Now a major motion picture.

A great modern classic and the prelude to THE LORD OF THE RINGS. Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling any farther than his pantry or cellar. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day to whisk him away on an adventure. They have launched a plot to raid the treasure hoard guarded by Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon. Bilbo reluctantly joins their quest, unaware that on his journey to the Lonely Mountain he will encounter both a magic ring and a frightening creature known as Gollum.

A glorious account of a magnificent adventure, filled with suspense and seasoned with a quiet humor that is irresistible . . . All those, young or old, who love a fine adventurous tale, beautifully told, will take The Hobbit to their hearts. -New York Times Book Review

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Amazon.com Review

Scenes from The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies

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Luke Evans as Bard and Orlando Bloom as Legolas in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, in theatres December 17, 2014. (cr. Mark Pokorny)

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Ian McKellan as Gandalf and Luke Evans as Bard in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. (cr. Mark Pokorny)

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Smaug the Dragon attacks Lake Town in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. (Courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.)

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A scene from The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. (Courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.)

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Luke Evans as Bard in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. (Courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.)

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Martin Freeman as Bilbo in The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. (Courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.)

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Amazon.com Review

The Hobbit (or There and Back Again) is a fantasy novel written by J.R.R. Tolkien. It follows the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit who embarks on an incredible journey. This children's classic and literary masterpiece was first published in 1937 and has since become a treasured work of fantasy literature. Dragons, trolls, and magic await the reader on this memorable adventure.

Bilbo, along with his friend Gandalf the Wizard, embarks on an adventure with a band of dwarves that sends them into the wild and the depths of the earth to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from a dragon. Along the way, he meets elves, men, giants, goblins, spiders, eagles, and a strange creature named Gollum.

While the tale of the Lord of the Rings has become highly popular in our modern society, The Hobbit is the original story that laid the groundwork for this epic tale to take place. What transpires as a game of riddles and escape from the creature Gollum in the Hobbit is, in fact, the foundation for an entire adventure for the whole of Middle Earth in Bilbo's later years.

Inspired by the author's time serving in World War I, The Hobbit builds to a climactic battle in which many characters met throughout the book reappear. This stunning fairytale is one of adventure, lessons learned, and an entire world born of Tolkien's imagination and desire for an English folklore. The Hobbit is a timeless classic that can be appreciated by readers of all ages.