Click HERE to see this thread with all of the graphics, features, and links.

here is an interesting link discussing the two stories. I am sure that there are fans of both here and this article kind of goes into details about the similarites and differences.

http://greenbooks.theonering.net/guest/files/050102.html

cool! I'll check it out!

Can kinda see similarities... but, if you think about it, many fantasy novels are very alike. Heroes, Dark Lords, wonders and beasts. the only difference is in the writing.

true, like at the begining of the article it talks about how once tolkien stated that there is only about two or three fantasy stories that can be told, it is the background, surroundings and characters that make each one different.

yup... fanatsy is always a battle of good versus evil... it's why it's called 'fantasy'... in the real world, you'll never find real good or true evil, its all shades of grey.

fantasy is still cool though - everyone needs to escape from reality, either through tv, a movie a book or a play...

You know, Tolkien was inspired by other authors too, such as C.S. Lewis.

I guess there's no such thing as the ORIGINAL novel... I mean, everyone was influenced by someone... I guess you could say Chaucer, cos he pretty much invented the English language as a novel... He's the Daddy!

who was it who said that there was only 7 completely original novels in the ENTIRE world?

I've heard that as well... Can't remember who tho... now thats gonna bug me all day!

he he Mwhahahahahahaha

So, what are the titles of the "7 completely original novels in the entire world?"

lotr and hp r 2 diferent things, dont link them

...The imho most important difference is that LoTR is far better

But I think LoTR IS a completely new novel... he was inspired by legends and myths and languages which are not really novels... and LoTR is the first real Fantasy book.

He was influenced by Lewis, and Lewis was influenced by him... of course, they were friends and invented their worlds together, so Lewis was actually one of the first four, five people who read the Silmarillion.