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The Hobbit (Dramatised)

The Classic BBC Radio Production

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The Hobbit (Dramatised)

By: J. R. R. Tolkien
Narrated by: Heron Carvic, Paul Daneman, Anthony Jackson, Francis de Wolff, John Justin, John Pullen, Full cast
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About this listen

 The radio dramatisation of The Hobbit became a classic when it was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1968 and it continues to delight today.

Tolkien's famous saga, the prelude to the Lord of the Rings, has all the ingredients of fantasy and adventure: dwarves, elves, goblins and trolls, a fearsome dragon, a great wizard, a perilous quest, and a dramatic climax. At the centre is the unsuspecting hero Bilbo Baggins, a home-loving unambitious Hobbit who is suddenly thrust into the biggest, indeed the only adventure of his life.

©2018 BBC Worldwide Ltd trading as BBC Studios (P)2018 BBC Worldwide Ltd trading as BBC Studios Fantasy Science Fiction
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This is an excellent production, very true to the original (unlike a certain three part movie adaptation). Sound quality is a bit patchy at times; this was engineered with quiet listening rooms in mind rather than being played in a moving car or other noisy environment.

No one would accuse Tolkien of concise plotting

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This is a BBC radio production of a number of decades ago, but it is one of which Tolkien would have approved. A major condensation of the original, it still conveys the essence of Tolkien's story. The acting is different to that we have become accustomed to from the films, but it is a style that sits well on the story. To those who only know "The Hobbit" from the multi-part film, this is very different. The motion picture epic has little in common with the original book. Hear this to find something much closer to the author's intentions.

An old, but faithful, brief telling of Tolkien.

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As much as I love the story of the hobbit, these three reading the book is hard to listen too. As an adult. It is definitely suited for humans under the age of ten. I didn't pay for these I used free credits to purchase them but I still kind of want my credit back.

BBC Radio Reading of The Hobbit

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This audiobook - this exact one, from 1968 - has an incredibly special place in my heart. I used to listen to this radio dramatization when I was a child, back when cassettes were a reality, despite having been produced 8 years before my birth. Much of the humour and drama found within helped to inform my sense of wonder in fantasy works. An 'unreliable narrator' tale in which Bilbo the Hobbit is likely more heroic than he might otherwise be presented, it is a very enjoyable and still very relatable romp through ancient wilds, Goblin-dens, Elven halls and Dwarven caverns.

Timeless

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Tried to listen to this book with my 9 yo daughter when we went on a driving holiday. The dramatisation made it impossible for both of us to understand the story. Should have purchased the normal version....oh well, easy come, easy go.

Dramatisation made it impossible to understand

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