I'll admit to having seen the "Lord of the Rings" movies and loving them without ever having read a page of the books. Of course, I had heard of them, and their companion prequel, "The Hobbit," for years, but had never been able to take the plunge and crack a cover.
Now that I've read "The Hobbit," I have a clearer understanding of what I was so afraid of for all those years, and what I now know to have been totally unfounded. I was afraid of the mythology of Tolkien's world, of the zany names and customs, that it would be impenetrably dense and, well, hard to get into.
I have always heard that "The Hobbit" is Tolkien lite, but even so, I found the book a wonderful introduction to the world of hobbits, and not at all hard to read or get into. There is mythology, and of course a ton of crazy names you may or may not be able to keep track of. But at the heart of the story is a wonderful adventure, full of life and humor, that never lags for a moment.
Most anyone who is even a tiny bit predisposed towards fantasy novels has already read "The Hobbit," I suppose. This review is not for you. It is for those who, like me, had a passing interest but just never took the plunge. The book is a lot of fun, and a classic through and through. I can't wait to dig into the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy!
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