a masterpiece for the 20th century but weaker than a lot of the 21st century books. if you call LOTR a masterpiece than you should also call HP the same thing since the story, themes and characters in HP are stronger than that of LOTR with a lot more depth.
None of you have given any real reasons why LOTR is better. you just say it...because???
how can LOTR be better when the story in LOTR is not as complex or as multilayered as harry potter?
how can LOTR be better when HP had more three dimensional characters?
how can LOTR be better when the story of LOTR was pretty straight forward unlike HP that has so many great plot twist and great surprises and was interwoven for the 7 books?
how can LOTR be better when the concept and destruction of the hourcraxes was far more complicated and less simple than destroying the one ring?
how can LOTR be better when HP dealt with deeper and mature themes?
Tolkien's writing was much more beautiful & denser than Rowling's, & I'd almost bet she'd agree.
Michael Bay makes complex movies, doesn't mean they're better.
HP had 3 dimensional characters because there were only 3 leads, plus they were allowed 7 books to be revealed.
Tolkien constructed an entire place of being (i.e. world, universe, etc) that was Middle Earth, with languages, history, traditions, factions, etc. Rowling graphed the wizarding world over our own.
I love the HP books & films... I think you believed we stated there was some giant gulf between quality.
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well I would not directly compare JK to JR directly in writing since their styles were different. JR was more of a modern influenced Shakespearian writer. Rowling was more of a contemporary writer, as for beautiful while I would commend both we cant ignore the fact that many harry potter quotes has made it into not just pop culture but just culture in general especially the life lessons ones. more than JR quotes in LOTR.
Michal Bay does not make complex movies, HE MAKES SILLY MOVIES.
I think 3 dimensional characters should not be limited by books and this is why I said both should not be compared because when you compare both LOTR will come out weaker. LOTR may not have had 3 dimensional characters because most books written in that era didn't have 3 dimensional characters. not faulting jrr Tolkien for this since he did not choose what era to be born or live.
You are right about tolkien, and why I said.... LOTR is the best high fantasy book of the 20th century. nonetheless don't underestimate non high fantasy authors because you see the truth is constructing a contemporary fantasy world like the wizarding world is a lot harder than constructing a high fantasy world like middleearth because with high fantasy you have a lot more liberty to create and dismiss your own rules.
contemporary fantasy like HP requires you to think more and be more artistically creative because you have to create a world that can be believable as the real world and you cant just do whatever you want like high fantasy. however both authors have done really well on both worlds. the wizarding world is just as big and as indepth as the lotr world, the film just chose to focus on uk because hp was a British franchise. but not withstanding both worlds are very vast. this is a rough example of both worlds from the general wikipedia and both while been different types of fantasy are equally as impressive.
LOTR Universe.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle-earth
1 Tolkien's legendarium
2 Terminology
2.1 Etymology
2.2 Use by Tolkien
2.3 Extended usage
3 Geography
3.1 Maps
3.2 Formation
3.3 The First Age
3.4 The Second and Third Ages
3.5 Maps of Middle-earth
3.6 Correspondence with the geography of Earth
4 History
4.1 Ainulindalë
4.2 The Beginning of Days
4.3 The First Age
4.4 The Second Age
4.5 The Third Age
4.6 The Fourth Age
5 Languages and peoples
5.1 Ainur
5.2 Elves
5.3 Men
5.4 Dwarves
5.5 Hobbits
5.6 Other races
6 Books
6.1 Middle-earth works by Tolkien
7 Adaptations
7.1 Films
7.2 Games
7.3 Middle-earth in other works
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle-earth
HP Universe.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fictional_universe_of_Harry_PotterContents
1 Fundamentals
2 Geography
3 Animals and plants
3.1 Laws concerning magic creatures
4 Blood purity
4.1 Pure-blood
4.2 Half-blood
4.3 Muggle-born
4.4 Squibs
4.5 Mixed species
5 Government and politics
6 Relations
6.1 To the Muggle world
6.1.1 Policies on wizard-muggle relationships
6.2 Internally
6.2.1 Internationally
7 Education
7.1 Before Hogwarts
7.2 After Hogwarts
7.3 Wizarding Examinations Authority
7.4 O.W.L.s
7.4.1 Grading
7.5 N.E.W.T.s
7.6 Known foreign schools
7.7 Other schools
8 Economy
8.1 Coins
8.2 Exchange rate
9 Games and sports
10 Communications
10.1 Owls
10.2 Patronuses
10.3 Floo Powder
10.4 Dark magic communication
10.5 Other forms of communication
11 Transportation
11.1 Apparition
11.2 Transportation objects
11.3 Portkeys
11.4 Thestrals
12 Wizarding media
12.1 The Daily Prophet
12.2 The Quibbler
12.3 Other magazines
12.4 Radio
13 Food and beverages
13.1 Magical sweets
13.2 Butterbeer
13.3 Firewhisky
13.4 Pumpkin juice
13.5 Gillywater
14 Books
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so , this is a abstract nutshell of both worlds and both world are very indepth and executed well. Now if you really want to see how big and vast both worlds are visit their offical online wikies. LOTR has bout 6000+ entries of the LOTR universe.
lotr.wikia.com/wiki/Middle-earth HP has about 12 000+ of entries of the Wizarding arding World.
harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Main_PageNow this does not officially mean HP is bigger or better than LOTR as a universe , what it means is that you people have greatly underestimated HP or dont know much about the universe. or like I said earlier. saying what you think is the cool answer.
neither should be compared due to the time gap of both writers but when you do compare both series. LOTR is more of at a disadvantage.