Dinner Conversation: books and the family

Dad's the only one in the house who hasn't read towers of midnight. While setting places at the table and throughout dinner, the family was discussing the Wheel of Time series (i.e., strongest main cast female light channelers, the Black Tower, Morianne, Mat, etc). Eventually, we shift to Mercedes Lackey. I have yet to read the two latter books of  Mage Storms series but I got some information on how it all ended.

Anyway, here's the non-verbatim closing remarks

Pa: Robert Jordan borrowed from a lot of mythologies

Ma: He's very Tolkien

Pa: But did he bring it to a higher level?

Ma: He's like a mix of Tolkien and

Ma and Pa: Mercedes Lackey

Ma: If Jordan, or that guy (Sanderson) ends the series similar to what Lackey did...

-fade-

That part I did not hear that well :p

Also, I think it's cool when my parents finish each others sentences. haha.

That brings up the question. What would it take to be original with literature these days?