N23: The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien

Book Review!

N23: The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien

In “Appendix N” Gary Gygax recommended J. R. R. Tolkien’s work. For this review, I decided to focus on The Hobbit. Unfortunately, the D&D folks and the Tolkien people ended up in legal battles over several issues; for many years Gygax downplayed the influence of Tolkien’s works, but this likely stems from the problems with the lawsuits. In D&D the Balrog became the Balor demon and Hobbits became halflings. Many fans of Tolkien’s works automatically projected his lore onto the D&D creatures even though Gygax strongly argued that his lore remained different. Anyway, with no further delay, I give you my thoughts on one of the most famous books ever.

The Good

*Tolkien created memorable characters engaged in an exciting adventure with exploration, combat, and interesting social interactions.

The Bad

*Too many dwarves that come across similarly to the casual reader.

*Sometimes Tolkien goes on and on for a long time describing and/or giving background info.

D&D Connections & Inspirations

*The similarities between D&D and The Hobbit stand out so strongly that Gygax and company found themselves sued by Tolkien’s people.

Overall

I give The Hobbit a 7/10 rating, lowered because of some of the longer rambling passages.