Book Review: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Chronicles Art & Design

Over the holidays, I received a review copy of a new book called, “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Chronicles: Art & Design.” You can buy it on Amazon here.

Pegged to the release of “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” film in December (read my review here and check out the photo gallery here), this lovely book explores and celebrates the creative vision behind the film, including the design and development of the environments, cultures, creatures and artifacts encountered by the characters.

The book is big – I guess it would classify as a coffee-table book, but it’s so much more – and features more than 1,000 gorgeous images of conceptual art, supplementary photography and detailed commentary provided by the film’s cast and crew.

As a bonus feature, unique to this book, there is a special fold-out replica of the portrait of the Master of Lake-town, played by Stephen Fry, exactly as it appears in the film.

Compiled by Weta Workshop’s senior concept designer Daniel Falconer, this is the third book in “The Hobbit: Chronicles” series, and it’s been created in full collaboration with key members of the production’s creative team to ensure the most comprehensive and authentic film companion possible.

The story follows Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf the Grey and Thorin Oakenshield’s Company of Dwarves eastward, through hitherto unseen regions of Middle-earth, on their Quest to reclaim the lost Kingdom of Erebor from the Dragon Smaug.

In “The Hobbit” Trilogy, Ian McKellen returns as Gandalf the Grey, with Martin Freeman in the central role of Bilbo Baggins, and Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakenshield.  The international ensemble cast is led by Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Stephen Fry, Ken Stott, James Nesbitt, and Orlando Bloom as Legolas. 

The film also stars Mikael Persbrandt, Sylvester McCoy, Aidan Turner, Dean O’Gorman, Graham McTavish, Adam Brown, Peter Hambleton, John Callen, Mark Hadlow, Jed Brophy, William Kircher, Stephen Hunter, Ryan Gage, John Bell, Manu Bennett and Lawrence Makoare.

“The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug: Art & Design” is a gorgeous book that any Tolkien or “The Hobbit” fan should have in their collection.