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Posted by: rowena r Jun 13 2008, 11:32 AM

Bilbo and the dwarves had plenty of adventures and close shaves in their quest to find Smaug's lair and treasure. Their way, to coin a phrase, was paved with dangers at every step. Gandalf extricated them from some sticky spots, but was absent from certain others. There were brutish Trolls, wily elves, giant spiders, ferocious wargs and a great many things besides. There was also a shortage of food, which is a serious problem indeed for humans, but more so for Hobbits who are used to doing themselves well at the table.

Tell us :

• Which of the adventures was the most thrilling according to you ?
• Also, in which one did Bilbo demonstrate the most his special abilities because of which Gandalf recruited him in the first place ?

You can vote for more than one option.

Posted by: Fricka Jun 14 2008, 03:44 PM

Arrrgh! I just lost my post when I went to screen up !

rowena r, I have been looking forward to discussing The Hobbit for days now! I think I'm the first to post here!

1. Which of the adventures was most thrilling to you?
This was a hard choice to make, but I selected the adventure with Smaug.

2. In which one did Bilbo demonstrate the most his special abilities because of which Gandalf recruited him in the first place?
Again, I would have to say in his adventure with Smaug. He is able to withstand the mesmerizing effects of Smaug's personality and burgle a cup to take back to the Dwarves
(who by the way were too cowardly to accompany him to confront Smaug, even though it was their treasure they were trying to reclaim). He later burgles the Arkenstone, by which he is able to set in motion an attempted peace treaty between the dwarves, elves, and men. I did find the confrontation with Gollum and later the spiders pretty scary, though!

Posted by: Whisperwing Jun 14 2008, 09:43 PM

The most thrilling adventure to me was rescuing the dwarves from the Elvish prisons and sailing them down the river in wine barrels. But the one in which his unique abilities really shone was in the riddle contest with Gollum. It was a peculiarly Hobbitish sort of challenge to begin with, and one perhaps even Gandalf himself might have found beyond him. Well, at least at first, and we all know what little patience Gollum would have had with forestallment.

Posted by: Moose_Starr Jun 15 2008, 11:33 AM

Well they were all thrilling but to choose just two, I voted for the barrel out of bond escape, because that took a lot of planning & it was difficult to see how it was all going to come together, especially at the end with Bolbo left without anyone to put him into a barrel. And, maybe it's the Tookish part of me but, I really like how Bilbo locked the doors after the dwarfs had gotten out, so as the Elfs would wonder what magic they'd used to escape.
The other adventure I chose is the escape from the Wargs and Goblins because I couldnt see how they could get out of that plight, so it was full of suspense, especially when each new idea just led them deeper into difficulties.
I didnt vote for the spiders because I dont even want to think about that lol.

I would have to say Bilbo's riddle-duel with Gollum. It was pretty much by chance that Bilbo won but, it was Bilbo's doing. He thought of the plan and he won, without using the Ring or being influenced by its power because at that time he'd only just acquired it so I think he was using his own intuition and abilities rather than being influenced by the Ring.

Posted by: ravenclawgirl34 Jun 15 2008, 05:47 PM

Which of the adventures was the most thrilling according to you ?

I stuck with two: the adventure with Smaug, and the escape via Eagles.

The Eagle escape was thrilling to me because of the grandness and the visual image of flying over Middle Earth (though Bilbo didn't enjoy it very much, poor thing) and because it was a situation in which everything they did backfired on them, and even Gandalf was getting to the end of his bag of tricks (pity they couldn't Apparate!).

When I picked the adventure with Smaug, I was thinking mainly of when the door was smashed in, right before Smaug went off to Lake-town (and his doom). That part was thrilling, because of the suspense right before, almost like in a monster movie where you know at any minute some sort of mutated/gross/big/scary thing is going to jump on screen but you're still scared and jump when it does. It just gives me the same feeling.

Also, in which one did Bilbo demonstrate the most his special abilities because of which Gandalf recruited him in the first place ?

The adventure with Smaug again, though a different part of it this time. The ability to recognize the thrush knocking and Durin's Day, and finding the door definately showcase his abilities, but the conversation with Smaug takes the cake. Bilbo knows almost nothing about dragons (well, nothing useful) and he goes into it by himself, and then proves himself beautifully. Yes, Smaug understands more about Bilbo and the dwarves than Bilbo intends, but this is Bilbo's first conversation with a dragon, and he does much better than any of the other dwarves would have done. Also, Bilbo's hobbit-ness confuses the dragon, which, while not necessarily an 'ability', is definately a perk.

Posted by: janspach Jun 16 2008, 09:52 AM

The most thrilling I think was the part with Smaug. Bilbo had never talked to a Dragon and this is the first glimpse we the readers get of the beast. From that conversation we know more about Smaug and his greedy ways.

As for when Bilbo exhibited his special abilities - I would say with the spiders. This was his first chance to show what he could do. He was clever enough to use the ring and taunt the spiders away from the dwarves. He knew exactly what to say and followed his spur of the moment plan very well. He was brilliant!

Posted by: Cristyn Jun 16 2008, 04:32 PM

I thought that it was in the Elven King's halls that Bilbo really came into his own. Up until the spiders he'd relied on Gandalf alot and even in the forest he was fighting his way out. In the Elves' palace, he had to think his way out, as well as using his luck, which is what he was recruited for: his plain hobbit sense!

However, I found the finding of the ring the most thrilling. Not because he found a ring that I knew nothing about, but because I could sense that here was the turning point of the story. No more being an unregarded piece of luggage for Bilbo!
Cristyn

Posted by: Pyxis Jun 17 2008, 12:20 AM

I voted for the riddle-duel with Gollum. I loved to see Bilbo using his talents to stall Gollum and Smaug both, I know that's not 'thrilling' in the exact sense of the word, but it was definitely the best for me.

Posted by: fidelia Jun 21 2008, 10:01 PM

In all honesty, I can't remember what I found most thrilling the very first time I read The Hobbit (Bilbo's encounter with Smaug, maybe?)....but now whenever I come to the part where Bilbo finds the One Ring, I get goosebumps! It is the pivotal moment of the book. Just think of how many lives will be affected by that discovery! Every character we meet later in the series - and certainly Bibo himself - is forever changed because the Ring came to light once more. Everyone is tested by the Ring - some rise to the challenge, some die trying, and some, sadly, are diminished. The finding of the Ring in such an unmomentous way reminds us that the things which have the most impact on us don't always arrive with alot of fanfare....

Posted by: Mary Wanguard Jun 22 2008, 01:21 PM

It's hard for me to remember which get-away was most thrilling for me, so, I voted "other" I can remember for sure though that the suspense was about killing me in the end when the dwarves were besieged by elves and people in the mountain. Though the escape from Gollum and Goblins was a quite chilling one as well - especially knowing how important that whole series of events is.

When Bilbo demonstrated the most of his "special abilities"? Hm... I actually like his plan to save them from the elves most Though that might not be exactly the abilities we're talking about. I just think that was a really clever plan (despite that little flaw that he didn't think of how he himself was supposed to be shut in a barrel).

Posted by: P4C Jun 22 2008, 08:29 PM

I just loved the escape form the wargs and goblins mostly because it seemed to light hearted during this insanely tense escape. After all it is the origin of the well known phrase, "to escape from the wargs and be tossed into the fire" which we now know as, "out of the frying pan and into the fire."

Posted by: Butterfly_Boy Jun 24 2008, 11:45 AM

The riddle adventure because it was like a duel with words.
The barrel escape because it was a long journey with many events and we did not know if they would survive being used as raft.
Smaug death made me sad because while he was a greedy dragon he was slain for his treasure. It was not an exciting adventure to read. He destroyed the Lake town and the town destroyed him. Bilbo did not see it happen.