Create-A-Card Competition

Reading (in my experience) is really something you have to make time for
and that can be difficult when you're just not into whatever it is you're trying to read

but yeah I just don't think it's a good idea to judge the epic fantasy genre on lotr because it was the "first" epic fantasy
meaning that a lot has improved since then
the writers are slowly learning how to avoid the various pitfalls that come with writing about wizards and magic and such

it's like reading/watching those old buck Rogers and flash Gordon comics/shows/movies and judging sci fi on that only without having watched star wars or star trek or firefly or the matrix or stargate ect ect

not saying like "OMG go read another book you dick"
just that if you're in the mood to read maybe give epic fantasy another try and read something a bit newer and not geared towards a younger crowd
alternatively just wait for some of the more epic fantasy series to be made into films
because of the huge success lotr and hp had it's likely to happen in the next 5 years

oh also avoid fantasy tv shows
I personally haven't seen a good one yet