JRR Tolkien v JK Rowling

Is JK Rowling the number one fan of JRR Tolkien? Both tell stories about young boys going on epic journeys with wacky wizard friends, not forgetting dark forces, Gollums and house elves. Plus both are loved by adults and children alike.

Tolkien: Wrote a hugely acclaimed story about a young, innocent hero who acquires magical properties and some wacky wizard friends on an epic journey of adventure. Not forgetting dark forces, lots of places with Capital Letters and some peculiar invented languages. Very long.

Rowling: Er, can you spot the difference? Is Harry Potter really 'the most exciting and original series of the past 100 years' - or does it have to be because UK publishing and bookshops will otherwise drop deep into the Goblet of Fire?

Tolkien: First read seriously by adults in the 1960s, years after original publication, and inspiring among other things: hippie-type questions such as 'Why can't I stay in my hobbit hole all day like Bilbo Baggins?'; Pink Floyd albums; and names for psychedelic stalls at music festivals.

Rowling: First read seriously by adults immediately and obtrusively on public transport, indicating that they are in touch with their inner-child; have queued up at Waterstones with ten-year olds in wizard costumes and will only be reading one book this year.

Tolkien: After The Hobbit, readers had to wait nearly two decades for The Lord Of The Rings. And Tolkien wrote lots of other books. If his publisher had mentioned instant sequel he would probably have sent them to the Crack of Doom - and told them what to do with their Gollum pencil cases.

Rowling: The three-year gap between the latest Harry Potter and its predecessor gave the publishing industry panic attacks - as does the vexed question of how many sequels are still to come. Resistance is futile: watch them cast Quidditch spells on you.