Amash-up novel (also called "mashup" or "mashed-up novel") is an unauthorised non-canonical work of fiction, oftenparodical, which combines a well-known pre-existing literature text with another genre. The term was popularized in reference tohorror writerSeth Grahame-Smith and his work on the classical novels ofJane Austen.
Marjorie Kehe of theChristian Science Monitor renders this admixture of classic text as "somewhere between 60 and 85 percent original text, with new plot twists added by contemporary co-authors".[1] These "twists" often include horror fiction elements likevampires,werewolves orzombies.
While most works in mash-up genre rely on fictional texts as their basis, other works likeAbraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter orQueen Victoria: Demon Hunter superimpose the same sort of contrasting genre upon historical figures and events. A more recent phenomenon within the genre is the combination of more than two original works, or genres, as in the case ofRobinson Crusoe (The Eerie Adventures of the Lycanthrope), which combines theoriginal novel with elements borrowed from the works ofH. P. Lovecraft as well as the popular genre ofwerewolf fiction; accordingly, the work attributed to three authors –Daniel Defoe, H. P. Lovecraft and Peter Clines.[2]
The termmashup or mash-up originated within themusic industry.[3] Also called "mash-up", songs within the genre are described as a song or composition created by blending two or more pre-recorded songs, usually by overlaying the vocal track of one song seamlessly over the instrumental track of another.[4] To the extent that such works are "transformative" of original content, they may find protection from copyright claims under the "fair use" doctrine of copyright law.[5] Adam Cohen of theNew York Times notes that even before that, "the idea of combining two data sources into a new product began in the tech world" before spreading to other media, including book publishing.[6]
One of the term's first appearances is in a review ofSeth Grahame-Smith's 2009 novelPride and Prejudice and Zombies. Initially calling it a "parody" and "literary hybrid", Caroline Kellogg, lead blogger forJacket Copy,The LA Times' book blog, later describes the work as "novel-as-mashup".[7] As the popularity of the novel grew and a bidding war commenced over thefilm rights to the book, the term spread. Subsequent works on classical literature includeSense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters andLittle Women and Werewolves.
Prior to publication, the artwork cover forPride and Prejudice and Zombies depicting a "zombified"Regency portrait of Marcia Fox bySir William Beechey altered byQuirk Books artist Eric "Doogie" Horner to show her lower face eroded, exposing bone and viscera caught the attention of bloggers,[7] as did the opening line of the novel: "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains." This is a parody of Austen's original line, "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man, in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife."
As previously noted, the novelPride and Prejudice and Zombies combinesJane Austen's classic 1813 novelPride and Prejudice with elements of modernzombie fiction, crediting Austen as co-author. It was first published in April 2009 byQuirk Books and in October 2009 a Deluxe Edition was released, containing full-color images and additional zombie scenes.[8]
An earlier novel,Move Under Ground byNick Mamatas, was a 2004 novel combining theBeat style ofJack Kerouac with thecosmic horror ofH. P. Lovecraft'sCthulhu Mythos.
Mashup novels constitutederivative works since they include major elements borrowed from an original, previously created work. Most authors of such novels, however, avoid potential legal issues (and the payment of royalties to the original writers) by basing their books on texts that are in thepublic domain.
While initially well-received (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies spent eight months on theNew York Times Best Seller list andAbraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter has already been made into a feature film), at least one reviewer has suggested that the genre has run its course in popularity. Jennifer Schuessler, ofThe New York Times reflects the pessimism of critics of the genre:
Publishers in search of a marketing hook aren't above trumpeting even their most middling wares as a mix of Dickens, Chekhov and Dan Brown. This year, a small publishing house in Philadelphia hit on a more effective formula: Take some Jane Austen, add a healthy dollop of gore and start counting the money.[9]
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