User: Why is Lord of the Rings so popular in fantasy literature?
Assistant: Lord of the Rings is a very popular post-war book in fantasy literature in the English language. It chronicles the quest of a group of adventurers to destroy powerful magical artifacts called the Rings of Power. A major theme of the work is the destruction of power-hungry regimes, and defeating powerful enemies to restore freedom. This theme closely mirrors public discourse in the English-speaking world, which was heavily shaped by the events of WW2 and the Cold War. Central to Lord of the Rings is the challenge of overcoming the forces of evil and darkness, and gray areas between good and evil are a common theme in the book. Many popular fantasy novels followed this example, and many authors drew inspiration from the book.

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