WoT and the Belgariad/Mallorean/Elenium/Tamuli

[DojoToad]

Near the end of the Elenium, the world runs into an extra long patch of crappy weather, crops were failing and people were going to starve.  Flute (Aphrael) magically makes it alright again. 

Edited October 18, 2022 by DojoToad

[DojoToad]

The Atan warriors have a lot in common with the Aiel.

 

• peerless warriors
• serious demeanor with outsiders
• taller than other people
• women are as likely to be warriors as men
• can effortlessly keep up with horses while on foot

Edited November 6, 2022 by DojoToad

[bringbackthomsmoustache]

Also they need a strong restraint to their use of violence in order to prevent mutual destruction - for the Atan this was tying themselves to the will of the Tamul emperor, for the Aiel it was their honor code retaining links to the way of the leaf allowing for Gai'Shain and persons considered sacarosanct to differing degrees (wise ones, blacksmiths, non-warriors).

[Scarloc99]

I don't think it is surprising that you can draw parallels between the WOT and other forms of fiction, I have long said that the links between Dune and WOT are too close to be coincidence but Robert Jordan always insisted that while he loves Dune he did not draw on it or use it when writing WOT. 

The Bene Geserit could be Aes Sedai, 
Aiel and Freman
Relationship between Paul Atradies and Chani has similar essences to the one between Rand and Avihenda 
Fremen Reverand Mothers and Aiel Wise Women
Duncan Idaho could be considered the Dragon Character from the WOT, being brought back to life over and over, living different lives and then remembering all those experiences 

I don't think any of this is intentional or even a subconscious copying, I do think that a lot of both of these stories is based on older myths and legends stretching back even further. They draw from the same, or similar source works and ideas and so have threads in common. With a series as big as WOT is it seems inevitable that more and more people will start seeing links to other stories they have read. 

There have been numerous writings about how few stories and plots there are to tell in the world, in 1919 it was said there where only 37, in 2004 only 7. After a while it quickly becomes clear that themes and ideas will be recycled all be it in a subtly different way. 

What I will say is that Robert Jordan started writing Eye of the World in 1984, which is when the Belgariad series was finished (5 books in 2 years unheard of now days lol). So I would not be surprised if he finished the series as he started his own. But I have also seen many people online draw parallels between the Belgariad and Lord of the Rings showing how they feel Eddings was influenced by that book, either directly or indirectly. 

 

[DojoToad]

Sparhawk wrote and rewrote several letters to cover for his absence. He got carried away just as Mat did with the fiction he wrote for Hinderstap.