The Hobbit (Dramatised) Audiobook – Original recording

We purchased this after having adored the BBC rendition of 'the Railway Children' and 'the Jungle Book'. We didn't get past chapter 3. The speech wasn't always clear, the narrator seemed to be reading more than bringing the story to life, and well, both my husband and all hated it. In the end we purchased an American audio book version which is not bad but a bit strange at times since the American accent keeps creeping in. Beware, as said in a helpful review, certain proper nouns are pronounced a bit oddly in this version. As I had been forewarned it didn't bother me much, but my it annoyed my husband more than I had thought it would.

I first received this as a birthday present when I was 8 years old on tape and wore it out very quickly because it was nothing short of epic. I had already read the book at School and to this day it remains one of my favourites.

If you are looking to get your child interested in the works of J.R.R Tolkien or they are already a fan then I would highly recommend you buy them this as it will keep them engrossed for hours. This is not an audio book this is a full on radio play that involves some of our finest actors from yester year most of which have sadly passed on. It's production is excellent and the sound effects and atmosphere really inspire those that have the imagination almost provoking a movie like experience.

I highly recommend this and the Lord of the rings version for all ages.

I've long been a fan of J R R Tolkien, ever since picking this book up when I was in primary school. The book of 'The Hobbit' is a delight for both adults and children, not as serious or epic as its sequel 'The Lord of the Rings', it's a much more compact and flows at a quicker pace. I have looked long and hard for a dramatised version and knowing the BBCs reputation for such things I eagerly bought this adaptation.
Well I have to say that its good, but at the same time it disappoints also! And on more than one level.
I find that the most annoying thing is the casting, Bilbo is perfectly cast, Paul Daneman does a superb job in the title role, as does John Justin as Thorin and Anthony Jackson as the Tale Bearer, but others such as Balin, the Elves, the spiders and not least the goblins, just don't sound right, the spiders sound like Daleks!! But the worst offender is the choice of Heron Carvic as Gandalf, not that the actor doesn't do a good job, it's just his voice! It doesn't carry enough power to convince as the all knowing wizard, he comes across like some sort of patronising old pensioner!
Another annoying thing is the pronunciation of some of the names, perhaps it's me, perhaps I have got it wrong, but I have never heard 'Gandalf' pronuced in such a silly way before or after!! Also I'm sure that its Thorin and not Torin, and Smaug is not Smuag!
Hey perhaps it's just me! You do get used to it after a while but it does take a little of the shine off the whole thing!

Other than those points, it's a fairly good adaptation! It sticks nicely to the book although it does thin out a few of the key encounters, the most notable for me being the cutting out of some of the riddles when Bilbo encounters Gollum, or Goluuum as they like to pronounce it here, which is one of the key parts of the book!

Do I recommend it? Well I'm not sure, it's not terrible but it's far from brilliant either, I'm old enough to remember the excellent, though now unavailable, Jackanory version with Bernard Cribbins in the lead role, supported by some other notable actors. I know that wasn't a full dramatised version, but it was head and shoulders above this version. I also recommend the audio version as read by Martin Shaw over this. I've also heard that the Rob Inglis version is excellent as well.

To be honest I'd go for them above this!

Perhaps as it's now 40 years since this adaptation it's time that the BBC re-commissioned it!!

as the above, really... some of the voices sound incredibly stilted, probably because we're used to the Hobbit film version - Gandalf in particular - doesn't come off well, but the story still stands as huge fun - it's well worth the money

Anyone expecting something similar to the BBC's dramatisation of The Lord Of The Rings will be a bit disappointed, but this is not a criticism because exactly the same can be said of the books themselves. The Hobbit is an entirely different book and it is recreated wonderfully in this adaptation.

I'm a big fan of the BBC's version of The Lord Of The Rings, and now, having got used to the very different style, have become a big fan of The Hobbit as well.

Love it!

Great!Great!Great!

wanted this for a while now and finally got it. thanks. maybe I shall get more later on. who knows