The Hobbit

Name: The Hobbit
Rating: 8.41 (1010 reviews)
ISBN: 9780547928227

The journey through Middle-earth begins here with J.R.R. Tolkien's classic prelude to his epic fantasy 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 high fantasy 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 epic 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: 8.41

1,010 RATINGS

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What Bookclubbers are saying about this book

✨ 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...

SteelLatakia

Jun 14, 2026

7/10 stars

I enjoyed it, but I’m much more excited to get into the lord of the rings. Not as childish, more depth. The writing was phenomenal though.

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.

ednardz19

Jun 04, 2026

6/10 stars

Not a special favorite, but it was a good read. Never read any other Tolkien's book ( the big movie franchise trilogy Lord of the Rings) and after reading this, I'm not really looking foward to read it.

foreveryum

May 20, 2026

8/10 stars

I don't normally track the books I read to my kiddo, but this is a classic that I'd never fully read before! It's a charming and exciting adventure story. Bilbo Baggins is the best.

Cynthia M.

Mar 28, 2026

10/10 stars

The Hobbit remains for me one of the most beautiful books ever written. It's the perfect adventure, full of humour, heart, and wonder. I recommend it to anyone, of any age, because it speaks of universal values: the value of home, the importance of friendship, the victory of cleverness over brute force, and the discovery that even in the smallest and most ordinary person a hero can hide.

A note for readers coming from the films: Peter Jackson's adaptation is spectacular, but the book has a different soul, more intimate and fairytale-like. Here, there are no elf warriors fighting orcs at Dol Guldur or a long war between dwarves and orcs. The true adventure is Bilbo's, and it is already more than enough to gift hours of pure magic.