Tribute Sequel Phenomenon
Curious phenomenon of writing, whereby an author (generally sufficiently well-established on the merits and market value of their own work to be able to do so without suffering the accusation that they are running out of ideas) will produce a sequel, prequel, interquel, or, on unfortunate occasion, straight retcon of another author's work, usually after said author's demise or, at least, retirement.
Notable examples:
- Dune, by Frank Herbert?, which has been given a number of prequels (dealing with the affairs of Houses Atreides and Harkonnen) by (Insert Author Here) and Brian Herbert, the original author's son.
- The Time Machine, by HG Wells, to which the rather excellent sequel The Time Ships? has been fashioned by Stephen Baxter. A notable example, since its narrative allows not only the events of The Time Machine to be crucial to its plot, but also the fact of the book's existence. Possibly also based upon a number of shorts written by H.G. within the Time Machine's universe... See also The Space Machine by Chris Priest.
- Philip K. Dick is Dead Alas, by Michael Bishop, is effectively a sequel to all of Dick's novels and to Dick's life itself. Dick appears as a character (or several characters) throughout the novel.
- Someone did a sequel, reflecting new physics knowhow and especially quantum theory etc, to George Gamow's 'Mr Thompson', about the scatty chap who fills his daydreams with thought-experiments. Those who aren't Arts Students, write.
- The Foundation Novels, by Isaac Asimov, for which three authors, Gregory Benford, Greg Bear, and David Brin, have written "The Second Foundation Trilogy", set (apparently, to judge from "Foundation's Fear") as a series of interquels to "Forward the Foundation", Asimov's last novel.
Although it's not quite the same, Doctor Who being a gestalt writing effort anyway, great and inglorious infamy may also be awarded to John Peel's "War of the Daleks", which pays tribute to the memory of Terry Nation by re-writing, retconning, and eventually entirely rejecting the plot of his last written contribution to the mythology. If the book were actually any good, or if Peel hadn't specifically stated his desire for it to be a tribute to Nation in the dedication, it wouldn't be so unfortunate. Tch!