[Raynor]

Originally Posted by davem

I've never argued that

I still am not sure what you mean, and you didn't read my PM request for clarification, apparently. If you agree that subjective perception is the only thing that matters, then how come you make judgements of value which you consider to be objectively true??

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

So, Tolkien failed to add more Middle-earth mythology. What makes us think we would be any better at coming up with something new and as exciting as LotR?

I believe you are mixing issues here. In regards to the New Shadow, it is not that no new story can be added by anyone, but that such stories, in the fourth age "after the overthrow of Sauron", are "not worth recounting" - most likely because Sauron is the last mythological evil "power point", according to Myths Transformed. We know from various places, such as Tolkien's comments on Beowulf, that great foes may give a story 'lofty tone and high serioussness' and they may endow a hero with great significance - in the extreme, a resistance without hope is a perfect one. But, as stated previously, there are no such worthy enemies in the fourth age - and I believe this is the reason that any story is likely to not match the tone of the stories concerning the first three ages. But when talking about a new story about M-E I doubt anyone has in mind (or at least not first and foremost) a story about the fourth age.