[Walker Boh]

Bardos has triggered a thought to my usual absent head!

I personally read a great variety of fantasy books by different authors and noticed strange similarities between certain authors and their stories/plots.

The strongest connection is that TERRY BROOKS has basically "copied" TOLKEIN's LOTR!! How dare he!

Another strong connection is that GRRMartin is taking pinches of David Edding's plots. Such as the charcter of Tyrion and Beldin!

Tad Williams's Otherland is similar to Clive Barker's Weaveworld series.

I suppose when there are hundreds of authors in a particual genre (especially fantasy) there are bound to be some similarites. But the mentioned 3 above are very alarming/frightening comparisions.

Any thoughts?

[Metosblat]

Your absent mind seems to have missed
"UFB!!!(Unidentified flying beldin)" also. http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by Metosblat (edited April 24, 2001).]

[Rob B]

Speculative Fiction writers use a lot of the same mythological roots and symbolisms in their writing, so the similarities are pretty difficult to avoid.

I think most can agree about the Brooks/Tolkien thing.

I haven't read Eddings or Weaveworld by Barker so I really can't speak about those two, either.

As for Otherland by Tad Williams, I think it is a masterpiece. He purposely made all the VR worlds similar to created worlds of fantasy/scifi books. Tad also worked in the computer industry so he has a good grasp of the VR stuff. (not that I am discounting what Barker did or didn't do).

I think it all comes down to how the author works within the convention of the genre and creates something that is completely their own. Great example is Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn by Tad Williams.

[Rupert Avery]

I mean no offence when I say this,but are you guys for real.
If I write a book about Vampires am I copying another authors idea?

Fantasy has only so many plots.
If now and again some charcters seem to be the same are they really?

He has a sharp wit.
He is a Dwarf.
He is ugly.

Theses are the only 3 things that I find Tyrion and Beldin are the same in.

Yet
One has Magic
One has a whore
One has "brothers" that love him
One has a good mind for command
One is fighting for good
One is fighting for ...well so far evil
They are more differant then they are the same.
Just my 20c worth

[Bardos]

About copies

It's not the writers' fault; it's the publishes', who publish the same things because they were successfull in the past. So, if someone likes Tolkien, would also buy Brook's Shannara; if he/she likes Jordan's WoT, would also buy Goodkind's SoT, etc, etc, etc.
That's today's policy - unfortunatly...
Remember the "good, old days"? R.E. Howard was inspired by Lovecraft, but he didn't copy. There is a great diffrence between inspiration and copying. Tolkien was, also, inspired by Lord Dunsany, but didn't copy him...

[Cadfael]

I think as regard the Otherland books, Williams intentionally copied from other works, but as a tribute, not as plaugerism... Edgar Rice Burrough's Barsoon is in there for sure. I have read Weaveworld, and it is not like Otherland at all IMHO.

of couse there will be similarities in the genre... but as regards the Brook/Tolkien thing... Allanon actually quotes Gandalf word for word in places... cut'n'paste http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

[FitzChivalry]

The Tyrion/Beldin theory is just another conspiracy theory by people who think UFOs kidnapped them to meet Elvis in Atlantis Above.

At least that's how it sounds.

[Zsinj16]

Exactly how much like LOTR is the Shannara Series? Like, could someone please possibly give me some other examples, only make sure you don't give spoilers while telling me, please.

[Metosblat]

Damn my ass is still hurting from that anal probe, but elvis was a nice guy. http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif