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)

classic story, didn't like the narrator

I listened to this ahead of the release of the first movie, since it had been decades since I read it and I barely remembered anything. The story was charming and clever and I really enjoyed it. The narrator didn't really work for me. The character voices were not at all what I imagined and I never got used to it. That is a personal issue, however, and I'm sure many listeners would appreciate the narration. In any case, I tolerated it and was happy to have an unabridged version to listen to.

One Tolkien over the line

I had never read Tolkien as a kid. I thought it was time, after being bombarded with Hobbit references, to rectify that fact. The Hobbit is a quick scan and a fun, imaginative story, well told.

Hurrray audible has the Hobbit unabridged!!!

So happy for The Hobbit to be on to be on audible unabridged. Abridged versions of books are just so wrong it's a crime. The narrator is wonderful. He is very able to carry this story and separate the voices. His tone and the depth of his voice, it's a pleasure to listen to. The story is after all the Hobbit. It's wonderful and fantastical and an adventure that everyone must take at least once in their lives.

Get the one narrated by Andy Serkis

This is good but the one narrated by Andy Serkis is SOOOO much better. Not complaining about this one though. Andy Serkis is the voice of Gollum in the movies and the rest of his narration is fantastic it took me to a whole new place with the story.

The following is my original review of this book:

I'm so happy that they decided to do a decent audio book of The Hobbit and The Trilogy. Everything that was out was a dramatization and not up to snuff. I've physically read these books... well, I have no idea anymore how many times I've read it since childhood... Let's just say many times. Listening to it this time has been a new experience. I've gotten a lot out of it that I missed before.

I think part of the challenge has been to find someone with the fortitude to tackle the songs and languages that Tolkien created. Rob Inglis is certainly up to the task. He's great!

This series would be great for people who are not familiar with the books. For the people who are familiar with it, this will add a dimension to your understanding of it.

Fantastic story, fantastic reader!

I haven't even finished this one and I can't wait to start the next. I am enthralled with this unabridged version. And Rob Inglis' narration is delicious indeed! The story springs to life with the various characters as Mr. Inglis deftly changes inflection and tone, giving each character a unique "voice".

The story itself is Tolkien at his best. Full of mystery and humor, daring-do and lots of twists. It will keep everyone enthralled!

Delightful in every way! A must listen for all! (Not just us Hobbits!)

An amazing performance of a wonderful classic

What a treat this was to listen to. Rob Inglis does a great job on the narration, the songs are wonderful. Thank you so much!

Bilbo!!!

I read the entire Lord Of The Rings trilogy many years ago. I'll be re-reading it again soon. But I had never read The Hobbit until now. I'm glad I did. I'm fully ready to read the trilogy again and watch the movies that go with this book. I don't really have any criticism about this book. I do have a self criticism though. I found that the Lord Of The Rings was very boring when I read it. I can barely remember anything about it now. I don't know why I found it so boring then! I fully recommend this book to all readers. It's a classic and rightly so. I also recommend that they continue on and read the trilogy. The movies aren't too horrible either.

One of the best listening experiences

THE HOBBIT story is so sweeping & charming in large part to Tolkien's personable writing style but also in part to the brilliant character voices of the narrator. This has to be one of my favorite books & while I still have an affection for the Peter Jackson films, I can see why fans of the book were so critical. Nevertheless it was nice to go in reverse order from the film to the book with faces to put on characters and to discover how much more personality the writing had to offer.

so cool

This is so cool you should get it
and it is five stars to IT IS THE BEST.

Love Rob Inglis

Love how Rob Inglis reads this story and how well he does the different voices.