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The Hobbit

By: J. R. R. Tolkien
Narrated by: Rob Inglis
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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)

Featured Article: When Does The Rings of Power Take Place? Tolkien's Second Age, Explained


The Prime Video streaming series The Rings of Power is set thousands of years before the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Rooted in J.R.R. Tolkien's history of Middle-earth, the series is expected to cover all of the major events of the fictional world's Second Age. But what is the Second Age, and how does this period of time factor into the rest of Tolkien's world? Read on to find out.

Continue Your Journey Through Middle earth

Continue Your Journey
Through Middle-earth

What listeners say about The Hobbit

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You won’t like the songs in the beginning...

...but by the end you’ll love them. When you’ve finally acclimated to the variation of voices between the many characters, not only in timbre but in their lyrics, by the end of this book, you’ll feel that Rob Inglis had somehow inherited the soul of Tolkien and imbued a microphone with this master of writing’s inner voice as he wrote it. Mesmerizing!

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Amazing book and Narration!

This book is well written a
nd the narration is superb. I highly recommend this book!

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Great version! Great narrator!

I would highly recommend this version. The narrator is quite possibly the best I have listened to.

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The story that started it all!

What did you love best about The Hobbit?

Bilbo just kept winning the day, it's been a long time since I read the book and I had forgotten how many times he saved his companions.

What did you like best about this story?

Tolkien definitely started the fantasy world building with this great work.

Which scene was your favorite?

When Bilbo was taking on the spiders, it showed off his courage and willingness to fight for his friends.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

There and back again

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Exceptional classic

Worth every second of your time listening to this classic story. Will never go out of style.

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A classic tale read by a master Narrator

Tolkien's enchanting prelude to The Lord of the Rings is here read by a master of the craft. The story flows flawlessly and it keep the listener/reader engaged.

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An enjoyable journey through a familiar world

This audiobook was amazingly well done by Rob Inglis. It took me a chapter to get used to his style, but by the end of the book I was having dreams with his voice narrating the events.

The hobbit itself is an enjoyable book, and you can of course read better reviews of the story elsewhere. In terms of the audiobook though, I would highly recommend it if you wish to read the Hobbit.

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I loved this version of The Hobbit

The narrator was particularly good, even singing the dwarves songs ust the way I imagined them!

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Timeless

This is the book that started fantasy. The story is the thing. This epic story is the ring cycle that rules them all.

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Perfect Narration!

What does Rob Inglis bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The songs, the voices, the characters, everything is perfect. I can't wait to listen to the LOTR trilogy by Rob, Absolutely Brilliant.

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