S.M. Stirling's On the Oceans of Eternity... and Zulus

[Langadune]

Spoiler Ahead?


This has been bothering me for some time. I read the series recently even though it's been around awhile, since the "stranded in time" sub-genre interests me. The series was OK. I enjoyed it despite some elements but one thing has always bothered me. In the third book, there is a story line that is almost identical retelling of the movie Zulu. It was really weird to me, like he just took that story and stuck it into his book.

First... is this not plagiarism? Second... it had to be intentional, right?

Did anybody else notice this? Has anyone else read this book/series?

 

[Montero]

Not read the book but Zulu itself is about a real event - the Battle of Rourke's Drift.
And it wasn't the only time a small force has been stuck in a building not intended for defence with a very large force around it.

If the book re-uses the screen play, word for word, then I'd say "yes" on plagiarism, but if just the type of situation I've summarised in the previous sentence, then "no" on plagiarism.

Incidentally Tanya Huff "re-does" the Battle of Rourke's Drift in one of her confederation series, and merrily acknowledges it in the book.