Everything is derivative. WoT isn't like the most epic series ever but I enjoyed it greatly and would recommend it and I'm excited to watch a series based on it.
I personally think that those who can't see past Tolkien are living off of his crumbs, as it were. Then again, I've never read a single word of his and I've read a ton of fantasy books. It's not the first time I've heard that criticism about fantasy as a genre. Maybe there's just something awful about Tolkien that ruins you for other authors. Or maybe those who choose to read him and feel complete enough to stop there just don't have a nuance for story execution and variation. They see orcs and addictive magic tropes and automatically think, "I'VE READ THIS ONE ALREADY!!!"
*Not directed at solely Spongebob but the critics who parrot that elitist opinion.
I personally think that those who can't see past Tolkien are living off of his crumbs, as it were. Then again, I've never read a single word of his and I've read a ton of fantasy books. It's not the first time I've heard that criticism about fantasy as a genre. Maybe there's just something awful about Tolkien that ruins you for other authors. Or maybe those who choose to read him and feel complete enough to stop there just don't have a nuance for story execution and variation. They see orcs and addictive magic tropes and automatically think, "I'VE READ THIS ONE ALREADY!!!"
*Not directed at solely Spongebob but the critics who parrot that elitist opinion.
