The Hobbit: BBC Radio Full-cast Dramatisation (BBC Radio Collection)

But get past the rather naff production and you have a genuinely entertaining and enjoyable delivery. The compilation faces 2 challenges - it's never going to live up to your imagination when you read the book and it can't match the visual impact of the recent Lord of the Rings films. No matter how you slice it, you are at first going to be a little disappointed *BUT* stick with it - it grows on you.

The narrative is skillfully delivered, the script a well thought out adaptation and finally, there are going to be those occassions when you just want to listen to a great story.

I would recommend this, but not for those people who want the immediate impact of the film, or who have the time and inclination to read the book


LEGENDARY!!!   August 11, 2003
8 out of 17 found this review helpful

This book is truely my title: LEGENDARY.

JRR Tolkien's imagination stretched to it's limit to create this extraordinary book, and masterpiece, and the moment I opened the first page I could not put it down.

All you can do is marvel at the genious of Tolkien: for how can just one person, with half a century create so many classics and, like I said, legends?

If you've read 'Lord of the Rings' then you must have read this. For this prequel is as good, or even, some believe, better than LotR, because if it wasn't for this book LotR would not be, as it was here that Bilbo found his 'special' ring.

This book involves Bilbo Baggins, and his attempt to steal the treasure under the Lonely Mountain, which is merely guarded by a fire-breathing-Dragon. To add to this danger he, and a group of fellow dwarfs (including Gloin, father of Gimli, who is a main character in LotR) must find there way to the mountain, with a little help from the well know Wizard- Gandalf, past huge Mountain Trolls, Armies of Goblins, packs of Wolves, hundreds of Man-eating spiders, and the Woodland Elves.

They get captured countless times and death is always narrowly avoided, but do they make it to the mountain and reclaim the treasure, once stolen from the dwarfs, by the evil Dragon?
Read it and see the future that awaits them.

AN ABSOLUTE MUST BUY!!!


Very enjoyable story telling!   July 24, 2003
Suzie Burton (Suffolk)
16 out of 16 found this review helpful

As an avid fan of the Hobbit, I jumped at the chance to own a copy of the audio CD once I had finished the book. I found it very appealing, a perfect way to unwind after a long day.
Younger listeners may be put off because it is a fairly old production, recorded in the 1960's. I can assure you it is as fine a telling of the story as any modern version.
My one complaint is that some the voices for the characters, especially the Eagles and Wargs, are a little over the top. This distracted from the story a little as it was hard to take them seriously when they sound like they have all had a good dose of helium!
Other that this one minor flaw it is, in my opinion, a very good buy.