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Fiction
Project Hail Mary
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Narration ★5
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There is a version of The Hobbit narrated by the man who played Gollum, and yes, he does the voice. Andy Serkis recorded this in 2020, decades after Rob Inglis's long-beloved classic reading, and the question every listener asks, is the Gollum voice as good as the films?, has a simple answer: it is identical, and the Riddles in the Dark chapter alone justifies the credit. But Serkis's achievement here goes well beyond one character.
Bilbo Baggins, a comfortable, unadventurous hobbit, is swept out his door by the wizard Gandalf and thirteen dwarves on a quest to reclaim their mountain kingdom, and its treasure, from the dragon Smaug. Along the way: trolls, goblins, giant spiders, the riddle game with Gollum that will change the fate of Middle-earth, and Bilbo's slow transformation from timid homebody to something braver. It is the prelude to The Lord of the Rings, lighter and more fairy-tale in tone, and one of the most beloved fantasy adventures ever written, endlessly re-readable and, it turns out, endlessly re-listenable.
Serkis is a genuine actor, and it shows in the range: his Gandalf carries authority, his Thorin has a Richard-Armitage-like gravity, his Smaug is silky and terrifying, and his Gollum is, of course, the definitive article. But the subtler achievement is his Bilbo, whose growing confidence he charts audibly across the journey. He also, unlike some listeners' preference, sings the songs, Tolkien wrote a great many of them, and Serkis commits to carrying a tune rather than skimming past. Whether that delights or tests you depends on your patience for Tolkien's verse, but it is a defensible choice for a complete performance. At ten and a half hours, it is a briskly enjoyable listen that rewards a slow speed to savor the character work.
The perennial question. Rob Inglis's older recording is a classic, warmer, more traditional, the version many grew up with. Serkis is more theatrical, more character-driven, and obviously has the Gollum connection. Neither is wrong. Our take: if you want the nostalgic, storybook Hobbit, Inglis; if you want the vivid, film-adjacent, fully-acted Hobbit, Serkis. For a first-time listener in 2025, we lean Serkis for the sheer immersive energy.
Well narrated? Superbly, Serkis brings genuine acting range and the definitive Gollum. One of the most purely enjoyable fantasy listens on our shelf, and the ideal on-ramp to Middle-earth before tackling The Lord of the Rings.
A Game of Thrones for the darker, adult end of epic fantasy, or The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy for another British-voiced classic that rewards a great narrator.
Yes, and it is identical to his film portrayal. The Riddles in the Dark chapter, where Bilbo meets Gollum, is a highlight of the entire recording and for many listeners justifies choosing the Serkis edition on its own.
Both are excellent and the choice is a matter of taste. Inglis's older recording is the warm, traditional, storybook version many grew up with; Serkis's 2020 recording is more theatrical and fully acted. For a first-time listener wanting maximum immersion, we lean slightly toward Serkis.
The Serkis edition runs about 10 hours 25 minutes, an easy, briskly paced listen and a natural introduction to Middle-earth before the much longer Lord of the Rings.
It is the ideal starting point, lighter and more adventure-driven than The Lord of the Rings, with a clear quest structure. Serkis's narration makes it especially accessible for newcomers and younger listeners.
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