Millions of people around the world have read and enjoyed Tolkiens ‘The Hobbit’. In school, when I was just 11, we read a chapter of ‘The Hobbit’ weekly. I can honestly say that I actually could not wait to go to school on the day of the reading.
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The story is essentially a (dark) fairytale in a foreign land revolving around a hobbit, twelve dwarves and a wizard. A hobbit is a small human like creature with furry feet that lives in a hole in a hillside. They normally do not travel far from home and have a love for food that goes far beyond their need for sustenance. Bilbo Baggins is the main character in this story and is a typical hobbit.
Bilbo is a fairly well off Hobbit, whose love of life is only matched by his love of food and sleep; you will rarerly see him venture far as he prefers the safety of his ’hole’.
One day, much to the surprise of Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf (the wizard) arranges for a party, inviting twelve dwarves. It transpires that there is an ulterior motive as the dwarves have a quest to reclaim their ancestral wealth and home from the mean and dangerous dragon Smaug. The Dwarves are in need of a thief, and Gandalf advised them to pick Bilbo. They reluctantly agree out of respect for Gandalf, but are not happy with the choice.
Bilbo also isn’t too happy with the situation but is persuaded by Gandalf; he begins to form a strange and at times funny relationship with the dwarves. They soon learn, as the tale continues, that Gandalf had made a very wise choice after all.
The group of hardy adventurers set out on a quest of epic proportions. They encounter many dangers and hazards along the way, including some trolls, gnomes and many other ‘Tolkien-esque’ creatures. Some of these encounters are frightening, while others end up be funny (e.g. the encounter with the trolls early on is both funny and frightening).
Tolkien has created a world called Middle Earth in which the quest happens. The land is rich and beautiful, filled with rolling hills and vales, but also there are dark forests and evil lands. Tolkien has filled the land with all sorts of creatures, some taken from mythology, such as dragons, and some out of his own imagination, such as orcs.
Much of the land is filled with magic, with wondrous magical artifacts and amazing herbs popping up all over.
During one of his encounters, Bilbo meets Gollum, and after playing a game involving riddles manages to win a magical ring. This ring plays a minor part in this tale, helping Bilbo become invisible when needed, but for those of you who will go on and read Lord of The Rings, this ring is perhaps the most important ring in existence.
Throughout the book, we meet many fascinating allies and enemies and are continually surprised and amused by the book. The book leads to a tumultuous ending, involving a battle between five different armies and overall is a very satisfying ending. The characters are all well rounded and have their own quirks and abilities. Often I find myself laughing at one character or another.
Tolkien, with The Hobbit and Lord of The Rings, has created a massive cult following. Many people RolePlay in his lands, enjoying the mixture of fantasy and familiarity that is captured in Middle Earth.
The Hobbit is a well-written story that is exciting and will appeal to most people. It is suitable for children. All well stocked home libraries should have a copy of The Hobbit.
The illustrated version adds to the overall atmosphere of the book, illustrating some of the key moments. It helps the reader to visualize the characters and scenary. The illustrations in themselves are wonderful pieces of art and enhance the whole book.