[Suzerain of Sheol]

The Silmarillion isn't really a sequel or a prequel to LotR. It's a bit tough to explain. It's the mythology of Middle Earth. It takes place (I think) 10,000 years before LotR and is a fairly difficult book to read, in general. I love it, though.

The others... if you like "cute" don't even look at them. They're all brutal stories about war and betrayal that pull no punches whatsoever. The "heroes" in most of them would be villains in other stories.

Anyway, for more traditional fantasy stuff, I always liked Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance, but it seems like the first books in those series are always the best and the rest just go downhill. I can't stand reading R. A. Salvatore's new books anymore.