I ran across a link to a very well-written article discussing why fantasy writers should or should not imitate Tolkien. The link was posted by a fellow named Matt (aka Deliverator) as part of a discussion on The Riddle of Steel fan forums. We were talking about different styles of roleplaying, and naturally Tolkien came up as an example upon which to base a roleplaying game story.
Sarah Monette, the article’s author, makes some very astute and well-spoken points. She expresses thoughts that have sat half-formed in my brain for years now. I think you’ll really enjoy reading this article. I did.