Stereotypical of other fantasy? Tolkien has been called the father of modern fantasy. That could be a compliment from one perspective, and an insult from another. Here are some similar threads that might be of use:
A,
B,
C.
That Tolkien differs radically from what I would call stock fantasy can be seen by looking up some basic themes on this forum:
Magic:
A,
B,
C,
D.
Critters other than humans
A,
B,
C,
D.
Religion, philosophy, cosmology
A,
B.
Literary and social impact
A,
B,
C,
D,
E,
F,
G,
H.
This is a minute list of great threads that demonstrate how Tolkien differed from other modern fantasy authors. It is easier, of course, to list the similarities, but nearly impossible to list the differences - there’s simply so many. In my opinion, and I can be opinionated, the primary difference between Tolkien and the rest of the genre is threefold: education, intelligence, and an ability to write. [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]