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Jerrodm
It's been a couple of decades since I read these all the way through as a boy - I'm currently half-way through the second book in the series with my own sons - but I think that's right. In fact, I think Brooks himself said that he started off to write a reimagining of Middle-Earth, but taking off from the idea that it's a post-apocalyptic Earth, where the different races are the products of differential mutation or other pressures brought on by the fallout of a global nuclear war. Obviously there are other differences as well, namely that magic exists!
But yes, I do think the subsequent stories expand the world of the Shannara series away from the direct debt to LOTR, and towards being its own world. Of course it's still strongly influenced by Middle Earth in terms of the characteristics of the races, the types of weaponry, clothing, etc. But I think that's natural given the starting point. What's interesting is that in a later series (The Word and Void series) Brooks ties this world directly to our own present-day world. I remember being totally blown away by that as a kid reading these through!
But yes, I do think the subsequent stories expand the world of the Shannara series away from the direct debt to LOTR, and towards being its own world. Of course it's still strongly influenced by Middle Earth in terms of the characteristics of the races, the types of weaponry, clothing, etc. But I think that's natural given the starting point. What's interesting is that in a later series (The Word and Void series) Brooks ties this world directly to our own present-day world. I remember being totally blown away by that as a kid reading these through!
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