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The Hobbit

By: J. R. R. Tolkien
Narrated by: Rob Inglis
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Publisher's summary

Like every other hobbit, Bilbo Baggins likes nothing better than a quiet evening in his snug hole in the ground, dining on a sumptuous dinner in front of a fire. But when a wandering wizard captivates him with tales of the unknown, Bilbo becomes restless. Soon he joins the wizard’s band of homeless dwarves in search of giant spiders, savage wolves, and other dangers. Bilbo quickly tires of the quest for adventure and longs for the security of his familiar home. But before he can return to his life of comfort, he must face the greatest threat of all - a treasure-troving dragon named Smaug.

In this fantasy classic, master storyteller J.R.R. Tolkein creates a bewitching world filled with delightful creatures and thrilling dangers. Narrator Rob Inglis will hold listeners of all ages spellbound with his skillful portrayal of hobbits, dwarves, and enchanted beasts.

©1966 J.R.R. Tolkien (P)1991 Recorded Books
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Critic reviews

"Rob Inglis expertly bridges the gap between the whimsical, childlike aspects of Tolkien's fantasy classic and the hints of darker things to come later in The Lord of the Rings. Though content to enjoy his cozy life, cheerful hobbit Mr. Bilbo Baggins agrees to help his wizard friend Gandalf aid a group of dwarves seeking their lost treasure. As their various adventures ensue, Inglis treats listeners to a tour-de-force performance rich in colorful characterizations and several engaging singing performances. This story should be the unquestionable starting point for those venturing into Tolkien’s Middle-earth. Listeners experience a vocal performance that is in turn charming, gripping, a little scary, and always engaging." (AudioFile magazine)

Featured Article: The Lord of the Rings—The Essential Guide to the Peoples, Places, and History of Tolkien's Middle-earth


Welcome to Middle-earth, the main continent of Arda and the setting for J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and a host of other in-universe stories. Middle-earth is a fantastical realm rooted in detailed world-building and mythos that have since gone on to inspire many other fantasy works. Read on for everything you need to know.

Continue Your Journey Through Middle earth

Continue Your Journey
Through Middle-earth

What listeners say about The Hobbit

Average customer ratings
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  • 3 Stars
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Not the best, but essential

Where does The Hobbit rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Pretty good.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Gandalf - his powers and full story have always been a mystery and are quite interesting.

What three words best describe Rob Inglis’s performance?

British Slow So-so

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Actually - after reading this a second time I realize how annoying dwarves are, which makes Bilbo the Hobbit all the more likeable.

Any additional comments?

Great story and good performance. I could hear Rob Inglis breathing quite a bit which was distracting at times.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Overall very good!

I did nor expect a good singer, and the story and the voices were very well done.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Like grandpa is reading you a story

There is a certain lul you get into with this book
but the singing sheesh

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Classic story with amazing narration

This is one of my favorite books and it's only made better by the narration. I have listened to it over 20 times according to Audible's badges and will continue to listen to it. it's a fun story with likeable characters. The narrator is lovely. Would recommend

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

💖 this book!

Soooooo 💕 this book!LOVE IT! Adventure!action!drama??long book but the longer the better! Fun! Cool! Woohoo fun to listen to!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Wonderful

a wonderful tale of the adventures of bilbo baggins and how he learns to be brave, and face his fears to become a hero for his friends. a great and entertaining story by tolkien

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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excellent voice actor!

rob inglis is astounding and does excellent justice to beloved hobbit. voice is clear and even volume (some audio books have big swings in volume). has good range of voices to portray the many characters. thank you rob for bringing this treasure to life!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great classic - Good narration

What did you love best about The Hobbit?

This classic tale of adventure is the very first book I ever enjoyed as a child. Nice to be able to revisit it in audio format.

What about Rob Inglis’s performance did you like?

The voices of the characters and the style of narration are done well enough and do not take away from the story itself.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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The Best Ever

One of the greatest stories ever told! Please read/listen to it. You will not regret it.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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loved it

the narrator did a wonderful job helping me escape to another world. I would recommend this book to all my friends.

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