Tiny bit late to the party, but I was glad to finally get
around to reading this classic, decades after checking out Lord of the Rings
and The Silmarillion. Didn’t go into entirely blind as info is not only
revealed through the Lord of the Rings but I also saw this at the theatre
(although that was probably over 20 years ago. My main memory was of Bard
having a powerful voice).
I’ve got to say I rather enjoyed it. The slightly
old-fashioned adventure, allowing for moments of fear and trepidation without
wallowing in grimdark woe, and some clever twists and turns combine with a
charming storytelling style and rapid pace to make it quite the page-turner.
The story, you may be shocked to learn, involves a hobbit,
which is a chap or lady even smaller than a dwarf (which you likely know
already). Also known as halflings, they tend to keep to themselves, but one,
Bilbo Baggins, finds himself whisked away by Gandalf the Grey and a dozen or so
dwarves intent on reclaiming a huge mound of treasure.
There’s just one or two problems. The treasure is miles away
and a perilous journey is required. And the treasure is guarded by a dragon
called Smaug, who prefers murder by the bucketload to equitable distribution of
wealth.
And so we follow Bilbo, a kind-hearted fellow and altogether
a fish out of water, as he travels with Gandalf and the dwarves far from his
comfortable home, facing numerous woes I shan’t spoil here. It’s a good read
and faster paced, as you would expect, than its famous (and perhaps slightly
fat) cousin, The Lord of the Rings.
I’d recommend it to fantasy fans, and suspect it’s more accessible
than either the large LOTR, or The Silmarillion (which I like a lot but know the
style isn’t to everyone’s taste).
Thaddeus
No comments:
Post a Comment