/lit/ - Literature

Is it me, or does modern fantasy lack soul? Think back to classical fantasy like Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, The Wheel of Time, Le Morte De Arthur, The Once and Future King, Narnia, or Earthsea.
These books were dripping with soul and passion. They evoked a sense of wanderlust, adventure -- they were a gateway to another world rich with lore, heroes, villains, and universal themes such as hope, comradery, and love.
Now look at modern fantasy. Everything so fucking bleak and dreary. Everything has to be "gritty" and realistic. The colors are washed out, the protagonist is an asshole, the morals are vapid, and the wanderlust is gone.
Even the "lighter hearted" works like Sanderson are void of substance, since Sanderson seems more obsessed with anime and his magic systems, than telling a good story.