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Loading... The hobbit, or, There and back again (original 1937; edition 1938)by J. R. R. Tolkien
Work InformationThe Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien (1937)
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I think I’m a hobbit at heart. ( ) Rating a book that you have read many times is not easy, but in this case it only confirmed my view of the book. It's majestic. In all the times I read it I discovered new things. Beside a steadily growing exitement while reading the book, ending almost in disaster (no worry, all ends well) it is also entwined by humor that sometimes might go unnoticed. Though in many ways Bilbo seems to be the hero of the story, for me it is actually Balin, who in many ways opposes others and remains a close friend to Bilbo right up to the end of the book. Tolkien obviously wrote with his own children in mind, (his biggest critics), but managed to write a tale that captivates audiences from all ages I've always enjoyed the "Lord of the Rings" franchise (books and movies). My favorite aspects about it are the lore and the world-building. I absolutely love the world that Tolkien created over many years. It is rich and exciting. Every single time I read these stories, I get the urge to learn more about the lore and the world they take place in. I constantly look at maps of Middle-Earth and trace the paths the characters take in their adventures. There's just something about high fantasy that has always captivated me. I simply can't get enough of it. I thought the overall plot and story of this book were pretty good, though I do have some minor gripes with them. I know this is a children's book, but I still really dislike the sheer luck and plot armor the main characters (especially Bilbo) have. There are numerous instances where the narrator outright says that something very bad could happen to Bilbo, but he ends up avoiding it and lucking his way out of the situation at the very last second. After a while, it starts to become really distracting. A good example of this is how Bilbo wakes up just in the nick of time to hear Thorin's final words, and Thorin apologizes to him for all the evil things he said about him at the front gate RIGHT BEFORE he passes away. He even announces his departure from this world like he can see the Grim Reaper hanging around waiting to pick him up and send him to heaven. However, my least favorite things about these books are the character work and the dialogue. I've always thought Tolkien's characters were extremely bland and generic. While there are some exceptions here and there, most of them feel like carbon copies of each other to me. This is much more apparent in the next 3 books of this series, when lots of human characters are introduced. Every man feels like the exact same person. They almost all talk and act in the exact same way. In addition, the characters don't feel very nuanced or complex. They seem extremely one-dimensional and uninteresting. You could honestly figure out their entire personalities within one or two lines of their dialogue. That brings me to the next of my major complaints of these books: the dialogue. I'm sorry, but NONE of these characters sound like real people to me, not even the humans. The way they talk just feels extremely artificial. Again, I recognize that this is a high fantasy story written in the 1900s, but that doesn't excuse robotic dialogue for me. Despite my complaints, I acknowledge the impact and status of these books, and I very much enjoy learning about the geography and history of the world that Tolkien has created. It is extremely fascinating, and it will never stop being so for me.
A flawless masterpiece 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 Belongs to SeriesThe Lord of the Rings (Prelude) Is contained inThe J. R. R. Tolkien Deluxe Edition Collection: " The Children of Hurin " , " The Silmarillion " , " The Hobbit " and " The Lord of the Rings " by J. R. R. Tolkien (indirect) ContainsHas the adaptationIs abridged inIs expanded inIs parodied inInspiredHas as a reference guide/companionHas as a studyThe Science of Middle-Earth: Explaining The Science Behind The Greatest Fantasy Epic Ever Told! by Henry Gee Tolkien and the middle ages: interdisziplinäres Seminar der DTG, 29. April bis 1. Mai 2011, Potsdam = Tolkien und das Mittelalte (Hither shore, Band 8) by Thomas Fornet-Ponse Has as a supplementHas as a commentary on the textHas as a student's study guideHas as a teacher's guideAwardsDistinctionsNotable Lists
References to this work on external resources. Wikipedia in English (20)Bilbo Baggins, a respectable, well-to-do hobbit, lives comfortably in his hobbit-hole until the day the wandering wizard Gandalf chooses him to take part in an adventure from which he may never return. No library descriptions found.
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)823.912Literature English & Old English literatures English fiction Modern Period 1901-1999 1901-1945LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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