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On the one hand, Silmarillion will always be "greater" than LOTR, because everything is bigger, more powerful, one might say more perilous.
But on the other hand, I would say that LOTR is "greater" than the Silmarillion. It has one key ingredient missing in the History of the Silmarils: hobbits. Let's face it: without hobbits LOTR really is just a weaker version of the Silmarillion. But it's not the Wise and the Great that begin and complete the Quest of the Ring (though they certainly give it aid): it's Frodo and Samwise. The reader cannot identify with Feanor, Maedhros, Fingon, Luthien, Beren, Turin, etc., but he can identify with Bilbo, Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin.
Someone else can continue this argument, I'm certain; I'll leave it for the time being.
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"If you're referring to the incident with the dragon, I was barely involved. All I did was give your uncle a little nudge out of the door."
THE HOBBIT - IT'S COMING
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