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Farmer Giles of Ham [Hardcover]

J. R. R. Tolkien (Author), Christina Scull (Editor), Wayne G. Hammond (Editor)

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Product details

  • Hardcover: 128 pages
  • Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH); 50 Anv edition (15 Nov 1999)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0618009361
  • ISBN-13: 978-0618009367
  • Product Dimensions: 22.5 x 14.2 x 1.9 cm
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,695,590 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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› Visit Amazon's J. R. R. Tolkien Page
J. R. R. Tolkien
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Customer Reviews

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com: 4.5 out of 5 stars  17 reviews
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars In the vulgar tongue: Cute 15 April 2003
By E. A Solinas - Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
"Farmer Giles of Ham" (in the vulgar tongue) is an entertaining little tale, maybe the first real comic fantasy novel (actually, more like novella). It's certainly not on par with his tales of hobbits and elves, but it's still cute, funny and very well-written.

Aegidius de Hammo (or in the "vulgar tongue," as Tolkien archly tells us, Farmer Giles of Ham) is a pleasant, not-too-bright farmer (a bit like Barliman Butterbur) who leads a fairly happy life. Until the day his excitable dog Garm warns him that a giant (deaf and very near-sighted) is stomping through and causing mayhem. Giles takes out his blunderbuss and takes a shot at the giant, and inadverantly drive him off.

Naturally, Giles is hailed as a hero. Even the King is impressed, and sends him the sword Caudimordax (vulgar name: Tailbiter), which belonged to a dragonslaying hero. By chance, the not-so-fierce dragon Chrysophylax Dives has started pillaging, destroying and attacking the nearby areas. Can a not-so-heroic farmer drive off a not-so-frightening dragon?

It's a fast, fun little adventure story with blundering giants, greedy dragons and unlikely heroes (the last one is what Tolkien always does best). It's not epic and it's not deep, but it is entertaining, especially for people who enjoy comic fantasies. You'll like this if you enjoyed the cuter moments of "The Hobbit" and stories like "Roverandum."

Tolkien's writing always seems to be winking at the reader. There are a lot of in-jokes for people who know Latin (the "vulgar tongue" comments) and a lot of cute moments, like the young dragons exclaiming that they always knew "knights were mythical!" And the illustrations resemble old tapestries and paintings, but they usually have a funny sort of twist to them.

"Farmer Giles" is not the deepest or most riveting of Tolkien's works, but it's a straightforward, cute little adventure that kids, adults, fans and non-fans of Tolkien will enjoy.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Second only to The Hobbit! 30 Jun 2001
By A Customer - Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
Unlikely heroes, excellent characters, and timeless energy are all contained within the covers of this book. Children and adults will adore it. This is recommended for the Tolkein fans and non fans alike. Not being a Tolkein fan (yes, there are those of us who consider ourselves avid science fiction/fantasy fans who do not like him) I found this one of his best. There was no wordy (and seemingly useless) chapters to wade through - just simple fun. I first read this book when I was sixteen and have read it time and time again.
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars delightful on all counts 27 May 2002
By Emily Held - Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
Those expecting something like The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings may be disappointed, for this is nothing like it - both short and wryly funny. (And if you don't catch the references and jokes at once, the editors provide a sizable glossary at the back). I could have done without the wordy introduction, but considering the attention garnered by the films lately, it's understandable. The text is presented in facsilmile, something I like very much - a good book benefits from a few nice pictures, and the ones here are simply and beautifully drawn, including two color plates. This also includes a first draft, and Tolkien's outline for a sequel, which make for interesting comparisons.
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