"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit..." So begins "The Hobbit," the classic
tale of a reluctant adventurer by J.R.R. Tolkien. Right from that first
sentence, readers are drawn into Tolkien's carefully crafted world.
What is a hobbit? Tolkien takes care of that question immediately, and
though many illustrators have tackled the challenge of depicting one,
each person probably has a slightly different vision of the furry-footed
protagonist. Quite possibly the most unique of the creatures in this
book, the hobbit Bilbo is a likable manifestation of the perpetual
dilemma that gnaws at so many of us: to live safely and predictably in
comfort or to do something adventurous and risk losing it all.
Tolkien's rich descriptions and dialogue make the readers care about the
characters and wait with bated breath to see how Bilbo will get out of
his next predicament. Dangers lurk in nearly every chapter of this book,
and its diverse cast of characters and exotic setting add to the
excitement. Wizards, dwarves, elves and goblins are commonplace, and
even a dragon makes an appearance. The epic battle between good and
evil, though less pronounced than in the later books, is clearly
evident.
This book is the doorway into Middle Earth leading to
more fantastic and breathtaking adventures, most notably "The Lord of
the Rings" trilogy and, for the especially resilient, "The
Silmarillion". These books are much more difficult reading and deal with
much darker issues, but "The Hobbit" is recommended reading for all
ages.
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