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Planning to read Tolkien. Should I start with LOTR or Hobbit?

Planning to read Tolkien. Should I start with LOTR or Hobbit?

Sairis #recommend

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114 Answers

Vicky

Well the hobbit is the prequel so I’d start with that. Though I would say they are totally different genres with the hobbit being a “softer” read.

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Sean

@Vicky agree. Hobbit is written for much younger audiences to me so very quick and easy

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Walter

@Vicky The Hobbit is the start of everything

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Rachel

The Hobbit

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Jonathan

You have to start with the Hobbit

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Michael

Be wary of middle earth – it could be Hobbit forming….. I say start at the beginning with the Hobbit

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Sean

@Michael lol. So bad but funny

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David

The Hobbit, definitely.

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Niamh

The hobbit.

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Antigoni

It’s not necessary but it’s smaller so it will be an easy nice start

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Karen

Hmmmmm it’s a difficult one, the hobbit is a prequel, even though it’s a children’s book, but honestly I thought you get more history about middle earth from TLOR. If you do start with the hobbit, then reading TLOR will be a totally different reading style, I personally read TLOR first and then the hobbit. I like the hobbit, but I love TLOR. Happy reading x

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Chez

The Hobbit. It introduces all the characters

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Cheryl

@Chez, no it doesn’t…. only three of them, well, five if you count Elrond, who really only had small appearances in LOTR, and the other wizard (what *was* his name again?!) who was radically different.
It tells the story of how Bilbo got the ring!

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Sean

Some of the characters are introduced in the hobbit but they aren’t major roles in lotr. It really doesn’t even give you a proper feel of middle earth just glimpses of what brilliance it would be

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Chez

@Cheryl yes but it sets the scene. Its a worthy read

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Cheryl

@Chez, oh it’s absolutely a “worthy read”, as you put it; it just doesn’t introduce the characters in LOTR, nor does it “set the scene”. It simply tells the (otherwise completely unconnected) story of how The Ring got into Bilbo’s possession!!

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Chez

It still provides you with an idea of the setting and writing style

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Cheryl

@Chez, now there I agree with you; apparently we just have different definitions of the phrase “set the scene”! ?

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Connie

Hobbit

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Lejane

The Hobbit

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Mike-Tammy

The hobbit

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Rebekah

????

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Anne

The Hobbit

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Alice

Silmarillion xD Hobbit

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Sean

@Alice silmarillion is one i could never get into. It’s more ancient history stuff

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Alice

The same story, lol xD but I have it and hope to read one day

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Daman

Hobbit

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Sherri

Hobbit

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Laurie

LOTR.

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SaraJane

The hobbit.

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Carla

Hobbit

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Cheryl

The Hobbit does come first, but it’s a stand-alone book. I’ve had some people tell me they couldn’t get into it, though (the language is much more formal than we’re used to, being that it was written back in the 1930s), and were kinda turned off from trying LOTR because of it, so you might try starting with LOTR, then read The Hobbit as a prequel!

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Sean

@Cheryl it’s funny how people view these books. My brother liked the hobbit and yet gave up on lotr as there are so many pointless parts like the party.

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Ruth

The Hobbit.

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Jay

Hobbit! Tolkien’s authors note said that Lotr started as reference material to hobbit. Have to start at the beginning.

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Liz

Always The Hobbit

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James

Personally I didn’t like the Hobbit and thus never read LOTR…

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Cheryl

@James, and that’s exactly why I recommended that she start with LOTR!! They *are* very different books, so don’t let your negative view of the first keep you from the epic adventure that is the second!!

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James

Just never got around to it after I read the Hobbit. One day I will…

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Virgenius

LOTR. The Hobbit is a bit slower, slightly harder to get into and reads better as a prequel. It helped me to have the epic of LOTR knowledge before reading the Hobbit.

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Cathy

Def The Hobbit

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Linda

Hobbit

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Sean

Hobbit is the first but honestly you can read lotr without reading it. There are parts that might be a little confusing if you do it but it really doesn’t affect pleasure of the read

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Victorea

The Hobbit. It’s set before LotR. You just gotta get beyond the Hobbit hole first

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Dina

The hobbit

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Cerys

Hobbit

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Mark

Hobbit for sure…

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Catherine

LOTR. You don’t need to have read the Hobbit first.

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Leslie

The Hobbit—it’s an easier entrance into Middle Earth!

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Rose

Hobbit, without question

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Sharon

The Hobbit!

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Richard

Skip every other page is best—you will lose nothing.

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Louise

Hobbit. It gives you some insight into LOTR. Good luck!

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Eliza

hobbit. it’s easier and a good gateway to lotr.

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Priscilla

Hobbit, . . . seriously, . . . this is where the story starts.

The reason Jackson did LotR first is then animated film The Hobbit was so widely seen by his, . . . and my generation, . . . and it’s sequel was not so well received.

That is the one thing Jackson got right, . . . Do Not remake a great film, . . . remake a flawed one. ?

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Sarah

I personally read the Silmarillion first (because I wanted to know about the Elves) and thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it. It’s a great window into Middle-Earth and has some great stories. However, the Hobbit is usually the best starting point because of the way it’s written. Either way, you’ll enjoy yourself! Welcome to the Fellowship ☺️

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Jenny

The Hobbit

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Ally

I have all too. Just need to read them!

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Lynda

The Hobbit

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Linda

Hobbit

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Andrea

Hobbit

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Sydney

Hobbit

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Oana

Hobbit

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Debi

Hobbit

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Constance

_The Hobbit_.

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Lynnellen

Hobbit…. Enjoy. I read the Hobbit then the Lord of the Rings when I was 12 and 13, I re read it about every 5 years…. LOVE the way it is written. I learn something new every time!

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Suzie

Hobbit

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Suzie

Tolkien is one of my top favorites

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Vic

Hobbit… It’ll lead you into LOTR

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Margo

Hobbit?

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Michele

Hobbit

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Nuria

If you feel brave, the silmarillion

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Jamie

The Hobbit

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Robert

The Hobbit is where it all begins

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Bella

THE HOBBIT

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Erin

Hobbit!!

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Brenda

Hobbit

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Ryan

Well technically, it was lotr then the hobbit by release. However, they have been out long enough now, begin with the hobbit, then lotr. The hobbit is the prequel.

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Andrea

Read the Hobbit first.

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Randy

Hobbit!

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Randy

Hobbit!

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Caroline

The hobbit ♥

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Sunch

Go for the RING!

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Lori

The Hobbit

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Jessi

Hobbit! 🙂

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Lori

?Hobbit

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Robin

In my opinion – LOTR. The Hobbit was written as a children’s book. Really has a different feel. It so happens that I read them in that order – LOTR first and then Hobbit, andnhave always felt that if I had read The Hobbit first, I wouldn’t have been willing to invest in the depth and scope of LOTR, but picking up The Hobbit after felt like learning more about an old friend.

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Sarah

Lotr

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Gillian

hobbit definitely

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April

Hobbit

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Phyllis

Hobbit if you want to follow the story in chronological order

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Christi

I did Hobbit, then LOTR. And because I wanted more, went on to Silmarillion.

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Kari

Hobbit.

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Matt

The Hobbit

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Bill

Hobbit. then no need for any others.

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Hudson

LOTR. Read it 3 times now

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Mandy

Hobbit

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John

The Hobbit.

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Diann

Hobbit for sure

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Beth

Hobbit

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Chris

The Hobbit.

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Amber

The Hobbit!

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Tracy

Hobbit definitely!

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Al

Start with the Hobbit. It’s a truly awesome book…one of my best memories reading a book

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Kathie

The Hobbit

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Shyla

Hobbit

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J

hobbit

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Richard

The Hobbit

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Tiffany

Hobbit

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Wendy

Hobbit is the firat book really ??

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Aba

The Silmarilion

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Jim

Hobbit

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Erica

Hobbit!!

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Hunter

LOTR in my opinion.

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