If you like books, just stick with the books. If you like movies more, I'd only recommend watching LotR; The Hobbit movie was a too-liberally-interpreted stretc

If you like books, just stick with the books. If you like movies more, I'd only recommend watching LotR; The Hobbit movie was a too-liberally-interpreted stretch of filler into three films. If I had to watch any adaptation again, it'd be the Rankin & Bass animation. I've read the book at least five times and will probably read it a few more before I expire. If Tolkien's world is all-absorbing and you're more forgiving than I am, by all means enjoy watching The Hobbit, and I'd say start there for the chronology, and so you end of a high note quality-wise.