[Grimward]

Brooks' creation has evolved so far beyond the Sword book that it's sometimes difficult to recognize the place! And as for comparing the more recent series (Jerle Shannara, High Druid) to Tolkien, well, they're apples and oranges. I echo the sentiment that the similarities really disappeared with Elfstones, and would argue that even in Sword the whole remnants of the pre-Great Wars civilization angle really has no parallel in Tolkien (the closest it gets is Numenor, but you can't really equate the escape and slow dwindling of the line of Elendil to the radical transformation of humans into the inhabitants of the Four Lands brought on by the Great Wars).

Let's hope that the manic attention to detail that possessed Peter Jackson during LOTR visits Mike Newell. I for one REALLY want to see who they pick to play Amberle.