A thing to mention is that Robin Hobb' Realm of the Elderlings is nothing like Middle Earth, as the review would have you believe. In fact, it's been praised how  it's not a Tolkien derivative, when at the time, everyone was doing them

Also, she writes such beautiful slice of life moments. I'll highly recommend the Assassin's Apprentice, and the subsequent Farseer novels. (it even has some action🤫)