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Trend doesn't necessarily imply something new or even different, just that it's something one might see a number of times. Certainly neither trend is new. I do think that certain aspects of re-framing an event in a new setting allows the author to take a few short cuts. Since they have a basic framework of events already, they don't have to start from a blank page.
Of course, with all the volume of books now, there is a lot of copying going on. It's not particularly new, but it's a lot more obvious now. The same author has a series of books set in a superhero universe. It's pretty easy to look at some of the characters and think yea, that's suppose to be Superman, that's suppose to be Ironman. This one seems to be MC meets X-Men. It seems to be one of the sub-genres that is popular with indies, a bit like zombie books.
As far as the story teller gene goes, I suppose I could be persuaded to think of it as author voice, though I do think it's more talent than voice. It's a bit like how a successful comedian can tell a joke and everyone laughs, I tell the same joke and I'm the only one laughing. Yea, not everyone thinks that particular comedian is funny, and comedy definitely involves craft, but if you don't have the talent, you aren't going to be successful. It's kind of like the difference between Uncle Joe who tells funny jokes at the family reunion and watching Robin Williams do a stand up routine.
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