# The Hobbit - Your Favorite?



## childoferu (Jun 29, 2009)

why do you like "The Hobbit" most out of all of Tolkien's works?
Personally, I just love the way the story is told


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## Illuin (Jun 29, 2009)

I try not to separate Middle-Earth into separate "books" anymore. I like to think of Tolkien's entire Legendarium as one continuous tale. I would consider _"parts"_ of *The Hobbit* _(i.e. Riddles In The Dark)_; and parts of *The Lord of The Rings* _(i.e. Fog On The Barrow-Downs)_; and parts of *The Silmarillion* _(i.e. Beren and Lúthien)_; and parts of *Unfinished Tales* _(i.e. Aldarion and Erendis)_; and parts of *HoME* _(i.e. Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth)_ to be "high points", but I would not consider an entire separate book on the whole to be a high point.


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## childoferu (Jun 30, 2009)

I see, but why not?


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## Bucky (Jun 30, 2009)

Fog on the Barrow-Downs?


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## Illuin (Jun 30, 2009)

> Originally posted by *Bucky*
> _Fog on the Barrow-Downs? _


 
That chapter gave me the creeps - and I like the creeps.


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## Persephone (Jun 30, 2009)

The story is lighter than LOTR. Bilbo's adventures were funnier and ultimately more enjoyable than Frodo's. I always saw Frodo as a gloomy character - so un-hobbit-like. I loved Sam in LOTR, but still the story of LOTR was just too serious a story for me, but still one of my faves. 

I especially love the parts with the 3 Trolls, the Eagles, and Woodelves realm. 

_"Confusticate and bebother these dwarves!" 

_I love this line!


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## Prince of Cats (Jun 30, 2009)

Narya said:


> I especially love the parts with the 3 Trolls, the Eagles, and Woodelves realm.
> 
> _"Confusticate and bebother these dwarves!"
> 
> _I love this line!



 

I agree with all said above there

Now, it's funny that you ask the question as you did, ChildOfEru. The hobbit does happen to be my favorite of the stories to read. Why?

I wonder how much nostalgia from reading it at a younger age factors into my enjoyment. With the Hobbit though I think I have a large feeling _close_ to nostalgia than the (_edit_ scenes in) LOTR after Rivendell. I think I just love the feeling of the rustic ignorance of what used to be in the land. Finding old elven swords, trolls turning to stone, talking spiders, all that good stuff


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## Illuin (Jul 1, 2009)

> Originally posted by *childoferu*
> _I see, but why not?_


 
Don't really know. I think that over the years all of Middle-Earth has clumped into one story, and parts of that one story _from whatever book_ stand out for me. I guess if I were to tally up the score, most of my favorite stuff happened in the _First Age_.


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## childoferu (Jul 1, 2009)

Narya said:


> The story is lighter than LOTR. Bilbo's adventures were funnier and ultimately more enjoyable than Frodo's. I always saw Frodo as a gloomy character - so un-hobbit-like. I loved Sam in LOTR, but still the story of LOTR was just too serious a story for me, but still one of my faves.
> 
> I especially love the parts with the 3 Trolls, the Eagles, and Woodelves realm.
> 
> ...


 
Yea, I also like the Hobbit for its more lighter setting, but when I think about it vice versa, some might prefer Lotr because its more _serious _tone, btw My favorite part is all the tension that sets right before the battle of 5 armies


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## childoferu (Jul 1, 2009)

Illuin said:


> Don't really know. I think that over the years all of Middle-Earth has clumped into one story, and parts of that one story _from whatever book_ stand out for me. I guess if I were to tally up the score, most of my favorite stuff happened in the _First Age_.


 
Right now, I am currently reading the Sil (on chapter 19 with Beren and Luthien) and I gotta say, with each new chapter, I am becoming more of a First age guy myself, everything is just on a much grander scale, GOOD and EVIL and I love it


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## Prince of Cats (Jul 1, 2009)

just getting onto beren and luthien? that was probably my favorite story in the Silmarillion and made me hesitate calling Hobbit favorite

It's awesome to learn about the First Age. I don't think I would have enjoyed it nearly as much though if it weren't for all the hints about it through the Hobbit and LOTR that created this grand mystery about the land's mythical past


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## Bucky (Jul 2, 2009)

I agree with Illuin that it's all one big story to me at this point - and has been for many, many years (more than some of you have been alive, lol).

I start reading something from Middle-earth, I'm into 'the whole kit and kaboodle' before long, starting with The Hobbit, TLOR, The Silm/CoH, UT,HoME.......

EVERY time.


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## childoferu (Jul 4, 2009)

Bucky said:


> I agree with Illuin that it's all one big story to me at this point - and has been for many, many years (more than some of you have been alive, lol).
> 
> I start reading something from Middle-earth, I'm into 'the whole kit and kaboodle' before long, starting with The Hobbit, TLOR, The Silm/CoH, UT,HoME.......
> 
> EVERY time.


 

"more than some of you have been", sounding a little elvish there, eh bucky? lol


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## Bucky (Jul 7, 2009)

Sounding a little Elvish?

I don't know about that......

From reading Tolkien so long, I am now the master of the run-on sentence when I write though, lol.


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## pyle313 (Oct 6, 2009)

The Hobbit is My favorite I think mainly for the way Tolkien directly addresses the reader with the narrator. It is ironic however as this was a regret he had after writing the book, feeling it was in bad style. You can find him discussing this in an annotation on page 76 of the Annotated Hobbit.


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## Cold_Drake (Oct 18, 2009)

I think the Hobbit is wonderful. Because it was written for children, it does not take very much time to read, and gives me an opportunity to jump into Middle Earth without feeling like I've just committed to destroy the Ring of Power myself! 

While the Hobbit is not written in poetry form, I think it is the most poetic of the Third Age chronicles. Lord of the Rings is rather intense at time, and slow moving at others. The Hobbit demonstrates a particularly good balance of action and dialogue, as well as allows a steady plot progression. 

Drake.


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## ltnjmy (Oct 19, 2009)

The Hobbit is wonderful, but do some of you agree with a criticism that I have read - - that Bard's sudden appearance at the end of the novel and his slaying of Smaug throws the reader for a "loop" ??


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## dalem (Nov 17, 2009)

ltnjmy said:


> The Hobbit is wonderful, but do some of you agree with a criticism that I have read - - that Bard's sudden appearance at the end of the novel and his slaying of Smaug throws the reader for a "loop" ??


 
If the point of the story was "can the Dragon be killed?" I would say "yes" to your question, but since the story is bigger than "can it happen" I think it works well to have Bard pop in and nail Smaug so the third act can start.

-dale


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## Confusticated (Nov 24, 2009)

The humor and charm of it's opening pulls one into world deep and suddenly. Also: Bilbo baggins.


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## Rock (Jan 6, 2010)

I just like the way he told adventures. Such a nice way for me to forget about real life for some time, you know? Plus, I just love reading about things like Smaug and Gollum. I guess you could day I have a thing for creepy-type creatures.


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## andy (Oct 5, 2011)

I enjoy The Hobbit most ,because it is a simple story full of fun and adventure.
I first read it in grade school. My daughter and I have read it together. I also have read the story to my students. It seems to have something in it to appeal to all readers of many different ages. I know that I still get a thrill out of re-reading even now.
My favorite part is when the Hobbit , Dwarves and Gandalf meet with Beorn.
Andy


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## host of eldar (Oct 10, 2011)

My most enjoyed one is the Hobbit. other books were more serious and the hobbit have a joyful, childish, warm style.. it would be reasonable to start first with this book for foreign readers like me 
my favourite parts are woodelves and the last battle..


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## PaigeSinclaire88 (Dec 16, 2016)

childoferu said:


> why do you like "The Hobbit" most out of all of Tolkien's works?
> Personally, I just love the way the story is told




I think it's the imagery of the Hobbit that makes it my favorite. Also to me it seems the most English in the sense that it's very oriented around tea, smoke pipes, and Bilbo's life in the shire. I liked the hobbit more than the LOTRs trilogy because it seems to tell a straight story that doesn't go round about. It's more simple and straight forward which made it an easy read. Now I've read the lost tales 1 and 2 and I've read the Simirillion the second edition, years ago and even though I'm a huge fan I'm ashamed to admit that I had issues reading the Simiarillion and the lost tales. But to this day the Hobbit over and over and not get sick of it, even to this day. And knowing Tolkiens ideas were derived from very old English ideas I think made it even more beautiful of a tale. When you're reading the Hobbit you feel swept away just as Bilbo is and it's a great feeling when reading the Hobbit <3


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