And could you have a female Beast and male Beauty?
Anyway, here's some other books I'd love to read sequels to. Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish blog with a different top ten list theme (all related to books) every Tuesday (see the full list here).
1. The Lord of the Rings, by JRR Tolkien. I don't care if it's a three book series, with companion books such as the Hobbit and Silmarillion, I want MORE of Middle Earth. I can't WAIT to meet Tolkien in heaven and read the stories he's been working on in the meantime. I'm SERIOUS!
2. The Blue Sword, by Robin McKinley. This Riders of Rohan meets Victorian Empire fantasy with a wild hill king, Corlath (takes deep breath, Corlath!) has a fairly decent prequel, but no sequel. McKinley's blog says she may revisit the world of Damar again with another story. Please, soon, please.
3. Pegasus, by Robin McKinley. This book came out in 2010 and there's a sequel originally planned for this year, now pushed back to next year. Don't push it back any more Robin or I may hunt you down. That's two sequels from this lady that I'm impatient to have.
4. Voices of Dragons, by Carrie Vaughn. Fascinating premise of a no man's land zone between dragon country and human country, and the girl that dared to cross the line. These dragons can take on modern military jets! I sooooo wish there was sequel to this one.
5. The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern
I don't necessarily crave the same characters, but I do want MORE of this magical circus. I want to see how it fairs as it moves from the 19th century into the 20th and even 21st century. I wonder how technology might change the circus... or not.
6. A Northern Light, by Jennifer Donnelly.
This book ended with Mattie finally breaking free of Adirondack backwoods turn-of-the-century world she grew up in and heading off to college. I want to see her backwoods upbringing meet the Big Apple and who she'd meet there and her romantic prospects and what she'd do when she returned home. Mattie's like an American, tougher version of Anne of Green Gables, and I think she deserves a whole series.
7. Burning, by Elana K. Arnold.
I want to find out what happens to the modern Gypsy girl, Lala, after she's been (spoiler!!!) disowned by her family. Last we heard she's headed for Los Angeles, determined to strike out on her own even though Ben is more than willing to give up his own dreams to follow her.
8. The Lost Girl, by Sangu Mandanna.
Eva is sort of a clone, actually a modern high-tech Frankenstein's monster created as a "backup" in case her original dies, as solace for the original's family. The plan backfired horrifically of course, but I think there would ramifications that could affect Eva as she continues to grow up and find her own life.
9. The Bestest Ramadan Ever, by Medeia Sharif.
This had a Judy Blume kind of feel to it, and tension between old world Muslim ways (Almira's grandfather), the more relaxed but not fully Americanized ways of Almira's parents, and the mixed rebellion and respect of teenagers Almira and Shakira for the traditions of Islam... and there's so much more potential for conflict and resolution if this were a series. I like to see religious differences handled well in kidlit, and this is a good example. Related to this, I'd like a series that also address fundamentalist Christianity and other religions in a similar way.
10. From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs Basil E Frankweiler, by E.L. Konigsburg.
When suburban Claudia Kincaid decides to run away, she knows she doesn’t just want to run from somewhere, she wants to run to somewhere — to a place that is comfortable, beautiful, and, preferably, elegant. She chooses the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. There's so much more to this book even than this very excellent premise, and I could see Claudia and James getting into lots more adventures in a series.
Honorable mentions:
I'd love a sequel to David and the Phoenix, a 1950's classic that's slowly gaining a modern day following. Simply because the Phoenix is such a larger-than-life character. I'd love more of that know-it-all bird, esp since he's been (SPOILER!!!!) re-incarnated after his 500 hundred year bonfire.
A sequel to I Rode a Horse of Milk White Jade is another please, gimme! I want to see Oyuna and her indomitable cat, Balat, meet Marco Polo in a sequel (since she's already met Kublai Khan). I want more medieval Mongolian adventures and horses and Mulan-type girl character like Oyuna.
What book or movie do you wish had a sequel? Or do you think Beauty and the Beast could have an interesting sequel, maybe with genders reversed?
Posts
I have the Night Circus on my list too! I read that Morgenstern is not interested in writing another novel about the circus, but she might write some short stories about some of the secondary characters.
ReplyDeleteWell, bummer. No more Night Circus. Ah well.
DeleteThere are so many children's books that I wish I had written, Margo. It is so hard to say, well it's been done so wonderfully before, so why bother? But I keep writing away... :0)
ReplyDeleteOh yes, we must keep writing! The world needs to hear our stories too!
DeleteI read Robin McKinley's THE HERO AND THE CROWN mistakingly first had it backwards for several years ,thinking she wrote the Blue Sword as a sequel.
ReplyDeleteGonna throw out a recommendation for the DRAGON RIDERS OF PERN series by Anne McCaffrey. I've only read the first one so far but it sort of seems in line with some of your other favorites on this list.
I loved the first Pern book!!! I did read a couple of its sequels, they were good too but it's been so long ago. Might have to revisit this series again someday.
DeleteI always love your lists. Why haven't I heard of Pegasus by Robin McKinley?? Adding this to my list. At this moment, I can't think of a book. I'm sure there are tons though. So many have sequels though . . . but maybe "The Outlaws of Sherwood" also by Robin McKinley. That would be an interesting thing. How does Robin fare once he's saved the kingdom and won Maid Marian's heart?
ReplyDeleteI haven't read Outlaws of Sherwood yet, but I plan to get to each every one of her books. I hope she keeps writing into her 90's because I don't want to run out of them!
DeleteGreat list! I haven't read all of these, but the ones I have I agree. Definitely, definitely could use more middle earth.
ReplyDeleteMiddle Earth... oh music to my ears.
DeleteI have Voices of Dragons in my TBR pile. Haven't read it yet, but I'm a huge fan of Carrie Vaughn, so I'm not surprised to hear you wish this had a sequel. Her writing is always so fantastic!
ReplyDeleteI've never read anything else by Vaughn though I've been tempted by her pirate story. Have you read that one? What's your thoughts?
DeleteYES to The Night Circus - I would love to see it transitioning to modern times
ReplyDeleteI know! Wouldn't that be cool!
DeleteI loved Hattie Big Sky and Hattie Ever After, by Kirby Larson. I really hope she'll think of a third book for Hattie, who is such a warm and memorable character.
ReplyDeleteI've heard a lot about Hattie lately. Adding it to my list!
DeleteI've always wanted a sequel to The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King. Does Thomas find Flagg? Where? How?? What happened after all that??? I may or may have to stalk Mr. King in Maine and beg for a sequel.
ReplyDeleteI also want a sequel to The Princess Bride by William Goldman. Rumor had it that he wrote one called Buttercup's Baby, but that was Mr. Goldman being a tease. He and S. Morgenstern think they're so funny!
Happy reading and writing! from Laura Marcella @ Wavy Lines
I know all about wanting to stalk authors! Princess Bride is another one that could use a sequel though I can see why some authors don't do sequels, probably too terrified they could never live up to their famous first!
DeleteSo many of these I still need to read! I keep seeing Night Circus on lists and that makes me really excited to read it :D
ReplyDelete