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Originally Posted by Child of the 7th Age
I will put in another word for T.H. White and the Once and Future King. Shippey once talked in an interview how Tolkien and White were unique--both the product of a particular education system and world view that had now vanished from the world--so there couldn't possibly be anyone to take their places.
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I believe in many cases during
The Once and Future King White surpasses Tolkien in the depth of his characterizations. He certainly has the better wit, I should think (the whole dialogue between Pelinore and Grummursum which consists mostly of 'wots' is particularly humorous, or the Hedgehog referring to 'His Majesty' as 'Maggie's Tea' or later just 'Tiggy'). But both offer a profundity and heightened sense of sadness that transcends the bounds of fantasy, and is sorely missing in many of the other works mentioned in this thread.
Certainly, they go about presenting their ideas differently (White's overt anti-war sentiment is offered without apology, whereas Tolkien's Christian ethic is subsumed in his work); however, one can still tell they are cut from the same cloth.
Regarding classic literature (Mallory, et al), I have just finished reading
Gargantua and Pantagruel by Rabelais for the first time since college (hence the epithets in my sig line), and I would heartily recommend it for anyone that has no fear of earthy language and a myriad classical allusions. Voltaire's savage satire of Leibnizean philosophy,
Candide, although not a fantasy, is surreal enough to warrant mention with these other works.