In this one his style changes a little--and not for the better, but so what?

In retrospect, another shortcoming is the scarcity of female characters. And isn't it just too bad that Eowyn has to learn the error of her ambitious ways? And another thing, too, those swarthy Southrons who scatter willy-nilly without putting up much of a fight--does that strike anyone else as Eurocentric? Sigh.

Even so, I was one of those obsessive types who read all of the appendices, learned the alphabets, wrote to friends in Elvish script.