The young, peaceful Bilbo Baggins calmly smokes his pipe on his front porch one bright, sunny morning when he receives an unexpected visitor… It is the great wizard Gandalf the Grey! He has a fearsome adventure for this innocent hobbit. With Bilbo’s help, the thirteen dwarves can sneak into their old mountain kingdom of Moria and reclaim their lost treasure from the dastardly dragon Smaug!

This fantasy book completely captures the reader’s interest and envelopes the reader in an experience where they are so deeply involved in the book that they feel they are a part of the group of heroes and their journey. The book’s ending was exceptional with little storyline left out. If the reader is interested, they can read more of J.R.R. Tolkien’s works such as The Lord of the Rings that cover more of the world of The Hobbit.

The development of these characters was incredible to read through; the change within the characters of Bilbo Baggins and Thorin Oakenshield was particularly interesting and entertaining. The writing was smooth, descriptive, and playful. The wording was easily understandable, yet at the same time sophisticated enough for older audiences. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the fantasy genre, while I believe those who are more interested in realistic books would find this piece rather disagreeable with their taste.