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Review thread: /topic/show/...

1. Who is reading The Hobbit for the first time? Who is rereading it?

2. Did the author do a good job of world building? Why or why not?

3. Which of the characters did you like the most? Which did you dislike? Were you able to keep the characters straight?

4. Were there parts of the book you especially enjoyed, or parts you did not like?

5. Did the plot take turns you did not expect, or did you find it predictable?

6. What was the most influential factor in drawing you in or turning you off the book?

7. The Hobbit is 75 years old. Why do you think we are still reading it (and making movies of it)?

8. A frequent complaint about The Hobbit is the amount of songs and poems included. Did you read them? If you did, did you enjoy them?

9. Do you want to read the sequel, The Lord of the Rings?

10. What do you like or dislike about works of epic fantasy?

It is a reread for me but from oh so long ago. I don't remember the book at all, for example; I do not recall any songs or poems in it! However, I am very familiar with the movie.

I've just finished it and this was the first time for me. I'm finally starting to read the Tolkien books about the ring!

I found it very exciting and did not find it predictable.

I'm not very found of books where there is a vast amount of songs and poems but I think it was okay here, maybe because the rest of the book is so good.

I will start reading the sequel soon (that is sometime next year). The only thing I don't like is the non-apperance of female characters! That makes me feel a bit sad.

2. Did the author do a good job of world building? Why or why not?

Yes, the strength of the book lies in the building of a rich fantasy world populated by all sorts of creatures and all sorts of landscapes with many of the landscapes having distinct personalities. Also, the story is told in such a way that it reflects the author telling the tale to his children. The plot is weakened by the nature of this bedside reading but I could imagine clearly the children saying: "what then" and the father throwing in a new mythical creature.

3. Which of the characters did you like the most? Which did you dislike? Were you able to keep the characters straight?

Perhaps it is because I know the movie but it was easy to keep the characters straight except for the individual dwarves. However, although they had unique personalities and characteristics, it wasn't that important that I needed to tell one from another. One is set up to like Bilbo of course. His personality evolves and one comes to really find him admirable. Secondly, I liked the character of Beorn (the bear) better in the book than in the movie. He has a dry sense of humor and a strong sense of loyalty in the book.

4. Were there parts of the book you especially enjoyed, or parts you did not like?

I can't say that I appreciated the long time we spent with the trolls and I found the dwarves to be a bit crass ugly in the end. However, I did like it when Bilbo would come up with solutions even though he never credited himself very much.

5. Did the plot take turns you did not expect, or did you find it predictable?

It is not a "surprising" twisty tale in that from the get go we are on a pilgrimage to a mountain with a dragon. We know we are going to encounter all sorts of challenges and beings along the way. You know as you read along that the minute they get out of one predicament they will be heading into another.

6. What was the most influential factor in drawing you in or turning you off the book?

How Bilbo changed over the course of the book is really my favorite part.

7. The Hobbit is 75 years old. Why do you think we are still reading it (and making movies of it)?

It is the first tale in an even larger world building. It gives people the starting point for the Lord of the Rings and it introduces people to the various areas of Middle Earth and to the various occupants of Middle Earth and their history, habitats and characteristics. Also Tolkien was extremely knowledgeable about myths and legends in general and he used this knowledge so when we are introduced to say: talking Ravens, we find that a completely understandable phenomenon.

8. A frequent complaint about The Hobbit is the amount of songs and poems included. Did you read them? If you did, did you enjoy them?


There are two kinds of poems and songs in the book. Some of the poems and songs actually give you information or carry the plot forward. Some of them are just reflections of the worry or joy of the characters. I was good with the first kind of poem/song and less good with the second.

9. Do you want to read the sequel, The Lord of the Rings?

Yes

10. What do you like or dislike about works of epic fantasy?

Like many people, I went through a fantasy and sci-fi stage during my early teens. I liked the fact that it took me out of my everyday life and gave me fantastic and heroic adventures. Many of the fantasy and sci-fi I read informed the real world and reflected many of adventures that I hoped to participate in later in my life. One, of course, does not expect to march off and fight a physical dragon but one does believe when you are twelve, that you will be smart, strong and loyal in the face of challenges.
In terms of what I do not like now about fantasy is the fact that they tend to be populated with male characters and they tend to be full of "war of the worlds".