EE.GDS%MIT-OZ%MIT-MC@sri-unix.UUCP (07/02/83)
From: Greg Skinner <EE.GDS%MIT-OZ@MIT-MC> ... is being used up. I just couldn't help noticing the almost identicality of ... Beren One-Hand (of The Silmarillion) and Berek Halfhand (of the Covenant trilogy) There are other examples of similarity ... Valinor (Tolkien) and Balinor (character in The Sword of Shannara) Durin (father of the Dwarves in Middle-Earth) and Durin (another Sword of Shannara character) Has anyone else noticed this in other SF/fantasy novels. One would think we are running out of names to call our characters! --Gregbo -------
SR.KAUFMAN%MIT-SPEECH@sri-unix.UUCP (07/08/83)
From: David H. Kaufman <SR.KAUFMAN at MIT-SPEECH> Actually, not. Most of the names from Tolkien are taken from old Norse mythology (there's a wonderful segment from, I think, the Elder Edda which is listing the people attending a feast, including such names as Gandalf, Thorin, Durin and others.). I can track down the references if anybody really cares. David Kaufman
eric@whuxlb.UUCP (07/09/83)
#R:sri-arpa:-275400:whuxlb:9100012:000:253 whuxlb!eric Jul 9 15:57:00 1983 A good point... good examples... WRONG conlcusion..... I don't think we are running out of names for characters, I just think everyone has read Tolkein and knows a class act when they see it. Eric Holtman WH 1c-352d, x4890 harpo!whuxlb!eric