LOTR Ripoff

[Eruviel Greenleaf]

That's a good point, also, JenniferTook, about Beowulf. Now I think I ought to go read it again, not as a school assignment! Nobody can write a story that is entirely original, and people borrow all the time. That's just how writing works, and same with most other things. Also, there are...archetypes, I suppose would be the right word, for whole themes, like in the case of HP and LotR, the unlikely hero, with all the archetypal characters...the unlikely hero, the wise old wizard, etc.

[Radagast The Brown]

ammm.... yes, I agree. Nobody could write a book that seems to be totally different from another book in the world. You get inspire from others books, of course, and not totally from your mind. HP isn't a bad book at all, it's a good book that probably ispire from other fantsy books that Rowling read.

[Eruviel Greenleaf]

Yes, it is rather impossible to write an entirely original book. I know I consciecely (I know I can't spell!) borrow all the time, as do many, many writers.

[Occasionally Jay]

"No new idea under the sun..."

..or something to that effect...

I actually do like the HP books. I think they're cute, and a nice refresher after trudging through something "Epic". (Man cannot live on Gormenghast alone...)

[Eruviel Greenleaf]

HP books are nice, especially on summer days when I have nothing to do and I can finish it in one day. Like I did with Goblet of Fire when it came out. It was especially good with chocolate!

[Occasionally Jay]

I liked it...

They're too nasty to Snape. (In all fairness, he's too nasty right back. Yes, I, the (insert number here)nth Snape fangirl of ages will admit that.)

Sometimes the simplicity gets too....

..simple. Right then. *blinks* The SATs have shorted my brain.

Pardon. I'll post again when I'm coherent, perhaps.

[Eruviel Greenleaf]

I like Snape. He could have a bit of a better character, but his character does improve over time, although I still think he's spending too much time hating Harry, and I want a reason behind this! But despite that, he's one of my favorite characters.

And now we are getting dangerously off-topic. . .

[Finrod Felagund]

Has anyone thought of the Wormtail-Wormtongue similarity. Unintentional I'm sure but their characters (and names) are quite similar.

[Occasionally Jay]

Grima and Peter, huh? (been too long since I've read it. I think his name's Peter, and that's what I'm going to call him.) Worm-anything could be used to describe a sniveling character. Grima's got much more spunk than Peter, though. More convincing, smarter..

If the HP series ends with Wormtail leaping upon Voldemort (or Lucius Malfoy might be more appropriate...) and cutting his throat, THEN I'll admit that HP rips off LotR.

[Eruviel Greenleaf]

Yes, I did notice that. . .interesting. Another archetype; the slimey character who turns out to be bad. . .

[Eruviel Greenleaf]

But again, it's a common (relatively common, anyway) plot-twist to have the slimey evil guy turn on his evil master. I wouldn't be surprised if that happens, from the way I can see the story is going, with Wormtail. And yes, you were right, his name is Peter Pettigrew.

[Radagast The Brown]

As usual I agree with Eruviel. There are lots of books that the good one turned to be the bad guy. It's mean nothing.

[samwise of the shire]

I'm reading his Letters. Did you know Strider was originally named Trotter? I think that's hilarious. And Fredegar was Hamilcar.

Oh boy there's LOTS more Check this out:
Trotter=Frodo's second removed cousin Peregrin Took also known as Perry who ran off and became a ranger in wodden clogs(went to Mordor got captured. You know what happens to prisoners in Barad-dur.)
Merry=Marmaduke Brandybuck. Hey I can live with that. It's a cute name. They could call him Marmy!
Pippin=Frodo. quickley changed(thank goodness)to Faramond and from there I dunno.
Sam=Odo and from there to Sam(THANK YOU TOLKIEN!!!)
Frodo=(Oh boy this is a treat. ) BINGO Bolger-Baggins the 70 yr old who has no money, decides to go off to find some money, with the Ring(to help with escapes), and who is absolutly CLUELESS about the Ring has NO idea WHY he's being attacked by Black Riders and as such doesn't know anything till the council of Elrond.(THANKS GANDALF.)
Farmer. M.=Arch enemy to BINGO*sniggers*because Latter killed his dog with a rock.
Treebeard=Evil ent who holds Gandalf captive in the Black Mountains in his castle(Ok whatever) and then who befriends BINGO(finally known as FRODO) and shows himself to be a good guy after all.
Boromir=Prince of OND who accompanies BINGO(I cant get over that) on his quest.
Legolas=Messanger form the king of Mirkwood. Doesn't really come into the story.
Gimli=Forgot his name but it was some thing beggining with B.
Bilbo= I couldn't figure it out. For one minute he was this hobbit that got married and his great grandson Bingo became the Ringbearer, THEN went off into the blue and died. THEN went to Rivendell for the heck of it.
Glorfindel=Elf who saves Bingo from being diced into mincemeat and then goes off with the Fellowship out into the wild blue yonder. THAT is why Glorfindel is even IN LOTR is because HE was the Original elf.
Gandalf=The only character who DIDN'T need changes.
You know I wrote a song about Bingo. Who WOLDN'T!I mean it's like so obvious. B-I-N-G-O!LOL!
Sam

[Tar-Elendil]

replying to a previous post,

Dark capes and fear have been the penchant of evil since the greek vampires.

..yea yea..i get what you're saying...but what im saying is..there are A LOT of instances in which harry potter is very similar to lotr..and if you think i im saying they are similar to the nazgul because they merely wear black then you are wrong

[Occasionally Jay]

Look, the Silmarillion and the Bible are "really" similar. LotR and Harry Potter need ten foot poles to touch each other.

I'd even say that Harry Potter is closer to certain Narnia Chronicles books. (Magician's Nephew, anyone?)

[Menelvagor]

Ok, I've been thinking about this thread all through my band trip (that's why I haven't been posting) and I have to apologize for my previous posts. I completely agree with the other comments on this thread concerning archetypes and such. A lot of the LotR characters and the HP characters fill similar niches (especially Wormtail, he is like several people). If it came off like I don't like HP, that's not what I meant, I actually really like Rowling's work, I just hear waaay too much about them from one of my friends, and it's made me kind of cynical about it. Sorry 'bout that, everyone.

[Faramir]

I think the Prisoner of Azkaban is a lot like LotR. You know how the sorcerer's stone made the elixir of life, well the ring made you live almost for forever. Many things were twisted then turnd into something else.

[sun-star]

The Philosopher/Sorceror's Stone is an old legend though, long before Lotr - another archetype, I suppose, the corruption of artefacts of great power.

[Carafin]

HP does have a lot of the "usual fantasy archetypes" but it is fantasy after all I have read the books but they are nowhere near as well developed as the LotR but still they are good for a laugh (all the stuff she does to the muggles) or a light quick read
Rowling does seem to be developing a bit more depth as the series continues though

[Tar-Elendil]

oh and it annoys me how people can go on about a single thing such as "noones writing being totally original" no duh! i stated that and 5 consecutive posts later people begin to say the exact same thing..i never said "the nazgul are the dementors"..

. The Dementers may look like the Nazgul, but there are big differences. Dementers were "born" that way and have the ability to suck one's soul through their mouth. That's not very Nazgully.

i said theyw re very similar..such as other characters..

LotR and Harry Potter need ten foot poles to touch each other.

have u not been reading the posts? there is numerous characters very similar to one another..going back to authors being "inspired"..if u read one of my earlier posts i said i realize noone's writing is all togother original..but in my opinion harry potter isnt original at all