Reader Review – The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Hobbit
Author: J.R.R. Tolkien

The Hobbit is a fantastic book set in a fantasy land. Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a lazy life, not often travelling further than his wine cellar. However, one day, the wizard Gandalf visits, followed by a company of dwarves. They have a plot of slaying Smaug, an evil dragon who killed their ancestors. Along the way, they battle many ferocious monsters and endure many hardships in mountains and forests.

They come across trolls, goblins (who ride on wolves) and wood-elves. They ally with the men of Dale, who live near Smaug’s mountain and the wood-elves. It is Bard (someone from Dale) who kills Smaug.

It is quite a slow plot with a few boring parts. However, many very exciting parts make up for that. The language is old and difficult to understand in some places. The characters are 13 dwarves, Thorin (a dwarf king), Bilbo and Gandalf. The dwarves consider themselves heroic, but really, they are fat and Gandalf keeps saving them.

The series is based around a magic ring, and it appears in the Lord of The Rings books. You will like this book if you like Philip Pullman.

Albert, age 10