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I think this sums up just why Tolkien's writing does have such a grip on us.
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Something that is so difficult for most authors of fantasy to do for so many people. Oh course, any particular fantasy novel will catch people's attention, but at a very narrow and specific level. What was most amazing about the world of Middle-Earth is that it is not a narrow fan base nor specific in it's readers. Perhaps that is why if feels so wonderful to read and to be aware of.
Oh course, Tolkien didn't invent Elves, or Dwarves or the idea of another world of magic and warriors. Though he expanded in such a way that no-one ever thought of his stories as just another static Fantasy. Anyone can invent creatures or take old races and give them a third dimension but to solidify them in people's minds as Tolkien did is the real art.
Who knows very much about Dungeons and Dragons? It was based on the LOTR, and it is an example of how so many people are affected by Tolkien's world.
Also, I'm on search for those Downers lucky enough to have lived through the roar of Tolkien fanatics in the 60s and 70s. That phenomenon fascinates me.