Book Review: 'The Hobbit' by J.R.R. Tolkien

So after 20 or so years, I finally got around to rereading 'The Hobbit' and it was like reading it anew. I obviously had no previous memories of it, and I'd guess that although I read read it as a precocious child who read beyond their age, I didn't really comprehend that much. Even though this is geared towards a younger audience.

But this time I had so much fun. The prompting to get my finger out was my enjoyment of the movies, especially 'The Desolation of Smaug' (going to re-watch it again in a couple of days). So it was high time I read it.

I guess with the movies being out there and the book being well-read I don't need to talk much about the story. It is a simple story, but for when it was written it was virtually unique. And you can tell that it is written to be read out loud. I'm going to have to purchase an audiobook of this.

So what more can I say? I had a lot of fun reading this and I am ashamed it took me so long to get around to it. Tolkien is the only author that I'll read that can have a dragon on the cover and a map of pointy mountains at the beginning of the book. Have you read it yet? If you haven't why haven't you? Get around to it. You'll have a lot of fun.

2013 Hugo Award Winners Announced

The Hugos, the Academy Awards for science fiction and fantasy literature, were announced over the weekend.
I only tend to follow a few categories, which I have put below. For all categories and winners, check out the tor.com page.

Best Novel

• Winner: Redshirts: A Novel with Three Codas by John Scalzi (Tor)
• 2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson (Orbit)
• Blackout by Mira Grant (Orbit)
• Captain Vorpatril's Alliance by Lois McMaster Bujold (Baen)
• Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed (DAW)

  Seeing as I have only read 'Redshirts' from this list, I guess I cannot offer an opinion on this selection. I should get around to reading '2312' real soon. "Redshirts" is a lot of fun if you're a Trek fan.

Best Graphic Story

• Winner: Saga, Volume One written by Brian K. Vaughn, illustrated by Fiona Staples (Image Comics)
• Grandville Bête Noire written and illustrated by Bryan Talbot (Dark Horse Comics, Jonathan Cape)
• Locke & Key Volume 5: Clockworks written by Joe Hill, illustrated by Gabriel Rodriguez (IDW)
• Schlock Mercenary: Random Access Memorabilia by Howard Tayler, colors by Travis Walton (Hypernode Media)
• Saucer Country, Volume 1: Run written by Paul Cornell, illustrated by Ryan Kelly, Jimmy Broxton and Goran Sudžuka (Vertigo)
  
  I am a fan of 'Saga' and 'Locke and Key' and I probably would have like to see 'Locke and Key' win. But oh well. I need to get around to reading 'Saucer Country' as I am a fan of Paul Cornell's Doctr Who work.

Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form

• Winner: Game of Thrones: “Blackwater” Written by George R.R. Martin, Directed by Neil Marshall. Created by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss (HBO)
• Doctor Who: “The Angels Take Manhattan” Written by Steven Moffat, Directed by Nick Hurran (BBC Wales)
• Doctor Who: “Asylum of the Daleks” Written by Steven Moffat; Directed by Nick Hurran (BBC Wales)
• Doctor Who: “The Snowmen” Written by Steven Moffat, Directed by Saul Metzstein (BBC Wales)
• Fringe: “Letters of Transit” Written by J.J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Akiva Goldsman, J.H.Wyman, Jeff Pinkner. Directed by Joe Chappelle (Fox)
  
  I really don't like the 'Game of Thrones' TV series, but I do understand it's popularity. I would have much preferred Fringe or Doctor Who winning. Being said I have not watched the last season of Fringe yet, and out of the three Who episodes, "The Snowmen" was the better. I really did not appreciate "The Angels Take Manhattan".