How do you give a rating for The Hobbit. I mean, seriously... it's too legendary to touch, too common to even fathom a proper review! 
 I will say this however, I love this story so much, I read it as a kid (circa 2002, somewhere in there when LOTR movies were being made), I've watched Jules Bass' animated version of The Hobbit, I've seen the movies the moment they were released, and I just now listened to the audio book narrated by Rob Inglis. 
 Which, by the way, I HIGHLY recommend listening to the audio version. Inglis changes his voice for all thirteen dwarves, Bilbo, Gandalf, elves, trolls.. the whole nine yards! Every single character sounds different, and it adds to the charm of this book. 
 The way Tolkien translates his story has charm, consistency, and it's appealing to the senses. Imagine the movies were never made. This story is still so visually appealing to the senses and mind; it'd be impossible to not feel fear, hunger, and joy while reading. The dinner scene in the beginning is by far my favorite part. I wish I could have sat down to eat with the dwarves, followed Bilbo around helping him, or sat with a glass of red wine chatting with Gandalf. 
 Overall, you can't go wrong reading this novel. :)