In the book The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkein, the main character and protagonist, Bilbo Baggins, is a hobbit which is a small, human-like creature with hairy feet who hates anything unexpected or dangerous and wishes to live a simple life in his comfortable home in a hole in the ground. He meets Gandalf the Grey, a wizard, who asks Bilbo to join him on an adventure. At first Bilbo refuses, but later, Bilbo meets the company of dwarves that Gandalf invites to Bilbo’s house. Later they embark on a journey with a group of dwarves to Lonely Mountain to reclaim the ancestral treasure of Thorin, king of the dwarves. The dwarves, gold hoarders, seek to regain the gold that was stolen from them by a dragon, named Smaug. The dwarves offer him a portion of the gold treasure if Bilbo helps them retrieve it and they give him a day to consider the proposition.  At the last-minute Bilbo accepts and joins the company. On their way to the dwarf’s homeland, Bilbo and the company of dwarves encounter elves, giants, goblins, orcs, and many other creatures which try to stop them from regaining their gold. It is through Bilbo’s accidental discovery of the ring that he obtains power and respect among his fellow travelers during the journey.

I first wanted to read about this book after receiving it as a Christmas present when I was in 4^th grade. I wanted to see if it was different and better than the movie. I found the book was far better than the movie. Many of the facts in the story were explained in more detail and the character’s thoughts and opinions were much more thoroughly described in the book. I liked how Bilbo accidentally discovered the ring and that lead to his escape and victory over several perilous situations.

The overall theme of the book is similar to mythological stories about the search for the Holy Grail, such as ‘Indiana Jones’ and others. It is coincidental that the first thing Bilbo steals from the dragon is a cup, just like the Holy Grail. Likewise, Bilbo is taken from his home on a physical journey that leads him from place to place. As a result, he experiences personal growth and spiritual development as a character. At first reluctant to try anything different, he becomes courageous and strong as a character. He leads others on the journey and through some luck and willfulness and in the end he is victorious.

Another part of the book that I thought made it more interesting to me was how it explained the areas the company traveled through in the story. Although the reader would think the location takes place in England, because of the description of the house and the food they eat. Actually, Bilbo travels far from the hobbit realm to Mirkwood, Misty Mountain and Lonely Mountain and other fictional places. The traveling to different places and different experiences brings out the traits of the various characters. The reader can see them change and develop as they reach their goals.

Overall, I would give this book a 10 out of 10 because of the interesting plot, the great descriptions of the fictitious places and characters, and the interesting events in the book.  It is a book that cannot be put down and I recommend that every reader read it and own it as part of their personal library of books.

Checkout The Hobbit from the Newport Beach Public Library.