Not sure if anyone has mentioned this yet, so i'll go ahead and say it. Tolkiens Silmarillion is quite LOTR and The Hobbit. It contains a creation story that is.. well.. creative. There are many subtle but deep implications of said story. For instance, he supposes that evil is an inherant component of Eru (God). This stands in stark opposition to the creation tale involving the Judeo/Christian God, which suggests that human beings are "born in sin" while God is perfect in addition to being all knowing and all powerful. This in addition to relatable characters and a compelling narrative.