[Jessica Jade]

I think that the biggest difference between Tolkien and Harry Potter is that Lord of the Rings is an EPIC adventure, whereas H.P. is like children's tales/adventures in a wizarding world.<P>In a way the books are so different that they can't even be compared. Yet, they are similar...i think that Rowling and Tolkien are both incredible geniuses-their prolific creativity never fails to amaze me. The details of each of their worlds are so complete and well thought out. <P>H.P. and LOTR are both ultimately about good versus evil, but they ARE in fact very different. LOTR is so much more mature and descriptive, and infinitely darker and more brooding. It also has the power to MOVE the reader, to make the reader feel as if he/she is part of the story-when i read the books, i can feel the sadness, loyalty, friendship, trust, the desperation...all the things that the characters must feel. I haven't gotten to the end of the Lord of the Rings yet, but from what's been hinted to me at what is yet to come...i'm sure i will be bawling my eyes out at the end of Return of the King. I think that JK Rowling wrote Harry Potter for the purpose of entertainment...and she does a great job at accomplishing that purpose. Lord of the Rings, on the other hand, has much more meaning and passion and can really touch the readers' heart. You can never say that Rowling plagerized though. The creatures that are used in both series, are creatures that have been mentioned in other mythologies and aren't what the author created themself (of course, Rowling and Tolkien both have their own creative edge, from Ents to Boggarts and then some)<P>Both book series are ingenious in their own ways. It's incredibly and suprisingly hard to compare them. It's impossibel to choose one over the other indefinitely, because I love them both, but for different reasons.