The 52 Book Club: 2026 Challenge discussion

11. A prequel

A prequel is a story that precedes existing work. (Coming from the prefix “pre-“ and the word “sequel.”) It is published after a completed narrative but gives backstory to the original work. Prequels often further develop story-lines and show the events that led up to the original work. They may expand on world-building or show you a character’s origin story.

The prequel may be a full story or a novella. It may be the prequel to one book or an entire series.

The prequel may be written by an author other than the original author. (Example: Marilla of Green Gables by Sarah McCoy as a prequel to the Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery.)

It’s up to you whether you choose to read a prequel before or after other books in the series. Some prequels may make more contextual sense to read after finishing the original work, even though they describe events occurring before.

Note that some books may function as a prequel but may still be listed by the publisher in publishing order. (For example, some sets of The Chronicles of Narnia series list The Magician’s Nephew as book one, while others will list it by publication date as book six.) Prequels may be listed as #0.5 in a series or #0 in a series.


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Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree

A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes would work, I think

There seem to be a few Green Gables prequels, I may try one

V.C. Andrews has a habit of doing prequels, my favorites are:
Garden of Shadows
Web of Dreams

I still need to read Ultimate The Ballad of Snakes and Songbirds : A Novel

Plan on reading Lost Roses from Martha Hall Kelly.

Bookshop & Bonedust by Travis Baldree

The Jewel of St. Petersburg

The Evening & The Morning

this list told me a few books I didn't realize had prequels!

Found one I have on my local library's wishlist:

Solens sønn by Hilde Susan Jægtnes

It's a prequel to www.goodreads.com/series/45642-sagaen... by Margit Sandemo

I have two books to choose from:

The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman

The Ambassador's Daughter by Pam Jenoff

HAPPY READING!!!

I think I will use the Harry Potter Prequel

Rebound by Kwame Alexander (for those that like basketball and/or novels in verse)

this is my cue to read Wicked 💚

The Baxters: A Prequel by Karen Kingsbury

I will be reading The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman


HAPPY READING!!

Lightning Strikes by William Kent Krueger is my pick for the prequel. I loved it because it really helped me to understand the subsequent books!

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

Can someone help me with this one? I was hoping to read Satan's Affair since it comes before the main two books and is marked as #0.5, but checked the publishing dates and it was published in April while the official first book in the series was published later in August of the same year. Does it still count?

Haley wrote: "Can someone help me with this one? I was hoping to read Satan's Affair since it comes before the main two books and is marked as #0.5, but checked the publishing dates and it was pu..."

Publishing date doesn't matter, if its place is 0.5 in the series then it's a prequel

Lindsey wrote: "Haley wrote: "Can someone help me with this one? I was hoping to read Satan's Affair since it comes before the main two books and is marked as #0.5, but checked the publishing dates..."

Thank you!

The Magician’s Nephew

I read Bookshops & Bonedust - the prequel to Legends and Lattes

Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys is a fascinating prequel to Jane Eyre.

I read Bookshops & Bonedust

The First to Die at the End

I'll probably go with either Star Wars: Attack of the Clones or Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith since they're prequels to the original Star Wars movies.

I read Family of Liars for this prompt!

The Assasin’s Blade by Sarah Maas

I read Kill Joy by Holly Jackson.

I'll read The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis

I read “The Budding Detective: The Origin Story for a Grace Thompson Mystery Series” by Ginger Ellington

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

“Wicked” by Gregory Maguire is a disgusting jumbled mess of a novel. I can’t believe they made this into a play and a movie. Just stick with the original novels and movie. I wish I had reread the “Magician Nephew” for this prompt, but I was trying to read books that I hadn’t read before.

Shocked by Kathy Reichs

I read Lost Roses, which is the prequel for Lilac Girls that is still on my TBR. Unfortunately, it didn’t work for me. I found myself very bored and it was a struggle getting through the 421 pages. This book is highly rated on GR so it has been enjoyed by many readers.

The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien

I read Murder on Shinbone Creek : A Fen Maguire mystery #0.5 by Bruce Hammock .

I read Prelude to Foundation by Isaac Asimov for this topic (Read March 17th; 4*)

Finding Destiny

I read this book - outside of my usual genre

23/52

For this one I'm going with Sunrise on the Reaping since it takes place during the 50th Annual Hunger Games (the OG Hunger Games books took place during the 74th and 75th Games).

I read The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (audio book)

I read Marine Biology by G.L. Carriger for this challenge.

Lucky Day by Barry Lyga is the short prequel to his I Hunt Killers series. It describes how G. William figured out the serial killer is Billy.

What a blessing it was to have Sunrise on the Reaping come out this year and count as my prequel read. If you're a Hunger Games fan, this is a must read.

I read Before Green Gables by Budge Wilson.

I read The Hobbit, or There and Back Again by J.R.R. Tolkien for this prompt.

Another one for Sunrise on the Reaping. Agreed- a must read for Hunger Games fans.

Anyone know why Funny Story by Emily Henry is on the Goodreads list for this prompt?