Having read The Hobbit in primary school, I thought it was high time I revisited this classic novel, not only for my own curiosity, but to refresh my memory ahead of the forthcoming Hobbit trilogy by Peter Jackson! It tells the story of Hobbit Bilbo Baggins, unwittingly recruited into a band of travelling dwarves by his old friend Gandalf the Wizard. The dwarves are heading to the Lonely Mountain to try to win back their territory and treasure from Smaug the Dragon, and they're taking Bilbo with them as a thief (despite his having absolutely no experience whatsoever).
The language is old-fashioned (not surprising really, since it's 75 years-old) but the story is entertaining and imaginative, with Bilbo, Gandalf and the dwarves journeying through treacherous Orc territory, lands dominated by giant Eagles and men who turn into bears, and endless forests inhabited by charming but sinister elves and even more sinister giant spiders. It's definitely worth a read (also available as a graphic novel), and will probably take less time than watching the three movies to be released over the next three years!
Caitlin @ Balwyn.
P.S. If you're interested in The Hobbit movies, check out all the news and the brilliant 'Production Videos' posted to their blog and Facebook pages. Get some interesting insights into the scale of the production and the intricacies of bringing this book to the big screen. Go to www.thehobbitblog.com or www.facebook.com/thehobbitmovie .
What now?
