http://copyright.nova.edu/avatar-lawsuit/
“Did Cameron get the idea for the floating mountains from a Yes album cover?
‘It might have been,’ the director says with a laugh.”
Bribed judge?
Floating Mountains is a fairly common concept in SF and Fantasy. Final Fantasy had them in 1994 (two years before the Yes album, if I'm not mistaken.) Floating land masses can date back to at least 1726. Perhaps Mr. Dean should be sued for infringement?
Of course, he shouldn't. But floating landmasses are just a concept. You can't trademark or copyright a concept.
Author of the Sodality Universe
The Road from Antioch
In the Markets of Tyre
Flight to Lystra
The Theater at Ephesus
The Council on Jerusalem