The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
RATING: 5-Stars: Excellent
Stickiness Factor: 10/10
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The Hobbit Summary in 10 Words
Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf, Dwarves, adventure, slay dragon, battle, get treasure.
The Hobbit Summary: What It’s About in 4 Sentences
- The Hobbit is a magical story that follows the adventure of Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf and the Dwarves on a journey from The Hill in The Shire (a neighborhood full of hobbits) to the Lonely Mountain (the Dwarves’ lost home), all to help the dwarves reclaim their “home” while using Bilbo as the “Burglar” who can easily sneak around unnoticed and swift.
- They are trying to reclaim the Mountain from the dragon, Smaug, who lives there guarding the stolen treasure with a vigilant eye, but before they even reach the Lonely Mountain, they run into all sorts of unexpected trouble along the way to the Lonely Mountain – trolls, then to Rivendell for help from the elves, and then they are captured by goblins at the Misty Mountain.
- In the tunnels below Goblin Town, Bilbo finds the infamous Ring, meets Gollum, saves the dwarves from the goblins and then again from some spiders allowing them all to make it to Lake-town.
- At Lake-town a battle ensues with Smaug, and soon after, comes another battle – the Battle of the Five Armies – where the victor gets to reclaim the Lonely Mountain and its treasure.
Top 3 Quotes
- “This thing all things devours: Birds, beasts, trees, flowers; Gnaws iron, bites steel; Grinds hard stones to meal; Slays king, ruins town, And beats high mountain down.”
- “So comes snow after fire, and even dragons have their ending!” said Bilbo, and he turned his back on his adventure.”
- “Coming to a rise he could see his own Hill in the distance, and he stopped suddenly and said: Roads go ever ever on, Over rock and under tree, By caves where never sun has shone, By streams that never find the sea; Over snow by winter sown, And through the merry flowers of June, Over grass and over stone, And under mountains in the moon, Roads go ever ever on, Under cloud and under star, Yet feet that wandering have gone, Turn at last to home afar, Eyes that fire and sword have seen, And horror in the halls of stone, Look at last on meadows green, And trees and hills they long have known.”
2 Things I Liked About The Hobbit Book
- The audiobook is wildly good. I don’t know what else to say other than it is massively captivating if you have any sort of fantastical bone in your body.
- The insane description of the characters and the story. The world that he creates is outstanding.
1 Thing I Didn’t Like About The Hobbit
- The only thing I could think of is the level of complexity with all of the storylines, characters, and history. You can go deep down the hobbit-hole on this one if you want to get super nerdy, and that is a little much even for this nerd.
The Rating Explained
I loved this book. I can still vividly see the images, the characters, and the story in my mind a while after finishing the book. Tolkien did an incredible job in the description of the characters and everything about them. The dialogue was superb and he builds characters with expertise. You will end up feeling as though you know some of them intimately. All in all, it made me want to read all of his books, which I eventually will. Thus, 5-Stars: Excellent is in order for this one. Truly, if you like a good fictional adventure, you will like this.
I focus mainly on non-fiction books, but my brain loves connecting dots and seeing things in a unique way, thus, even if this book is fantastical, Bilbo’s journey has a lot to say in the way of seeking adventure and that you won’t really ever know how you feel until you actually do the thing. When we challenge ourselves change is guaranteed. And I don’t say that lightly.
Who Should Read It?
- Anyone who loves fantasy and adventure, or even has a hint of familiarity with Tolkien or The Lord of the Rings will certainly enjoy this. Again, the audiobook is such a cool journey to listen to, and hopefully this “The Hobbit Summary” will get you started on that journey.
Buy the Book
Other Books by J.R.R. Tolkien
- The Fellowship of the Ring: Book One in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (Print | Ebook | Audiobook)
- The Two Towers: Lord of the Rings, Book 2 (Print | Ebook | Audiobook)
- The Return of the King: Lord of the Rings, Book 3 (Print | Ebook | Audiobook)
- The Silmarillion (Print | Ebook | Audiobook)
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