Reading with Style discussion

20.8 Yours, Mine, and Ours (Amanda)
Read a book where a character is taken up by a new author. Post original author and book/series in help thread prior to posting for points for this task.

Please post here for approval.

Examples:

Scarlett by Alexandra Ripley
Cosette: The Sequel to Les Miserables by Laura Kalpakian
Caliban's Hour by Tad Williams
The Girl in the Spider's Web by David Lagercrantz

Specifically approved:
Mycroft Holmes by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
The Seven-Per-Cent Solution by Nicholas Meyer
Jane Austen Heroes series by Amanda Grange

So would Mycroft Holmes work as taking a character from Doyle?

The Seven-Per-Cent Solution by Nicholas Meyer

I'm not sure I understand the concept, so to clarify, is this how it works:

An author writes a book or series, then a second author takes one of the characters in the original book and writes a new book using this character?

If so, does it matter if we read the original or the (and I do not mean this negatively at all) derivative work?

Louise Bro wrote: "I'm not sure I understand the concept, so to clarify, is this how it works:

An author writes a book or series, then a second author takes one of the characters in the original book and writes a ne..."

The task is for the new author / use of the character, not the original, so no, you could not read the original.

Valerie wrote: "The Seven-Per-Cent Solution by Nicholas Meyer"

Yes, this works!

Beth wrote: "So would Mycroft Holmes work as taking a character from Doyle?"

This one works too!

Amanda wrote: "Louise Bro wrote: "I'm not sure I understand the concept, so to clarify, is this how it works:

An author writes a book or series, then a second author takes one of the characters in the original b..."

Okay, thanks Amanda! Wow, this one is going to take some thinking... I like it!

Louise Bro wrote: "Okay, thanks Amanda! Wow, this one is going to take some thinking... I like it! ."

I like thinking ;)

Here is a series that I think qualifies. I have not read any of them and can't, therefore, vouch for them.

https://www.goodreads.com/series/7640...


I also wondered if Ahab's Wife, or The Star-Gazer would qualify for this. I have not read Moby Dick, but apparently Ahab says he is married and this book is a complete fabrication of that wife. There is a scene or two in which Ahab appears, but the book is really about the wife, who is not even named in Melville's work.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Here is a series that I think qualifies. I have not read any of them and can't, therefore, vouch for them.

https://www.goodreads.com/series/7640...


I also wondered if [book:Ahab..."

The series works, most definitely!

Have to rush off to get ready for work now, so will have to look at the Ahab book when I get home. Running very late already - 10 minutes to shower, dress and get the child ready!

I think I've read all of these, but I think that the Mary Russell series would work - https://www.goodreads.com/series/4096... - Sherlock Holmes is a main character. I think they're very good.

Katy wrote: "I think I've read all of these, but I think that the Mary Russell series would work - https://www.goodreads.com/series/4096... - Sherlock Holmes is a main character. ..."

Oooh, that reminds me of The Final Solution by Michael Chabon. I'm not a follower of Sherlock Holmes, so missed some things of significance, but I still liked this. However, I don't recall that Holmes was specifcally named, but I think few were fooled.

Would fairy tale retellings work? For instance any character from a fairy tale published by the Grimm brothers?

If you are casting around for a book for this task, this series should work (up to the mods, of course!)...

https://www.goodreads.com/series/4368...

Three Cheers for Lucia!: A New Mapp and Lucia Novel by MR Ian Shepherd based on the Lucia series Queen Lucia by E.F. Benson

The Late Scholar by Jill Paton Walsh uses characters from the
Lord Peter Wimsey series by Dorothy L. Sayers

In The King Must Die by Mary Renault the central character is the mythical king Theseus who appeared in, for example, Plutarch's Lives, Vol 1 by Plutarch
Does that work? I take it they can't be real people, and he was not. (Probably.)

Rosemary wrote: "The Late Scholar by Jill Paton Walsh uses characters from the
Lord Peter Wimsey series by Dorothy L. Sayers"

Thank you so much, Rosemary. I did not know about Jill Paton Walsh! I plan to use Thrones, Dominations, if that works. The book was incomplete on the death of Dorothy L. Sayers and Walsh completed it. It looks like Walsh then continues with A Presumption of Death, The Attenbury Emeralds, and The Late Scholar.

Moderators, please confirm that Thrones, Dominations is okay for this challenge. I'd like to start at the beginning, so I may not use this book for this challenge if it does not. Thanks!

Jack Ryan Universe

originally created by Tom Clancy who passed away in 2013 so books 17 onwards are written by a couple of different authors.

Series by Robert Ludlum:
1. Covert-One: book 4 onwards by numerous other authors
2. Jason Bourne: book 4 onwards by Eric Van Lustbader

If anyone is interested, The Independence of Miss Mary Bennet by Colleen McCullough.

I read a few chapters but could not continue after the novel made a certain marriage unhappy :(

Of course, there are many other spin-offs like Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman series which I adored :)

This is a brand new book I just added to my TBR today:

Huck Out West

based on The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

What a coincidence, Karen Michele, I've just added Finn!

I remember Finn being a good one!

Here's another I'm interested in:

Foe by J.M. Coetzee
includes character Robinson Crusoe

Hi all, will review all posts properly when I get home from work. Just briefly, the Lord Peter Wimsey books work, it was picking up one of these, I think Emeralds, at a library book sale last year that inspired me for this task.

I can read The Angel of the Opera

I'm looking at the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series by Laurie R. King.

Posts 27 & 28 approved.

I am beginning to think that most of the books chosen will involve Sherlock Holmes! I even picked up A Study in Sherlock: Stories Inspired by the Holmes Canon recently which will also work ;)

Tien wrote: "If anyone is interested, The Independence of Miss Mary Bennet by Colleen McCullough.

I read a few chapters but could not continue after the novel made a certain mar..."

Yes to these!

Yes to Finn and Huck Out West.

Katy wrote: "I think I've read all of these, but I think that the Mary Russell series would work - https://www.goodreads.com/series/4096... - Sherlock Holmes is a main character. ..."

Have been working my way up the list, but hit scroll and saw your post. I've approved these below as someone else mentioned it later also.

Karen Michele wrote: "I remember Finn being a good one!

Here's another I'm interested in:

Foe by J.M. Coetzee
includes character Robinson Crusoe"

Yes to Foe. This is on my TBR, but seems to be a Coetzee that I don't own.

Ed wrote: "Three Cheers for Lucia!: A New Mapp and Lucia Novel by MR Ian Shepherd based on the Lucia series Queen Lucia by E.F. Benson"

Yes, this one works also.

Amanda wrote: "I am beginning to think that most of the books chosen will involve Sherlock Holmes! I even picked up A Study in Sherlock: Stories Inspired by the Holmes Canon..."

Actually I just decided that I'd be reading Sherlock Holmes too with The House of Silk. I think I already have that so easy access wins :)

Louise Bro wrote: "Would fairy tale retellings work? For instance any character from a fairy tale published by the Grimm brothers?"

This is the murky water. We discussed this briefly as moderators before posting and I don't see this as a retelling task.

Examples that were given is Cinder isn't going to work but Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister will. The first being more of a retelling / reimagining of the original whereas the latter gives a new story to an existing character (even though, funnily enough, it is the latter which is classed as retelling if you look at the book page!)

So, that all said, I would rather make a judgement on a book by book basis than give an overall ruling.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Oooh, that reminds me of The Final Solution by Michael Chabon. I'm not a follower of Sherlock Holmes, so missed some things of significance, but I still liked this. However, I don't recall that Holmes was specifcally named, but I think few were fooled.."

Elizabeth, I am beginning to think I should have just made this "other people writing stories about Sherlock Holmes". Would have been a lot more straightforward, don't you think ? ;)

I am approving this one for anyone keen.

Tien wrote: "Actually I just decided that I'd be reading Sherlock Holmes too with The House of Silk. I think I already have that so easy access wins :)."


And another Holmes on the list!

Tien wrote: "Jack Ryan Universe

originally created by Tom Clancy who passed away in 2013 so books 17 onwards are written by a couple of different authors.

Series by Robert Ludlum:
..."

all of these "onwards" are approved!

Rosemary wrote: "In The King Must Die by Mary Renault the central character is the mythical king Theseus who appeared in, for example, Plutarch's Lives, Vol 1 by [author:Pl..."

No real people, and yes I will take this.

Valerie wrote: "If you are casting around for a book for this task, this series should work (up to the mods, of course!)...

https://www.goodreads.com/series/4368..."

I am going to have to think on this one a little. It's a little unclear to me how much of the borrowed characters story it is. In all of the above they are the lead or second lead character (I suspect that Holmes is secondary to Mary Russell as Watson is to Holmes) and I would be happy to be convinced that this is the same here.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "I also wondered if Ahab's Wife, or The Star-Gazer would qualify for this. I have not read Moby Dick, but apparently Ahab says he is married and this book is a complete fabrication of that wife. There is a scene or two in which Ahab appears, but the book is really about the wife, who is not even named in Melville's work."

I have been thinking about this whilst replying to the above posts. I think because as she is only mentioned in "a brief passage" and is not named she is not present enough in Moby Dick to be counted as a character of that tale.

I just read A Study in Charlotte which is a modern Sherlock Holmes. I will be reading "Sherlock Holmes: The Angel of the Opera

Tien wrote: "Jack Ryan Universe

originally created by Tom Clancy who passed away in 2013 so books 17 onwards are written by a couple of different authors.

Series by Robert Ludlum:
..."

Tien, the Jason Bourne link goes to Covert One instead.

Amanda wrote: "Valerie wrote: "If you are casting around for a book for this task, this series should work (up to the mods, of course!)...

https://www.goodreads.com/series/4368..."

I am going to hav..."

It has been about 2 years since I read the first one, and (sadly) I don't remember enough to help you.

Okay, how about Koran (Qu'ran), The since it includes a number of characters/people from Holy Bible: King James Version> but was written hundreds of years after the very last books in the latter? The oldest Bible manuscripts predate the life of Mohammad by hundreds of years.

The challenge lies in that both books cite Anonymous as the author and were written by multiple people (as I understand it, the Qu'ran are the words of Mohammad which were written down by many people after he died). I have never read more than snatches of the Qu'ran but have been meaning to read it from cover to cover for a number of years now.

There are always some characters out of literature in the Jasper Fforde series. Miss Haversham is in most of the books if I recall correctly. I think the series would qualify because the main character actually travels "into" great literary works and changes things.

Bea wrote: "Tien, the Jason Bourne link goes to Covert One instead."

It thought that was just me because I had so many pages open! I got there in the end though.

Thanks Bea.

Karin wrote: "Okay, how about Koran (Qu'ran), The since it includes a number of characters/people from Holy Bible: King James Version> but was written hundreds of years after the ver..."

I haven't read either, but the idea is it is new stories for existing characters. Is this the case, or are they the same stories told from different perspectives ?

Karen Michele wrote: "There are always some characters out of literature in the Jasper Fforde series. Miss Haversham is in most of the books if I recall correctly. I think the series would qualify because the main chara..."

Thanks Karen Michele, will accept on your assessment.