: You know about a year and a half ago accadamics voted for the top 100 books of the century. Tolkien did not get even honorable mention. When people called in they actually said Tolkien's was a nice little story but not worthy of the list. Ulisses (spell) was number one. Did you ever read that thing? It is horrible. Lord of The Rings is fantasy and not understood by many.

I actually find Ulysses really cool. I also consider it fantasy, but of a different type than Tolkien's. The people and places aren't fantasy, but the style very much is. It mystifies rather than demistifies, bringing magic back into everyday life, and that while remaining faithful to the truth. There are authors who achieve more or less the opposite. Despite wonderful fantasy/Sci-Fi settings and awesome characters, they manage to develop the story line of a regurgitated Holywood romance.