Dragondoom, by Dennis L. McKiernan

I'm impressed. I read of this author as a "Tolclone", i.e. an ersatz Tolkien, and it was not flattery. I will admit he goes over and above in copying notions and forms from Tolkien. But this story was original, and fit in a broad history of its own. Not merely a copy of Middle Earth, Mithgar is a world that borrows liberally from Tolkien as well as conventianal history and humanity. He has his own "storyteller" way of narrative, and his peoples include human ethnic types without being heavy handed and obvious. Great story. I look forward to his Iron Tower trilogy!