Side rant, Lord Of The rings Orcs are problematically categorized as evil yet are sentient and at least in the movies (I haven't read the books) that is never examined beyond providing the heroes cannon fodder and evil army to pillage the hero's home.
Klingons on the otherhand have been immensely fleshed out as a vibrant complex species with many subcultures that still exhibit a capacity and willingness to engage in violence that feels decidedly inhuman (but also of course quintessentially human too) and Star Trek subverts and confirms the stereotype of Klingons in a confusing way that only truly subversive storytelling bothers to.
Klingons could "just" have been Lord Of The Rings Space Orcs, but the writers of Star Trek have consistently chosen more interesting possibilities to expand behind the initial facade of who Klingons appear to be at first glance. For one humans don't win against the space orcs, they find other ways to end the war/wars that leverage an understanding of Klingons and making political gestures that are salient to their culture.
I don't mean this as a huge takedown or critique I just think the juxtaposition is interesting.
Same thing with the ferengi at least in DS9.