The Hobbit: The Classic Fantasy Novel and Prelude to The Lord of the Rings

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The journey through Middle-earth begins here with J.R.R. Tolkien's classic prelude to his Lord of the Rings trilogy.

“A glorious account of a magnificent adventure, filled with suspense and seasoned with a quiet humor that is irresistible... All those, young or old, who love a fine adventurous tale, beautifully told, will take The Hobbit to their hearts.”—The New York Times Book Review

"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." So begins one of the most beloved and delightful tales in the English language—Tolkien's prelude to The Lord of the Rings. Set in the imaginary world of Middle-earth, at once a classic myth and a modern fairy tale, The Hobbit is one of literature's most enduring and well-loved novels.

Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an adventure. They have launched a plot to raid the treasure hoard guarded by Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon. Bilbo reluctantly joins their quest, unaware that on his journey to the Lonely Mountain he will encounter both a magic ring and a frightening creature known as Gollum.

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Published Sep 18, 2012

320 pages

Average rating: 8.43

896 RATINGS

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✨ Summarized by Bookclubs AI

Readers say *The Hobbit* is a classic adventure beloved for its whimsical writing, charming characters, and richly imagined world. Many appreciate its...

jpubs
Feb 02, 2025
6/10 stars
Listened via audiobook this time around. The last time I read this was about 15 years ago, and I had more fond memories of it at that time.

This time around, it felt tedious. There were way too many "songs," and I started to get annoyed with Bilbo about halfway through. The narration was decent, and he used different voices for the characters, but after a while, it all started sounding a bit monotone.

Also, I started thinking about how there are exactly zero female characters in this book. Like they aren't even mentioned in passing. It actually felt kind of weird realizing this.

Anyway, it doesn't diminish from this amazing story, just how I felt this time around.
diamondback
Feb 05, 2026
10/10 stars
A classic! One of my favorites. I read it with great enjoyment. Huzzah! The best. On to LOTR!
annabq1999
Jan 04, 2026
2/10 stars
I read this in a reading group at school. It was terrible! I was extremely disappointed because I thought it would be a great book! The only good part would be when someone was about to die!
Sonia
Dec 29, 2025
8/10 stars
The writing was whimsical and created a wonderful sense of the world the characters were exploring. Of course, it’s primarily a children’s fantasy novel, so the narrative itself was busy, with many intermediate obstacles faced. Some of these, like the meeting with Gollum or the trolls, were highly enjoyable. But some felt to be dragging on- like the meeting with Beorn, for example. But overall, the story reminds us that heroism can come from unexpected places, that true luck stems from cleverness and courage, and that greed has the power to corrupt even good people. It was a lovely story, enjoyable at any age
Moni M
Dec 15, 2025
8/10 stars
Gandolf and the dwarves show up and take Bilbo on an adventure- Bilbo meets Gollum and finds the infamous ring-- Bilbo completes his journey and returns home-

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