The Hobbit, by J.R.R Tolkien.

Published by HarperCollins Publishers Inc. 1995.

305 pages.  ISBN 978-0-345-53483-5. $8.99

“Far over the misty mountains cold / to dungeons deep and caverns old / we must away ere break of day / To seek the pale enchanted gold”. The tune of the dwarves; the one they sing to keep spirits high, the one they sing to Bilbo Baggins before departing on a legendary adventure, detailed in the book The Hobbit. This epic, written by J.R.R. Tolkien, is a prequel to the famous The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The Hobbit is a great stand alone story, while still setting up history for things that happen down the road.

The book opens with an introduction of the area, and a small excerpts explaining what hobbits actually are. Soon after, the story really begins. Bilbo Baggins, the main character, starts as a polite, calm, and everything but a bold and adventurous hobbit. However, one day, a wizard by the name of Gandalf shows up asking for an expert burglar. Before he knew it, a dozen dwarves were joining him too! After some convincing, Bilbo embarks on a journey to recover the treasures of a lost dwarven kingdom from a dragon, facing hardship after hardship on the way.

Fantastic and magical, this book is also incredibly popular, and with good reason. The book is a masterpiece of fantasy. Somehow able to make a trip across continent by foot entertaining, and compelling to read. The development of Bilbo Baggins alone is worth reading the story for.

That being said, for those who do not enjoy fantasy stories, this is not likely the book for you. However, for all others, I recommend this book. While quite comparable to other fantasy books, such as George R. R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones, The Hobbit has something truly unique to it. Something that can only be done by Tolkien. Even George R. R. Martin himself says that “I admire Tolkien greatly. His books had enormous influence on me”. (George R. R. Martin Goodreads Quotes)

If you are a fan of fantasy, or of good stories in general, you really should read The Hobbit. As you do go through the book, pay special attention to detail, especially if you haven’t read The Lord of the Rings trilogy yet. Every detail, every word is written with purpose. If you pay close enough attention, then you will recognize details that tie the two books together ever closer, making one, complete story.