 "Well written fantasy" | 2009-09-26 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2IP27AZB3D1SM |
| I'd been given a set of four Tolkein paperback books, The Hobbit and the Trilogy of the Rings, many years ago. I purchased this hardbound edition of The Hobbit so as to enjoy the story again in a more desirable format. I am very pleased with the quality of the book binding, paper, and the inclusion of many of Tolkein's own drawings that are to be found in the appropriate places throughout. |
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| "Wonderfully narrated library essential." | 2009-09-26 |
| - Reviewed By User: A4H438MAUPC5O |
| The character voices performed by Rob Inglis were spectacular and helped to keep my interest. Be prepared for several sometimes-lengthy, mildly-operatic songs. These discs have made my work commute enjoyable and seemingly short. |
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| "The HOBBIT from National Public Radio" | 2009-09-19 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2BRUVFCE9AYX |
| This is the version produced by National Public Radio a long time ago. This is not the BBC version, which is IMHO an inferior product compared to this one. In fact, when I first bought this product, it was on cassette tape. I firmly believe that this version is the best audio presentation ever produced of tolkiens work. Why? Well, its really a voice character based play complete with ambient sound effects, it's theater of the mind set in tolkiens universe. It's NOT a plain old voice of one person doing his best to give you a read over like some grandpa reading a bedside story (not that i'm against that mind you, it's just not my cup of tea, ya know). My kids grew up hearing this on long car trips, and it kept us all entertained with a shared universe we could all enjoy at the same time. My tapes had gone bad and I thought we would never be able to hear this great and wonderful audio play again. Lo and behold, its on CD and Amazon has it. It's now playing behind me as I write this review and my youngest, home from college on break, is enjoying it with me. "In a hole in the ground, there lived a hobbit", go Bilbo, go Tolkien, go Amazon and NPR. |
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| "The Annotated Hobbit" | 2009-09-16 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2G32JIRX1715K |
| Doug Anderson does a wonderful job fleshing out background information,explaining Tolkien's mythology, presenting a wide range of art works and much more in a format that is easy to read and easy to use. Reading all in this book will make anyone a minor Tolkien scholar. And the story of The Hobbit is a wonderful tale that should be read and shared not only with children but with all adults. This book is a must for any household. |
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| "perfect" | 2009-08-20 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3I34TMW2TOFPY |
| The item was that I bought was in perfect condition, at a perfect price, I would definitely buy from the seller again. A+ :) |
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| "A Children's Tale by an Adult Who Understands Childhood" | 2009-07-29 |
| - Reviewed By johnneardc |
The Hobbit tells the story of Bilbo Baggins, who leaves his quiet life of many meals a day to join a treasure-seeking company of dwarves. He encounters trolls, elves, giant spiders and magic of every kind. He returns home in the end to find his comfortable life waiting for him. Though he now has riches and a magic ring of invisibility, Bilbo will never again rest comfortably.
Tolkien wrote this book for his own children, and it has the chapter-by-chapter pacing of a tale to be told at bedtime to eager young ears. It is not mere childishness, however. While the magic is exciting, there is also an underlying system, a consistency to what magic will work and who it will work for and against. This encourages thoughtful questions and recognition of order in even a make-believe world.
Tolkien's hero grows as he journeys through Middle-Earth and through the book's chapters. Early in his adventures, Bilbo is rescued by either Gandalf the Wizard or by the more experienced dwarves. As the story develops, Bilbo takes a trembling hand in defending his companions and solving their problems. By book's end, he acts independently and makes his own decisions about what is right. In this entertaining and light-seeming tale, Tolkien shows his young readers what it means to grow up, to become capable and confident.
Having enjoyed the Hobbit's happy lessons of childhood, adult readers of The Lord of the Rings face maturity's darker challenges. Bilbo's simple adventure is retold, with secrets laid bare and threatening implications revealed. Bilbo's magic ring is a consuming burden that cannot be easily destroyed. His homeland is safe only because others struggle to keep evil at bay. The most frightening monsters Bilbo has encountered, the goblins, are merely tortured offspring of a world-threatening evil that must be fought. This change of perspective is more than the shift from a children's book to one written for adults. It captures the jarring difference between what children know, and what adults must know to protect them.
This book has the reviewer's highest recommendation. Read it to enjoy a delightful children's story, and to see a childlike hero grow toward adulthood. Also read it to appreciate more deeply the adult themes in Tolkien's books that follow it. Analytical readers may also enjoy the psychological insights offered by Timothy O'Neill in The Individuated Hobbit. |
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