The Hobbit :: A Book Review
- Book by J.R.R Tolkien -

Nongmaithem Rakesh *

The monsoon are here at last. It usually rains almost everyday all day long in this resplendent part of the wonderful world during the monsoon. Well, in a beautiful rainy day what does a person need (or can do). He need the cozy bed, a warm blanket, some salty snack(eatables), a cup of hot coffee or tea and a great book to spend time with.

The Hobbit, or There and Back Again (The Hobbit) is a perfect book to spend time in a wet evening. It is a fantasy and children novel published in 21 September 1937. It is a critically acclaim books. It has been nominated for the Carnegie Medal and awarded the the best Juvenile Fiction by New York Herald Tribunal.

The Hobbit is written by John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (J.R.R Tolkien). He was a writer, poet, philologist and university professor. He was also appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II on 28 March 1972. A man of many talent he was. He is also the writer of wonderful books like the LORDS OF THE RING (made into a blockbuster movie) and SILMARION. All these books of his deals with fantasy. He is regarded as the father of modern fantasy literature.

The Hobbit belongs to the genre of Tolkien's Legendarium. It is the term applied to all or any of the works of Tolkien dealing with the middle earth. As the Hobbit was based on middle earth it belong to Tolkien Legendarium.The story is about the Hobbit named Bilbo Baggins and fourteen dwarves.

The dwarves were on a mission to reclaimed their lost land. They Dwarves have been driven out of their homes by a ferocious dragon named Smaug. The dragon has killed all the relatives of the dwarves, decimated their strength and had caoptured their gold. The wizard (Gandalf) aided the fourteen dwarves to makes the hobbit a part of their team and intheir mission. The hobbit Bilbo Baggins helps the dwarves in their mission.

There are numerous peril which the hobbit and dwarves has to undergo before they succeeded in their quest to kill the Smaug. Not only the dragon is slain but also the abominable Goblins are also slain in the gory battle at the end in which Elves, men and the dwarves allied with each other. Thus, the dwarves got their promised land and the middle eart is cleransed of the ferocious goblin.

The novel was wriiten mainly for the children and for those who loves fantasy tales. Thus, legendary or mythical characters played the main part. There are the hobbit, the wood elves, the lake elves, the goblins, the waug, a character who can changed from man into a gaint bear, the dragon, etc. But you will like each of these characters.

Further, there are many adventures within an adventure. In other words, it is a story overflowing with lots of twist and turn. No sooner has the heroes escaped from a danger there is another hazard waiting for them. Further ther is a chapter in which numerous riddles and their answer are given. If you are a lover of riddles you will surely enjoy the novel.

The story may be full of legendary chartacters or many adventures but the writer through his ability has makes it all plausible and interesting. There is magic also. You will find sorcery in the description of moon letter, the enchanted rivers, etc. There are instances of humour in it.

So, take up this book and let the writer takes to a place filled with magic, legendary charcters, and myraid adventures. It is a book worth reading in a rainy day or any other day.