed I had not yet read. When I try to rate a book like this, it ends up being a very hard thing. Thinking back on the whole book, I cannot pick a moment that I thought was “bad” or boring to me, yet it did not quite make the cut for my highly esteemed 5 Star book shelf. The Lord of the Rings series is obviously incredibly popular and widely regarded as one of the best fantasy series of all time. Thus, I wanted to love The Hobbit with all my heart. This book tells a story of a nice little hobbit who and the many things that he undergoes on his adventure. It is quite action packed, while also being gentle and wonderfully descriptive (especially with nature). This story is one that I feel may get only better as I reread it, and greet it like an old friend. For now, the book was great and I plan to immediately continue the series!

Salma

I loved it.
I have been in love with middle earth since I was maybe 11 years old I love this book it’s so easy to read and the adventure are good. 

“Farewell Thorin Oakenshield! And Fili and Kili! May your Memory never fade!”

Obviously 5/5. A classic worth reading over and over again. 

Brandon Eckroth

I enjoyed the whimsical homely feel the book had - it was very different to the movie (that I watched first), which was more epic. Tolkien's voice in The Hobbit is funny, lighthearted, yet intentional. It was a wholesome experience, I really enjoyed it.

Little Bilbo is a darling and I like him. He goes through much more peril with the dwarves than in the movies, which surprised me. Their attitude towards Bilbo is also more dependent than expected, but it made Bilbo all the more likeable because he struggled with their expectations, and that's something relatable.

The book has proven Very Interesting as far as researching Mirkwood goes. I wish Peter Jackson had explored the Silvan elves and their relationship with the men of the Lake more, but alas, I'm happy I read the book now.

I love seeing all the characters and little details in descriptions come back in The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings as expanded and developed concepts - especially Elrond, and the talking eagles & spiders.

Overall I love this book because it's wholesome, a light and fun read, and this book I'll probably reread again next year.

I enjoyed the whimsical homely feel the book had - it was very different to the movie (that I watched first), which was more epic. Tolkien's voice in The Hobbit is funny, lighthearted, yet intentional. It was a wholesome experience, I really enjoyed it.

Little Bilbo is a darling and I like him. He goes through much more peril with the dwarves than in the movies, which surprised me. Their attitude towards Bilbo is also more dependent than expected, but it made Bilbo all the more likeable because he struggled with their expectations, and that's something relatable.

The book has proven Very Interesting as far as researching Mirkwood goes. I wish Peter Jackson had explored the Silvan elves and their relationship with the men of the Lake more, but alas, I'm happy I read the book now.

I love seeing all the characters and little details in descriptions come back in The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings as expanded and developed concepts - especially Elrond, and the talking eagles & spiders.

Overall I love this book because it's wholesome, a light and fun read, and this book I'll probably reread again next year.

Presents a box set including the complete "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, as well as its prequel, "The Hobbit."

The Hobbit / The Fellowship of the Ring / The Two Towers / The Return of the King

The Hobbit / The Lord of the Rings

Kendi Dockum

I can't believe I've never reviewed this series... I was literally just thinking to myself, "Hey, maybe I should reread LOTR again." Then the very next thought I had was, "I better make dang sure my schedule is free for awhile before I decide to tackle this series again." It is a commitment, but it is well worth it! I only rated it as such because it takes a while for it to get good, at least from how I remember it.

Bilbo Baggins, a respectable, well-to-do hobbit, lives comfortably in his hobbit-hole until the day the wandering wizard Gandalf chooses him to share in an adventure from which he may never return.

i loved every second of it, so much better than the movies and soo entertaining and funny without being trivial or ridiculous 

Jonathan

becky oh

A classic book I haven't read in ages. Seriously, I was falling asleep halfway through the book. Maybe that's because I was reading this on my bed, but it was boring. I mean, that's part of the classic books. 

Classic=boring 

I still gave a 3 star, since that characters and the fantasy were epic :) But don't think I would read it again. Might as well donate it to a library or something. It's squeaky clean that I think it's new....

Boxed with the three Lord of the Rings books. It is bound much like a bible with a leatherette cover.

"contains all corrections and revisions that have been made since the original publication."--t.p. verso.
Includes index

Absolute perfection (though I was a little disappointed by how different the movies are)

Lenja

I first read this when I was eleven, and have since read it around forty times. It's much more whimsical and fantastical than the Lord of the rings, which made it much easier to read. 

This has long been part of a very small list of books that I love everything about and have absolutely nothing to critique on. 10/10, have recommended and will again

Normal Human

I first read this when I was eleven, and have since read it around forty times. It's much more whimsical and fantastical than the Lord of the rings, which made it much easier to read. 

This has long been part of a very small list of books that I love everything about and have absolutely nothing to critique on. 10/10, have recommended and will again

shellybn

The book that introduced me to Tolkien, "The Lord of the Rings," and profoundly changed my life.

Dimitris Papastergiou

Yes my dear Frodo, it's still as good as I remember it to be!

A true classic. Great for all ages. A desert island book for sure. 

Brandon

Dakshin

Lo hobbit

Silvia Lucchini

L'inizio di un coraggioso e inaspettato viaggio che darà poi il via all'eccezionale trilogia che è LOTR. Una storia che sembra quasi una fiaba, piena di avvenimenti e di avventure con personaggi vecchi (per chi già conosce LOTR) e tanti nuovi. Personalmente ho adorato Bilbo.

Un Tolkien sicuramente diverso da quello de Il Signore degli Anelli: nel Lo Hobbit si percepisce che il pubblico al quale si rivolge è molto giovane e ho apprezzato molto le parti nelle quali il narratore passava dalla terza alla prima persona.
Sicuramente non supera la poetica bellezza di LOTR, ma ne vale assolutamente la pena.

Ah, e sei hai visto il film, ti svelo un segreto: non c'entra quasi nulla.

Probably the most famous children's book of modern times -- regularly topping polls for "favourite book" and now available in a Large Type format to complement The Lord of The Rings Large Type trilogy. Bilbo Baggins enjoys a quiet and contented life, with no desire to travel far from the comforts of home; then one day the wizard Gandalf and a band of dwarves arrive unexpectedly and enlist his services -- as a burglar -- on a dangerous expedition to raid the treasure-hoard of Smaug the dragon. Bilbo's life is never to be the same again. The Hobbit became an instant success when it was first published in 1937, and more than 60 years later Tolkien's epic tale of elves, dwarves, trolls, goblins, myth, magic and adventure, with its reluctant hero Bilbo Baggins, has lost none of its appeal.

Nessa Luna

Just drown me in feelings why don't you. (view spoiler)[Slight unpopular opinion I think, but I honestly love the movies and I love what they gave us, especially when it came to battles. Because if the movies had stayed accurate to the book, there would have been NO Battle of Five Armies at all. Because Bilbo literally passes out at the beginning and doesn't wake up until after it's all done. *shrug* (hide spoiler)]

In this delightful and enthralling tale, J R R Tolkien first created the imperishable world of fantasy called Middle-earth, and those charming, indomitable creatures, the hobbits, whose adventures are continued in “The Lord of the Rings”.
—back cover

or There and Back Again

spent most of my time reading this with tears in my eyes due to tolkien’s use of language alone! such lovable characters and such an interesting, albeit dangerous, world they’re all living in! 

༺ kat ༻

Lovely descriptions of nature in an adventure. Cool creatures, a simple plot and a simple conflict. A very pleasant read. Self-contained which I for some reason did not expect.

The main character passes out during some battles, but he is not a fighter and they get discussed later so I dont mind. The latter half of the book did not peak my interest as much as the start, I guess I dont like the epic proportion stuff personally. It seems that the goblins in this book are inherently bad which is a bit concerning, and in general I just don't like the concept of that (Maybe I will develop more thoughts on this as I read more fantasy)

I loved this book, and hope to read more fantasy, also I really want to start Lord of the rings now. The lord of the eagles 🩷🩷🩷

Nota

Lovely descriptions of nature in an adventure. Cool creatures, a simple plot and a simple conflict. A very pleasant read. Self-contained which I for some reason did not expect.

The main character passes out during some battles, but he is not a fighter and they get discussed later so I dont mind. The latter half of the book did not peak my interest as much as the start, I guess I dont like the epic proportion stuff personally. It seems that the goblins in this book are inherently bad which is a bit concerning, and in general I just don't like the concept of that (Maybe I will develop more thoughts on this as I read more fantasy)

I loved this book, and hope to read more fantasy, also I really want to start Lord of the rings now. The lord of the eagles 🩷🩷🩷

Bilbo Baggins enjoys a quiet and contented life, with no desire to travel far from the comforts of home; then one day the wizard Gandalf and a band of dwarves arrive unexpectedly and enlist his services - as a burglar - on a dangerous expedition to raid the treasure-hoard of Smaug the dragon. Bilbo's life is never to be the same again.The Hobbit became an instant success when it was first published in 1937, and more than 60 years later Tolkien's epic tale of elves, dwarves, trolls, goblins, myth, magic and adventure, with its reluctant hero Bilbo Baggins, has lost none of its appeal.Bilbo Baggins has taken his place among the ranks of the immortals of children's fiction. Written by Professor Tolkien for his own children, The Hobbit met with instant critical acclaim when published - it was the Harry Potter of its generation. With new Lord of the Rings movies around the corner, this special Children's edition is designed to put the book back where it belongs - at the top of every child's 'must-read' list.

Wynter

2018 update: I'm knocking down a star this time to a solid 4, because while I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Hobbit once more, I did notice a few problem spots this time around. I'm not talking about the glaring absence of female characters, since that argument against Tolkien has been done to death. I think this is the book where he tried to fit too much into too short of the book, so that some scenes feel very rushed and conveniently wrapped up. For example, I hate when during the climax of an epic scene the main character either faints or gets knocked out, because it's a lazy way for the writer to get out of coming up with a truly impactful exit scene that takes us from the war back to peace. Notorious for his fainting spells, Frodo in The Lord of the Rings continues this trend. Other scenes rushed past me with a breakneck speed, and I cannot believe I'm saying this, but I missed Tolkien's trademark wordiness. Great children's novel though, even if many ponies died in the making.

Cheri Fuller

Love This Book! I think a big part of why I love The Hobbit is because two of the three times I've read it, I've listened to the audio version with my young son. We always have an audio book going and sharing books is a wonderful way for us to always have at least one thing in common to talk about.
 
The first time we listened to it, he had to have been about 8 years old. This time around, he's 11 and we've decided to read the Lord of the Rings series immediately afterward. I imagine we'll listen to The Hobbit and the LOTR series together again.

Ward

Emily Perkovich

I wanted to like this sooooo much more than I did. There were definitely parts I liked. The writing is not bad in itself. But so much is unnecessary that it became boring quickly. I found many times where I was not taking in any information. I had heard over and over again that Tolkien is overly descriptive, but I had also heard this about other writers that I ended up enjoying. I can say without a doubt that this book could be cut in half and I’d enjoy it far more.

I read this as a child and it had been far too long since I had re-read it .

I was a nice balance of humor and seriousness. I love the way it is written, taking more of a "you are being told a story" type of style. The characters are entertaining and believable. 

It is a good classic fantasy story and I highly recommend it.

Alex Landau

I read this as a child and it had been far too long since I had re-read it .

I was a nice balance of humor and seriousness. I love the way it is written, taking more of a "you are being told a story" type of style. The characters are entertaining and believable. 

It is a good classic fantasy story and I highly recommend it.

Hardik parmar 

Reading "The Hobbit" was an enrapturing experience which rides you directly to the well and rich imagined world of J.R.R. Tolkien. Bilbo, a hobbit who loves NO adventures and always seeking for comfort went to an actual horrified adventure to win the dragon guarded gold treasure for the dwarves. And the adventure changes hobbit in many ways. It somehow quotes to let life take its remote in some situations and stop living so acquisitive life. It was the first Tolkien book of mine and as I expected at the start, it ends leaving a deep pleasure inside you.

Sophie

Vond het wel een leuk boek om te lezen nadat ik de film eerst heb gezien.

Vojtech &
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

Reviews

Highlights

Join the club

Vojtech &The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

Reviews

Highlights

Join the club

Vojtech &
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien