The Hobbit

By: J. R. R. Tolkien

Narrated by: Rob Inglis

Length: 11 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's summary

Like every other hobbit, Bilbo Baggins likes nothing better than a quiet evening in his snug hole in the ground, dining on a sumptuous dinner in front of a fire. But when a wandering wizard captivates him with tales of the unknown, Bilbo becomes restless. Soon he joins the wizard’s band of homeless dwarves in search of giant spiders, savage wolves, and other dangers. Bilbo quickly tires of the quest for adventure and longs for the security of his familiar home. But before he can return to his life of comfort, he must face the greatest threat of all - a treasure-troving dragon named Smaug.

In this fantasy classic, master storyteller J.R.R. Tolkein creates a bewitching world filled with delightful creatures and thrilling dangers. Narrator Rob Inglis will hold listeners of all ages spellbound with his skillful portrayal of hobbits, dwarves, and enchanted beasts.

©1966 J.R.R. Tolkien (P)1991 Recorded Books

Critic reviews

"Rob Inglis expertly bridges the gap between the whimsical, childlike aspects of Tolkien's fantasy classic and the hints of darker things to come later in The Lord of the Rings. Though content to enjoy his cozy life, cheerful hobbit Mr. Bilbo Baggins agrees to help his wizard friend Gandalf aid a group of dwarves seeking their lost treasure. As their various adventures ensue, Inglis treats listeners to a tour-de-force performance rich in colorful characterizations and several engaging singing performances. This story should be the unquestionable starting point for those venturing into Tolkien’s Middle-earth. Listeners experience a vocal performance that is in turn charming, gripping, a little scary, and always engaging." (AudioFile magazine)

Absolutely Wonderful

Rob Inglis is a fabulous reader, bringing to life every character with distinctive voice and color. It is such a joy to rediscover the original masterpiece some 40 years after first reading it. I can only hope that many who only know these tales from the movies will enjoy this and Inglis' reading of the trilogy. If only I still had my Brothers Hildebrandt Tolkien calendars from the 70s!

love the movie and book

I just love the book and movie and it's a nice thing to listen to when you go to sleep

A classic, masterfully performed.

Tolkien is an author whom everyone had heard of even before his books were made into movies.
Now, I have yet to listen to the more modern recording of this tale, but having seen both the animated and recent love action Hobbit movies, and having read the book time and again, I can say this far this is the definitive version of the tale.
Inglis can sing better than he does voices, and he does voices really well.

Rob Inglis does a great job narrating

Truly enjoyable.
The narration brought the book alive.
The riddles back and forth between Gollum and Bilbo were my favorite memories from the book.

The Hobbit - "What could be better?"

I have read this many times, years past. This was my first listen. OH MY! I love it more each time. But this narrator was just incredible. He had cool voices for trolls, goblins, dwarfs, elves, Gandalf, Smaug, and Gollum - voices that drew me in more deeply, and he even sang the songs! What delight! I'm excited to learn that he is also the narrator for the LOTR series... comin' right up! Can hardly wait to start!

Really good

I mean I haven’t read the books in years, but it’s really well read and it’s just a great story. My eyes aren’t what they used to be and it’s nice to be able to have the books read rather than strain my eyes and struggle reading things. I can’t wait to listen to the other ones when I get more credits.

The singing….

Other than the narrators terrible singing of the songs and poems this is a great story. But man…..that singing.

Amazing!

The book was way better than the movie but there was so much that movie was able to show that supported what was in the book.

Tolkien is the G.O.A.T

The story of The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, simply put, is an amazing adventure story about one Bilbo Baggins and his funny, twisted and intriguing companions. With this being the introduction to The Lord of The Rings trilogy, it puts everything together perfectly. Thank you to Tolkien and the narrator, Rob Inglis. Marvelous.

A classic

This is a story that has stood up over time. however I have come to enjoy the audio version more than reading. he does a better job than I can ever do in my head with all the poems and songs. I can't recommend giving it a listen enough.