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Topic: Literary Classic/Historical Mashup Fad

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richmadcity avatar
Subject: Literary Classic/Historical Mashup Fad
Date Posted: 4/16/2010 10:29 AM ET
Member Since: 9/10/2009
Posts: 438
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I remember when I first saw Pride and Prejudice and Zombies -- and thought "that's a neat idea", but now it seems like there's a whole emerging genre of similar books that either take a literary classic, or historical figure and insert some supernatural element.  Has anyone read a lot of these?  Does having some familiarity with the original work (like Pride and Prejudice) help you enjoy it more?

I'm almost wondering if the market is getting over-saturated with these types of books already.  The titles make me chuckle, but is there's enough good writing between the covers to make them worth buying?

Here's some of the titles

Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters
Jane Slayre
Little Vampire Women
Little Women and Werewolves
Android Karenina
Mansfield Park and Mummies
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
Queen Victoria: Demon Hunter
Robin Hood and Friar Tuck: Zombie Killers
The Undead World of Oz
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Zombie Jim
 

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Amy
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Date Posted: 4/16/2010 3:36 PM ET
Member Since: 3/11/2008
Posts: 1,986
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The only one I've read is Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

I thoroughly enjoyed it. I think it makes sense to have read the original work beforehand.

There were some laugh-out-loud moments, along with jaw-dropping ones.

I have Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters on my list to read for the 2010 Fantasy Challenge.

I'm definitely going to try to read the others.

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Karen B. - ,
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Date Posted: 4/17/2010 12:21 PM ET
Member Since: 3/31/2007
Posts: 32
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I've wishlisted P & P & Z and look forward to checking out this new genre-bending style.  I'm sure the looks I'll get on the Metro will be worth the credit!

ravensknight avatar
Date Posted: 4/18/2010 10:03 AM ET
Member Since: 4/9/2009
Posts: 360
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I haven't read any of these atrocities, yet. I'm sure I'll read one just so I can correctly whine and complain about the downfall of writing and imagination of our day :-D

Generic Profile avatar
Date Posted: 4/18/2010 6:46 PM ET
Member Since: 2/8/2010
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Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters are both fantastic. Hilarious, and slyly written with a surprising amount of creativity. I haven't read the other ones though- Seth Grahame Smith is a good author, so I'm trying to stick primarily with mashups that he does. 

rhyta avatar
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Date Posted: 5/24/2010 10:29 PM ET
Member Since: 10/7/2008
Posts: 1,156
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Found Pride and Prejudice and Zombies very hackneyed, not very original.  I much prefer Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next series, he takes literary characters and uses them in his story not just piggy backing on another author's work.  Much more clever for my taste



Last Edited on: 5/24/10 10:30 PM ET - Total times edited: 1