The Hobbit (Enhanced Edition) (Enhanced Edition)
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4.6 • 201 Ratings
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
Exclusive to this Enhanced version of the eBook are recently discovered audio recordings by J.R.R. Tolkien, and new high-resolution colour images of all of Tolkien’s illustrations for the book, many of which are also included in their earlier black-and-white versions and can be revealed by a simple swipe of the screen.
A Foreword by Christopher Tolkien, complete with illustrations including manuscript pages and unused drawings, examines the writing of the book. This Enhanced eBook also includes recently discovered audio recordings of J.R.R. Tolkien reading excerpts from The Hobbit, including the dwarves’ party song, the account of their capture by the three trolls, and Bilbo Baggins’s creepy encounter with the hideous Gollum.
Bilbo Baggins enjoys a quiet and contented life, with no desire to travel far from the comforts of home. Then one day the wizard Gandalf and a band of dwarves arrive unexpectedly and enlist his services—as a burglar—on a dangerous expedition to raid the treasure-hoard of Smaug the dragon. Bilbo's life is never to be the same again.
The Hobbit was an instant success when it was first published in 1937, and years later Tolkien's epic tale of hobbits, elves, dwarves, goblins, magic and adventure has lost none of its appeal.
Reviews
‘One of the best loved characters in English fiction… a marvellous fantasy adventure’
Daily Mail
‘Finely written saga of dwarves and elves, fearsome goblins and trolls… an exciting epic of travel, magical adventure, working up to a devastating climax’
The Observer
‘A flawless masterpiece’
The Times
About the author
J.R.R.Tolkien (1892-1973) was a distinguished academic, though he is best known for writing The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion, plus other stories and essays. His books have been translated into over 50 languages and have sold many millions of copies worldwide.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Between the film release of Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings, this is the season of the magical movie, and this audiobook is an inevitable spinoff. Countless readers have grown up on the adventures of the little furry hobbits who crave good food and a warm bed, but wind up trapped in caves, attacked by spiders and burdened by a dizzying assortment of treacherous adventures. While the stories are quite intricate, the message of good triumphing over evil is always evident. This appealing theme of the downtrodden overcoming obstacles is what keeps listeners' attention. There is so much action on this dramatization that listeners may often feel pulled in many directions. The narrators, including Ray Reinhardt as Bilbo and Bernard Mayes as Gandalf, are engaging, and the sound effects (including noises in the cave or forest, or the hobbits sitting down to a meal) are also quite strong. But those not already familiar with the story may find it difficult to distinguish between the various characters or keep track of all the action. Listeners will probably want to read the book along with listening, or perhaps listen and then watch the movie. The tapes are presented in a rustic-looking wooden box, making this appropriate for gift giving.
Customer Reviews
10 out of 10.
I cannot stress enough the charm and literary genius that is in this book. This book is timeless and to be enjoyed by anyone of any age (specifically children) with a terrific journey and fantastic climax it is well meant for reading aloud to children as they lay in bed.
Hobbit The
I read this book before the lord of the rings was a movie.... If you loved that, you have to read this, as it's the start, such a great book LOVE IT :)
Excellently presented iBook
Faithfully worded, with pix and maps, sound bites by jRRT x2, chapter layouts so as to feel like you are reading a book. Bonus chapter 1 of LOTR. Would have liked pix and map to enlarge by swipe as a bit small on iPhone. Worth the cost for this "enhanced" app. Buy the book but get this app also.