One of the problems any DM has in jetisoning Tolkien is that he will have to completely retrain his players in the new culture and setting.

Chances are they will look at you puzzled and then look around for pipeweed and Sam Gamgee.

Even in my current campaign setting...which is totally un-Tolkien and most certainly not Forgotten Realms or Eberron....I have one guy who insists on giving his players faux "elven" names and another who insists that "Bargalanos" is a perfectly legitimate Latin or Greek name.

(My current campaign has more in common with Dune or the Young Kingdoms, mixed with Creatures of Darkness and Light and Treasure Planet than with Tolkien.)

The training period for a new setting can be long....even if the new setting means merely moving back to the Dark Ages or a 17th century pirate setting.  Most players are familiar with Tolkien and most comfortable in a sort of Late Middle Ages That Never Was.  Even a trip to China can throw them off.  Players keep trying to purchase horned helmets for their vikings to wear in the court of Queen Elizabeth while fighting against the minions of Julius Caesar and Marie Antoinette.

Ah well, we try.

Mark