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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: Elrond—A Lord of the Rings Character Guide


If you love J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, then you know that all of the events of the story would be impossible without the half-Elf Elrond. Elrond, the Lord of Rivendell, lived in Middle-earth from the First Age to the beginning of the Fourth Age. It was with the help of Elrond that the evil Sauron was defeated and alliances were forged. Elrond is one of the most prominent characters throughout Tolkien's stories. But who is he and what is his story?

Continue Your Journey Through Middle earth

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What listeners say about The Hobbit

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Amazing

Great story perfect for anyone if you like aventure and action you will love this book!!!

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Great!!!

This was the first real novel I read as a kid. Still love it, what a mind Tolkien had. Also, the performance was excellent.

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amazing book

love it now I get to see the movies and enjoy them . I love Lord of the rings

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classic!

Always a wonderful read. Tolkien is a master at his works. The narration was terrific

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Must Read/Listen.

I've read this book many many times and listening to it was very enjoyable. The voice actor was hit or miss but overall did a good job.

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best narrator

Listening to the immense talent of the narrator makes this book well worth buying!

The story moves along at a good pace with just the right amount of description to vibrantly aid the imagery and visualization of the vast world building. Rob Inglis' role as narrator really makes it all come together with his immensely talented voice acting skills. Listening to him singing dwarven&elven songs is a real treat!

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A delight all on its own

Put aside not just the Hobbit movies, and even all of the Lord of the Rings, no matter the medium. The Hobbit really stands alone - with a light tone, magic around every corner, talking animals and the tale of a peaceful man who finds he is better for a little chaos now and again

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4/5 Not best singer

Performance was solid, however he is not a prolific singer of the books ditties and it makes a few parts cringe worthy.

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Great Novel, Bad Voice Choices

As an example of how poor the reader's choices of voices are, this should be the young version of Bilbo, not the old Bilbo from The Lord of the Rings movies. Yet this three and a half foot tall fellow, with a much lighter frame than a dwarf, has a heavy, deep voice. Meanwhile, Bjorn actually has a somewhat high, rather nasal voice. For an eight-foot-tall skin changer, that makes no sense at all.
aside from that, the reader makes only the usual amount of mistakes, confusing which voice to use when switching quickly, or emphasizing a word in a sentence that makes absolutely no sense in context. in this he's no worse than your average audiobook reader, but certainly no star.
he does, on the other hand, do a decent job with all of the singing and poetry, which may be why he was chosen.

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A Timeless Tale

A story that will ALWAYS enchant, and that NEVER grows old. Can't wait to start on the "Fellowship of the Ring"!

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