[The Saucepan Man]

I have only just started reading the Silmarillion, so this might be completely off the wall, but this is my impression from what I have read (and from what has been said in some of the postings above).

The Silmarillion seems to be presented much more as a myth, embellished and exaggerated in the re-telling, whereas LotR is presented as an almost contemporaneous (albeit beautifully told) account. So, while the characters in the Silmarillion appear more impressive in power and deed, this is only because they are presented as mythological heroes (like, for example, Hercules). It does not follow that the characters in LotR are any less heroic or mighty. It is just the way in which they are presented.

And Legalos, I do not quite follow your inclusion of The Hobbit with the LotR as a story of heroes fighting to save their world. Surely, it was just about a bunch of Dwarves and a burglar trying to reclaim the Dwarves' lost treasure hoard. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]