Eru
Feanor greatest of all the children
Earendil the blessed
Melkor have to have him to have the rest of the story
Beren one hand
Ulmo and Alue (tie)
Bilbo and Frodo (tie)
Elrond
Gladerial (maybe the greatest of the children after Feanor)
Thingol graymantel
I know I left out Gandolf, but he was scared of Sauron (lays of Beleriand)
Legolas and Gimli really do not do much in the books
Sauron really just a servant. Never really won any battles
Glauring the great worm. I should have put him there
Smaug not much really
Turin cursed. A very tragic one
Tuor not enough room
Tom never liked him
Manwe just sat here
There are a ton of great ones. Hard to pick just ten, but I will go with that.