Copycat Books/Series
- The Belgariad, by David Eddings ==> The Elenium, by David Eddings
- The Wheel of Time, by Robert Jordan ==> The Sword of Truth series, by Terry Goodkind
This is a list that I hopefully will heavily update, but right now I can't think of what else belongs on here.
The actual intent of this isn't specifically just for fantasy type series, but that's what sprang to mind. I'd more than welcome comments suggesting more for the list, from any genre.
As for the first comparison, I really actually do like both sets of books but they're just so much alike, it's bothersome. You have the rough-cut magic-using protagonist who doesn't want much but to be left alone, the fiery love interest, the scoundrel/thief character, the wise older magic-user(s), and on and on and on. Fun stuff, but I wish Eddings had come up with a new story for the tales with Sparhawk, instead of the same kind of thing rehashed.
As for the WoT/Sword of Truth comparison, if you've read the Goodkind novels, you start to think you're actually reading the Wheel of Time... we have the magical sword as a focal point of the story, the amazing fighting ability that the lead character suddenly possesses, even down to the people who use magic having an "ageless" look in their eyes. It's not a bad story, the Sword of Truth, but extremely copycatting the Wheel of Time.
Anyway, this has gone way longer than I thought, but hopefully someone might find it interesting. :)
I've had a pet theory that Robert Jordan IS Terry Goodkind (come on now, "Goodkind"? What kind of last name is that?). But it would explain the utterly shameless copycatting going on in "The Sword of Truth". I liked "Wizard's First Rule" but after the second book I stopped reading them altogether. Boring and monotonous. Course, I have stopped reading Wheel of Time since "A Crown of Swords"--Jordan needs to get to the Last Battle and be done with it.
Oh, BTW, how about Ursula LeGuin's Wizard of Earthsea vs. Harry Potter and the Socerer's Stone? Very similar, down to the protagonist's friends and enemies at his respective wizarding schools.