I never hated Abrams, but it was painfully clear he was a fan -- and fans are not always the best people to put in charge of a franchise, whether it's film, game, or book.
It was as if you let a highly enthusiastic fanfic writer tackle things. Sure, they mean well, but you've got a better chance of getting My Immortal than you do The Last Ringbearer.
And that's with someone who LIKES the franchise. Get someone in there who's got ulterior motives (using the franchise to push their agenda) and to quote a certain annoying actor, "Oh my."