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The Hobbit


Summary: 
Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit, and hobbits are not the adventuring kind. But Gandalf has other plans in mind. Along with thirteen dwarves, Bilbo goes on a quest to take back the Lonely Mountain and its treasures from the dragon, Smaug. Bilbo finds a magical ring, escapes imprisonment at the hands of the wood elves, finds a weakness in Smaug's armor that leads to his defeat and, with the help of the men of Lake-town and the Wood Elves, manages to win the Battle of Five Armies. He takes a small portion of the mountain's treasure and returns home a wealthy hobbit.

Strengths: 
The Hobbit is narrated as a serial, with each section describing a new place or creature. The growth of Bilbo throughout the novel is the strong central theme, as he changes from a timid homebody to a confident adventurer and "thief". As this growth occurs, Bilbo also grapples with greed and the cost of war. Bilbo is the first voice of reason when the men, dwarves and elves fight among themselves over the Lonely Mountain's hoard. Personal heroism is also a strong element in the story. Bilbo gains confidence as he takes responsibility for tasks and his fellow adventurers. Ultimately, he attempts to take responsibility for the Lake-town men and elves, attempting to give up the Arkenstone as a way to save the lives of those gathered when the worgs approach.

More by Tolkien: 

The Lord of the Rings
The Silmarillion

 Tolkien, J. (1966). The hobbit, or, There and back again,. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. 

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