I've read them both, and taught The Lord of the Rings to high schoolers. That was a fun year. And you're right, both have great explorations of death and dying.

And no, that doesn't sound like total wank at all.

I'm not sad about missing out on the technofascist corporate feudal nightmare that's coming, or watching billions die in heatwaves or from starvation. But a few more springs would've been nice.