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[Lizard]

I think one of the only reasons Tolkien is revered is because he was the first real fantasy author, imho. He's primarily an historian and a linguist, and it really shows in his writing. It's so dry, and well, in many cases, boring. Many of the characters are flat, they don't really develop as characters at all, and are seen from the perspective of a person who studies history... in the sense that all you really see is their actions as one piece of a whole, which is cool and all, but they're still really boring. In the case of some characters, he shows growth, but in comparison to what could have been possible, I just find myself somewhat unimpressed.

I agree with you totally tai.I even think I post something simmiliar waaay back in some other book discussion thread.
LOTR saga was quite boring and dry and more or less unimpressive.(I just repeated your words :tai: ...)
Anyway he was first,and this credit cant be taken, but I wonder how would fantasy genre evolve if there wasnt Tolkien....