Science Fiction/Adventure story that requires knowledge of Pride and Prejudice?

[jrderego]

Here's the deal, I'm experimenting with an adventure story, and I love Pride and Prejudice. I am working on a short that takes place during the time that Mr. Bennet is searching for Lydia in London. What if that two week goose chase was really a cover for something much more interesting, like, for example, preventing The Black Hand from stealing a device known as The Sextant of Socrates that has the power to destroy London, and probably everything else on Earth. Suppose also that the gentleman farmer of Austen's book was also a retired swashbuckling adventurer -

Would you read it or is the subject matter too esoteric?

[DKT]

Hell, yes, man!  I also love Pride and Prejudice.  Actually, I'm trying to sell something similar right now, although it sounds like mine is more of a nod to Austen than taking place in part of the actual story. 

Still.  I would totally read your story.  There's also one out there by John Kessell (I think) called "Pride and Prometheus."  Haven't read that one yet, but would very much like to. 

[jrderego]

Hell, yes, man!  I also love Pride and Prejudice.  Actually, I'm trying to sell something similar right now, although it sounds like mine is more of a nod to Austen than taking place in part of the actual story. 

Still.  I would totally read your story.  There's also one out there by John Kessell (I think) called "Pride and Prometheus."  Haven't read that one yet, but would very much like to. 

Thanks for the tip for the other story. I'll check it out

If I get this one together I'll try and land it at Weird Tales or something.

[birdless]

I've never read it (so i didn't vote... i saw the movie, though... does that count?), but i think i would actually enjoy that more than typical SF fare. Please keep us posted.

Sorta reminds me of Young Sherlock Holmes. I liked that movie.

[Listener]

Related:

I've never seen nor read P&P.  But in my novel, I named a British character "Colin Darcy" because, to me, it sounded quintessentially British.

Now I know why.

[stePH]

Didn't vote on the poll as none of the choices say anything like:

As I've never read Pride and Prejudice nor am I likely to ever get around to it, I wouldn't be inclined to read any story that requires knowledge of it.  A story merely inspired by it is another matter.  (I've watched the movie Clueless which is said to be loosely based on Emma, for one example.)

[DKT]

Hell, yes, man!  I also love Pride and Prejudice.  Actually, I'm trying to sell something similar right now, although it sounds like mine is more of a nod to Austen than taking place in part of the actual story. 

Still.  I would totally read your story.  There's also one out there by John Kessell (I think) called "Pride and Prometheus."  Haven't read that one yet, but would very much like to. 

Thanks for the tip for the other story. I'll check it out

If I get this one together I'll try and land it at Weird Tales or something.

Jeff, the Kessel story was in F&SF, I think, so they might be a good place to start.  I couldn't get past JJA, there but you might have better luck.  WT said it was "well-written story, but wasn't right for them."  (Dammit, those kind of rejections are both the best and worst kind). But I think there's a lot of potential markets for stories like this.  Someone recently suggested to me The Strand, which I didn't know considered SF at all, but I think it might be worth looking into.   

Good luck!

[eytanz]

As I've never read Pride and Prejudice nor am I likely to ever get around to it, I wouldn't be inclined to read any story that requires knowledge of it.  A story merely inspired by it is another matter.  (I've watched the movie Clueless which is said to be loosely based on Emma, for one example.)

I agree, actually, even though I've read Pride & Prejudice multiple times and I really love it. Clueless is a good example of how to do it right - the story holds together perfectly if you're not familiar with Emma, but if you are familiar with it then you can recognize the characters and scenes. Another example of how to do it right is the movie Match Point - on it's own it's an interesting psychological thriller. But people who have read Crime & Punishment may recognize that the story is in a way a response to Dostoyevksy.

[Russell Nash]

What if I've only seen the movie?

[jrderego]

What if I've only seen the movie?

That should be fine. the story as it stands now takes place between the time Mr. Bennet (and a bit later Mr. Gardner, his brother in law) goes off to London to search for Lydia who has run off with Mr. Wickham. Mr. Bennet is the main character.

Here is a sample -

1.

Mr. Bennet read the letter twice, first to absorb the words there written in flowing script, the second to ensure the watermark and wax seal were pure; they were. The words did not disturb him nearly as much as the origin of the letter, and he suppressed a shudder. He listened should anyone be nearby his study door, then convinced of his privacy, touched the bottom corner of the correspondence to a candle flame.
   
The letter evaporated in a puff of white smoke.
   
Mr. Bennet sat in his battered wing chair and gazed out the tall window over the modest garden stretching out behind Longbourne-house. He would have to travel to London, that was a certainty. He frowned and realized his knuckles had gone white gripping the arms of the chair.

Mr. Bennet hated London.

If only Charles were here, he thought, but alas he had gone on a tour of Derbyshire with his wife, and Elizabeth. Mr. Bennet rose slowly from the chair and though the clock only just struck ten, he poured a large glass of port and consumed it in a single gulp. London, he thought, I swore I'd never set foot among your stink and filth again. He grimaced slightly and refilled his glass.

[Roney]

I think I've plugged Jasper Fforde's books here before but I'm not embarrassed to do it again.  I had no knowledge of Jane Eyre before reading The Eyre Affair and I loved every chapter of it.  No doubt I'd have appreciated a few more in-jokes if I'd been more familiar with the original but if the new story stands on its own then I don't think that it matters too much.

Link EPized

[Bdoomed]

I seem to be in the minority here... and I am actually surprised by this... I found Pride and Prejudice to be one of the worst novels I have ever had the displeasure to lay my eyes upon.  That book annoyed me to no avail, and I hated every bit of it.  I was forced to read it for school, and I am not one to cheat and use spark notes or cliff notes.  So instead I suffered through both the book and the movie, and hated every minute of both.  I often get it mixed up with another horrible work of British Literature, Wuthering Heights.

However, the worst book I've ever read is The Red Pony.

So no, I would most likely not read that book, but I might flip through it since it eminates from the great J.R. Derego haha, might end up picking it up if its more of a scifi action than an annoying british love story.

[eytanz]

I seem to be in the minority here... and I am actually surprised by this... I found Pride and Prejudice to be one of the worst novels I have ever had the displeasure to lay my eyes upon.  That book annoyed me to no avail, and I hated every bit of it.  I was forced to read it for school, and I am not one to cheat and use spark notes or cliff notes.  So instead I suffered through both the book and the movie, and hated every minute of both.  I often get it mixed up with another horrible work of British Literature, Wuthering Heights.

I'm not surprised that you hate the book, because you're not the only person I know who feels that way about it. I am surprised that you find it surprising that you're in the minority, though - it is one of the most beloved books of the past 200 years, and almost everyone I know who read it at least likes it a lot, if not loves it, though there are exceptions.

I, by the way, am also in the contingent that thinks Wuthering Heights is a great work - though really only rewarding once you finish the whole thing and therefore a difficult read - but I think that's a much smaller contingent than the Pride & Prejudice fans.

[wintermute]

You need to read Wuthering Heights in the original semaphore.

[Corydon]

I'd definitely read a SF riff on Pride & Prejudice; it sounds like fun.  And given the popularity of Austen, I think there'd be a market for such a book; Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell successfully dipped a bit into that territory, for example.

[Listener]

I'd definitely read a SF riff on Pride & Prejudice; it sounds like fun.  And given the popularity of Austen, I think there'd be a market for such a book; Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell successfully dipped a bit into that territory, for example.

Bleah.  That book had a great premise but was about 700 pages too long.

[Corydon]

I'd definitely read a SF riff on Pride & Prejudice; it sounds like fun.  And given the popularity of Austen, I think there'd be a market for such a book; Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell successfully dipped a bit into that territory, for example.

Bleah.  That book had a great premise but was about 700 pages too long.

Well, whatever its merits, lots of people liked it.  So there's definitely a market there.

[DKT]

I'd definitely read a SF riff on Pride & Prejudice; it sounds like fun.  And given the popularity of Austen, I think there'd be a market for such a book; Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell successfully dipped a bit into that territory, for example.

Bleah.  That book had a great premise but was about 700 pages too long.

Heh.  And I thought it was 700 pages too short 

[eytanz]

I'd definitely read a SF riff on Pride & Prejudice; it sounds like fun.  And given the popularity of Austen, I think there'd be a market for such a book; Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell successfully dipped a bit into that territory, for example.

Bleah.  That book had a great premise but was about 700 pages too long.

Heh.  And I thought it was 700 pages too short 

Me too

Btw, for anyone who enjoyed it - and also everyone who sort of liked it but wished it was shorter - the short story collection The Ladies of Grace Adieu takes place in the same world but is, obviously, much shorter, and is a really good read.

[DKT]

I'd definitely read a SF riff on Pride & Prejudice; it sounds like fun.  And given the popularity of Austen, I think there'd be a market for such a book; Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell successfully dipped a bit into that territory, for example.

Bleah.  That book had a great premise but was about 700 pages too long.

Heh.  And I thought it was 700 pages too short 

Me too

Btw, for anyone who enjoyed it - and also everyone who sort of liked it but wished it was shorter - the short story collection The Ladies of Grace Adieu takes place in the same world but is, obviously, much shorter, and is a really good read.

Ah, thanks for that.  I've been curious about it for a while now, but haven't picked it up yet.  Will have to rectify that soon.

[birdless]

I'd definitely read a SF riff on Pride & Prejudice; it sounds like fun.  And given the popularity of Austen, I think there'd be a market for such a book; Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell successfully dipped a bit into that territory, for example.

Bleah.  That book had a great premise but was about 700 pages too long.

Heh.  And I thought it was 700 pages too short 

Me too

Btw, for anyone who enjoyed it - and also everyone who sort of liked it but wished it was shorter - the short story collection The Ladies of Grace Adieu takes place in the same world but is, obviously, much shorter, and is a really good read.

Hate to post just to say "Seconded on all counts," but... Seconded on all counts. Loved Jonathan Strange! Look forward to reading more of Susanna Clark.

[stePH]

I'd definitely read a SF riff on Pride & Prejudice; it sounds like fun.  And given the popularity of Austen, I think there'd be a market for such a book; Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell successfully dipped a bit into that territory, for example.

Bleah.  That book had a great premise but was about 700 pages too long.

I've listened to the audiobook (read by Simon Prebble) twice, but can't imagine sitting down to actually read it.

[DKT]

I'd definitely read a SF riff on Pride & Prejudice; it sounds like fun.  And given the popularity of Austen, I think there'd be a market for such a book; Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell successfully dipped a bit into that territory, for example.

Bleah.  That book had a great premise but was about 700 pages too long.

I've listened to the audiobook (read by Simon Prebble) twice, but can't imagine sitting down to actually read it.

On a total tangent now, but I've been wondering this for a while: how do you do footnotes in an audiobook (or a podcast)?

[stePH]

I'd definitely read a SF riff on Pride & Prejudice; it sounds like fun.  And given the popularity of Austen, I think there'd be a market for such a book; Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell successfully dipped a bit into that territory, for example.

Bleah.  That book had a great premise but was about 700 pages too long.

I've listened to the audiobook (read by Simon Prebble) twice, but can't imagine sitting down to actually read it.

On a total tangent now, but I've been wondering this for a while: how do you do footnotes in an audiobook (or a podcast)?

If memory serves, they are dropped into the appropriate section of text as a momentary aside, and then the text proper resumes after the footnote (as if the reader had paused at the end of the sentence to read the footnote, and then picked back up right where sHe left off.)  I think the readers of Pratchett audiobooks do the same thing. 

Also IIRC, the Clarke audiobook starts with a mention of how the text is replete with footnotes and each is given its own CD "chapter".

[birdless]

Also IIRC, the Clarke audiobook starts with a mention of how the text is replete with footnotes and each is given its own CD "chapter".

You recall correctly. I was curious how it would work, too, and it works quite well in the Jonathan Strange audio book (it's unabridged, too, btw).