[davem]

What struck me was the similarity of Eddings concept of 'evil'

Evil is a philosophy of selfishness, an embracing of the core "virtues" of death - that an unchanging state is to be sought and held at all costs. To maintain the status quo, to hold to 'perfection', is the utmost charge.

as an 'unchanging state' - which seems to be the Elvish ideal in Tolkien's creation. Whereas change, flux, mutability is what they seek to escape, what they actually create the Rings to bring about

The world changes, and events continue on their course, whatever we might wish. The only certain escape is death, which makes the cure a good sight worse than the problem.

Yet, its more complex - Frodo, the great Elf-friend, conforms perfectly to Eddings 'good' person:

The philosophy of good means caring for others, and doing right by them - which means sacrificing of one's self. Be it a gift of time, money, or just love, a person must transfer something from himself to another in any act of compassion. This is anathema to evil's ways, as any person so doing not only violates the status quo, but actually makes himself lesser, a step back from perfection.

Frodo, surely, gives absolutely of himself in the ultimate act of compassion - until the end, when he gives in & becomes 'evil' - seeking, through the Ring, stasis, control, death - which is ultimately what the Ring is.

Yet, Tolkien is clear that evil cannot create, cannot come together, & in the end that is why Sauron & Saruman fall:

What those souls of evil nature don't understand, though, is that because good stands together, as a community, that giving of one's self to help another strengthens the whole. When a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, transferring strength from the strongest to the weakest is just basic sense; if the metaphorical chain breaks, all that extra strength won't do the powerful link any good.

In the end I don't know how different the two authors are philosophically - if at all. "Life is more than perfect because it is imperfect" is an interesting idea - Eru's original theme was 'perfect' but in its 'perfection' it is 'less' than it could be, & it is flawed beings who actually lift it beyond that divine 'perfection' into something 'more'. Elves seek to manifest that 'perfection' but that is their tragedy, because the end of that road is 'the long slow sleep of death embalmed'. Life, change, flux, imperfection, the lessening & weakening of the individual, rather than his/her attaining a spurious 'wholeness/perfection, is the superior state.