/lit/ - Literature

Do truth and good actually exist?

Everyone seems to claim Tolkien changed modern fantasy and that all modern fantasy books are ripping off LOTR.

But honestly I dont see the similarities.
Outside of the focus on a quasi medieval setting and maybe a few of the fantasy races, things tend to be nothing similar to his works.
If anything, the larger important aspects of his world have never really been even somewhat replicated nor to people seem to care.
Sure we use beautiful elves for example, but thats a far cry from his immortal godlike elves. Sure we use big birds, but nothing close to his God tier ones. There just birds but bigger.

Focus on world building is hardly a new concept either and historical myths have been laying similar ground work for thousands of years.

What's so special about his works people feel the need to claim he changed the genre?

I'm not a reader at all. That being said I have been interested in reading The Lord of the Rings series. I've never seen the movies. How approachable are they to noob readers?

Oh and would you recommend reading The Hobbit first?

Why do people even bother reading a book when a decent movie/TV series exists?

Serious question.

>literally just the Odyssey but in reverse with gay midgets

How did he get away with it?

How can anyone read this garbage the first book is just them talking about fucking food.

literally nobody except a small few would know about the books if it weren't for the movies