Or so they say. A friend who I sent the first three chapters of my manuscript recently asked me if I was inspired by another author's book (Curse of Chalion by Bujold). Now, I have read Chalion, but I actually started planning my books long before I read them (planning started in 2006, reading Bujold started in late 2007). My books do deal with similar theology to hers, because I am pretty sure we are of the same religion and share similar philosophies. My books are based around the idea of free will and allowing yourself to trust God, and sort of explore from a couple different perspective the things that keep us from doing what God has set for us. I do think there are similarities, but my plot is totally different, characters are different--they are just of similar themes. But I am kind of worried that if somebody notices that, it might make it harder for me to publish because it's been done. Sort of. I mean, it really hasn't.
Bujold's Chalion books, specifically Curse of Chalion and Paladin of Souls are about two characters, Cazaril in the first and Ista in the second, who both find themselves under the attention of a deity, and there is all sorts of intrigue and evil going on. The deities are all "good" and the evil is of men. The story mostly deals with choosing to follow the plans of the deities and being available to them.
My story deals with two deities, the Creator and the Deceiver. Magic is done by executing a contract with one of the deities, but most people only use magic from the Creator because the contracts from the Creator are never anything bad, while the contracts from the Deceiver are not only unknown, but if you break whatever possible terms of the contract, you pay the price by being slowly devoured by the Deceiver, body and soul. Although ultimately our stories deal with the same theme of trusting a deity completely, my story also deals with the other side of the coin, which is that in dealing with evil, you think you are in control (that's the lure) and you think you're obeying YOUR will (being in control of one's destiny is what most people want, or at least want to believe they have) but you are really being tricked and used. So while both God and evil (Satan or whatever evil of your choice) take your will, God only does so for good, and you choose that every day, with no obligation, whereas with the Devil, you become owned and entangled and lack control AND are not being used for good.
Well, that made me feel better. I was really nervous thinking that they are too similar and are based on ideas that are too close, but looking at them that way, my book is completely different. It not only deals with both sides of the "free will" coin, it comes to slightly different conclusions. And of course the fact that my characters are completely unique and my plot deals with an entire different set of conflicts. I feel so much better now!
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