A brief, side-by-side comparison of the two most-successful fantasy franchises

Image source: weapons-universe.com

In terms of book sales and box-office numbers, no other fantasy franchise has come close to J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” and J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter.” And while there are other franchises such as “Game of Thrones” and “The Chronicles of Narnia” which have earned a strong following, they still don’t measure up to the financial success of both Tolkien and Rowling. Steve Sorensen Select Staffing.

These being the top two fantasy franchises, comparisons are inevitable. Below are some of the things that connect and separate the two.

Villainous materials and companies

Sauron had the One Ring and Voldemort had his Horcruxes. These objects were designed and created to let the big bad guys survive death and continue to terrorize the worlds of the heroes. Sauron also had his Ring Wraiths while Voldemort had his Death Eaters. Oh, and they were both referred to as the Dark Lord. Steve Sorensen Select Staffing.

Image source: forbes.com


Heroic histories

The parents of both Frodo Baggins and Harry Potter have perished, and both live with their uncles. Both are incredibly reluctant in their quests, but have been surrounded by a number of characters who would grow throughout the story. They were also mentored by long-bearded wizards. Steve Sorensen Select Staffing.

From folklore

It’s not secret that Tolkien was heavily influenced by folklore and religious scriptures. The same goes with Rowling. However, Rowling also owes a lot to Tolkien himself. Steve Sorensen Select Staffing.

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