If there was a writer capable...

[davem]

Bit difficult to answer.

I suppose I'd initially go for something like Smith (though I wouldn't necessarily class it with Niggle - which is clearly an allegory along the lines of Pilgrim's Progress).

Then again, I love the 'childrens' stories like Roverandom & the Father Christmas Letters (I'd probably include TH in with these though, at least in the original edition) where Tolkien makes use of his Legendarium as background but clearly feels free to run with it, & not restrict himself to being consistent).

Just as an aside, Tolkien did plot out a sequel to Giles (the notes are included in the 50th anniversary edition of Giles).

I think we all regret that the final version of Tuor was left unfinished - same with The Notion Club Papers. More essays along the lines of OFS & the Smith Essay would be wonderful too. And will we ever get to read The Fall of Arthur or the New Volsungasaga (or even his translation of Beowulf come to that?).

I suppose in the end I can't decide, because it all depends on my mood - kind of like 'What would I like to read now ?'

Back me into a corner & I'd have to say I want more stories like Smith. But its probably an age thing. I know that it was the Aragorn/Legolas/Gimli storyline that appealed most to me when I first read LotR, now that section seems entertaining but a little cliched (a result I suppose of other fantasy tales & the movies, & its the story of Frodo, Sam & Gollum (& Merry, Pippin & Treebeard) which affects me most strongly.

Then again, I suppose there are two 'Smith's, aren't there - the version that's usually published, with text only, & the 'true' version with the Pauline Baynes illustrations, so to be absolutely precise my choice would be something like the Baynes illustrated SoWM.