Rowling vs Tolkien, who created the most creative world?

Use this forum for book and reading discussion that doesn't fall into another category. Talk about books, genres, reading issues, general literature, and any other topic of particular interest to readers. If you want to start a thread about a specific book or a specific series, please do that in the section below this one.
Post Reply
User avatar
Himmelslicht
Posts: 918
Joined: 06 Dec 2014, 06:31
Favorite Author: Gabriel. G. Marquez
Favorite Book: One Hundred Years of Solitude
Currently Reading: Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
Bookshelf Size: 340
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-himmelslicht.html

Re: Rowling vs Tolkien, who created the most creative world?

Post by Himmelslicht »

I think both are terribly creative but let's see beyond creativity: what I love the most about an author, even a fantasy author, is their ability to leave no loose ends. Tolkien was good at that, even though I liked Rowling's plots better than Tolkien's. I love both authors but in matter of leaving a finished work more polished and "good-looking" I'd pick Tolkien without a doubt.
"Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world."
- Gustave Flaubert
User avatar
kio
Posts: 778
Joined: 17 Apr 2014, 21:52
Favorite Author: Janet Evanovich
Favorite Book: <a href="http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/shelve ... vermore</a>
Bookshelf Size: 532
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-kio.html
Latest Review: "A Twist of Fate" by Mark W. Johnson
Reading Device: 1400697484
fav_author_id: 2658

Post by kio »

For me, it's Rowling. Although Tolkien was creative for his time, his world didn't engage me. Which, for me, is a requirement for me to consider it creative.
"Books are unique portable magic."-Stephen King
Latest Review: "A Twist of Fate" by Mark W. Johnson
User avatar
lincolnp
Posts: 236
Joined: 23 Nov 2011, 13:40
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by lincolnp »

It is hard to say, I love both, but I have been a LOTR fan for forever. I love the Harry Potter series. I don't think that the Harry Potter books were expressly written for young readers. I think the books increased in complexity as her readers grew older. I do have to say that I have re-read the LOTR more often than the HP books. Both are amazing.
User avatar
Bigtwoheartedriver
Posts: 8
Joined: 12 Jan 2015, 21:37
Bookshelf Size: 8
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-bigtwoheartedriver.html

Post by Bigtwoheartedriver »

Butterbescotch wrote:I would respect your decision that Tolkein, not Tokkin, would be the best. But It would be ignorant saying the premise: Since Harry Potter is written for kids and LOTR is written for adults. And Adults>Kids. Then LOTR>HP.
That premise is ignorant and ill-informed. While Harry Potter was written for kids, it is rife with legitimate literary themes and motifs, and it is informed by a cornucopia of important literature. It is very serious literature in many ways. Also, LOTR and The Hobbit were written for children. The Hobbit was written at the request of Tolkien's nephew (I believe it was). And LOTR Tolkien's addition to that story. The fact that LOTR and The Hobbit were written initially for children is vastly overlooked. It's taken for granted because the story appeals to so many adults, but I first read them when I was young. My mother read The Hobbit to me before I could read and it was the first "serious"/long book I read on my own. Children's literature is a vastly overlooked and often very gratifying genre of literature. It still is literature.

-- 14 Jan 2015, 11:43 --
Himmelslicht wrote:I think both are terribly creative but let's see beyond creativity: what I love the most about an author, even a fantasy author, is their ability to leave no loose ends. Tolkien was good at that, even though I liked Rowling's plots better than Tolkien's. I love both authors but in matter of leaving a finished work more polished and "good-looking" I'd pick Tolkien without a doubt.
When Tolkien died, he left a garage full of manuscripts and parts of manuscripts all related to Middle Earth. His son has been compiling and editing them for years, which is why new things from Tolkien keep showing up. Tolkien was incredibly prolific, he just has problems finishing single things. Many of his manuscripts are unfinished. He created an immense amount for the world of Middle Earth that it is essentially unparalleled.
User avatar
KristineNicole
Posts: 158
Joined: 07 Dec 2014, 15:47
Favorite Author: Emily Bronte
Favorite Book: Wuthering Heights
Currently Reading: The Snow Child By Eowym Ivey
Bookshelf Size: 0
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-kristinenicole.html
fav_author_id: 2494

Post by KristineNicole »

It's very close for me; as I'm a fan of both, but in my opinion Tolkien created the more creative world.
User avatar
Lila Randhawa
Posts: 272
Joined: 26 Apr 2019, 08:29
Favorite Book: Pride and Prejudice
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 55
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-lila-randhawa.html
Latest Review: Conversing with Various Entities by Mary Ellen Wall

Post by Lila Randhawa »

I think Tolkien created a more creative world in the LOTR series than Rowling in HP. Tolkien’s world is a whole new world more complex with many races and languages. HP’s world is essentially our world consisting magical and non magical folk. Although, Hogworts school is a world in itself.

I love both the series. Read the books a couple of times and watched the movies innumerable times. Both the stories are unique, but I can’t help notice many similarities between the two. To list a few:

1. Frodo is the chosen one to destroy the ring, and the ring has a will of its own. Harry is the chosen one to destroy Lord Voldemort, marked by Voldemort himself.

2. Frodo is accompanied by his friend till the very end. Harry is, too.

3. There is an old and wise wizard in both the series working relentlesssly for the greater good.

4. Sam sacrifices his love to see Frodo’s mission through. Hermione let’s her love go to see the Harry’s mission through.

5. The ring and the horcruxes affect people bearing them in a similar way.

Just something to think about. :)
User avatar
-Tinuthien-
Posts: 18
Joined: 01 May 2019, 01:49
Currently Reading: Mrs Dalloway
Bookshelf Size: 14
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-tinuthien.html
Latest Review: Four Funny Potatoes! by Len Foley

Post by -Tinuthien- »

It seems to me that Rowling's creativity lays more in being able to write an engaging story with creative, unexpected elements and interesting plots and characters, while Tolkien's creativity goes much deeper, is more in the world of Middle Earth and foremost, its history. Don't get me wrong, I think the history of both worlds is very well thought out, but with the sheer amount of it that Tolkien produced, I definitely think his world is most creative.
User avatar
snovanna
Posts: 17
Joined: 24 May 2019, 17:24
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 4
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-snovanna.html
Latest Review: Finding A Job in Tough Times by Dr. Tim Johnson

Post by snovanna »

The world of Harry Potter is magical, but that has been done before with less success. Stories about witches or wizards in magic schools were not new when Rowling published the books. The magical world is placed in the real world, a thing that opens many questions. Some of which are answered by the author in her books or mostly by her Twitter account.
The charm Harry Potter books have, don't cancel the fact that we heard those types of stories before. Rowling only added details to two worlds that already existed. One in literature and TV and the other in real life.

Tolkien was ahead in time when he created his stories. His world is consistent with its deities, myths, and languages; each one coherent with the fictional civilizations they belonged to. The creatures featured in his books are inspired by European folk stories, but Tolkien presented them in an innovative approach. He granted them unique cultural characteristics, which should be considered real creativity. :D
User avatar
mariana90
Posts: 274
Joined: 14 Jan 2019, 19:50
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 30
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-mariana90.html
Latest Review: Zonas de quema by Jorge P. Newbery
Reading Device: B00L89V1AA

Post by mariana90 »

I agree that Rowling's world is very creative, but it can't be compared with Tolkien's. This guy created an entire mythology, complete LANGUAGES, backstories to his backstories!

Just in the sheer scope of their works, Tolkien crushes Rowling. I LOVE Harry Potter, but it's not even a contest.
User avatar
ErikaP13
Posts: 183
Joined: 07 Apr 2019, 09:58
Favorite Author: Terry Brooks
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 80
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-erikap13.html
Latest Review: The Eye of Illumination by W.C. Gorski
fav_author_id: 5000

Post by ErikaP13 »

I don't think you can really compare the two. The world's they created are completely different. Tolkien envisioned and created an entire world from scratch. New species, new geography, new languages, even a new time system. Rowling created something different within the existing world. Her fantasy world was inserted into reality whereas Tolkien created a new reality. Their creativity works in different ways and spheres. They wrote to different audiences and in different time periods. To compare them would be unfair to both worlds. At the end of the day, it'll come down to personal preference.
User avatar
Monet_va
Posts: 266
Joined: 10 Mar 2019, 03:26
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 49
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-monet-va.html
Latest Review: Cowboys Don't Fly by John Steed

Post by Monet_va »

I stand by Tolkien all the way! He's the father of fantasy, and I think he was the first to create so much of what we now know as fantasy. While Rowling did create something new and different, I still prefer Tolkien's traditional secondary world fantasy.
Post Reply

Return to “General Book & Reading Discussion”