I thought the guy found by the hobbits was going to be Sauron all the way until he was revealed to be Gandalf. The mithril storyline was new to me and I've read the Silmarillion although it was a long time ago. I just remember it as lightweight chainmail. I don't mind the liberties taken and really enjoyed how much some people got angry about black elves.
Plucked and Burned by Sylvia Tomlinson. Set in Oklahoma it is the story of broiler growers against the massive PU (Poultry Unlimited) a thinly disguised Pilgrims Pride. The massive agri business that seeks control over every possible aspect of their lives and attempts to screw the chicken growers in every way possible.
