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Old 10-24-2013, 04:31 AM   #14
Legate of Amon Lanc
A Voice That Gainsayeth
 
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: In that far land beyond the Sea
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Legate of Amon Lanc is spying on the Black Gate.Legate of Amon Lanc is spying on the Black Gate.Legate of Amon Lanc is spying on the Black Gate.Legate of Amon Lanc is spying on the Black Gate.Legate of Amon Lanc is spying on the Black Gate.Legate of Amon Lanc is spying on the Black Gate.
I am currently reading The Fionavar Tapestry by Guy Gavriel Kay, and seconding Lommy (who, as it happens, recommended the book to me), I must say for myself that if there was ever an author who gave the feel at least a bit similar to Tolkien, it is Guy Gavriel Kay in The Fionavar Tapestry (I have read other book by him before, but it was very different, most of his other books are the sort of "history-inspired fantasy"). But the Fionavar Tapestry is unbelievably similar, something between Silmarillion and LotR. I guess it has a lot to do with the fact that GGK helped Christopher Tolkien with the revisions of the original Sil. But I really, really recommend it - after just reading the first volume. It has the sort of "old fantasy world" with good vs. evil, but not just like some random Dungeons and Dragons-style thing, but really, very much like LotR/Sil. And there are the themes and feelings which one generally associates with LotR and Sil, too. Besides, it is incredibly epic, almost over the top, but that makes it only good. I am glad I overcame my disbelief when I heard the plot summary - don't trust first impression. It is really worth reading it all. And once you are halfway through, you can't get away from it anymore.

And let me underline once again. I have never, ever encountered anything that touches Tolkien in the same way. Everything else is either too superficial (all the general Dungeons and Dragons stuff, or even things like Raymond E. Feist), too 'grimly realistic' (Martin), too naive (Eragon), or simply lacks the depth.

Not to say it doesn't have flaws, and there is obviously still something it lacks in regards to Tolkien, but it gets as close as one can. The semi-naive approach (since it was apparently GGK's first book) at times is counterweighted by the "deep moments" - which come mostly later in the book, but... they totally make up for it.
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