Does the fact that Res, Obiteum and Luceum are clearly based on real, ancient cultures bother anyone else?
Let me start by saying I thoroughly enjoy this series, but I never miss a chance to gripe and nitpick.
I think its widely accepted that>!Res = Rome, Obiteum = Celtic, and Luceum = Egypt. !<So all of the unique "biomes/dimensions" are simply commodified renditions of real world, ancient cultures. Somebody please correct me if that is not the case.
To me, in fantasy, world-building a unique realm with its own culture, history, values, religiosity, peoples, etc, is what makes it so engaging. And is integral to the genre of fantasy. It's a chance to explore themes in a brand new world full of infinite, imaginative possibilities. Tolkien coined it "subcreation" I believe. (According to his Christian beliefs, only God can perform an act of "pure creation"). But Tolkien devised a fairly holistic, internally consistent, new and unique world that simultaneously felt real but was fantastical and captured all of our imaginations. I do concede that much of the mythology and lore was influenced by Christian theology but I argue that has little bearing on the work as a whole.
However, in the Hierarchy series... each new world we explore is, pardon my French, a magical bastardization of well known real world ancient civilizations. To me, this sort of ruins the "suspension of disbelief", the sense of wonderment and curiosity. These are prebuilt, fully fleshed out societies, landscapes and imagery that have been only slightly "re-skinned" and shoehorned into a fantasy universe.
It's like in cheap fantasy shows where a "magical, self-driving wagon" is very obviously a Toyota Corolla with wood nailed to it. If that makes sense.