Guest Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 There are some books that just don't NEED a sequel, though. I understand fans want to know what happens to their favourite characters, and it's good to think they have a life beyond the end of the book, but their story is told - look at the disastrous GWTW sequels. Scarlett and Rhett live on after the end of that book, but we don't need to know what happens - they're so real to us that surely they deserve some privacy? Some books are so good that a sequel would be a case of "second book, second best". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nox Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 Some books are so good that a sequel would be a case of "second book, second best". This happens quite a lot, some books would have been much better left alone, the original is generaly better then the sequels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freewheeling Andy Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 It's an interesting debate, isn't it? I'm generally in the "No Sequels" camp. That if a book ends right then it's good to not know what happens afterwards, and you're left having to think and imagine for yourself. At the very least, I think you have to trust an author's discretion - if they didn't write a sequel it's probably because they want to leave the future as a blank sheet for the reader to imagine; and for each reader to imagine differently for themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supergran71 Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 I think you've already been beaten to it, Supergran. There are a couple of 'sequels' that I'm aware of: Mr Darcy Takes a Wife by Linda Berdoll and Mr Darcy Presents His Bride by Helen Halstead. There are probably many others. I don't think I could ever read a 'sequel' written by anyone other than Austen herself. I'm sure there would be all manner of things that would irritate me. I can hear myself now: 'But Mr Darcy would never have spoken like that!' But I would love to hear about your take on it! From the description of the first "Mr Darcy takes a Wife", it would not suit me at all and I think JA would turn in her grave at the thought. The second "Mr Darcy Presents his Bride", seems much more in keeping with JA genre. However I am not sure that I really want to actually read these sequels. I read a sequel to Gone with the Wind and it was awful. another though I have is that JA would not be able to write a sequel to P&P that involved descriptions of married bliss, as surely she did not have the experience required and in her day, other "ladies" didnt discuss what went on in the bedroom:mrgreen: I think perhaps I will stick to my imagination Kyle. Thanks for the interesting discussion though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 I don't think she would have discussed such disgustingnesses anyway, supergran - she was a laydee! Novels just weren't as graphic in those days and I reckon JA would have concentrated on relationships of a more cerebral nature, a meeting of minds, rather than a meeting of...well, other bits. So I think she could have written about a marriage - and did so, with other chracters - without going into too much detail about physical marital relations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 (edited) Nice general question!! To me, it has to have a rattling good plot that moves along, characters that develop...and the writing has to be pleasant and easy to read. This let's, for instance, Dan Brown out: good, page turning action, but the characters are fairly faceless and the writing just makes me cringe. Jo Trollope on the other hand, writes beautifully, and her characters are great...but not a lot happens. I read her a lot though. So does a book need all three elements, or are they sort of mutually exclusive; would the full banana be too much? (no fruit jokes here, Poppy) Edited May 21, 2008 by michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 I love crime, horror and fansty along with a little Si-Fi. A good read for me is a good story and plenty twist and sirprise along the way with a good ending. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welshman Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 (edited) I like books where the author can grab my emotions, twist them around his little finger for a couple of hundred pages and then when s/he's finished, spit them out and stamp all over them. I like books where after I have finished books I worry about the characters - maybe I mourn their loss, or I celebrate their pending victories. I like books that make me think about issues - any issues. I look books that make me laugh, with characters I feel a tenderness toward. Not through a ridiculous, zany humour - but through what has affectionately been referred to as gentle British humour. I like books that remind me of a world where there was courtesy, respect, compassion and tenderness (was there ever such a world - maybe not). A world where spring is filled with love and the scent of flowers, summer's are balmy and autumn's are filled with rusts and crisp walks. I like books that help me remember the innocence of youth, where the author shows me through their characters the wonderment of experiencing a new and exciting world. But what do I like most? I like a book where I cannot wait to pick it up again. Now if someone knows of a book where I have ALL of those ingredients, please tell me, because that would be one I would HAVE to own!! Edited May 22, 2008 by Welshman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly2008 Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 I need to relate to the characters (to some extent), I want to be able to get into a book straight away and if Im up till 7am reading it then its often good (unless im just trying to quickly finish it) I like a good plot with a few twists, I dont want to know how its going to end till the last few pages Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted May 21, 2008 Share Posted May 21, 2008 Very nicely put, Welshmen! I agree with all you said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 Very nicely put, Welshmen! I agree with all you said. I second that Kylie! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelofboox Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 I like books where the author can grab my emotions, twist them around his little finger for a couple of hundred pages and then when s/he's finished, spit them out and stamp all over them. I like books where after I have finished books I worry about the characters - maybe I mourn their loss, or I celebrate their pending victories. I like books that make me think about issues - any issues. I look books that make me laugh, with characters I feel a tenderness toward. Not through a ridiculous, zany humour - but through what has affectionately been referred to as gentle British humour. I like books that remind me of a world where there was courtesy, respect, compassion and tenderness (was there ever such a world - maybe not). A world where spring is filled with love and the scent of flowers, summer's are balmy and autumn's are filled with rusts and crisp walks. I like books that help me remember the innocence of youth, where the author shows me through their characters the wonderment of experiencing a new and exciting world. But what do I like most? I like a book where I cannot wait to pick it up again. Now if someone knows of a book where I have ALL of those ingredients, please tell me, because that would be one I would HAVE to own!! His Dark Materials trilogy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KW Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 A book has to grab my soul from the first few pages, take me somewhere and show me people I can't live without for the duration of the read. That doesn't necessarily mean the story always has to be 'meaty', because comical plots and characters serve as a release just as much as something heavy or serious in nature. And I ALWAYS keep a great read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icecream Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 His Dark Materials trilogy. Or Lord of the Rings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blossom Posted June 1, 2008 Share Posted June 1, 2008 If I get absorbed in a book and don't want to put it down, that's a sign of a good read to me. Characterisation also has to be believable and I have to feel emotionally involved in their lives, to an extent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 I love a book where I can't put it down and am eager to know what is going to happen next. I love it when I'm reading and get so involved I forget I'm not in the book! I also love a book that I'm still thinking about days after I have finished it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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