> With all due respect to Christopher, most of us would probably have been better off with a writer creating original storyline(s) that drew from JRR Tolkein's unpublished material but which weren't constrained by it--except perhaps to the extent it remained consistent with LoTR.

But that wouldn't have sold as well. In spite of it being actually honest. See the Dune "sequels". They might have been fine if they didn't have the Herbert name on it, but they do and there's no resemblance in depth and writing style between them and the actual Dune series.

If you just want more in the same universe, that works. But for me they're just cash grabs.