The Hobbit Collector's Edition: Illustrated by J.R.R. Tolkien

By J.R.R. Tolkien

Book Overview

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A special collectible hardcover edition of the best-selling classic, featuring the complete story with a sumptuous cover design, foil stamping, stained edges, and ribbon bookmark.

Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely travelling further than the pantry of his hobbit-hole in Bag End.

But this unlikely hero's contentment is disturbed when the wizard, Gandalf, and a company of thirteen dwarves arrive on his doorstep to whisk him away on an epic quest "there and back again." They have a plot to raid the treasure hoard of Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon. . .

The essential prelude to The Lord of the Rings, this classic fantasy adventure has sold many millions of copies since its publication in 1937, establishing itself as one of the most beloved and influential books of the twentieth century. This elegant hardcover - now available for the first time in the United States - is one of five Collector's Editions of J.R.R. Tolkien's most beloved works, and an essential piece of any Tolkien reader's library.

This beautiful collector's edition brings the complete adventure to life, featuring:

A Grand Adventure: Follow the hobbit Bilbo Baggins as he is swept from his comfortable life by the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves on a journey to reclaim their treasure.The World of Middle-earth: Journey to a realm of wizards, elves, and fearsome goblins, the richly imagined world that would become the setting for The Lord of the Rings.A Legendary Dragon: Face the cunning and dangerous dragon, Smaug the Magnificent, who guards a vast hoard of gold and jewels deep within the Lonely Mountain.Found Family: Watch as a reluctant hobbit, a mysterious wizard, and thirteen determined dwarves forge an unbreakable bond on their perilous journey.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0063396203
• ISBN13: 9780063396203
• Release Date: August 2024
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.7" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

ONE is good and ONE is fair

I ordered what I thought was two of the same book. They were two different paper backs in different conditions. One in good condition. The other in fair condition some pages need repair with writing on & inside of it. I will have to fix it with tape.

A magical time!

I first read the Hobbit when I was in high school and it did not make a huge impression. I decided, many decades later, to revisit it and fell into the hobbit hole. Loved this book and will likely reread it in years to come. A wonderful magical adventure and a must prequel for reading Lord of the Rings.

My Favorite Book!

This is the all time favorite on my bookshelf. I waited way too long to read this & if you haven’t read it- do it! Such an incredible journey. There and back again.

As Good As Ever

I read this in middle school and remember enjoying it. Having just finished it again, it is just as enjoyable.

Such a classic and great book!!

A charming and adventurous story with a cozy, fairy-tale feel. Tolkien’s world is rich and imaginative, and Bilbo’s journey is both entertaining and heartfelt.

Holds its own through the test of time.

Enjoyable as it was when it was first printed nearly 90 years ago. Hard to put down once you started and leaves you on the edge of your seat throughout.

This is a story that grows with the reader.

In a mythical or maybe just forgotten time, many creatures lived in places like the Shire, home to Bilbo Baggins, the Hobbit. Hobbits are comfort-loving creatures with no real sense of adventure. A knock on the door, and Bilbo's life is about to change. Calling this book a children's book is like calling "Alice in Wonderland" [see "The Annotated Alice"] a children's book. Yes, children can read this book, and it is fun. However, there is a lot more to this book than a cute story. And it has all the depth of the other Tolkien works, except for being shorter. Many people look at this story as a prequel to "The Lord of the Rings", where in reality it is a stand-alone story with a perfectly good beginning, middle, and end. When you read "The Lord of the Rings," there is enough description to forgo "The Hobbit." Personally, I find that reading The Lord of the Rings first gave me an in-depth background to better appreciate The Hobbit. Many of the creatures and adventures will put you on the edge of your seat. You will recognize the personalities and grow along with Bilbo as he faces new challenges and learns to deal with life. A good book to read first would be "The Power of Myth" by Joseph Campbell. Then you get a clearer picture of why the story progresses as it does.

I love this story!

I love, love, love "The Hobbit," and the other stories of Middle Earth by J.R.R. Tolkien! He has a nice writing style, easy for school-aged readers to enjoy as well as adults. This is the story of the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins (Frodo's uncle), and precedes the tales of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. This book introduces Gandalf, Gollum, and the ring, and informs the reader of other peoples and histories: the dwarves, the dragon, Smaug, and Wood-elves. The heroes in this book are varied and well written. The copy that I received is older and has maps, illustrations, and songs, which are all interesting and part of the story. If you liked the books or movies of "Lord of the Rings" or the movies of "The Hobbit" than this book is for you! You will not be disappointed!

Great Book!!!

I absolutely enjoyed this book - a great world and beautiful characters. I would suggest reading it before the Lord of the Rings.

decent translation, still a great book.

I must admit at the outset that I haven't finished reading the German translation yet (I'm referring to the paperback here), but so far it's as fun a read as the English. I've had a couple minor issues with the translation so far, but they're fairly trivial and may be perfectly justified by parts farther on in the book. I really enjoy reading English-language books in translation (from Watership Down to Red Dragon) and have also read a good deal of German lit in English, and as translations go this seems to have lost little of the "feel" of Tolkien. That means it can be both dense and playful at once without being tiring. A masterful "Erzählung" in any language (that I can read, at least)!

the Hobbit

The book the Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien is an adventurous, fantasy tale that takes place in the land of the middle earth. However, even with many "nail-biting"/ action sequences, this story reveals tender and moving themes. Courage, trust, and friendship are the three most dominant themes projected in this tale of adventure. On their quest to restore the dwarves wealth and pride; Bilbo, Gandalf, and the 13 Dwarves encounter numerous challenges of both the emotional and physical nature. Bilbo's revelation from a timid, do-gooder hobbit to a daring thief is the most exciting transformation experienced. Though the story seems to take off at a slow pace, Tolkien's descriptions really pull the reader into the action. If you wish to read of battles with goblins, wargs, spiders, trolls, and the occasional dragon, then don't be turned off by what seems like unnecessary detail in the beginning. The Key, However, is to keep reading, it gets better.