Described by the Times as 'a flawless masterpiece', I mean is it really that gooda story, yes. And whoever out there thought I was just about to mission off and slate the book ha, this is the first book I read and loved and I have to say the last, and that was when I was 10, rough estimates state I'm now 18, mmm big difference.

Whether or not this is being read by children, or by adults it still remains to me to be the best all round loved book I have laid eyes on. You know the type of book that will even intrigue the child that normally wouldn’t want to stick his/her nose in a book.

'The Hobbit' is suprisingly based on a Hobbit by the name of Bilbo Baggins, best described as smaller and thinner then a dwarf, quick whited, but very lazy. Would prefer to spend a mid-summer after noon on the porch with their favourite pipe. Leathered feet and relatively hairy, oh I hasten to add good cooks and always dress well, adventures come as a big no no to a Hobbit.

Of course there were plans for this Hobbit, there just happened to be a wizard near by that decided that with his gang of Dwarves he needed this little fellow with nerves of steel, as it turns out to be in book and quite a crafty young fellow. The book starts as our quite so lazy Hobbit is woken by the wizard Gandalf and told that he will return the next evening. Gandalf is a good friend of Bagginses, and Bilbo's relations have previously been on adventures with Gandalf to this degree.

The next night the dwarves decide to make a party round Bilbo's and here's where the adventure starts after raiding his food and drink they sing merry song, and talk of slaying monsters and the adventure ahead of them. The party of course ends and Bilbo awakens to find a note with the destination of his meeting point upon it.

The first hurdle they come to their first night in the wood, they discover a light in the distance. And make quick use of the ne
w found Hobbit companion, he is sent up front to see what the light is, as he creeps closer and closer, he soon notices that it is a group of trolls eating roast mutton. Trolls are quite big strong and scary. With Bilbo getting knocked out and not alerting the dwarfs they were soon knocked unconscious so it was left to Thorin to fight as well as his dwarfy body would let him. So now there left with no Hobbit, no dwarfs and Gandalf has been imitating them all the time to make them fight till dawn came, where there were cast into stone from the mounting they came from.

What led was the journey up into the mountains in which they took shelter in a small cave just off the path. Un to their knowledge, that there was a goblin hoard just behind the mountain wall. During their dozing into sleep the hoard attacks and Bilbo is picked up by the dwarves, but dropped when that dwarf is punched in the back. During the to-ing and frowing of fight Bilbo tumbles down deep inside the mountain, where he finds surely one of the scariest situations a little Hobbit could be in.

Ok I speak like I'm reading a story but you get the gist on how the Hobbit can actually, lead you into the land of mystery and wonder that most books can only let you peek in.

I have to say my favourite character in the book has to be Gollom with his invisible ring that Bilbo manages to steel. After he has tumbled down into pitch darkness he finds himself by an underground lake where Gollom a small slimy creature lives with huge eyes that may zoom in upon its prey or to see small Bilbo from across the other side of the lake.

He swims paddles his boat across and makes Bilbo a proposition, he reads riddles and I think if Bilbo gets all three right then he may pass, but if not! Well the first two riddles go fine and Bilbo is quick whited, as I stated at the beginning. But the last riddle is more puzzling and as Gollom is about to wreak his rewards, Bilbo pops the answer out. I
n the mess of Gollom having trouble understanding how Bilbo managed to get the answer right. He drops his magic ring on the floor and Bilbo manages to pick it up and realise that it gives him power to be invisable a chase through the tunnels leads Bilbo out of mountain and passed another troop of Goblins.

I would suggest that this oviously be read to those children of primary school age but definitely one for bedtime reading for the movement up to secondary school.

The copy that I have has illustrations by Tolken himself and I have to say, his surrealism of the magic land stretches to his drawings they do at that small amount of spice that the book needs at certain points in the story.

So riddle me this

This thing all things devour
Birds, beasts, trees, flowers
Gnaws iron, bites steel
Grinds hard stones to meal
Slays Kings, Ruins towns
And beats high mountains down.

If you'd like to know the answer, read the book hahahahhahaha.

Thanx for reading….