The Hobbit

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
ISBN-10: 0547953836

Amazon.com Review

"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."

The hobbit-hole in question belongs to one Bilbo Baggins, an upstanding member of a "little people, about half our height, and smaller than the bearded dwarves." He is, like most of his kind, well off, well fed, and best pleased when sitting by his own fire with a pipe, a glass of good beer, and a meal to look forward to. Certainly this particular hobbit is the last person one would expect to see set off on a hazardous journey; indeed, when Gandalf the Grey stops by one morning, "looking for someone to share in an adventure," Baggins fervently wishes the wizard elsewhere. No such luck, however; soon 13 fortune-seeking dwarves have arrived on the hobbit's doorstep in search of a burglar, and before he can even grab his hat or an umbrella, Bilbo Baggins is swept out his door and into a dangerous adventure.

The dwarves' goal is to return to their ancestral home in the Lonely Mountains and reclaim a stolen fortune from the dragon Smaug. Along the way, they and their reluctant companion meet giant spiders, hostile elves, ravening wolves--and, most perilous of all, a subterranean creature named Gollum from whom Bilbo wins a magical ring in a riddling contest

The Hobbit was probably the book that turned me into a fantasy fiction book reader. And well it should!

I decided to reread the Hobbit since I believe I’ve heard that Part 1 of the movie will come out this December.

When I began reading it was good because it had really been eons since I last read the book.  All of the dialogue has been well forgotten by me and I found I had even forgotten one of their adventures on the way to Mirkwood.  Beorn, the skin-changer. I’m not sure how I managed to completely forget him but I did!  So it was good for me to reread the book so I might see how well Peter Jackson sticks to the book.  Though I have full confidence in Mr Jackson to do as superb a job with the Hobbit as he did with LoTR.

Since Amazon gives a good review I will  just write a part of a dialogue that I had forgotten.  It was when Bilbo first meets Smaug and although invisible talks with him.  How amazingly clever Tolkien was to be able to “give so many clues” and not give away who he was!

Smaug: Who are you and where do you come from, may I ask?

Bilbo: You may indeed! I come from under the hill, and under the hills and over the hills my paths led.  And through the air. I am he that walks unseen.

So I can well believe, said Smaug, but that is hardly your usual  name.

I am the clue-finder, the web-cutter, the stinging fly, I was chosen for the lucky number.

Lovely titles!  sneered the dragon.  But lucky numbers don’t always come off.

I am he that buries his friends alive and drowns them and draws them alive again from the water.  I came from the end of a bag, but no bag went over me.

These don’t sound so creditable scoffed Smaug.

I am the friend of bears and the guest of eagles.  I am Ringwinner and Luckwearer, and I am Barrel-rider, went on  Bilbo beginning to be pleased with his riddling.

That’s better! said Smaug.  But don’t let your imagination run away with you!

It was good to reread the Hobbit after such a long time.  Now I can’t wait for the movie to come out!  I am a bit troubled though to know it will be out in 3 parts..I hope the releases are 6 months apart and not a year apart!!!