Other Reading.....Any Recommendations ?

[Marileangorifurnimaluim]

I second those, though it's been a long time since I've read the Inferno.

Nobody, but nobody, equals Tolkien's level of detail.

Sticking to the Fantasy Genre:

T.H. White is of course a classic.
The Riddlemaster of Hed, Patricia A. McKillip
Trilogy
better than the title seems, has much of the same humor, banter, charm and humanity you find in the LotR
A Wizard of Earthsea, or the Tombs of Atuan, Ursula K. Leguin. Her most famous work is The Left Hand of Darkness, which is SciFi and brilliant/somewhat disturbing. Ursula by-the-way, really started to suck when she turned feminist, I've no idea why.
she's past master of language, like Tolkien she doesn't just write, she sings her stories in near verse cadence
Game of Thrones series
George R. R. Martin
He's quite cynical and political, more Fritz Leiber than Tolkien, but has created a beautifully realized world and powerful characters. One of the best of recent fantasy.his web page to whet your interest
Elric of Melnibone, Micheal Moorcock
seriously depressing, almost the moral opposite of Tolkien
Alright, the Wheel of Time, Robert Jordan, but I think it's over-rated as Tolkien can never be.
Fritz Leiber's short stories, if you're in the mood for flippant fun rather than serious travelling.

If SciFi floats your boat, try:
Enders Game, Orson Scott Card
Foundation, Isaac Asimov
Dune, Frank Herbert
Cyteen, C. J. Cherryh

For Fun (and when you get sick of it all):
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams (lol funny).

-Maril

[ January 04, 2002: Message edited by: Marileangorifurnimaluim ]

[ January 04, 2002: Message edited by: Marileangorifurnimaluim ]