The Hobbit: 70th Anniversary Edition Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Hobbit: 70th Anniversary Edition
Book Review: A captivating and exciting novel for all
Summary: 4 Stars
I found the Hobbit to be a very good read, espicially if you like reading other fantasy childrens books, such as Harry Potter or The Chronicals of Narnia. It requires patience over the first twenty pages or so, but after that, you are hooked! I encourage people who need to be hooked on a book after a couple of pages to force themselves to read on as they will find it an outstanding novel.Book Review: A flawless masterpiece
Summary: 5 Stars
A finely written saga of dwarves and elves, fearsome goblins and trolls. An exciting epic of travel and magical adventure, all working up to a devastating climax.The English-speaking world is divided into those who have read THE HOBBIT and THE LORD OF THE RINGS and those who are going to read them.
Trust me - this book will thrill and delight you, it is the finest fantasy book ever written, second only to LOTR - but the comparison is perhaps unfair. This is an earlier book written for children primarily, which turned into a worlwide phenomenon beloved by all.
Tolkien rewrote certain chapters of this book to coincide with the publication of LOTR - this reworked (and best) version is presented here in a very nice, well-bound edition.
Wholly recommended.
Book Review: The Perfect Start to a Journey!
Summary: 5 Stars
I first had the hobbit read to me during primary school. Every Wednesday afternoon our art teacher would read to us as much as he could in an hour. Being quite a hyperactive child this book accomplished somthing which teachers rarely could; KEEP MY ATTENTION FOR LONGER THAN 10 MINUTES! This book is the perfect introduction to the world of Middle Earth and all the characters and races therin.Once you enter into this fantasy world of hobbits, Elves, Orcs and wizards you never truly leave it. Tolkien was an outstanding author, and "The Hobbit" introduces to the reader a world so wonderfully described that it lives and breaths with every page. Every river, road, tree and house can be envisaged by the reader as if they were their, and this I feel is the magic of Middle Earth which Tolkien created. Anyone who fails to read this in their lifetime has truly missed out on a masterpiece. I have now found myself reading other books by Tolkien like "The Sillmarillion" and "Unfinnished Tales" just to learn all I can about a world which, if I am truthful, I am insanely jealous of!
This is just the beginning! Middle Earth has history going right back to the creation of Middle Earth and it is all explained in other Works by Tolkien. If, after reading "The Hobbit," you think Tolkien is a genius you have barely scraped the surface!
Overall a brilliant read well worth the time and suitable for all ages, but especially hyperactive children! However, be Prepared to want to know more, and there is A LOT more!
Book Review: In a hole in the ground
Summary: 5 Stars
"In a hole in the ground, there lived a hobbit." J.R.R. Tolkien first scribbed down the opening line of this book on an extra sheet of paper.
And years before "Lord of the Rings" was seen by anyone outside Tolkien's circle, Middle Earth was first introduced to readers. "The Hobbit" is simpler and less epic than the trilogy that followed it, but Tolkien's brilliant writing, magical world and pleasantly stodgy hero bring a special life to this early fantasy classic.
Bilbo Baggins lives a pleasantly stodgy and dull life, in a luxurious hobbit hole under a hill ("it was a hobbit hole, and that means comfort"). He's the picture of dull respectability.
But his life is turned upside-down by the arrival of the wizard Gandalf and thirteen dwarves, led by the exiled king-in-waiting Thorin Oakenshield. They want to reclaim the Lonely Mountain (and a lot of treasure) from the dragon Smaug. 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. The quirky little band ends up battling goblins and spiders, nearly getting eaten, and imprisoned by Elves, while Bilbo finds himself in possession of a magic Ring from the treacherous Gollum. But even with a magic Ring, can he defeat a monstrous dragon and win a war against multiple enemies?
Tolkien had been crafting his mythos of Elves, Dwarves, Wizards and ancient Men for years before he ever came up with Bilbo's quest. But it's fortunately that he did, because while "The Hobbit" is overshadowed by the epic sweep of "Lord of the Rings" and the "Silmarillion," it's still an entertaining story that lays the groundwork for his more famous works -- especially the magical Ring that Bilbo finds in Gollum's cavern.
Tolkien's writing is swift, light and full of songs and poetry-laden descriptions, such as interludes in the shimmering, ethereal Rivendell and the cold, terrible Lonely Mountain. The pace in this is much faster than in most of his other works -- not surprising, when you consider it was originally a bedtime story for his children.
Most of the book's action is about Bilbo trying to keep himself and the dwarves from getting eaten, torn apart, or rotting in elf dungeons, but with some quiet interludes like a night at Beorn's mountain home. And the last chapters hint at the epic majesty that Tolkien was capable of, as well as the idea that even little people -- like a mild-mannered hobbit or a bird -- can change the world.
This book also first came up with hobbits -- the peaceful fuzzy-footed countryfolk -- in the form of Bilbo Baggins. He's a likable little guy, if the last person you'd ever expect to be a hero -- initially he seems weak and kind of boring, but his hidden strengths and wits come up to the surface when he needs to. By the end, he's almost a different person.
The dwarves are more comical, and the elves more whimsical in this book, but the supporting characters are still impressive -- the crotchety, mysterious wizard Gandalf, the dignified, flawed Dwarf king Thorin Oakenshield, and a Guardsman who becomes a king. Even minor characters like Beorn, Elrond and the menacing Smaug are given plenty of dimension.
The 70th anniversary edition has some nice extras -- Tolkien's son Christopher wrote a new prologue for it, which is never quite as interesting as it should be. It also contains reedited text, foldouts, and it apparently has all of Tolkien's quirky, solid illustrations.
That's more, this nicely-bound edition includes a duplicate of the original cover, from when the book was originally published -- a gorgeous scenic view of mountains, forests and sky, all done in black, green and blue, with runes all around the edges.
"The Hobbit" started as a fluke, grew into a bedtime story, and became one of the best fantasy stories in literary history -- a charming adventure in the time that never was. Brilliant.
Book Review: Glued binding
Summary: 2 Stars
I am giving 2 stars not to the treasured story, but to the quality of binding in this edition. I have purchased the 50th anniversary, 3 volume editions of The Lord of the Rings and love them. The same is true for 2006 hardback editions of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales. This edition of The Hobbit features the same beautiful dust jacket and high quality paper and typeset, but unfortunately has a glued binding instead of the stitched binding of the other books. It is already showing signs of wear just after leafing through to view the wonderful illustrations. I'm sorry to say the durability of this edition isn't up to the standard set by the others or worth the purchase price.