Should I Read the Lord of the Rings or the Hobbit First
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J.R.R. Tolkien discussion
Okay, and so I'm planning on reading "The Lord of the rings" series. I have had it read it to me, I just don't retrieve it, well I think a really long epilouge, and long songs and poetry, I've decided to attempt to read the whole entire series, by starting over. I've been told sevral times to start with "The Hobbit", and I'm wondering why. Thank yous so much for your help! :D 
Modern The Hobbit is a classic in its own right, too equally existence an introduction to Middle-earth. You volition learn more well-nigh the nature of Hobbits and dwarves, wizards and elves, you will empathize more about Gollum and why Bilbo's meeting with him was so important to the events of LOTR.
Near importantly, you lot volition get to enjoy an incredibly expert book. I'thou jealous at the thought of y'all experiencing it for the kickoff time!
I first read The Hobbit almost forty years ago when I was 8 and have read it dozens of times since, the terminal fourth dimension just a couple of months ago. Each fourth dimension information technology's like a visit from an former friend, and I withal find picayune things that I hadn't noticed, or had forgotten.
It's a relatively quick, and definitely rewarding, read. Exercise it, Nelle: you know it makes sense :-D
Non only is The Hobbit fun, just the difference and similarity between it and its sequel help one understand both Tolkien and The Lord of the Rings improve.
I know I'm dragging on here, but a good example of this is institute in the character of Gollum. Tolkien's Gollum in The Hobbit was very different in the first edition, and Tolkien changed his motives and graphic symbol dramatically for the second edition after he began writing The Lord of the Rings. If you can find a copy of that scene (the affiliate 'Riddles in the Dark') from the first edition, I would encourage it. I one time heard a Tolkien-scholar describe him while writing as 'flying blind': his ideas were then multitudinous and circuitous that he wasn't sure how to turn them into commercial fiction.
AND (ha ha!! sad for taking then much space) if you desire to sympathise The Hobbit a little better, read the novella Roverandom, a children'south story virtually a toy dog his son had lost at the beach. The Hobbit, I think, is a very good median between the experience and aim of Roverandom, which was done essentially for the Hell of it (to exist glib), and the very serious feel of The Lord of the Rings, by which time Tolkien realised that people wanted to see and hear more of his invented mythology and his vast fictional world.
OK, I'm done. Have fun with it!
Cheers Logan and Michael, the other people who told me to read "The Hobbit" outset, gave no caption. Your opinions have helped alot. I volition start reading "The Hobbit" as soon as possible! (I accept other reading projects I need to end start). I will also cheque out the "Roverandom" book as before long as possible! Thanks and then much for your help it is greatly appreciated! :D Modernistic 
I may be a bot belatedly to the party, but I will comment any manner. :) The Lord of the Rings was originally supposed to be a sequel to the Hobbit, although information technology grew into an ballsy all its own. They essentially follow the same story, and that information technology one reason to read the Hobbit get-go. Some other reason is because Tolkien wrote in a fashion that is a chip more than formal and more intellectual than most modern fiction writers. If yous do not often read historical or mythological works, you may find his elevated writing tone and archaic diction a little tough at first. Considering the Hobbit was originally intended as a children'southward book, the style is a niggling more playful and less heightened. Therefore it may be improve for some to read it first, and gradually conform to Tolkien'southward more intellectual style. :) Too, if you find yourself struggling with the Lord of the Rings, I urge you to rent or stream the audio book while you read. I used that technique with my younger sister, and successfully turned her into an avid Ringer. ;) @ Sidhe. Thank you I'll endeavor the audio volume idea! I tried reading The Lord of the Rings offset, and I had alot of trouble keeping track, so hopefully reading "The Hobbit" first will assistance. Thanks for your help! 
Also, (nobody slap me delight) if yous can't get through the prologue in LOTR, skip it. I've never read it. I've started it, simply it is very........... non entertaining. ;) Mod Why, you piddling....! ;-)
Michael wrote: "Connor wrote: "Also, (nobody slap me delight) if y'all can't go through the prologue in LOTR, skip it. I've never read it. I've started it, but it is very........... non entertaining. ;)"Why, you l..."
At least you didn't slap me. ;)
True, you tin read Lord of the Rings without reading The Hobbit. Lord of the Rings tin can stand lone. But when I read the series, I decided to showtime with The Hobbit because the events in it takes identify 60 years before the events in the Lord of the Rings. And at that place are a few referances to The Hobbit in the Lord of the Rings that you lot would sympathize meliorate if you lot read The Hobbit offset. 
Modern 
I too feel the same way as Dena and Stefan in a higher place me. I read "The Hobbit" after reading "Lord of the Rings" and I had no trouble enjoying both to the fullest. The finding the ring is not really a major upshot in "The Hobbit" information technology's a subplot or something. Other than that it depends on the readers age. Every bit others have explained hither.
Modern I would agree that it doesn't really matter which y'all read first, but if you haven't read either it's just kind of logical to first with the before of the two. Plus LoTR contains some "spoilers" for The Hobbit if yous haven't read that already.
Suffice to say, you'll likely relish them both regardless of the order you read them in.
Mod 
I did read 'the lord of the rings' long before the hobbit, hence i would recomend that you read the hobbit first as it does assistance to set the scene, before one is introduced to Bilbo and Frodo. Knowing the history between Bilbo and Gandalf starting time is helpful and i think that you lot would enjoy LOTR more if you read them in this social club (non that there is a set up gild). 
Actually not just would I read the Hobbit get-go, merely I would likewise read the Silmarillion and Lost Tales first to give yous a experience for the history of Center earth before you get into LOTR. Then again maybe you should but save those before you reread LOTR similar I'grand doing now.Definitely read the Hobbit start though.
I read LotR before The Hobbit and I didn't feel it fabricated any deviation in my eventual enjoyment of the latter (I sandwiched The Silmarillion betwixt the two). I'd say go with any seems more interesting beginning, though if you lot plan on encounter The Hobbit movie in December, you lot might want to become that one finished, first and LotR is decidedly more time consuming. 
I read The Hobbit get-go, just I think it doesn't make that much of a difference which ane you read first or second. I'd personally read Hobbit first, but eitherway circular is fine. 
The Hobbit should definitely exist read first for continuity sake. Information technology is at that place nosotros are offset introduced the darkly seductive power of The Band, and the creatures of Middle World, including Bilbo. John wrote: "The Hobbit should definitely be read first for continuity sake. It is in that location we are first introduced the darkly seductive power of The Ring, and the creatures of Eye Earth, including Bilbo." I do agree.
Reading The Hobbit commencement would serve well if y'all wanted to 'introduce' yourself to Middle Earth. Yet, I personally read LOTR kickoff, which gave The Hobbit that extra dimension, knowing everything that was to come.In the cease though, information technology doesn't really affair that much.
Yes do read The Hobbit first. But because it was released first and introduces Gandalf and Bilbo and but considering it's a like shooting fish in a barrel fashion to get into Tolkien and how he writes and all. 
Reading "The Hobbit" is not crucial to agreement "The Lord of the Rings", simply it would give yous an understanding of Middle Earth. I read LOTR first and then read the Hobbit. I read all at least once a year! Enjoy! 
Like if y'all can't wait for the Hobbit to come out this December! 
Both LotR and The Hobbit are stand-alone novels and don't need each other to be properly understood. Nonetheless, The Hobbit is a great book and a perfect introduction to Middle-earth and its principal characters.I recommend reading it before The Lord of the Rings.
hey, Nelle, i read the Hobbit when i took I class in Children's Lit at U.Ç.Riverside and didn't much treat information technology, BUT my teacher recommended LOTR (this was in 1964 before any fame or fortune had come up to Tolkien). So I just picked up "The Fellowship of the Ring" at the Pomona Library. I couldn't put it downwards (even tho I had Four Children to care for. I have been a fan ever since. I regret I never wrote to TRR before he died. My husband once played Gandalf on stage and did a smashing chore---LOTR is like being inside all the bang-up fairy stories, I read them when I feel depressed and need to be lifted. I read The Hobbit after and but then loved it. 
I'd get for the Hobbit first, simply to get your feet moisture in the globe of middle earth. Y'all don't have to, but it will enhance the reading of LOTR in a big way. 
There And Dorsum Again will give you a lilliputian more of the backstory that might help you to sympathize what's going on in the trilogy. A few of the characters appear in both works. I would hesitate to say that it'south mandatory to read it first, just it would certainly make LoTR better. 
And then happy i found this discussion! I have been wanting to read LotR and didn't know if i should read the Hobbit start. I will defiantly be picking up the Hobbit mon morning time when the library opens.:) I feel like I have been living under a rock, I have not even watched the movies and I am a Junior in high school! 
I'm one of those readers who missed out on reading Tolkien as a child (even though I saw the Cartoons). When I finally got effectually to reading the books, I had a hard time getting my hands on the professor's books from the library, as they were always--and I do hateful--ever rented out. I got tired of waiting to read the books in literary order, so I decided to grab the only book that was available to me and that was The Silmarillion. Fortunately, I'm a fan of mythology and archetype literature, so it made my introduction to Tolkien much easier than the average reader. I dived right into 'Rings" subsequently that and really stopped after reading The Two Towers so I could read The Hobbit. But afterwards, did I go along to read The Return of the King.Having read the books in this haphazard order, I highly recommend readers to commencement with The Hobbit. As others have mentioned, it's the most reader-friendly of the Heart-World books and will set up upwardly the storyline for "Rings" for you lot. If you read Rings showtime, you'll miss some of the references to The Hobbit and lose some of the touch of the circadian nature of the tales.
If y'all want to get-go right at the very offset then you should read The Silmarillion. That fashion you'll know how Middle Globe was created and all merely its a long complicated history. The Hobbit is a lot easier to read and its more than fun likewise. It would exist ameliorate to read it before reading LOTR because that way you lot'd understand Hobbits and Dwarves better and it provides the perfect back story to the trilogy. 
The Hobbit has always been a fun read for me. I started to reread over Thanksgiving and I know I am farther along than the first movie. Read information technology now earlier the moving picture put images in your head. Mod I have to give you kudos on reading The Silmarillion kickoff and getting through it then continuing on to LOTR and The Hobbit. I thoroughly enjoyed The Silmarillion, but having already read the other books and loved them, helped my in navigating my way through The Silmarillion tremendously. Information technology's a great book, but I would never advise that someone new to Tolkien read it before getting comfortable with his globe and way.
That said, The Hobbit is actually the all-time place to beginning. It eases the reader in to Centre Earth in a fun way and gives a lot of skillful background to prepare the reader for LOTR.
Stefan wrote: "I accept to requite you kudos on reading The Silmarillion kickoff and getting through it then continuing on to LOTR and The Hobbit. I thoroughly enjoyed The Silmarillion, merely having already read the other books and loved them, helped my in navigating my manner through The Silmarillion tremendously. Information technology's a great book, but I would never propose that someone new to Tolkien read information technology before getting comfortable with his world and style." I concur, Stefan. The Silmarillion is my all-time favorite volume, just I wouldn't dare recommend anyone to get-go their education of Tolkien with it. Bated from the sheer size of the volume, its contents would scare away most readers who aren't familiar with mythic tales. The Hobbit, on the other hand, is the perfect fashion to familiarize oneself with Middle Earth. In fact, if the new picture lives upwardly to its billing (and I have no reason to recollect it won't), I'd recommend movie goers to outset there before watching The Lord of Rings too.
I agree with everyone that you'll want to read The Hobbit first. I had read half of information technology a few years before I read The Lord of the Rings and as shortly as I finished LOTR I went dorsum to read The Hobbit. You lot can read the LOTR firsts but you will desire to read The Hobbit when your done so y'all might as well start with it!! 
a friend told me that if i want to read the series in a chronological way I should kickoff with The Silmarillion. Yet when I read information technology, information technology was a little bit too much in my first endeavor of Tolkien'south works. Then, now I simply decided to read The Hobbit offset instead. :) I read The Hobbit before I read LOTR because I heard there was some referances in LOTR that happened in the Hobbit. And the Hobbit takes palce threescore years before the events in LOTR so to me it just made sense to read The Hobbit first. 
Yes, information technology was written first therefore Tolkien intended for it to be read first :) 
I concur with the general consensus in here and suggest reading The Hobbit first.My husband went direct to LOTR and he just doesn`t take the same love for Bilbo every bit I accept.
I read The Hobbit every bit a teenager and went direct to LOTR. I`ve been re-reading every couple of years since.
I as well love Roverandom, information technology is pure Tolkien, enchanting and very sweet.
I am reading The Hobbit right at present. I just checked it out from the library. Fun read. 
Brooke wrote: "I am reading The Hobbit right at present. I just checked it out from the library. Fun read." Bask! It's pretty awesome.
Modern Enjoy! It's pretty crawly."
And the volume is much better than the moving-picture show in my stance.
Namarie, God bless, Anne Marie :)
I'd definitely say read information technology because it familiarizes you with the globe and some of he creatures and locations mentioned in The Lord of the rings trilogy, not to mention there is a lot of referencing in the first part of the fellowship which might get you lost and confused. Personally it does brand the whole story more than enjoyable and easier to understand since you met almost one-half the cast or relations to them at least beforehand. 
Aye. 
Haha! An answer that is short and sweet and correct. 
I've honestly read information technology after The Lord of the Rings, only because I've met the latter first. I cannot say I regret that, since has been rather sweet to know better Bilbo and his story knowing already the struggles he had to endure in his last years and the story of the Ring itself.And then, what I tin tell y'all is this: Should you read it earlier The Lord of the Rings? Information technology depends. For me, it has been meliorate this way, reading information technology after, considering I couldn't have been able to appreciated information technology and information technology could accept put me off Tolkien altogether. And so, knowing what you now know nearly them and well-nigh how different they are from each other, y'all can make a choice based on your tastes.
(I promise I didn't explain myself too poorly, English language is not my first linguistic communication!)
Mod You did great, Eleanora - if yous hadn't said so, I wouldn't even have known English was not your first. :)
I read The Hobbit later on LOTR likewise and enjoyed it in that society as well.
Namarie, God bless, Anne Marie :)
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