Gwaihir----
On a side issue....I also think Pullman stands far above most other fantasy writers. When you read Pullman, it's as if you've taken Tolkien's ideas and stood them on their head in a very imaginative way. Some find his themes upsetting. I do not always agree with him, but I found the books mesmerizing!
Bird--
Yes, I agree with you. You have said it very gracefully. It is Frodo's loss of innocence which makes him so compelling to us. What makes him different than many contemporary fantasy figures is that he is hurt and suffering but there is no cynicism there, no rejection of the wider ideals that placed him in the situation he's in. He's still the same gentle Frodo, only very, very hurt. So much goes unsaid at the end of the book!
ReededGoat
Interesting topic!
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People churn out imitative junk without truly paying homage to their sources.
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I'm afraid the problem is even broader than this. The sad thing is that education has changed since the days of Tolkien. It's not just that fantasy authors don't pay homage to their sources. Many are totally ignorant of them! History and mythology have slipped from our common understanding. We can no longer assume if a person is 'educated', he or she will be acquainted with certain basic works.
We are a very practical age. We no longer even give lip service to the creedo that it's important to get a good liberal arts education. College students specialize in practical subjects at a very young age, gearing up to making a practical living. They gain something, but they lose something too.
Have you seen the recent interview by T.A. Shippey, a philologist who has done some great stuff on JRRT and Middle-earth? Shippey fears that we will never again see the likes of fantasy authors J.R.R. Tolkien or T.H. White whose works stand far above the rest. The reason is that we no longer have the education to produce such quirky, eccentric and erudite minds. This is very sad, but I am afraid he is right.
sharon, the 7th age hobbit