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In lugnet.loc.uk, Michael LeCount writes:
> > And (getting his flame proof undies on) I know its a childrens book/film but
> > thats no excuse. There are fantastic childrens books/films out there. This
> > was just not very good and terribly unoriginal to boot. Harry Potter and the
> > abject pile of plagiarised rubbish more like :)
> Show me any book that is totally original. As a childrens book, which as you
> point out it is, I have to say that the series is building up to be an
> impressive set of books with the prisoner of Azkaban being my favourite so
> far.
Speaking as an outsider, since I haven't read more than a few pages of
Potter (though I'm casually familiar with the overall plot), I would suggest
that one of Rowlings' greatest virtues is that the vast story she's crafted
is one of very, very few 20th century works of Western fantasy that isn't
heavily derivative of Tolkien, the Arthurian myth, or Greco-Roman mythology.
To single it out as plagiarization is to overlook a great opportunity to
deflate the entire fantasy "literature" industry as a recirculation of a
miniscule number of plot and character archetypes. Potter may not be brand
new on all counts, but Michael is correct to point out that very little is,
and those few works that *are* totally new are generally commercial failures.
Dave!
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Message has 2 Replies:
 | | Re: Saw the movie today! (bit OT)
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| (...) I'm an outsider, too, but if you remember what was on the children's fantasy list 20 years ago, there were a tremendous number of books about witchcraft, not derivative of those things either. Susan Cooper doesn't count (too Arthurian) but (...) (23 years ago, 5-Dec-01, to lugnet.off-topic.fun)
| | | Re: Saw the movie today! (bit OT)
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| I fully agree that lending aspects from other litriture or sources is valid and can lead to greater creativity and fantastic works. Shakespear's plays were nearly all reworkings of existing stories, Tolkiens LotR contains many aspects and concepts (...) (23 years ago, 5-Dec-01, to lugnet.off-topic.fun)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: Saw the movie today! (bit OT)
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| (...) Show me any book that is totally original. As a childrens book, which as you point out it is, I have to say that the series is building up to be an impressive set of books with the prisoner of Azkaban being my favourite so far. Yes of course, (...) (23 years ago, 4-Dec-01, to lugnet.loc.uk, lugnet.harrypotter)
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