Terry Goodkind is judging me. :'(

[Ashaman Kovan]

You can call me a liar if you wish lol I read it long ago in some mag interview when Chainfire appeared. Sorry, never thought of keeping it  ;D

 

No, no. I have no desire to call you a liar...Rhyme..Just in the GWoTD and the SWoTD whenever anyone says "Someone said this" usually a quote or legitimate source is required. As far as I know TG never said that. So you could just be mistaken. Not lying. :)

[Werthead]

Is it this one?

 

Haddonfield, NJ: Second Question - I've noticed similarities between your Sword of Truth series and Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series...(Black Sisterhood vs. Black Ajah; The Order vs. The Seanchan; Richard vs. Rand both discovering their powers, both have Nameless evil Gods...etc.) I've often voiced my suspicion that these two series might be occurring on the same world...how crazy am I?

 

Terry Goodkind: If you notice a similarity, then you probably aren't old enough to read my books.

 

Okay, he's not saying, "I am better than Jordan!" outright, but he does seem to be saying there that if you read WoT, you are too young and immature to understand his books, which is utterly hilarious.

 

There is also a very funny question above that where he is asked who is the most important, cutting-edge author writing today and he replies with Ayn Rand, an author noted for being 1) crazy and 2) dead for 21 years at the time of the interview, indicating that Goodkind's reading comprehension is not that strong.

[Talya]

From that I read that he meant there was a lot more adult content in his books, so shouldn't be read by younger readers, and I would have to agre with him on that. I'd be quite happy for my daughter to read WoT in a couple of years (she's 9 now) but I would not happy with her reading SoT despite that I enjoyed the series.

 

Looks like you are reading into something that wasn't said, nor is it even close to what he said!

[Ashaman Kovan]

From that I read that he meant there was a lot more adult content in his books, so shouldn't be read by younger readers, and I would have to agre with him on that. I'd be quite happy for my daughter to read WoT in a couple of years (she's 9 now) but I would not happy with her reading SoT despite that I enjoyed the series.

 

Looks like you are reading into something that wasn't said, nor is it even close to what he said!

 

I second that.

[Werthead]

Nah, if you read enough Goodkind interviews you get the sense of what he means. He has this sneering, talking-down-to-everyone condescension in his interviews which is extraordinarily funny. Almost as funny as the time he called Canada a fascist police state. I'll have to see if I can find that link, because that was awesome.

[Sayerin]

Well, I can't quote, but if somebody misunderstood what he said, it wasn't me. I read it in an interview in our media when one of his books was translated and published. They may have misunderstood him, but I doubt that. Publishers are usually correct in quoting.

[Ashaman Kovan]

Nah, if you read enough Goodkind interviews you get the sense of what he means. He has this sneering, talking-down-to-everyone condescension in his interviews which is extraordinarily funny. Almost as funny as the time he called Canada a fascist police state. I'll have to see if I can find that link, because that was awesome.

 

Sneering talking-down-to-everyone condescension...Hmm sounds like someone I know in the book discussion forums lol. I won't name any names....Greek god of war.... ;D

[CUBAREY]

From that I read that he meant there was a lot more adult content in his books, so shouldn't be read by younger readers, and I would have to agre with him on that. I'd be quite happy for my daughter to read WoT in a couple of years (she's 9 now) but I would not happy with her reading SoT despite that I enjoyed the series.

 

No if he would have said there were similarities but his books were meant for and adult audience then you might be right. What he actually said was that only who was a child would see similarities between him and Jordon which is beyond arrogance. Also I really find it amazing that someone like Goodkind who has never been in a war puts blood and gore in his novel and considers that realistic but implies that Jordon who actually served in Vietnam is not depicting battles realisticly.

[Hybrid]

From that I read that he meant there was a lot more adult content in his books, so shouldn't be read by younger readers, and I would have to agre with him on that.

He said "If you notice a similarity, then you probably aren't old enough to read my books."  That implies to me that a) he thinks there is no similarity and b) he thinks that anyone who sees one is not only wrong, but too uneducated or immature to realize that.  It is quite an insulting comment, not a comment on the mature content of the books.  Sure, the guy was almost accusing him of plagiarizing, but there are plenty of similarities between the two series and the fact that Goodkind won't even admit that is troublesome.  The fact that he resorts to ad hominem attacks when pressed is even more suspicious.  All he had to do was invoke some sort of fantasy trope, but instead, since his work is so much more grand and world-changing than fantasy, he reverts to insulting the questioner.

[Sayerin]

He said "If you notice a similarity, then you probably aren't old enough to read my books." That implies to me that a) he thinks there is no similarity and b) he thinks that anyone who sees one is not only wrong, but too uneducated or immature to realize that. It is quite an insulting comment, not a comment on the mature content of the books. Sure, the guy was almost accusing him of plagiarizing, but there are plenty of similarities between the two series and the fact that Goodkind won't even admit that is troublesome. The fact that he resorts to ad hominem attacks when pressed is even more suspicious. All he had to do was invoke some sort of fantasy trope, but instead, since his work is so much more grand and world-changing than fantasy, he reverts to insulting the questioner.

 

As much as I like Goodkind, I have to admit that you are right.

[Ashaman Kovan]

From that I read that he meant there was a lot more adult content in his books, so shouldn't be read by younger readers, and I would have to agre with him on that.

He said "If you notice a similarity, then you probably aren't old enough to read my books."  That implies to me that a) he thinks there is no similarity and b) he thinks that anyone who sees one is not only wrong, but too uneducated or immature to realize that.  It is quite an insulting comment, not a comment on the mature content of the books.  Sure, the guy was almost accusing him of plagiarizing, but there are plenty of similarities between the two series and the fact that Goodkind won't even admit that is troublesome.  The fact that he resorts to ad hominem attacks when pressed is even more suspicious.  All he had to do was invoke some sort of fantasy trope, but instead, since his work is so much more grand and world-changing than fantasy, he reverts to insulting the questioner.

 

You know what's funny? Whoopie cushions...Besides that though. What I get from this is that TG is insulting the READERS who say his books are similar to RJ and the WoT. Not actually RJ himself. I've read every WoT book more than three times. I've read every SoT book (Except Confessor, I only read once) more than three times, and there just aren't as many similarities as people seem to think there are. Most people never read the books, they just get secondhand accounts that he's a copying copier and leave it at that. TG is a dick. He's eccentric. He's a bit fanatical. He's a bit over-zealous in his opinions. But he didn't plagarize and he didn't copy.

[Terrapin]

When the boogeyman goes to sleep, he checks his closet for Chuck Norris.

 

Chuck Norris once kicked a horse in the chin. Its decendants are known today as Giraffes.

 

Chuck Norris does not wear a condom. Because there is no such thing as protection from Chuck Norris.

 

Some people wear Superman pajamas. Superman wears Chuck Norris pajamas.

 

[Ashaman Kovan]

When the boogeyman goes to sleep, he checks his closet for Chuck Norris.

 

Chuck Norris once kicked a horse in the chin. Its decendants are known today as Giraffes.

 

Chuck Norris does not wear a condom. Because there is no such thing as protection from Chuck Norris.

 

Some people wear Superman pajamas. Superman wears Chuck Norris pajamas.

 

 

That reminds of me of this novelty poster I've seen about 5,867 times.

[Doselan]

But an awesome poster at that. :) 

[el Nynaeve]

AK, I think a lot of people call it plagiarism because Goodkind says his work is original. Well it's not original despite what he thinks and that's where most people have problems. Yes RJ has some similarities to Dune and LotR, but the difference is RJ admitted to it, tipped his hat to Tolkien and Herbert as someone else said. TG doesn't and that is perceived as insulting to the authors he did lift ideas off of.

 

It's like if you write a paper and borrow loads of ideas and quotes from someone. If you reference the other person or work, it's ok but if you don't you get an 'F' for passing off someone else work as your own.

[Hybrid]

What I get from this is that TG is insulting the READERS who say his books are similar to RJ and the WoT. Not actually RJ himself.

That's what I said.

That implies to me that a) he thinks there is no similarity and b) he thinks that anyone who sees one is not only wrong, but too uneducated or immature to realize that.  It is quite an insulting comment, not a comment on the mature content of the books.

 

What I noted was that his response to the questioner was an ad hominem attack.  The actual question, while it hinted at accusations of plagiarism and copying, was phrased very lightly.  The "Am I just crazy?" bit at the end practically gives Goodkind an easy way out.  I can think of half-a-dozen ways to respond to that question in the same manner while still dismissing any similarities as coincidence or even a tip of the hat to another author.  It just strikes me as a caught-in-the-act reaction.  But then again, if he treats everyone equally at interviews, maybe not.

 

But he didn't plagarize and he didn't copy.

I think plagiarize is a bit too harsh.  Copy, maybe.  In any case, he would hardly be the worst if it comes to copying (I said if!).  There's Sword of Shannara and Eragon That-Which-Must-Not-Be-Named.

[Verbal32]

In any case, he would hardly be the worst if it comes to copying (I said if!).  There's Sword of Shannara and Eragon That-Which-Must-Not-Be-Named.

 

LMAO.  A friend of mine was in the middle of reading Eragon, and he called me with the following statement (and I quote exactly):

 

"If they blow up the Death Star next, I'm going to throw this book away."

[Graendals favourite]

Perhaps unintentionally, I think Goodkind might have been right in his comment on the similarities. After all, the SoT and the WoT are so far apart they should be on different sides of the bookstore, let alone on the same shelf space. It would rather be insulting to RJ if there were similarites. Though I do understand some people think when RJ has had a book out, the non-existent similarities focus on that one in particular. Thankfully Goodkind had to finish his series before the last WoT books come out. Though someone mentioned him perhaps writing yet 2 or 3. The annoying thing would be that since Goodkind and RJ have so different philosophies to their works, this kind of pattern might be seen as intentional parody, but perhaps that is simply the SoT existing in the first place.  ;)

[Hybrid]

"If they blow up the Death Star next, I'm going to throw this book away."

 

:D

 

I can't figure out exactly when I figured it out.  Probably towards the end of the first book.  I do think it was funny that I was able to predict the basic events and plot twists of the second book before I read it.  After which I threw my copies out the window gave away my copies and never read it again.

 

When it was made into a movie, I almost cried.

[Ereinion]

http://sot.wikia.com/wiki/Bella

 

Plagiarism!!

 

 

[Corki]

I think you will find that Bella/Bela is a common name for horses, Bella more so than Bela. Just try Google.

[Ereinion]

I think you will find that Bella/Bela is a common name for horses, Bella more so than Bela. Just try Google.

 

Yeah I was mostly joking with that. I just got a chuckle out of the leader of the sisters of the light riding a horse named bella because I read it at a time I was noticing all the other similarities.

 

I think there are enough similarities that Jordan was probably to some extent inspiration for some of his ideas, whether he admits to it or not.

 

That being said there are plenty of things about TG's writing that I don't like. That there are similarities to WoT is not one of those things.

[wite wo1f]

I think that people worry way too much about similarities in books then they should. I personally really enjoyed Terry Goodkind's books and thought that there were similarites between his books and RJ. With that said I think that most of them were in the earlier books and he got away from them later on. I also think that his book Faith of the Fallen is one of the best books that I have read, though Confessor was also extremely good.

 

On the subject of Eragon, to be honest I did not notice many similarities to other books, of course with that said I don't really look for them. I thought though that Brisingir (the third book, not that hybrid would know about it) was absolutely a good book and also as original as books get.

 

Edit: I forgot to mention this in the original post, but I thought that the TV show of the Legend of the Seeker was a good show. However I thought it was a good show by itself, if you go into it expecting to see what you have been reading you would be disappointed. Same with the Eragon movie, it was a good movie but only without the book. In fact other people who have seen it but not read the book thought it was a good movie, but those who had read the book did not. That is why in any translation I always try to look at it as if it was not an adaption.

[EramofAmandous]

Terry does look kinda like Chuck Norris. But if you have read any of the books he reminds me of Nathan when he is on the back cover.

 

I also do think you can even compare the two writers, they stories are written so differently that most similarities are general. I for one could not say which I like better. Like apples and oranges, both fruit, but they taste so different you can't compare them.