I n the broadest sense, the roots of fantasy extend to the very foundations of world literature. Online, an estimated 8 million subscribers play “World of Warcraft,” a multiplayer game that unfolds in a shared universe of sword-wielding heroes and horrific monsters. Schoolboy wizard Harry Potter anchored a colossally successful book and film series, spawning college quidditch teams and making its author, for a time, wealthier than Queen Elizabeth. HBO’s gritty, bawdy “Game of Thrones” is one of the most successful shows on cable, wooing critics and audiences with smart dialogue and sophisticated plotting. Modern fantasy is a vast and commercially successful realm. With each movie’s release, we’ve been reminded of the Oxford professor’s rarefied position in the genre: his epic imagination, unique storytelling abilities, and foundational role in fantasy’s history. W ith the “The Hobbit: The Desola tion of Smaug” sitting atop the box-office list-as now seems automatic for each of Peter Jackson’s vivid renderings of Middle-earth-we’re treated to a new round of public accolades for author J.R.R.
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